ca. 5000 B.C.E.	500–200 B.C.E.
Emergence of regional Neolithic settlements	Golden age of Chinese philosophy
ca. 1500–1050 B.C.E.	453–403 B.C.E.
Shang Dynasty	The Art of War
ca. 1200 B.C.E.	403–221 B.C.E.
Evidence of writing found in royal tombs; chariots come into use	Warring States Period; decline of the Zhou Dynasty
ca. 1050–256 B.C.E.	ca. 370–300 B.C.E.
Zhou Dynasty	Mencius
ca. 900 B.C.E.	ca. 350 B.C.E.
Book of Songs, Book of Changes, Book of Documents	Infantry armed with crossbows
551–479 B.C.E.	ca. 310–215 B.C.E.
Confucius	Xunzi
ca. 500 B.C.E.	ca. 300–200 B.C.E.
Iron technology in wide use; cities spread across the central Zhou states	Early Daoist teachings outlined in Laozi and the Zhuangzi