Xianbei Empire (93 – 234 CE)

During the 2nd to 3rd centuries ce, nomadic groups under the name Xianbei grew dramatically in power in the wake of the collapsing Xiongnu Empire along the northern frontier of the Chinese Han Empire. The name Xianbei refers to a confederation of tribes that spoke different languages and came from varying regions.

The Xianbei were pastoral nomads and excellent cattle breers. They were famous for their horses, sheep, and especially for the horns of the Saiga antelope whose horn delivered a superb material for bows.

In 87, the Xianbei attacked the Xiongnu chanyu Youliu and killed him. After the downfall of the Xiongnu, the Xianbei replaced them with a loose confederacy from 93 CE.

After many struggles against the Xiongnu Empire, the Xianbei manage to establish their own presence in Mongolia, even driving out the last of the Xiongnu near lake Balkhash.

By the mid-third century CE, Xianbei controlled much of northern China, from Hebei and Shanxi to the Daqing Mountains in Inner Mongolia.

During the Former Han period (206 BCE-8 CE) China was not very aware of the Xianbei, but at the beginning of the Later Han period (25-220 CE), in 41 CE, and then again in 45 CE, the Xianbei and Wuhuan aligned with the Xiongnu and attacked border regions of the Han empire.

The third century saw both the fragmentation of the Xianbei state in 235 and the branching out of the various Xianbei tribes later to establish significant empires of their own.
Xianbei Empire (93 – 234 CE)

Three Kingdoms (220–280)

The Three Kingdoma began in AD 220 after the Eastern Han Dynasty and ended in AD 280 with unification under the Western Jin Dynasty. The Three Kingdoms are Wèi (founded by the son of Cáo Cāo), Wú (ruled by Sūn Quán), and Shǔ (founded by Liú Bèi).

Wei occupies the area north of the Yangtze (Chángjiāng) River, while Wu occupies the area to the southeast of the Yangtze. Shu, in turn, occupies the southwest (largely modern-day Sichuan Province).

Before the Three Kingdoms era started, the Han dynasty was stricken with a bout of civil wars. Its last emperor had become a mere puppet, and finally in 220 he ceded the throne to Cao Pi, the son of his generalissimo and protector, Cao Cao.

Thus began the Wei kingdom (220–265/266), but its effective influence was confined to northern China. Two other Han generals shortly installed themselves as emperors and took over regions of western and southern China.

These three kingdoms (Wèi, Wú, Shǔ) fought over the land and power. Each of the leaders sought to claim the imperial title for themselves. There were a series of internal conflicts within each kingdom, so they were all fighting wars, both externally and internally.

The state of Shu (220–266 CE) of the Three Kingdoms is regarded as the true heir of the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 CE). The state of Shu was the weakest of the rivals, far smaller than the empire of Wei (220–266)), which dominated the north, and inferior also to the warlord state of Wu (220–280).

In 265 CE, the Sima family took over the Northern region of China, eventually conquering the three kingdoms by 280 CE. This Western Jin Empire lasted until 314 CE, when they were overrun by foreign peoples for the North and infighting within Sima family.

The Western and Eastern Jin Dynasties together with the Southern Dynasties are referred to as the Six Dynasties.
Three Kingdoms (220–280)

Zhou dynasty (1045 - 256 BC)

The first urban settlements in the People’s Republic of China emerged some 4000 years ago. Many historians considered Shang dynasty as the first true dynasty of China.

Shang dynasty rules the Chinese civilization from about 1700 to 1027 BC before it was succeeded by the Zhou dynasty. The origins of Chinese culture, literature and philosophy developed during the Zhou Dynasty.

Concept of the ‘Mandate of Heaven’ was developed during the Zhou Dynasty. A ruler was in position because he had the Mandate of Heaven.

Iron was first introduced in China during this period, the art of fine gastronomy was referred to as ‘k’o’peng’, namely ‘to cut and cook’. It was said that Confucius (551 – 479 BC) that he would eat no meat that had not been properly cut.

During Zhou dynasty, examinations have been characteristics of school education and were used to select talented people to serve as offci8cials in provinces and villagers.

With the development of technology and military tactics hand to hand combat skills and weapon skills appeared in military training in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476 BC). During this period Wushu began to be practiced by civilian.

In the last period of the Zhou, Confucius and Mencius supplied Chinese civilization with its most influential public philosophy, later to be known as Confucianism. Confucius made great impacts on late generations of Chinese and on the curriculum of the Chinese educational system for much of the following 2000 years.
Zhou dynasty (1045 - 256 BC)

Yellow Emperor

The legendary Yellow Emperor or Huang Di was a famous tribal chief who lived on the Central Plains about five thousand years ago. To the south and west lived the tribes of Chiyou and the Yan Emperor.

Yellow Emperor was a mythical figure thought to have reigned from 2697 to 2597 BC. He was the son of Shao Dian. His surname was Gonsun and his personal name was Xianyuan.

Yellow Emperor has ascended the throne in his eleventh year. Hailed as the Yellow Emperor and ancestor of the entire Chinese race, he was also the most significant of all the culture heroes.

In order to seize more land, the Yellow Emperor fought and won two major wars against each of them.

Thereafter, the tribes of the Yellows Emperor and the Yan Emperor formed a confederation and became the strongest and the steadiest political power on the Central Plains and its surrounding areas for a long period of time.

According to tradition, Yellows Emperor created the wheel, boats and oars, and taught people to build roads and cut passes through forbidding mountain ranges.

He invented handwriting and introduced the arts of pottery and music to China.
Yellow Emperor