Dinastia Zhou (jan 1, 1046 BC – jan 1, 256 BC)

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The Zhou dynasty was the longest dynasty in the history of China, ruling the region for almost 8 centuries.

Under the Zhous, culture flourished and civilisation spread. Writing was codified, coinage was developed and chopsticks came into use.
Chinese philosophy blossomed with the birth of the philosophical schools of Confucianism, Taoism and Mohism. The dynasty saw some of the greatest Chinese philosophers and poets: Lao-Tzu, Tao Chien, Confucius, Mencius, Mo Ti and the military strategist Sun-Tzu.

The Zhous also developed the Mandate of Heaven – a concept that was used to justify the rule of kings, who had been blessed by the gods.

The dynasty ended with the Warring States period (476–221 BC), in which various city-states battled each other, establishing themselves as independent feudal entities. They were finally consolidated by Qin Shi Huangdi, a brutal ruler who became the first emperor of a unified China.

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