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Religion and Philosophy
Find out about  the philosophical and religious beliefs that have shaped Chinese thinking
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Ancient China Homepage
The Land of China
Geography
Major Chinese Cities
Section 1.3
Section 1.4
Section 1.5
Section 1.6
Section 1.7
Section 1.8
Section 1.9
Section 1.10
Section 1.11
Section 1.12
Section 1.13
Section 1.14
Section 1.15
Dynasties
Shang Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
Han Dynasty
Section 2.5
Section 2.6
Section 2.7
Section 2.8
Section 2.9
Section 2.10
Section 2.11
Section 2.12
Section 2.13
Section 2.14
Section 2.15
Inventions & Technology
Pottery & Porcelain
Silk
Compass
Paper & Printing
Gunpowder
Section 3.6
Section 3.7
Section 3.8
Section 3.9
Section 3.10
Section 3.11
Section 3.12
Section 3.13
Section 3.14
Section 3.15
Famous Chinese Figures
Emperor Qin Shi Huang
Sun Tzu
Empress Wu Zetian
Zheng He
Aixinjueluo Puyi
Section 4.6
Section 4.7
Section 4.8
Section 4.9
Section 4.10
Section 4.11
Section 4.12
Section 4.13
Section 4.14
Section 4.15
Famous Chinese Landmarks
The Great Wall of China
The Terracotta Army
The Forbidden City
The Three Gorges Dam
Beijing's Olympic Marvels
Section 5.6
Section 5.7
Section 5.8
Section 5.9
Section 5.10
Section 5.11
Section 5.12
Section 5.13
Section 5.14
Section 5.15
Chinese Life & Culture
Chinese Horoscope
Chinese Calendar
Section 6.3
Section 6.4
Section 6.5
Section 6.6
Section 6.7
Section 6.8
Section 6.9
Section 6.10
Section 6.11
Section 6.12
Section 6.13
Section 6.14
Section 6.15
Religion & Philosophy
Confucianism
Buddhism
Taoism
Section 7.4
Section 7.5
Section 7.6
Section 7.7
Section 7.8
Section 7.9
Section 7.10
Section 7.11
Section 7.12
Section 7.13
Section 7.14
Section 7.15
Timeline
Section 8.1
Section 8.2
Section 8.3
Section 8.4
Section 8.5
Section 8.6
Section 8.7
Section 8.8
Section 8.9
Section 8.10
Section 8.11
Section 8.12
Section 8.13
Section 8.14
Section 8.15
Section 9
Section 9.1
Section 9.2
Section 9.3
Section 9.4
Section 9.5
Section 9.6
Section 9.7
Section 9.8
Section 9.9
Section 9.10
Section 9.11
Section 9.12
Section 9.13
Section 9.14
Section 9.15
Section 10
Section 10.1
Section 10.2
Section 10.3
Section 10.4
Section 10.5
Section 10.6
Section 10.7
Section 10.8
Section 10.9
Section 10.10
Section 10.11
Section 10.12
Section 10.13
Section 10.14
Section 10.15
Section 11
Section 11.1
Section 11.2
Section 11.3
Section 11.4
Section 11.5
Section 11.6
Section 11.7
Section 11.8
Section 11.9
Section 11.10
Section 11.11
Section 11.12
Section 11.13
Section 11.14
Section 11.15
Section 12
Section 12.1
Section 12.2
Section 12.3
Section 12.4
Section 12.5
Section 12.6
Section 12.7
Section 12.8
Section 12.9
Section 12.10
Section 12.11
Section 12.12
Section 12.13
Section 12.14
Section 12.15
Section 13
Section 13.1
Section 13.2
Section 13.3
Section 13.4
Section 13.5
Section 13.6
Section 13.7
Section 13.8
Section 13.9
Section 13.10
Section 13.11
Section 13.12
Section 13.13
Section 13.14
Section 13.15
Section 14
Section 14.1
Section 14.2
Section 14.3
Section 14.4
Section 14.5
Section 14.6
Section 14.7
Section 14.8
Section 14.9
Section 14.10
Section 14.11
Section 14.12
Section 14.13
Section 14.14
Section 14.15
Section 15
Section 15.1
Section 15.2
Section 15.3
Section 15.4
Section 15.5
Section 15.6
Section 15.7
Section 15.8
Section 15.9
Section 15.10
Section 15.11
Section 15.12
Section 15.13
Section 15.14
Section 15.15

Dynasties

Introduction
For most of its ancient history, China was ruled by a succession of dynasties. Most of these were Han Chinese, except for the foreign Yuan and Qing dynasties. Here’s a look at the major dynasties that ruled ancient China.
Photos: Associated Press