| Xia Dynasty |
21st century BC-16th century BC |
| Shang Dynasty |
16th century BC-1066 BC |
| Western Zhou |
1066 BC-771 BC |
| Eastern Zhou: Spring and Autumn/Warring States |
770 BC-221 BC |
| Ch'in Dynasty |
771 BC-206 BC |
| Han Dynasty: Western Han Dynasty |
206 BC-23 AD |
| Eastern Han Dynasty |
25-220 |
| The Three Kingdoms: Wei |
220-265 |
| Shu Han |
221-263 |
| Wu |
222-280 |
| Western Jin |
265-316 |
| Eastern Jin |
317-420 |
| The Sixteen Kingdoms: Southern and Northern Dynasty |
304-420 |
| Southern Dynasty |
420-589 |
| Northern Dynasty |
386-581 |
| Sui Dynasty |
581-618 |
| Tang Dynasty |
618-907 |
| The Five Dynasties |
907-979 |
| Sung Dynasty: Northern Sung |
960-1127 |
| Southern Sung |
1127-1279 |
| Liao Dynasty |
907-1125 |
| Western Xia Dynasty |
1032-1227 |
| Jin Dynasty |
1115-1234 |
| Yuan Dynasty |
1279-1368 |
| Ming Dynasty |
1368-1644 |
| Ch'ing Dynasty |
1644-1911 |
| The Kuomintang Party |
1912-1949 |
| The People's Republic of China |
1949-the present |