The Chinese Empire is understood as the period in Chinese history when China was ruled by an emperor. This period of history includes the governments between the Qin dynasty (221 BC) and the Qing dynasty (1912 AD), with brief interruptions due to civil wars or the fragmentation of the territory into various states.
– The Qin dynasty (秦 qín): 221 BC to 206 BC.
– The Western Han dynasty (西漢 xī hàn): 206 BC to 9 AD.
– The Xin dynasty (新 xīn): 9 AD to 24 AD.
– Eastern Han dynasty (東漢 dōng hàn): AD 25 to AD 220.
– The Three Kingdoms era (三國 sān guó): AD 220 to AD 280.
– The Jin dynasty (西晉 xī jìn): 265 AD to 420 AD.
– Tang dynasty (唐 táng): AD 618 to 907 AD.
– The Liao dynasty (遼 liáo): AD 907 to AD 1125.
– The second Jin dynasty (金 Jīn): 1115 AD to 1234 AD.
– The Song of the Sor (南宋 nán sòng) dynasty: 1234 AD to 1279 AD.
– Yuan (元 yuán) or Mongol dynasty: AD 1279 to AD 1368.
– The Ming Dynasty (明 Ming): AD 1368 to AD 1644.
– Qing dynasty (清 qīng) or Manchu dynasty: 1644 AD to 1912 AD.
