Chinese History
Simplified dynastic history since the Tang
Tang 618-907
Five Dynasties 907-960
Song 960-1279
Liao 916-1125
Jin 1115-1234
Yuan (Mongol) 1271-1368
Ming 1368-1644
Qing (Manchu) 1644-1911
Twentieth century
Republic of China 1912-1949
Republic of China on Taiwan 1949-
People's Republic of China 1949-
Major events in mainland China
1919 May 4th Movement
1921 Chinese Communist Party is established
1937-45 Anti-Japanese War
1942 Mao's "Talks at the Yan'an Forum on Literature and Art"
1945-9 Civil war between KMT and CCP, won by CCP
1956-7 Hundred Flowers movement
1957 Anti-Rightist Campaign
1958-9 Great Leap Forward
1966-76 Cultural Revolution
Late 1970s on Political, economic and social liberalization and reforms
1997 Hong Kong handed back to China by Britain
Major events in Taiwan
1895 Taiwan ceded to Japan after Sino-Japanese War of 1894-5
1945 Taiwan becomes part of Republic of China following WW2
1947 Uprising of Taiwanese against KMT troupes
1949 KMT retreats to Taiwan
1966 Cultural Renaissance movement launched in Taiwan
1971 PRC takes over China seat at UN from ROC
1979 US shifts recognition from ROC to PRC
1987 Emergency Decree lifted, ending 37 years of martial law in Taiwan; partial lifting of ban on travel to PRC
1990s increasing democratization and valuing of Taiwan culture
Common abbreviations
PRC People's Republic of China
ROC Republic of China
CCP Chinese Communist Party
KMT Kuomintang/Guomindang/Nationalist Party