History of China ANCIENT Neolithic c. 8500 -- c. 2070 BC Xia dynasty c. 2070 -- c. 1600 BC Shang dynasty c. 1600 -- c. 1046 BC Zhou dynasty c. 1046 -- 256 BC Western Zhou Eastern Zhou Spring and Autumn Warring States IMPERIAL Qin dynasty 221 -- 206 BC Han dynasty 206 BC -- 220 AD Western Han Xin dynasty Eastern Han Three Kingdoms 220 -- 280 Wei, Shu and Wu Jin dynasty 265 -- 420 Western Jin Eastern Jin Sixteen Kingdoms Northern and Southern dynasties 420 -- 589 Sui dynasty 581 -- 618 Tang dynasty 618 -- 907 (Second Zhou dynasty 690 -- 705) Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 907 -- 960 Liao dynasty 907 -- 1125 Song dynasty 960 -- 1279 Northern Song Western Xia Southern Song Jin Yuan dynasty 1271 -- 1368 Ming dynasty 1368 -- 1644 Qing dynasty 1644 -- 1912 MODERN Republic of China 1912 -- 1949 People 's Republic of China 1949 -- present Related articles (show) Chinese historiography Timeline of Chinese history Dynasties in Chinese history Linguistic history Art history Economic history Education history Science and technology history Legal history Media history Military history Naval history view talk
when did the ancient chinese civilization begin and end
8500 256 BC