Chinese timeline

Qin unification

221-206BC

The first emperor Shi also unified writing, currency, weights, measures, and the widths of different vehicles. After regulated them, he spread it over to the other six states previously and unified the whole China from another aspect, standardized the units.

He's unification settle a firm foundation for the future China to become a unified multi-ethnic power.

However, The First Emperor Shi also made several mistakes during his reign, having strong and forceful control, burning books and burying scholars, the punishments were unbelievably cruel. But he's still a "good" emperor since he made more contribution than faults.

During the warring state, China were divided into seven big states: Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, Wei and Qin.

The Qin defeated the other six rivals and unified the empire finally in 221 BC.

The title "emperor" was adopted for the leader in this period too.

The great wall was also first time being built in the history by this period.

The Han dynasty

206-220 B.C.

Han

206-220BC

Emperor Gaozu emerged victorious out of the chaos and founded the Han dynasty.

Gaozu kept the centralized government model, but he ended many unpopular features

Zhangqian's visit to Dayueshi (western) 139BC

ZhangQian's visit to the western

After he came back to China after a year of arrest (under the Xiongnu), he told the emperor Wu everything that happened to him and what's in the route. The emperor Wu then granted him to be Taizhong dafu(like administer, is the 9th level of administer in the government in Qin out of 30 levels.)

The emperor Wu then let Zhang Qian travel the route again and explore more. So he traveled one more time to the western and made the diplomatic relationship more firm, settled and confirmed the silk road.

Zhang qian was the men who made Silk road the silk road today. Silk road was being used for ancient merchants before 138B.C, however those were just for commertial issue.

But in 138 B.C., with Wu emperor's order, ZhangQian were assigned to the Dayueshi, asking Dayueshi for the help to fight against the Xiongnu. Zhangqian once was even trapped by the Xiongnu, but he ended up escaped with his Xiongnu wife.

Silk road

Silk road

Silk road/ route, is a path that connects the western world and the eastern world.

Silk from China and horses, spices, and etc. from the western country were mainly being traded as the product.

The spread of Buddhism

200-500AD

The spread of Buddhism

Buddhism spread through Asia via missionaries and was shaped by the different cultures

Once became Chinese's daily life, the whole civilization were influenced deeply.

CaiLun perfected

paper making technology

Printing press

105 C.E

Cailun improved and adopted the "paper" in the past (mostly silk) to the base of the wooden paper we are using nowadays. Settled a firm foundation for the future developments of paper making, and accelerated the growth of industry by the ability to produce cheap fine paper at quantity.

Age of division

220 C.E.

Age of division

220C.E.

A series of child emperors who needed regents to rule until they were mature led to the families of empresses dominating the court

The Age of Division followed and China was split into two, North (non-Chinese dynasties) and South (Chinese dynasties)

The Sui dynasty

581-618 C.E.

Sui

581-618 C.E.

The instability in China finally ended in this period, both northern and southern Dynasties were combined. (It ended with the victory of Sui for the Yangzi river)

Sui strengthened central control by appointing loyal local officials

Grand Canal

Grand canal

607 C.E.

The grand canal was built in the Sui dynasty. It played an important role to the Sui dynasty in both economy, diplomacy, life convenience, military and etc.

The Tang dynasty

618-907 C.E.

Tang

618-907C.E.

During this period, art and literature were being improved gigantically. There were tremendous brilliant poets, painters, and calligraphers were born and out-shined in this period. Such as poests Li bai, Du fu, and Bai juyi; painter Wu daozi; Calligrapher Yan zhenqing. Ang those were just a few outstanding artist out of thousands and millions of others. Tang poems out of other art forms was the most unique and prominent art in Tang, and even in nowaday China. The arts in this period were all unique and very Tang-liked, full of Tang feature and people's aesthetic standard at that time.

Nevertheless, Tang also set up government schools to educate young men on how to be government officials.

Tang was the climax of Chinese civilization, China was almost the most powerful civilization in the eastern Asia. Lots of civilization got in to a diplomatic relationship with China, called Fanshuguo (vassal states)

The relationship between China and those civilizations like Japan and Korea was that the vassal will pay tribute to China, and China shared its culture and technology to the other civilizations.