- People have lived in China for at least 500,000 . Peking Man, an early formof Homoerectus, the precursor of modern man , lived there.More recently there were two stne-age culturesYang Shou , which reached its peak about 5,000 years ago.In the valley of Huang Ho (the yellow river), and the Lung-shan, which followed it.
- For hundreds of years China was ruled by dynasties.
- Ancient China
- 2.1 Xia Dynasty (c. 2100 – c. 1600 BC)
- 2.2 Shang Dynasty (c. 1700–1046 BC)
- 2.3 Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC)
- 2.4 Spring and Autumn Period (722–476 BC)
- 2.5 Warring States Period (476–221 BC)
- 3.1 Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC)
- 3.2 Han Dynasty (202 BC–AD 220)
- 3.3 Wei and Jin Period (AD 265–420)
- 3.4 Wu Hu Period (AD 304–439)
- 3.5 Southern and Northern Dynasties (AD 420–589)
- 3.6 Sui Dynasty (AD 589–618)
- 3.7 Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907)
- 3.8 Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (AD 907–960)
- 3.9 Song, Liao, Jin, and Western Xia Dynasties (AD 960–1234)
- 3.10 Yuan Dynasty (AD 1271–1368)
- 3.11 Ming Dynasty (AD 1368–1644)
- 3.12 Qing Dynasty (AD 1644–1911).