Dynasties and Capitals of China

In the tables below, the modern name of the capital is followed by its ancient name, where applicable, in parentheses.

DateDynastyCapital
2200-1700 BCXia(?)
1700-1050ShangAnyang (Yin) after 1350
1050-770Western ZhouXi'an (Haojing)
770-221Eastern ZhouLuoyang
(770 - 476)(Spring and Autumn) Luoyang
(476 - 221)(Warring States)Luoyang
221-206QinXi'an (Xianyang)
206 BC - AD 8Western HanXi'an (Chang'an)
(9-23)(Wang Mang)Xi'an (Chang'an)
25-220Eastern HanLuoyang
(220-280)(Three Kingdoms)(various)
265-316Western JinLuoyang

South
317-420Eastern JinNanjing
420-479Liu SongNanjing
479-502Southern QiNanjing
502-557LiangNanjing
557-589ChenNanjing

North
(317-439)(Sixteen Kingdoms)(various)
386-534Northern WeiDatong to 494, then Luoyang

535-557Western WeiXi'an (Chang'an)
557-581Northern ZhouXi'an (Chang'an)
534-550Eastern WeiYe
550-577Northern QiYe

581-618SuiXi'an (Chang'an)
618-906TangXi'an (Chang'an)
(907-960)(Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms)various
960-1127Northern SongKaifeng

South
1127-1279Southern SongHangzhou

North
1115-1234JinBeijing

1260-1368YuanBeijing (Dadu)
1368-1644MingNanjing to 1420, then Beijing
1644-1911QingBeijing
1912-1949ROCBeijing
1949-presentPRCBeijing