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Chinese history is traditionally represented in terms of dynastic cycles. Through its long history, the
Chinese people have been ruled not by one dynasty, but by a succession of different dynasties. The first orthodox dynasty of China to be described in ancient historical records such as
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It sees a continuity in
Chinese history from early times to the present by looking at the succession of empires or dynasties, implying that there is little basic development or change in social or economic structures.
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is sometimes associated with rapid economic development). Han and Tang, as well as other long, stable dynasties, were followed by periods of disorder and the break-up of China into small regimes.
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expressed the doubts of many historians when he wrote that "the concept of the dynastic cycle... has been a major block to the understanding of the fundamental dynamics of
Chinese history."
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Out of disorder a leader eventually arose who unified the country and imposed strong central authority. For example, after the Han various dynasties ruled parts of China until
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ideology, it also applies to non-native rulers who sought to gain the
Mandate of Heaven. While most ruling dynasties in Chinese history were founded by ethnic
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are often considered as particularly strong periods, although other dynasties are famous for cultural and other achievements (for instance, the
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A natural disaster wipes out farm land. The disaster normally would not have been a problem; however, together with the corruption and
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Ching, Frank. Ancestors: 900 Years in the Life of a
Chinese Family. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1974. p 78.
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Wills, John E. Mountain of Fame: Portraits in
Chinese History. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1994- p. 35
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Ching, Frank. Ancestors: 900 Years in the Life of a
Chinese Family. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1974.
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The last period is the decline of the dynasty, both politically and economically, until it finally collapses.
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rises to a political, cultural, and economic peak and then, because of moral corruption, declines, loses the
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Wills, John E. Mountain of Fame: Portraits in
Chinese History. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1994
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Corruption becomes rampant in the imperial court, and the empire begins to enter decline and instability.
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to rule over China. The
Mandate of Heaven explanation was championed by the Chinese philosopher
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Although this well-known dynastic periodization of China is more or less based on traditional
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that says "After a long split, a union will occur; after a long union, a split will occur" (
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The second is at the middle of the dynasty's life and is the peak of the dynasty.
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There is a famous
Chinese proverb expressed in the 16th-century novel
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The Mandate of Heaven was the idea that the monarch was favored by
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The famine causes the population to rebel and a civil war ensues.
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Edwin O. Reischauer, "The Dynastic Cycle", in John Meskill,
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95:China, under the new dynasty, achieves prosperity.
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457:China: A Historical and Cultural Dictionary
331:dominated by Han people. These include the
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120:China goes through a warring states period.
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482:John K. Fairbank and Edwin O. Reischauer,
165:The first is the beginning of the dynasty.
1005:Grand coordinator and provincial governor
234:Learn how and when to remove this message
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325:dynasties established by non-Han peoples
308:). Each of these rulers would claim the
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129:The empire gains the Mandate of Heaven.
114:The ruler loses the Mandate of Heaven.
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593:Secular Cycles and Millennial Trends
212:adding citations to reliable sources
88:founds a new dynasty, and gains the
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327:beyond the traditional border of
56:. According to this theory, each
411:Strauss–Howe generational theory
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832:Three Lords and Nine Ministers
554:Alien Rule and Dynastic Cycles
436:The Pattern of Chinese History
250:Records of the Grand Historian
126:The state starts a new empire.
80:The cycle appears as follows:
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1046:Nine Gates Infantry Commander
484:East Asia: The GreatTradition
299:Romance of the Three Kingdoms
263:, which was succeeded by the
123:One state becomes the victor.
558:Fairbank, John King (1979).
461:. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon.
16:Classic Chinese Philosophies
562:The United States and China
138:(The cycle repeats itself.)
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875:Bureau of Military Affairs
799:Territorial administration
683:Heirloom Seal of the Realm
312:to legitimize their rule.
270:Among these dynasties the
1162:History of Imperial China
1093:Embroidered Uniform Guard
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289:reunited China under the
98:The population increases.
1056:Administrative divisions
453:Dillon, Michael (1998).
916:Secretariat-Chancellery
486:(Boston, 1960), p. 115.
161:It has 3 main phases:
990:Imperial Commissioner
935:Ministry of Personnel
837:Three Ducal Ministers
759:Imperial examinations
723:Mandarin (bureaucrat)
156:Warring States period
1098:Qing Imperial Guards
1081:Tang Imperial Guards
208:improve this section
1000:Imperial Clan Court
985:Remonstrance Bureau
955:Ministry of Justice
940:Ministry of Revenue
794:Historical capitals
779:Academies (Shuyuan)
381:Social cycle theory
108:, it causes famine.
24:traditional Chinese
376:Chinese uniformity
366:Dynasties of China
323:, there were also
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32:simplified Chinese
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892:Three Departments
849:Translated titles
754:Five Directorates
371:Mandate of Heaven
310:Mandate of Heaven
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62:Mandate of Heaven
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1061:Zongli Yamen
910:Menxia Sheng
737:Institutions
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401:Cliodynamics
329:China proper
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280:Song dynasty
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224:October 2014
221:
206:Please help
194:
176:Significance
160:
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66:
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19:
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1086:Shence Army
870:Jimi system
749:Nine Courts
695:Consort kin
343:founded by
335:founded by
317:Sinocentric
291:Sui dynasty
154:during the
1151:Categories
1041:Lifan Yuan
417:References
1108:Dynasties
784:Censorate
769:Guozijian
422:Citations
406:Asabiyyah
396:Dialectic
305:分久必合，合久必分
287:Yang Jian
195:does not
76:The cycle
880:Shumishi
865:Jiedushi
646:Monarchy
638:Nobility
355:See also
339:and the
711:Offices
690:Empress
668:Emperor
651:Dynasty
552:Ch 4, "
540:Sources
473:, p. 87
345:Manchus
337:Mongols
259:is the
216:removed
201:sources
152:Mencius
764:Taixue
663:Titles
574:
568:80–104
465:
451:," in
386:Kyklos
148:Heaven
84:A new
42::
40:pinyin
34::
26::
1051:Ranks
804:Yamen
702:Harem
656:Cycle
265:Shang
86:ruler
1136:Qing
1131:Yuan
1126:Liao
1121:Tang
1024:Qing
827:King
809:Tusi
673:List
572:ISBN
463:ISBN
341:Qing
333:Yuan
276:Tang
274:and
253:and
199:any
197:cite
36:朝代循环
28:朝代循環
1116:Han
556:",
321:Han
272:Han
261:Xia
210:by
52:in
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525:^
503:^
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