Rather, new dynasties were often established before the complete overthrow of an existing regime. One might incorrectly infer from viewing historical timelines that transitions between dynasties occurred abruptly and roughly. Oftentimes, usurpers would seek to portray their predecessors as having relinquished the throne willingly-akin to the abdication system of throne succession-as a means to legitimize their rule. The supersession of the Liao dynasty by the Jin dynasty was achieved following a series of successful military campaigns, as was the later unification of China proper under the Yuan dynasty on the other hand, the transition from the Eastern Han to the Cao Wei, as well as from the Southern Qi to the Liang dynasty, were cases of usurpation. Ĭases of dynastic transition ( 改朝換代 gǎi cháo huàn dài) in the history of China occurred primarily through two ways: military conquest and usurpation. This method of explanation has come to be known as the dynastic cycle. Some scholars have attempted to explain this phenomenon by attributing the success and failure of dynasties to the morality of the rulers, while others have focused on the tangible aspects of monarchical rule. The rise and fall of dynasties is a prominent feature of Chinese history. The victorious Qing dynasty extended its rule into China proper thereafter. Dynastic transition An illustration of the Battle of Shanhai Pass, a decisive battle fought during the Ming–Qing transition. This concept, known as jiā tiānxià ( 家天下 "All under Heaven belongs to the ruling family"), was in contrast to the pre-Xia notion of gōng tiānxià ( 公天下 "All under Heaven belongs to the public") whereby leadership succession was non-hereditary and based on the abdication system. By tradition, the Chinese throne was inherited exclusively by members of the male line, but there were numerous cases whereby the consort kins came to possess de facto power at the expense of the monarchs. In the Chinese dynastic system, sovereign rulers theoretically possessed absolute power and private ownership of the realm, even though in practice their actual power was dependent on numerous factors. History Start of dynastic rule A depiction of Yu, the initiator of dynastic rule in China, by the Southern Song court painter Ma Lin.Īs the founder of China's first orthodox dynasty, the Xia dynasty, Yu the Great is conventionally regarded as the inaugurator of dynastic rule in China. Terms commonly used when discussing historical Chinese dynasties include: Subsequently, its scope was extended to refer to the regime of the incumbent ruler. In Chinese, the character 朝 ( cháo) originally meant 'morning' or 'today'. As a form of respect and subordination, Chinese tributary states referred to these dynasties as 天朝上國 Tiāncháo shàngguó 'Heavenly Dynasty of the Exalted State' or 天朝大國 Tiāncháo dàguó 'Heavenly Dynasty of the Great State'. Ĭhinese dynasties often referred to themselves as 天朝 Tiāncháo 'Heavenly Dynasty' or ' Celestial Empire'. The largest orthodox Chinese dynasty in terms of territorial size was either the Yuan dynasty or the Qing dynasty, depending on the historical source. The longest-reigning orthodox dynasty of China was the Zhou dynasty, ruling for a total length of about 790 years, albeit it is divided into the Western Zhou and the Eastern Zhou in Chinese historiography, and its power was drastically reduced during the latter part of its rule. For example, porcelain made during the Ming dynasty may be referred to as "Ming porcelain". Accordingly, a dynasty may be used to delimit the era during which a family reigned, as well as to describe events, trends, personalities, artistic compositions, and artifacts of that period. ĭividing Chinese history into dynastic epochs is a convenient method of periodization. Besides those led by the dominant Han ethnic group or their spiritual Huaxia predecessors, dynasties throughout Chinese history were established by non-Han peoples. 2070 BC, and ending with the abdication of the Xuantong Emperor in 1912, Chinese historiography came to organize itself around the succession of imperial dynasties. Beginning with the legendary establishment of dynastic rule by Yu the Great c. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Manchu alphabet.įor most of its history, China was organized into various dynastic states under the rule of hereditary monarchs.
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