Introduction to Ancient China
1 min read
Emergence of ancient Chinese civilization was greatly influenced by changes in agriculture and introduction of irrigation which is traditionally dated to 2100 BC although the Chinese settled in the Yellow River (Huang He) valley and cultivated crops much earlier. The ancient Chinese history is commonly divided into three periods according to its ruling dynasties:
- Xia Dynasty (c. 2100 - 1600 BC)
- Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 - 1046 BC)
- Zhou (Chou) Dynasty (1046 BC - 256 BC)
Unification of China in 221 BC under the First Emperor Qin Shi Huang marked the beginning of the period of Imperial China which lasted until the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912 AD.