# Outline of ancient China

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Shang (c. 1600 – c. 1046 BCE)
Late Shang (c. 1250 – c. 1046 BCE)
Zhou (c. 1046 – c. 256 BCE)
Western Zhou (1046–771 BCE)
Eastern Zhou (771–256 BCE)
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The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to ancient China:
Ancient China – China under the rule of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, beginning around 2070 B.C. and extending until approximately 256 B.C.

## Geography of ancient China
### Locations in ancient China

* List of Bronze Age sites in China

#### Regions of ancient China

* Regions of ancient China during the Xia and Shang dynasties
** Nine Provinces
*** Ji Province
*** Jing Province
*** Liang Province
*** Qing Province
*** Xu Province
*** Yan Province
*** Yang Province
*** Yong Province
*** Yu Province

## Government and politics of ancient China

* Political thought in ancient China
** Mandate of Heaven
* Ancient Chinese states
* Interstate relations during the Spring and Autumn period
* Family tree of ancient Chinese emperors
* Aristocracy in ancient China (nobility)

### Rulers in ancient China

* Kings of the Xia dynasty
** Yu the Great
** Qi
** Tai Kang
** Zhong Kang
** Xiang
** Shao Kang
** Zhu
** Huai
** Mang
** Xie
** Bu Jiang
** Jiong
** Jin
** Kong Jia
** Gao
** Fa
** Jie
* Kings of the Shang Dynasty
** Early Shang period
*** Da Yi
*** Da Ding
*** Da Jia
*** Bu Bing
*** Da Geng
*** Xiao Jia
*** Da Wu
*** Lü Ji
*** Zhong Ding
*** Bu Ren
*** Jian Jia
*** Zu Yi
*** Zu Xin
*** Qiang Jia
*** Zu Ding
*** Nan Geng
*** Xiang Jia
** Yin period
*** Pan Geng
*** Xiao Xin
*** Xiao Yi
*** Wu Ding
*** Zu Geng
*** Zu Jia
*** Lin Xin
*** Kang Ding
*** Wu Yi
*** Wen Wu Ding
*** Di Yi
*** Di Xin

### Ancient Chinese law

* Traditional Chinese law

### Military history of ancient China
#### Military of ancient China

* Ancient Chinese armor
* Crossbow
* Military thought
** During the Zhou Dynasty
*** Six Secret Teachings – attributed to Lü Shang (aka Jiang Ziya), a top general of King Wen of Zhou, founder of the Zhou dynasty
** During Warring States period – great period for military strategy; of the Seven Military Classics of China, four were written during this period:
*** The Art of War – attributed to Sun Tzu, a highly influential study of strategy and tactics.
*** Wuzi – attributed to Wu Qi, a statesman and commander who served the states of Wei and then Chu.
*** Wei Liaozi – of uncertain authorship.
*** The Methods of the Sima – attributed to Sima Rangju, a commander serving the state of Qin.

## General history of ancient China
### Ancient Chinese history, by period

History of ancient China
* Neolithic China (c. 8500 – c. 2070 BC) – predates ancient China
* Bronze Age China
** Xia dynasty (c. 2070 – c. 1600 BC)
** Shang dynasty (c. 1600 – c. 1046 BC)
** Zhou dynasty (c. 1046 – 256 BC|BCE)
*** Western Zhou (1046–771 BC)
* Iron Age China
** Zhou dynasty (continued)
*** Eastern Zhou
**** Spring and Autumn period (771 – 476 BC)
**** Warring States period (475 – 221 BC)

### Ancient Chinese history, by region

    See also Regions of ancient China, above
* Ancient history of Beijing
* Ancient history of Shanghai
* Ye

### Ancient Chinese history, by subject

    See the rest of this outline

### Works on ancient Chinese history

* Records of the Grand Historian
* The Cambridge History of Ancient China
* Twenty-Four Histories

## Culture of ancient China

* Architecture in ancient China
** Ancient Chinese wooden architecture
* Dogs in ancient China
* Games in ancient China
** Chuiwan
** Cuju
** Go
** Liubo
* Mythology of China
** Chinese creation myth
** Chinese dragon
* Ancient Chinese urban planning
* Women in ancient and imperial China

### Art in ancient China
#### Performing arts in ancient China

* Juggling in ancient China
* Music in ancient China
** Yayue

### Language in ancient China

* Old Chinese or Archaic Chinese
* Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese
* History of names in ancient China
** History of Chinese personal names
** History of Chinese surnames in ancient China
*** Origin of Chinese surnames
*** Eight Great Surnames of Chinese Antiquity
* Evolution of written Chinese
** Oracle bone script – earliest confirmed evidence of the Chinese script yet discovered is the body of inscriptions carved on oracle bones from the late Shang dynasty (c. 1200–1050 BC).
** Chinese bronze inscriptions
** Seal script

### Literature in ancient China

* Ancient Chinese classics

### People in ancient China

** Ancient Chinese philosophers
* Family tree of ancient Chinese emperors

### Philosophy in ancient China

Ancient Chinese philosophy
* Hundred Schools of Thought
* School of Names
* Ancient Chinese philosophers

## Economics and infrastructure of ancient China

* Economic history of ancient China
* Coinage in ancient China

## Science and technology of ancient China

* Chariots in ancient China
** Xi Zhong
* Bamboo and wooden slips
* Crossbow