The History Book

IN CONTEXT

Focus

Han China

Before

1600–1046 bce Shang dynasty rules.

c.1046–771 bce Western Zhou dynasty.

771–476 bce Spring and Autumn Period (the first half of the Eastern Zhou dynasty).

551–479 bce Life of Kong Fuzi (known as Confucius).

476–221 bce Warring States Period (the second half of the Eastern Zhou dynasty).

After

140–87 bce Reign of Han Emperor Wudi (Liu Che)—a time of imperial expansion.

220–581 ce Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties Period.

581–618 Sui dynasty.

618–907 Tang dynasty.

China is probably the most enduring coherent state in world history, and to an extraordinary extent this is due to the will of one man: Qin Shi Huangdi, the self-styled ...