The Capital Cities of ancient Chinese dynasties

Xia (21st-16th century B.C.)
- Yuncheng 運 城, in Shanxi Province

Shang (16th century-1066 B.C.)
- Erlitou 二里头, in Henan Province
- Aodu 隞都, at modern Zhengzhou in Henan Province
- Yin 殷, near modern Anyang

Western Zhou (1066-771 B.C.)
- Zongzhou 宗周 (Hao), near Xi’an in Shaanxi Province

Eastern Zhou (770-256 B.C.)
- Chengzhou 成周, at modern Luoyang

Warring States (475-221 B.C.)
- Various

Qin (221-206 B.C.)
- Xianyang 咸陽, in Shaanxi Province

Western Han (206 B.C.-A.D.220)
- Chang’an 長安, at modern Xi’an in Shaanxi Province

Eastern Han (A.D. 25-220)
- Luoyang 洛陽 (雒), in Henan Province

Three Kingdoms:
Wei (A.D. 220-265)
- Luoyang 洛陽, in Henan Province
Shu (A.D. 221-263)
- Chengdu 成都, in Sichuan Province
Wu (A.D. 222-280)
- Jianye 建業, at modern Nanjing in Jiangsu Province

Western Jin (A.D. 265-316)
- Luoyang 洛陽 (雒), in Henan Province
- Chang’an 長安, at modern Xi’an in Shaanxi Province

Eastern Jin (A.D. 317-420)
- Jiankang 建康, at modern Nanjing in Jiangsu Province Read the rest of this entry »

Archaeological records of Xia Dynasty

        Archaeologists have uncovered urban sites, bronze implements, and tombs that point to the possible existence of the Xia dynasty at locations cited in ancient Chinese historical texts. There exists a debate as to whether or not Erlitou culture was the site of the Xia dynasty. Radiocarbon dating places the site at ca. 2100 to 1800 BC, providing physical evidence of the existence of a state contemporaneous with and possibly equivalent to the Xia Dynasty as described in Chinese historical works.^[6] In 1959, a site located in the city of Yanshi was excavated containing large palaces that some archaeologists have attributed as capital of the Xia Dynasty. Though later historical works mention the Xia dynasty, no written records dated to the Xia period have been found to confirm the name of the dynasty and its sovereigns. At a minimum, the archaeological discoveries marked an evolutionary stage between the late neolithic cultures and the typical Chinese urban civilization of the Shang Dynasty.The Xia Dynasty also made bronze cups to hold wine.

The first prehistoric dynasty(Xia Dynasty) of China

         The Xia Dynasty (Chinese: 夏朝; pinyin: Xiàcháo; Wade-Giles: hsia-ch’ao) of China is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Records of the Grand Historian and Bamboo Annals. The Xia Dynasty was established by Yu the Great. According to the traditional chronology based upon calculations by Liu Xin, the Xia ruled between 2205 BC and 1766 BC; however, according to the chronology based upon the Bamboo Annals, it is between 1989 BC and 1558 BC. The Xia Shang Zhou Chronology Project concluded with 2070 BC and 1600 BC. Although there are some scholars who have debated over whether the dynasty really existed,^[1] archaeological evidence points toward its existence. According to historical records, it was preceded by the period of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors and followed by the Shang Dynasty.