The Chronological Table of Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties

China published the Chronological Table of Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties after researches by 200 experts over a period of five years. The new timetable reaches a history that was 1,200 years earlier than the original chronicle, which started in 841 BC.

As the oldest continuous civilization in the world, China was lacking a chronological table from three of its earliest dynasties. The research on the division of this ancient history was approved by the State Council in May 1996. A big part of the project was the search for and determination of the transition years between the three dynasties.

Experts, old and young, from the fields of history, archaeology, astronomy and chronological studies, joined in the research project, which consisted of 9 subjects and 44 themes.

According to the new table, the Xia Dynasty started around 2070 BC and the transition year between Xia and Shang is fixed at 1,600 BC. Moreover, the year between the Shang and Zhou dynasties is around 1,046 BC. The chronological table also gave a specific time frame of the reigns of 10 emperors in the Western Zhou Dynasty.

The Chronological Table of Xia, Shang, Zhou Dynasties: Xia Dynasty: 2,070-1,600 BC

Shang Dynasty: 1,600-1,046 BC

Early Shang Dynasty: (1,600 -1,300 BC)

Late Shang Dynasty: (1,300-1,046 BC)

The Western Zhou Dynasty: (1,046-841 BC)

Emperor Wu: 1,046-1,043 BC

Emperor Cheng: 1,042-1,021 BC

Emperor Kang: 1,020-996 BC

Emperor Zhao: 995-977 BC

Emperor Yi: 899-892 BC

Emperor Xiao: 891-886 BC

Emperor Yi: 885-878 BC

Emperor Li: 877-841 BC

Emperor Gonghe: 841-828 BC

Emperor Xuan: 827-782 BC

Emperor You: 781-771 BC