4.1: Chronology of China and East Asia to the Ming Dynasty
China
8000 – 2000 BCE Neolithic Cultures in China
5000 – 3000 BCE Yangshao Culture
3000 – 1900 BCE Longshan Culture
c. 1900 – 1600 BCE Xia Dynasty
c. 1600 – 1046 BCE Shang Dynasty
1045 – 256 BCE Zhou Dynasty
1045 – 771 BCE Western Zhou
770 – 256 BCE Eastern Zhou
551 – 479 BCE Confucius
475 – 221 BCE Warring States Period
221 – 210 BCE Qin Dynasty
221 – 210 BCE First Emperor of Qin
202 BCE – 220 CE Han Dynasty
141 – 87 BCE Emperor Wu
220 – 589 CE Period of Division
220 – 280 CE Three Kingdoms Period
155 – 220 CE Cao Cao
265 – 317 CE Western Jin
317 – 589 CE Northern and Southern Dynasties
581 – 618 CE Sui Dynasty
618 – 907 CE Tang Dynasty
960 – 1279 CE Song Dynasty
1271 – 1368 CE Yuan Dynasty
1215 – 1294 CE Kublai Khan
1368 – 1644 CE Ming Dynasty
Korea
c. 400 BCE – 313 CE Early Historical Period
313 – 668 CE Three Kingdoms
c. 37 BCE – 668 CE Goguryeo Dynasty
668 – 892 CE Silla Dynasty
Japan
11,000 – 500 BCE Jōmon Period
500 BCE – 250 CE Yayoi Period
250 – 600 CE Mounded Tomb Period
600 – 800 CE Asuka-Nara Period