The Chinese Dynasties

This month on In the Archives, we discussed 2 out of 3 of the forbidden T's—Tiananmen Square and Taiwan—of China. Through our discussion, we have touched on China's long and rich dynastic history. Below is a list of all of China's dynasties.

Throughout its long history, China experienced 12 major dynastic reigns, each bringing shifts in political structure and often relocating the capital. During the period known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907–960), China was divided into multiple competing states before reunification under the Song Dynasty.

On two occasions, foreign powers ruled China. The first instance occurred in 1279 when the Mongols established the Yuan Dynasty after defeating the Southern Song. The second came in 1644 when the Manchus overthrew the Ming Dynasty, founding the Qing Dynasty, which would be China’s last imperial rule.

By the late 19th century, after suffering a humiliating defeat to Japan in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895), discontent with the dynastic system grew. In 1912, the Xinhai Revolution led to the abdication of the last Qing emperor, marking the end of imperial China and the establishment of the Republic of China under the Nationalist Party. However, internal struggles and external pressures led to further political upheaval. In 1949, following a prolonged civil war, the Communist Party emerged victorious, establishing the People's Republic of China and reshaping the nation's future.

Tune into In the Archives to hear more of the story!