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Home / Periods / Asian History / Imperial China

Period

Imperial China

221 BCE–1912 CE

Imperial China began with Qin unification in 221 BC and continued through successive dynasties until the fall of the Qing in 1912. The imperial system combined emperors, bureaucracy, Confucian learning, armies, agriculture, cities, trade and repeated cycles of unity and division. Its scale and continuity make it one of the largest historical settings for fiction.

It mattered because dynastic government shaped Chinese culture, law, education, family life and relations with neighbouring peoples for more than two millennia. The period also contains rebellion, court intrigue, invasion, frontier trade and foreign pressure. Fiction can move from palace and examination hall to village, river town, monastery, battlefield and treaty port.

Related people for Imperial China

Ariq Böke1219–1266 Börte1161–1230 Chagatai Khan1183–1242 Charles Elliot1801–1875 Charles George Gordon1833–1885 Chen Yuanyuan1624–1681 Daoguang Emperor1782–1850 Dorgon1612–1650 Empress Dowager Cixi1835–1908 Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang1613–1688 Fragrant Concubine1734–1788 Galdan Boshugtu Khan1644–1697 Genghis Khan1162–1227 George Chinnery1774–1852 George Elliot1784–1863 Gordon Bremer1786–1850 Guangxu Emperor1871–1908 Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston1784–1865 Hong Taiji1592–1643 Hong Xiuquan1814–1864 Huang Zongxi1610–1695 Hulagu Khan1217–1265 Hu Ruowangactive 1722–1726 James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin1811–1863 James Matheson1796–1878 Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy1783–1859 Jamukha1162–1205 Jean-François Foucquet1665–1741 Jebec. 1181–1225 Jochi1182–1227 Kangxi Emperor1654–1722 Kublai Khan1215–1294 Lancelot Dent1799–1853 Liang Qichao1873–1929 Li Hongzhang1823–1901 Lin Zexu1785–1850 Lu Xun1881–1936 Mao Zedong1893–1976 Möngke Khan1209–1259 Oboic. 1610–1669 Prince Gong1833–1898 Qianlong Emperor1711–1799 Qishan1786–1864 Qiu Chuji1148–1227 Shapur Ic. 3rd century–272 Shi Lang1621–1696 Shunzhi Emperor1638–1661 Sir Robert Hart1835–1911 Songgotu1636–1703 Sophia Alekseyevna of Russia1657–1704 Subutai1175–1248 Suksahadied 1667 Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin1766–1841 Toluic. 1191–1232 Valerian200–c. 260s Victoria1819–1901 William Jardine1784–1843 Wu Sangui1612–1678 Xianfeng Emperor1831–1861 Yongzheng Emperor1678–1735 Yue Fei1103–1142 Yue Zhongqi1686–1754 Zeng Jing1679–1736 Zheng Keshuang1670–1707 Ögedei Khan1186–1241

Series

Series about Imperial China (1 series)

Under Heaven in Order

by Guy Gavriel Kay 2 books 4.2(28,670)

The Under Heaven novels use the invented empire of Kitai to explore two decisive eras of imperial Chinese history. Under Heaven evokes the cosmopolitan splendour and political instability of the Tang dynasty before the An Lushan Rebellion; River of Stars moves four centuries forward to a Song-inspired court…

Books

30 Best Novels About Imperial China

Non-Fiction

23 Best Non-Fiction Books About Imperial China

Histories, biographies and reference works are listed separately from the historical novels above.