Chinese (Mandarin)/Lesson 16

16.Basic Chinese History (第十六课：基本中国历史/第十六課：基本中國歷史)

This poem/song is called Chinese dynasties song (中国朝代歌/中國朝代歌/Zhōngguó cháodài gē), which is a song to help people memorize the Chinese dynasties.

Traditional Characters	Simplified Characters
唐堯虞舜夏商周， 春秋戰國亂悠悠。 秦漢三國西東晉， 南朝北朝是對頭。 隋唐五代又十國， 宋元明清帝王休。	唐尧虞舜夏商周， 春秋战国乱悠悠。 秦汉三国西东晋， 南朝北朝是对头。 隋唐五代又十国， 宋元明清帝王休。
Pīnyīn	English
Táng yáo yúshùnxià shāng zhōu, chūnqiū zhànguó luàn yōuyōu. qínhàn sānguó xī dōngjìn, náncháo běicháo shì duìtóu. suítáng wǔdài yòu shí guó, sòngyuánmíng qīng dìwáng xiū.	Yao, Shun, Xia, Shang, Zhou, Spring and Autumn, Warring States, chaos in full blow. Qin, Han, Three Kingdoms, West and East Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, rivalries begin. Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms wide, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing, the emperors died.

Explaination

Tang Yao and Yu Shun are two of the most revered legendary sage-kings of ancient China. The Xia, Shang, and Zhou were the first dynasties in ancient China. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, China broke into many small states that attacked one another. The Qin and Han dynasties successfully unified China. After the Han dynasty fell, China broke into three major states until the Jin unified them all. China later split again into the Northern and Southern dynasties. After the Sui and Tang unified China, the country broke into the Five Dynasties in the north and the Ten Kingdoms in the south. Following multiple subsequent dynasties, the 1911 Xinhai Revolution took place, and China became a republic.

Vocabulary & Cultural Notes

• 乱悠悠/亂悠悠 (luàn yōu yōu): A descriptive phrase meaning chaotic, messy, or long-lasting turmoil.
• 是对头/是對頭 (shì duìtóu): An idiom meaning to be adversaries, rivals, or opposing forces.
• 帝王休 (dìwáng xiū): Literally translates to "emperors cease/stop," marking the historical transition from imperial rule to a republic following the 1911 Xinhai Revolution.
• 朝代(cháo dài): Dynasty

Related Books

• History of China
• Chinese History