Yao becomes Emperor and chooses Shun as his Prime Minister.
Yao dies. The people spontaneously choose Shun as the new Emperor. Shun puts Yu in charge of flood control. Yu’s success in this leads Shun to choose him as his Prime Minister.
Shun dies. The people spontaneously choose Yu as the new Emperor.
Yu dies. The people spontaneously choose his son as the new Emperor, thereby creating the first Chinese dynasty: the Xia.
Over many generations, the Virtue of the Xia kings declines, culminating in the vicious rule of Tyrant Jie.
Tyrant Jie is overthrown by the sage Tang, who becomes King of the second Chinese dynasty: the Shang.
Over many generations, the Virtue of the Shang kings declines, culminating in the vicious rule of Tyrant Zhou.
King Wen patiently endures Tyrant Zhou, but his Virtue increasingly draws the support of the people and other nobles.
CIRCA 1040–771 B.C.E.: Western Zhou Dynasty.
King Wen’s son, King Wu, leads the rebellion that overthrows Tyrant Zhou and founds the third Chinese dynasty: the Zhou.
A few years after the conquest, King Wu dies of natural causes, leaving his young son, King Cheng, on the throne. King Cheng’s regent is his uncle, the Duke of Zhou, who loyally advises and defends King Cheng, solidifying Zhou rule.
Over many generations, the Virtue of the Zhou kings declines.
771 B.C.E.: A group of disaffected nobles and “barbarians” attacks and murders King You.
{xlvi} 770–221 B.C.E.: Eastern Zhou Dynasty.
A surviving member of the Zhou royal family is established as king in a new capital to the east, deeper in the Zhou territory.
722–481 B.C.E.: Spring and Autumn period.
680 B.C.E.: Duke Huan of Qi, with the assistance of his Prime Minister Guan Zhong, becomes the first Hegemon.
551–479 B.C.E.: Lifetime of Kongzi (Confucius).
Fifth century B.C.E.: Lifetime of Mozi, anti-Confucian philosopher who advocated “impartial caring.”
403–221 B.C.E.: Warring States period.
Fourth century B.C.E.:
Birth of Yang Zhu, egoist philosopher.
Birth of Mengzi (Mencius), Confucian who argued that “human nature is good.”
Birth of Zhuangzi, Daoist philosopher who advocated emptying rather than cultivating one’s heart.
Birth of Xunzi, Confucian who argued that “human nature is bad.”
Third century B.C.E.:
Possible date of composition of the Daodejing, attributed to Laozi.
Birth of Hanfeizi, Legalist philosopher.
221–207 B.C.E.: The Qin Dynasty, Founded by the Self-Proclaimed “First Emperor.”
202 B.C.E.–220 C.E.: Han Dynasty.
156–87 B.C.E.: Reign of Emperor Wu, under whom Confucianism is made state orthodoxy.
First century C.E.: Buddhism arrives from India.
618–906 C.E.: Tang Dynasty.
684–705 C.E.: Reign of Empress Wu, under whom patronage of Huayan and Chan (Zen) Buddhism reached new heights.
{xlvii} 819 C.E.: Han Yu writes “Memorandum on a Bone of the Buddha” to the Emperor, harshly criticizing Buddhism.
960–1279 C.E.: Song Dynasty.
Birth of Zhou Dunyi, author of “Explanation of the Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate,” a seminal metaphysical text of the School of the Way.
Birth of Zhang Zai, author of the “Western Inscription,” an ethical manifesto of the School of the Way.
Births of Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi, brothers responsible for developing the mature School of the Way metaphysics.
Birth of Lu Xiangshan, who criticized Zhu Xi for what he saw as dualisms in his interpretation of Confucianism.
1130–1200 C.E.: Life of Zhu Xi, who placed the Four Books at the center of the Confucian curriculum and interpreted them in the light of the new metaphysics.
1313 C.E. (Yuan Dynasty): Zhu Xi’s Collected Commentaries on the Four Books becomes the basis of the civil service examinations.
1472–1529 C.E. (Ming Dynasty): Life of Wang Yangming, whose criticisms of Zhu Xi are similar to those of Lu Xiangshan.
1905 C.E. (Qing Dynasty): Civil service examinations are eliminated.