The Chinese Empire first emerged during the Qin Dynasty in 221 BCE, when China was unified for the first time under Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The Qin Dynasty was short-lived, however, and lasted only from 221 to 208 BCE. Following the end of the Qin Dynasty, the Han Dynasty rose to power in 202 BCE. This dynasty lasted from 202 BCE to 220 CE and is often seen as the start of the Chinese Empire, due to its long-lasting legacy and its formative influence on Chinese culture.
During the Han Dynasty, the Chinese Empire expanded its territory in all directions, incorporating new areas into the empire and developing more complex administrative systems. Trade and interaction with other states also increased significantly, with embassies being exchanged and tributary states established. In this period, Confucianism became the official ideology of the Chinese state for the first time, and Chinese writing and literature flourished.
The fall of the Han Dynasty in 220 CE marked the beginning of the Three Kingdoms period, during which the country was divided into three independent kingdoms. This period ended in 280 CE with the reunification of the country under the Western Jin Dynasty. This dynasty lasted until 316, when the Eastern Jin Dynasty came into power and lasted until 420 CE. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the empire expanded to incorporate much of what is now modern-day northern China and Mongolia, and Buddhism began to be widely practiced by the elite.
The Northern and Southern Dynasties period followed the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and lasted from 420 CE to 589 CE. During this period, the empire was split between a Northern dynasty and a Southern dynasty, and large parts of the country were controlled by non-Chinese forces. There was also a massive influx of immigrants from Central Asia, bringing with them new cultures and religions, such as Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism.
The Sui Dynasty reunited the empire in 589 CE, and ruled for only 38 years before giving way to the Tang Dynasty in 618 CE. The Tang Dynasty lasted from 618 to 907 CE and is considered one of the golden ages of Chinese civilization. During this period, there was significant economic and cultural development, with the arts, poetry, and philosophy flourishing. Foreign trade, particularly along the Silk Road, also expanded significantly, and the bureaucracy and administrative system were strengthened and developed further.
After the fall of the Tang Dynasty in 907 CE, the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period began, lasting until 960 CE when the Song Dynasty came to power. The Song Dynasty lasted until 1279 CE, and it marked the high point of classical Chinese civilization, with great advances made in literature, art, politics, economics, and science. It was during the Song Dynasty that Neo-Confucianism became the official ideology of the Chinese state, and the economy flourished as it never had before.
The Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty followed the Song Dynasty, but their rule declined rapidly in the late 1300s CE, leading to the establishment of the Ming Dynasty in 1368 CE. The Ming Dynasty lasted until 1644 CE, and its most notable contribution was a period of unprecedented naval exploration. Zheng He’s seven voyages of exploration in the early 1400s CE took the Chinese Empire to its greatest territorial extent and established trade links with many countries in Africa and the Middle East.
Finally, the Qing Dynasty replaced the Ming Dynasty in 1644 CE and lasted until 1912. During this time, the Chinese Empire underwent a period of significant internal and external upheaval, due to foreign invasions and forms of rebellion which threatened the stability of the country. In the late 19th century, the empire also experienced major defeats in wars with the British and French, leading to the rapid erosion of its power. The last emperor of the Qing Dynasty abdicated in 1912, marking the end of the Chinese Empire.