To navigate the timeline, click and drag it with your mouse, or click on the timeline overview on the bottom.
210 BCE
200 BCE
190 BCE
180 BCE
170 BCE
160 BCE
150 BCE
140 BCE
130 BCE
120 BCE
110 BCE
100 BCE
90 BCE
80 BCE
70 BCE
60 BCE
50 BCE
40 BCE
30 BCE
20 BCE
10 BCE
0 CE
10 CE
20 CE
30 CE
40 CE
50 CE
60 CE
70 CE
80 CE
90 CE
100 CE
110 CE
120 CE
130 CE
140 CE
150 CE
160 CE
170 CE
180 CE
190 CE
200 CE
210 CE
220 CE
206 BCE - 9 CE: The Western Han dynasty rules China from their capital in Chang'an.
202 BCE - 220 CE: Han Dynasty reigns in China.
202 BCE: Liu-Bang of Han establishes the Han Dynasty in China.
202 BCE: Liu Bang is proclaimed emperor of China after defeating the rival general Xiang Yu.
202 BCE: Emperor Gaozu (Liu Bang) becomes the first Han ruler.
195 BCE: Liu Bang dies. His empress Lü Zhi (also known as Lü Hou) rules through puppet kings for her own benefit for the next fifteen years.
141 BCE - 87 BCE: Han Emperor Wu abandons Legalism in favor of Confucianism.
141 BCE - 87 BCE: Reign of Emperor Wu (Wu the Great), the most effective and influential of the Han monarchs.
140 BCE - 87 BCE: Han emperor Wu rules and expands Han territory in China.
138 BCE - 126 BCE: Zhang Qian, as envoy of Emperor Wu, opens up the 'Silk Road' trading route between China and central Asia.
117 BCE - 100 BCE: Han emperors extend the western part of the Great Wall of China.
109 BCE: Chinese Han Empire conquers the kingdom of Tien.
108 BCE: Wiman Joseon is conquered by the Han dynasty.
104 BCE - 101 BCE: The War of the Heavenly Horses, general Li Guangli forces the city of Da Yuan (Alexandria Eschate) into tributary status.
2 CE: Chang'an, the imperial capital of China, had a population of nearly 250 thousand people.
9 CE: Wang Mang takes control of the empire by usurping the throne and proclaiming his innovative dynasty called Xin ("new").
23 CE: The sack of Chang'an, imperial capital of China.
23 CE: After the sack of Chang'an, Liu Xiu led his loyal officials to the city of Luoyang, where the Chinese imperial capital was relocated.
25 CE - 220 CE: The Eastern Han dynasty rules China.
91 CE: The Han dynasty of China invades Mongolia.
105 CE: Invention of fine paper-making process by Cai Lun.
148 CE: An Shigao is the first Buddhist translator mentioned in Chinese sources who established a translation centre in the Chinese imperial capital, Luoyang.
155 CE - 220 CE: Life of Cao Cao, Chinese military dictator and founder of the Wei state.
160 CE: Chinese Han empire in decline.
184 CE: The Yellow Turban rebellion breaks out when local government offices are attacked across China.
184 CE - 192 CE: The 'Yellow Turban' rebellion is quashed by the Han in China.
184 CE: A large peasant uprising known as the Yellow Turban Rebellion (sometimes referred to as the Yellow Scarves Rebellion) threatened the city of Luoyang.
189 CE: Luoyang, the Han capital, is sacked by the Chinese warlord Dong Zhuo.
190 CE: Luoyang, the Han capital in China, is burned.
190 CE: Dong Zhou seized control of the Chinese imperial capital and placed a child, Liu Xie, as the new ruler.
205 CE: Cao Cao takes over the former Han government and appoints himself chancellor, in effect, a military dictator.
215 CE: Cao Cao represses for good the Yellow Turban rebellion in China.
220 CE: Liu Xie abdicated the throne. Wars between warlords and states continued and China would have to wait about 350 years to be unified again.