Early Imperial China
Qin dynasty through the Tang dynasty
221 BCE to 906 CE
The unification of China, the establishment of imperial rule, the spread of Buddhism, and cultural cosmopolitanism mark the different dynasties in early imperial China
The Qin Dynasty and the First Emperor of China
221–206 BCE
The period when China is unified under the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi, and a Legalist government takes hold
A conversation with a kid about the terracotta army of the First Emperor of China
Who was the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang?
What are the terracotta warriors of the First Emperor of China, and why are they so famous?
The Han Dynasty
206 BCE–220 CE
A period characterized by the revival of Confucianism and Daoism
Important terms and concepts
Han dynasty
Silk
Lacquer
Archer Yì 後羿
Cháng’é 嫦娥
Nüwa
mingqi (明器 or 命器)
Period of Division
220-589 CE
A period of political division characterized by the arrival of the Xianbei, and the rise of the Buddhist religion and Daoist cults that offered hope in difficult times
Sui Dynasty
581-618 CE
A short-lived period of unification before the golden age of the Tang dynasty
Tang Dynasty
618–906 CE
A period marked by cosmopolitanism and a blossoming of arts and culture
Important terms and concepts
Silk Roads
Trade route
Sancai
Ink painting
Cultural diffusion
Buddhism
Relief sculpture
The Silk Roads
Learn more about the famous overland and martime routes that connected Eurasia
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Additional Resources
The Sogdians: Influencers on the Silk Roads
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART
The Sogdians: Influencers on the Silk Roads is a digital exhibition that explores Sogdian art through existing material culture. It focuses on the golden age of the Sogdians, from the fourth to the eighth centuries CE, when Sogdiana flourished through trade and agriculture. Sogdian emigrant communities spread across China, South and Southeast Asia, and into the Central Asian steppe and Mongolia.
Bring the Silk Roads to Life
INTERNATIONAL DUNHUANG PROGRAMME
Explore manuscripts, paintings, textiles and artefacts from the Eastern Silk Roads, as well as a range of associated resources curated for you.
Related Resources
Explore Continents
Discover some rulers!
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![Ancient Chinese textile with traditional symbols and patterns, possibly from a funeral banner, featuring intricate designs of dragons, animals, and celestial motifs.]()
Lady Dai
A Marchioness of a small territory in China during the Han dynasty
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![An army of warriors made in terracotta stand in a pit]()
Qin Shi Huangdi
The first Emperor of China
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![A flat carved bone showing pictographic symbols on it]()
King Wu Ding
A Shang dynasty ruler
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