Remembering the major dynasties in order

[mungouk]

I realise this is a total beginner topic history-wise, and maybe it's well-known already, but I stumbled across it by accident the other day and thought it might be of interest.

 

A little song to help you remember the order of the main Chinese dynasties, to the tune of "Frère Jacques".

 

(Read from right to left.)

 

 

This is from the ChinaX course apparently.

 

Check out the youtube video if you don't know the tune, or just want to watch two slightly embarrassed Harvard professors singing it.

 

Edit: Apparently the tune has also made it into Chinese culture, although on a completely different topic. #learningeveryday 

[Dlezcano]

It is funny and can be handy in some cases, unfortunately the actual timeline of the dynasties is much more complex than this.

[mungouk]

10 hours ago, Dlezcano said:

the actual timeline of the dynasties is much more complex

 

Yep. That's why I said "main dynasties" and "total beginner topic history-wise".

[roddy]

I'm sure you could have worked up something more comprehensive, to the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody, perhaps. 

[Demonic_Duck]

24 minutes ago, roddy said:

I'm sure you could have worked up something more comprehensive, to the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody, perhaps. 

 

Better still... to the tune of We Didn't Start the Fire ?

[roddy]

We didn't start the Xia...

It was always reigning, since Dì Shùn was waning

Yu didn't start the flood

No he tried to fight it...

 

For more stanzas, contribute to my Gofundme! Stretch goal on Kickstarter: Read another Wikipedia page.

[Jim]

Hou Han, Hou Han, and it's off to work we go...

[Luxi]

On 8/26/2020 at 10:27 PM, mungouk said:

I realise this is a total beginner topic history-wise, and maybe it's well-known already

 

You'd be surprised...

The song is a great way to start but an associated timeline will make it even more helpful. There are lots of Chinese history charts, from very simple to irritatingly complex. Best to start  with a plain one like this:

http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/timelines/china_timeline.htm

[Publius]

Haha I didn't know "Frère Jacques" but from the grouping pattern "1234 1234 567 567" I guessed it must be 两只老虎.

 

I don't find it very hard to remember though. I was only taught 夏商周秦汉、唐宋元明清 as a child. Only much later did I learn where to put 三国两晋南北朝 and 五代十国.

[889]

五代十国， 五代十国

 

南北朝! 南北朝!

 

唐宋元明清代，唐宋元明清代

 

毛泽东，毛泽东

 

 

中华民国， 中华民国

 

还得说! 还得说!

 

夏商周秦汉代，夏商周秦汉代

 

共产党，共产党