| SHANG | ca. 1460–1045 BC |
| ZHOU | 1045–256 BC |
| Western Zhou | 1111–771 BC |
| Eastern Zhou | 770–256 BC |
| Spring and Autumn | 722–421 BC |
| Warring States | 480–221 BC |
| QIN | 221–207 BC |
| HAN | 202 BC–AD 220 |
| Western Han | 202 BC–AD 9 |
| Eastern Han | 25–220 |
| THREE KINGDOMS | |
| Wei | 220–265 |
| Wu | 220–280 |
| Shu-Han | 221–263 |
| WESTERN JIN | 266–316 |
| EASTERN JIN | 317–420 |
| NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN DYNASTIES | 386–589 |
| Northern | 386–581 |
| Northern Wei | 386–534 |
| Eastern Wei | 534–550 |
| Northern Qi | 550–577 |
| Western Wei | 535–557 |
| Northern Zhou | 557–581 |
| Southern | 420–589 |
| Song | 420–479 |
| Qi | 479–502 |
| Liang | 502–557 |
| Chen | 557–589 |
| SUI | 581–618 |
| TANG | 618–907 |
| FIVE DYNASTIES | 907–960 |
| Later Liang | 907–923 |
| Later Tang | 923–936 |
| Later Jin | 936–947 |
| Later Han | 947–950 |
| Later Zhou | 951–960 |
| SONG | 960–1279 |
| Northern Song | 960–1127 |
| Southern Song | 1127–1279 |
| LIAO | 916–1125 |
| JIN | 1115–1234 |
| YUAN | 1260–1368 |
| MING | 1368–1644 |
| QING | 1644–1911 |