Neolithic 7000 - 1700BC

Histories: hunter gatherers became farmers around 7000BC. Main cultures: Peiligang and Cishan in north (6500-5000BC); Yangshao in centre and W along River Wei (5000-3500BC), Hongshan (3800-00BC) and Liangzhu (3300-2200BC) jade cultures in NE and SE; Dawenkou (4300-2400 BC) and Longshan (3000-1700BC) on E coast.

Achievements: earliest rice cultivation before 6000BC.

Who was who: no written records, no known individuals.

Shang 1500 - 1050BC

Histories: named after Shang dynasty of kings, one of several bronze-producing states.

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Achievements: bronze manufacture and beginning of writing system. Mastery of complex bronze technology and highly developed ceremonial and ritual systems.

Who was who: Fu Hao, consort of Wu Ding (died c.1200BC) and general in her own right.

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Zhou 1050 - 221BC

Histories: the Zhou (pronounced "jo") conquered the Shang and established capital at Xi'an.

Achievements: towns and cities grew in size and number, trade flourished. First coinage 500BC.

Who was who: Confucius (c. 551-479BC). Sun Zi, or Sunzi, fifth century BC. His The Art of War is earliest military text.

Qin 221 - 206BC Histories: Qin (pronounced "chin") ended Zhou dynasty. King Zheng of Qin conquered remaining rivals and proclaimed himself emperor of all China, with capital at Xianyang near modern Xi'an. Qin crucial in unifying state, and gave China its name in western languages.

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Achievements: country unified, road networks set up and first Great Wall formed to keep out nomads.

Who was who: Qin Shi Huangdi (259-210BC) first emperor. Li Si (died 208BC), his chancellor, introduced unified script.

Han 206BC - AD220 Histories: three periods: Western Han (206BC-AD9), with capital at Chang'an. Han rule was a government model for 2,000 years.

Achievements: spectacular tombs with gold, bronze, jade. Silk Road reached Rome.

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Who was who: Zhang Qian (138-115BC) Silk Road explorer. Sima Qian (120-90BC) wrote first official history.