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Antiquity

Ancient China

From the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties to unification and early empire under the Qin and Han.

Wikimedia Commons · CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0

60-Second Review

Express review

A condensed, point-by-point summary of the module, for reviewing right before a test or exam.

  1. From Legend to Archaeology: The Xia Dynasty. Chinese tradition dates the Xia dynasty to c. 2070-1600 BCE, but its historicity remains genuinely disputed.
  2. The Shang Dynasty: Bronze, Writing, and Kingship. The Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE) is confirmed by the oracle-bone script unearthed at its capital, Anyang.
  3. Shang Religion, the Fall of Shang, and the Mandate of Heaven. Shang religion centered on Shangdi and ancestor worship; its fall in 1046 BCE produced the Mandate of Heaven.
  4. The Zhou Dynasty: Feudal Order and the Hundred Schools of Thought. Zhou feudal order (fengjian) gradually fragmented into the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.
  5. Qin Shi Huang and the Unification of China. In 221 BCE Qin conquered its six rivals, and Ying Zheng proclaimed himself Shi Huangdi, First Emperor.
  6. The Founding of the Han Dynasty and Its Administration. Liu Bang founded the Han dynasty in 202 BCE, blending Qin institutions with milder Confucian-inflected rule.
  7. Han Wudi, the Silk Road, and Imperial Expansion. Emperor Wu (141-87 BCE) expanded Han territory, opened the Silk Road, and made Confucianism state doctrine.
  8. The Decline and Fall of the Han Dynasty. Court factionalism, the Wang Mang interregnum, and the Yellow Turban Rebellion led to Han's fall in 220 CE.

This module continues after "Ancient India" in the syllabus. If you haven't reviewed it yet, it may help set the context.

Key points

Visual module map

1From Legend to Archaeology: The Xia Dynasty
2Shang Religion, the Fall of Shang, and the Mandate of Heaven
3Qin Shi Huang and the Unification of China
4The Founding of the Han Dynasty and Its Administration
5The Decline and Fall of the Han Dynasty

Alternative visual view: a simplified sequence of some of the module's key points, in their order within the syllabus.

Your module mastery

0% (overall measurement)
Approximate breakdown by skill
Understanding of historiographical debate0%

A rough estimate based on the key points reviewed, not an exact measurement of actual mastery.

Final test

You need to review all key points to unlock the final test.

Optional mini-games

Extra practice, with no penalty, to reinforce the module's content.

Review Flashcards

Review each key point with cards that flip to reveal the summary.

Memory

Match each concept with its definition in as few attempts as possible.

Time Attack

Answer true or false statements before time runs out.

Chronological Order

Put the module's key points back in their original order.

Further reading

Bibliography and cited sources used to create this module.

  • Sima Qian, Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian).
  • Ban Gu, Hanshu (Book of Han).
  • K.C. Chang, The Archaeology of Ancient China.
  • David N. Keightley, Sources of Shang History: The Oracle-Bone Inscriptions of Bronze Age China.
  • Li Feng, Landscape and Power in Early China: The Crisis and Fall of the Western Zhou.
  • Mark Edward Lewis, The Early Chinese Empires: Qin and Han.
  • Michael Loewe and Edward L. Shaughnessy (eds.), The Cambridge History of Ancient China.
  • UNESCO, Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, World Heritage List, available at whc.unesco.org.