Years run down the page. The first column is the line of dynasties that held the central plain; the columns beside it are the states and periods alongside. Hover over a block for its years.
Dynasties and years from Wikipedia's History of China template (in Chinese); the Xia, the Shang and the start of the Western Zhou from the Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project.
Dynasties by year
Dynasty
Years
Length
Note
Xia
21st–17th century BCE; years from the Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project
2070 BCE–1600 BCE
471 years
21st–17th century BCE; years from the Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project
Shang
17th–11th century BCE; years from the Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project
1600 BCE–1046 BCE
555 years
17th–11th century BCE; years from the Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project
Western Zhou
11th century–771 BCE; first year from the Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project
1046 BCE–771 BCE
276 years
11th century–771 BCE; first year from the Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project
Eastern Zhou
770 BCE–256 BCE
515 years
Spring and Autumn
the first part of Eastern Zhou
770 BCE–476 BCE
295 years
the first part of Eastern Zhou
Warring States
to the Qin unification
475 BCE–221 BCE
255 years
to the Qin unification
Qin
221 BCE–207 BCE
15 years
Western Chu
the Chu–Han contention
206 BCE–202 BCE
5 years
the Chu–Han contention
Western Han
202 BCE–9
211 years
Xin
Wang Mang
9–23
15 years
Wang Mang
Gengshi
Xuan Han
23–25
3 years
Xuan Han
Eastern Han
25–220
196 years
Wei
Three Kingdoms
220–266
47 years
Three Kingdoms
Shu Han
Three Kingdoms
221–263
43 years
Three Kingdoms
Wu
Three Kingdoms
222–280
59 years
Three Kingdoms
Western Jin
266–316
51 years
Sixteen Kingdoms
304–439
136 years
Eastern Jin
317–420
104 years
Northern Wei
Northern Dynasties
386–535
150 years
Northern Dynasties
Liu Song
Southern Dynasties
420–479
60 years
Southern Dynasties
Southern Qi
Southern Dynasties
479–502
24 years
Southern Dynasties
Southern Liang
Southern Dynasties
502–557
56 years
Southern Dynasties
Eastern Wei
Northern Dynasties
534–550
17 years
Northern Dynasties
Western Wei
Northern Dynasties
535–557
23 years
Northern Dynasties
Northern Qi
Northern Dynasties
550–577
28 years
Northern Dynasties
Southern Chen
Southern Dynasties
557–589
33 years
Southern Dynasties
Northern Zhou
Northern Dynasties
557–581
25 years
Northern Dynasties
Sui
581–619
39 years
Tang
618–907
290 years
Wu Zhou
Wu Zetian's reign, breaking the Tang
690–705
16 years
Wu Zetian's reign, breaking the Tang
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
907–960
54 years
Liao
Khitan
916–1125
210 years
Khitan
Northern Song
960–1127
168 years
Western Xia
1038–1227
190 years
Jin
1115–1234
120 years
Western Liao
the Liao, moved west
1124–1218
95 years
the Liao, moved west
Southern Song
1127–1279
153 years
Mongol Empire
1206–1260
55 years
Yuan
ended the Southern Song in 1279
1260–1368
109 years
ended the Southern Song in 1279
Ming
1368–1644
277 years
Northern Yuan
the Yuan, withdrawn north
1368–1388
21 years
the Yuan, withdrawn north
Qing
founded as Later Jin in 1616, named Qing in 1636, entered Beijing in 1644
1616–1912
297 years
founded as Later Jin in 1616, named Qing in 1636, entered Beijing in 1644