The existing reverence for Centrality must have been still further stimulated toward the close of the second century B.C., when the Han Emperor Wu Ti ordered the dynastic color changed to yellow -- which symbolized the Center among the traditional Five Directions -- and took 5 as the dynastic number, believing that he would thus place himself, his imperial family, and the nation under the most auspicious influences.

Emperor Wu consolidated and extended the Chinese empire by pushing back the Xiongnu into the steppes of modern Inner Mongolia, wresting from them the modern areas of Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai.

The dynasty continued to flourish under Empress Wu Zetian, the only empress regnant in Chinese history, and reached its zenith during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, who oversaw an empire that stretched from the Pacific to the Aral Sea with at least 50 million people.

Emperor Wu of Han ( r. 141 BC-87 BC ) went to war with the Dayuan for this reason, since the Dayuan were hording a massive amount of tall, strong, Central Asian bred horses in the Hellenized – Greek region of Fergana ( established slightly earlier by Alexander the Great ).

For more than two thousand years, since the time of Emperor Wu of Han, the month containing the winter solstice has almost always been the 11th month.

The Emperor Wu of the Western Han dynasty introduced reforms that have governed the Chinese calendar ever since.

As Confucianism became the preferred philosophy of later Chinese dynasties, starting from the Emperor Wu of Han, Mohism and other non-Confucian philosophical schools of thought were suppressed.

* 141 BC – Liu Che, posthumously known as Emperor Wu of Han, assumes the throne over the Han Dynasty of China.

He is regarded as the father of Chinese historiography for his highly praised work, Records of the Grand Historian, a " Jizhuanti "- style general history of China, covering more than two thousand years from the Yellow Emperor to Emperor Wu of Han.

His father, Sima Tan, served as the Prefect of the Grand Scribes of Emperor Wu of Han ( Emperor " Han Wudi ").

Emperor Wu of Han sent Zhang Qian to explore the west world and to discover other confederates against Xiongnu.

* Emperor Wu of Han, considered one of the greatest emperors throughout the History of China

* Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou

* Emperor Wu of Han (" Martial Emperor ") starts to rule.

* The Chinese under Emperor Wu of Han besiege and capture Kokand of Dayuan in the Hellenistic Ferghana Valley, during a 2 year war with the Yuezhi.

* Peasant revolts under Emperor Wu of Han.

Emperor Emperor Wu of Liang | Wu Di ( 502 – 549 )

* 202 BC – coronation ceremony of Liu Bang as Emperor Gaozu of Han takes place, initiating four centuries of the Han Dynasty's rule over China.

* 313 – Emperor Jin Huidi is executed by Liu Cong, ruler of the Xiongnu state ( Han Zhao ).

* The Han dynasty is restored in China as Liu Xiu proclaims himself Emperor, starting the Jianwu era ( until 56 ).

Liu Bang declares himself the Emperor of China, officially beginning the Han Dynasty.

Despite this, Liu Xiu, the later Emperor Guangwu of Han, buys crossbows in the winter of 22 in order to aid the rebellion of his brother Liu Yan ( styled Bosheng ) and Li Tong.

* Liu Penzi, captive " Emperor " of China ( d. 27 )

* Liu Penzi, captive " Emperor " of China ( b. 10 )

* Liu Shan, last Emperor of the Kingdom of Shu ( b. 207 )

* March 14 – Emperor Jin Huidi is executed by Liu Cong, ruler of the Xiongnu state ( Han Zhao ).

For example, the diplomatic correspondence from King Bu of Wa to Emperor Shun of Liu Song in 478 has been praised for its skillful use of allusion.

The Eastern Han began when Liu Xiu became Emperor Guangwu of Han.

In 188, Emperor Ling accepted a memorial from Yi Province governor Liu Yan suggesting he grant direct administrative power over feudal provinces and direct command of regional military to local governors, as well promoting them in rank and filling such positions with members of the Liu family or court officials.

Liu Bian took the Han throne as Emperor Shao, and He Jin plotted with warlord Yuan Shao to assassinate the Ten Attendants, a clique of ten eunuchs led by Zhang Rang who controlled much of the imperial court.

In the encounter Dong Zhuo acted arrogantly and threateningly, causing Liu Bian to be paralyzed with fear ; Liu Xie, the future Emperor Xian, responded calmly with authority and commanded Dong Zhuo to protect the royal family with his army to return to the imperial court.

It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han.

Liu Bang assumed the title " emperor " ( huangdi ) at the urging of his followers and is known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu ( r. 202 – 195 BCE ).

Emperor Gengshi's brother Liu Xiu, known posthumously as Emperor Guangwu ( r. 25 – 57 CE ), after distinguishing himself at the Battle of Kunyang in 23 CE, was urged to succeed Gengshi as emperor.

The Eastern Han, also known as the Later Han, formally began on 5 August 25, when Liu Xiu became Emperor Guangwu of Han.

* 1085 – Emperor Shenzong of Song ( b. 1048 )

Furthermore, China's first permanent standing navy was assembled and provided an admiral's office at Dinghai in 1132, under the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song.

In 1055, Emperor Renzong of Song first bestowed the title of " Duke Yansheng " on Kong Zongyuan of the 46th generation.

Emperor Yingzong of Song ordered Sima Guang and other scholars to begin compiling this universal history of China in 1065 and they presented it to his successor Emperor Shenzong of Song in 1084.

The oldest confirmed written mention of dominoes in China comes from the Former Events in Wulin ( i. e. the capital Hangzhou ) written by the Yuan Dynasty ( 1271 – 1368 ) author Zhou Mi ( 1232 – 1298 ), who listed " pupai " ( gambling plaques or dominoes ) as well as dice as items sold by peddlers during the reign of Emperor Xiaozong of Song ( r. 1162 – 1189 ).

According to the Nihon Shoki, Emperor Kimmei received a bronze statue of Buddha as a gift from the king of Paekche King Song Myong ( 聖明王, Seimei Ō ) along with a significant envoy of artisans, monks, and other artifacts in 552.

* 960 – The coronation of Zhao Kuangyin as Emperor Taizu of Song, initiating the Song Dynasty period of China that would last more than three centuries.

Image: Meister nach Chang Hsüan 001. jpg | Ladies making silk, a remake of an 8th-century original by Zhang Xuan by Emperor Huizong of Song, early 12th century, Chinese

File: Shenzong of Song. jpg | Court portrait of Emperor Shenzong of Song ( r. 1067-1085 ), Chinese

Image: Songhuizong4. jpg | Golden Pheasant and Cotton Rose, by Emperor Huizong of Song ( r. 1100-1126 AD ), Chinese

Image: Songhuizong8. jpg | Listening to the Guqin, by Emperor Huizong of Song ( 1100-1126 AD ), Chinese

During the Chinese Song Dynasty ( 960-1279 AD ), not only landscape art was improved upon, but portrait painting became more standardized and sophisticated than before ( for example, refer to Emperor Huizong of Song ), and reached its classical age maturity during the Ming Dynasty ( 1368-1644 AD ).

* 1276 – While taking exile in Fuzhou in southern China, away from the advancing Mongol invaders, the remnants of the Song Dynasty court hold the coronation ceremony for the young prince Zhao Shi, making him Emperor Duanzong of Song.

* 1107 – Emperor Gaozong of Song ( d. 1187 )

* 1127 – Invading Jurchen soldiers from the Jin Dynasty besiege and sack Bianjing ( Kaifeng ), the capital of the Song Dynasty of China, and abduct Emperor Qinzong and others, ending the Northern Song Dynasty.

* 1010 – Emperor Renzong of Song ( d. 1063 )

* 1100 – Emperor Qinzong of Song ( d. 1161 )