中国是世界四大文明古国之一，从有历史记载的黄帝时代算起，有5000年的文明史。

China is one of the four countries in the world with ancient civilization. Starting from the earliest recorded history of Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor), China has enjoyed about 5,000 years of civilization.

　　夏朝、商朝　世袭制从夏朝开始；夏朝有了最早的历法——夏历。商朝青铜器艺术水平很高，有成熟的文字——甲骨文。夏商时期，养蚕和丝绸已经出现。

Xia and Shang: The Hereditary system started from the Xia Dynasty, when the first calendar, the Xia calendar, appeared. At this time bronze ware enjoyed high standard; in addition, a mature writing system, the bone inscriptions, emerged; sericulture and silk production also came into being in the Xia and Shang Dynasties.

　　西周、东周（春秋、战国）　春秋战国时期出现了百家争鸣，有孔子、孟子、老子等大思想家，有伟大诗人屈原，有兵法家孙子，有名医扁鹊，有著名工匠鲁班。

Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou (Spring and Autumn, Warring States): During the period of Spring and Autumn and the period of the Warring States there emerged the contention of various schools of thought, including Confucious, Mencius and Laozi. The great poet Qu Yuan, the military strategist Sunzi, the noted doctor Bian Que and the celebrated master carpenter Luban also belonged to these periods.

　　秦朝、西汉、东汉　秦朝，中国第一个统一的君主国家。西汉武帝时代很强盛，张骞出使西域，丝绸之路开通，司马迁完成《史记》。东汉出现四大发明之一——纸，张衡发明了地动仪。

Qin, Western Han and Eastern Han: The Qin Dynasty started as China’s first unified monarchic state. In the age of the emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty, the state reached its most powerful stage; that age witnessed the visit of Han’s envoy, Zhang Qian, to the Western Regions, the opening of the Silk Road and the completion of Sima Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian. The Eastern Han Dynasty saw the invention of paper, one of the four great inventions of China and Zhang Heng’s seismograph.

　　三国、两晋（西晋、东晋）、南北朝　三国指的是魏、吴、蜀三个国家。南北朝佛教盛行。

The Three Kingdoms, Western Jin and Eastern Jin, and Northern Dynasty and Southern Dynasty: Wei, Shu and Wu were three states. During the Southern Dynasty and Northern Dynasty, Buddhism prevailed.

　　隋朝、唐朝、五代　唐朝，中国最繁荣的一个历史时期。隋唐时期科举制度开始实行。唐诗的文学成就最高，有伟大诗人李白、杜甫。唐朝儒释道并行，有著名高僧玄奘。

Sui, Tang and the Five Dynasties: The Tang Dynasty was the most prosperous period in Chinese history. The imperial examination system was initiated during the Sui and the Tang Dynasties. Tang poetry flourished with Li Bai and Du Fu as the greatest poets. During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism existed side by side, with Xuanzhuang as the most celebrated monk.

　　宋朝（北宋、南宋）、辽、西夏、金　北宋时期，北方有辽和西夏；南宋时期，北方有金。宋朝的经济与科技发达，毕昇发明了活字印刷术。文学艺术有较高成就，宋词与唐诗齐名。

Song (Northern Song and southern Song), Liao, Xixia and Jin: The Northern Song Dynasty confronted Liao and Xixia to the north; the Southern Song Dynasty faced Jin to the north. In the period of the Song Dynasty, economy and science thrived; Bi Sheng invented the movable type printing; literature and art reached a very high standard with Song ci (poetry) enjoying the same fame as Tang poetry.

　　元朝　元朝是蒙古族建立的朝代。元曲与唐诗宋词齐名。马可波罗游历中国。

Yuan: The Yuan Dynasty was set up by the Mongolians; Yuan drama was as famous as Tang poetry and Song ci; Marco Polo visited China at this time.

　　明朝　郑和七次下西洋，李时珍完成《本草纲目》，有《三国演义》《水浒传》《西游记》等古典名著。

Ming: Zheng He made seven voyages in the Indian Ocean. Li Shizhen completed his Compendium of Materia Medica; three Chinese classic novels,  Romance of the Three Kingdoms,  Outlaws of the Marsh and Journey to the West were published.

　　清朝　清朝出现了中国最杰出的古典小说《红楼梦》，绘画艺术达到很高水平。

Qing: The most outstanding classic novel A Dream of the Red Mansions made its appearance; painting was of very high artistic standard.

　　中华民国　辛亥革命推翻清朝统治，1912年建立了亚洲第一个民主共和国。

Republic of China: The 1911 Revolution toppled the rule of the Qing Dynasty; the first democratic republic in Asia was set up in 1912.

　　中华人民共和国　1949年10月1日，中华人民共和国成立。

People’s Republic of China: The People’s Republic of China was founded on October 1st, 1949.