Early Imperial China
Qin dynasty through the Tang dynasty
221 BCE to 906 CE
The unification of China, the establishment of imperial rule, the spread of Buddhism, and cultural cosmopolitanism mark the different dynasties in early imperial China
The Qin Dynasty and the First Emperor of China
221–206 BCE
The period when China is unified under the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi, and a Legalist government takes hold
The Han Dynasty
206 BCE–220 CE
A period characterized by the revival of Confucianism and Daoism
Period of Division
220-589 CE
A period of political division characterized by the arrival of the Xianbei, and the rise of the Buddhist religion and Daoist cults that offered hope in difficult times
Sui Dynasty
581-618 CE
A short-lived period of unification before the golden age of the Tang dynasty
Tang Dynasty
618–906 CE
A period marked by cosmopolitanism and a blossoming of arts and culture
Important terms and concepts
Silk Roads
Trade route
Sancai
Ink painting
Cultural diffusion
Buddhism
Related Resources
Discover some rulers!
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![Ancient Chinese textile with traditional symbols and patterns, possibly from a funeral banner, featuring intricate designs of dragons, animals, and celestial motifs.]()
Lady Dai
A Marchioness of a small territory in China during the Han dynasty
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![An army of warriors made in terracotta stand in a pit]()
Qin Shi Huangdi
The first Emperor of China
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![A flat carved bone showing pictographic symbols on it]()
King Wu Ding
A Shang dynasty ruler
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