HSIA DYNASTY (LEGENDARY) (2000-1500 BCE, Bronze Age)

Legendary philosopher-king Fu Hsi is reputed to have inventd the eight symbols used in divination.

otter's Wheel introduced.

Pigs, dogs, oxen, goats, sheep domesticated.

SHANG DYNASTY (1500-1000 BCE)

Shang Dynasty establishes and maintains a loosely organized authority over small settlements in the Yellow River valley.

The Shang capitol Anyang established. Many palaces, irrigation projects, warehouses, and granaries built.

Logocentric writing system invented. (Each written word is a stylized picture).

Flourishing of art, including bronzework, ritual vessles, stone carvings, and jade carvings.

Composite bow invented. Chariot in widespread use.

Water buffalo and several species of bird domesticated.

The Book of Changes (I Ching) written.

The Book of History (Shu Ching) written.

EASTERN OR EARLY CHOU DYNASTY (770-256 BCE)

The Spring and Autumn Period (722-481 BCE)
Spring and Autumn Annals written.

Li Erh (Lao-Tzu) born c. 560 BC. He writes the Tao-te Ching and founds the Taoist school of thought.

Confucius born (551 or 552 BCE)

Confucius presents himself to the Viscount of T'an, then on a visit to Lu (525 BCE)

Confucius comments on a gamekeeper who would rather die than answer the wrong form of summons (522 BCE)

Confucius comments on the number of wan dancers taking part in a performance in the courtyard of the Chi Family; Confucius first visits Ch'i on a brief trip (517 BCE)

Sometime after 502 BCE, Confucius becomes ssu k'ou in Lu.

On diplomatic errands, Confucius assists at ceremony during meeting between Duke Ting of Lu and Duke Ching of Ch'i in Chia Ku (500 BCE)

Unsuccessful attempt to demolish strongholds of the Three Families in Lu (498 BCE)

Confucius leaves Lu and starts on his travels across China; First visit to Wei (497 BCE)

Confucius passes throug Sung on way to Ch'en when Huan T'ui was said to have attempted to assassinate him (c.496-493?)

While in Ch'en, Confucius comments on fire in the temples of Duke Huan and Duke Hsi in Lu (492 BCE)

It is likely Confucius travelled in the region of Ch'en and Tsai during the invasion of Ch'en by Wu. Confucius visits Ts'ai and met the Governor of She in Fu Han (489 BCE)

Confucius returns to Wei (c. 488 BCE?)

Confucius travels to Lu from Wei (484 BCE)

The Warring States Period (480-222 BCE)

Confucius requests Duke Ai to send expedition against Ch'en Heng, who had assassinated Duke Chien of Ch'i.

Traditional date of Confucius' death (479 BCE)

Mo Tzu (? c. 400s BCE)

Yang Chu (300s BCE)

Heyday of the Legalist philosophical movement in China.

Meng-tzu (Mencius) (372-289 BCE)

Sung K'eng [and Yin Wen] (c. 375-300 BCE)

Shen Tao [and T'ien P'ien] (c. 325-275 BCE)

Chuang Tzu (c. 350-299 BCE) lives. He is the second greatest Taoist writer after Lao-Tzu.

Hsün Tzu (c. 350-250 BCE)

The Lü shih ch'un ch'iu postface dated 240 BCE

Han Fei Tzu (d. 233 BCE)

CH'IN DYNASTY (221-207 BCE)

WESTERN HAN DYNASTY (206 BCE-8 CE)

Fu Poetry at its height.

The Huai nan tzu compiled (c. 140 BCE)

Szu-ma Hsiang-Ju (179-117 BCE)

Szu-ma Ch'ien (145-86 BCE), writes the Shih Chi (The Records of the Historian)

The Li Chi compiled by Tai Sheng (c. 90