MS Humanities - Ancient History: China

An interactive site which demands exploration. Click on themes (Buildings, Technology, Trade, Religion, Writing, or Cities), maps, or a timeline - or click on the globe at the bottom of the screen to access this list of cultures and select "ANCIENT CHINA".

Explore the history, culture, civilizations, and people of ancient China.

The History Of China, as documented in ancient writings, dates back some 3,300 years....

It has generally been accepted that the Chinese `Cradle of Civilization’ is the Yellow River Valley which gave rise to villages sometime around 5000 BCE.

Chinese history, which dates back more than 5,000 years, is extraordinarily rich, complex-and potentially confusing. Understanding at least its basic chronology and some of its most notable events and developments is made somewhat easier by virtue of its ancient system of dynasties.

The Bronze Age culture of the Shang dynasty (ca. 1766–1122 BCE), which emerged out of late Neolithic China (ca. 2000 BCE), represents a watershed in the development of Chinese civilization.

In the 12th century BCE, the Zhou allied with neighboring tribes, successfully invaded the Shang territory, and captured their capital in about 1122 BCE. That victory marked the beginning of the Zhou dynasty, which lasted for more than 800 years—longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history.

The Yellow River valley is said to be the Cradle of Civilization, as this is where the earliest Chinese dynasties were based. Chinese civilization then spread out over a vast area and went to change the entire world.