Territorial maps of China

Maps of how far each Chinese dynasty and rival state reached, drawn year by year from who held each city in the histories. Move the year to watch the borders change.

Map of the Warring States

260–221 BC · 40 years · 107 cities

China year by year from the Battle of Changping (260 BC) to the Qin unification (221 BC). Who held each of 107 major cities, taken from the histories, traces the Seven Warring States and Eastern Zhou, Western Zhou, Lu and Wey, in the age before there were emperors.

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Map of the Chu–Han Contention and Early Han

209–195 BC · 15 years · 100 cities

China year by year from the rising of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang (209 BC) to the death of Liu Bang (195 BC). Who held each of 100 major cities in every year, taken from the histories, traces the territories of Qin, Chu, Han and the kings, and of Nanyue and Minyue.

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Map of the Three Kingdoms

190–280 · 91 years · 138 cities

China year by year from the campaign against Dong Zhuo (190) to the Jin reunification (280). Who held each of 138 major cities at the end of every year, taken from the histories, traces the rise and fall of the warlords and of the Three Kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu.

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Map of the Sixteen Kingdoms

300–439 · 140 years · 126 cities

China year by year from the last years of Western Jin unity (300) to the Northern Wei unification of the north (439). Who held each of 126 major cities in every year, taken from the histories, traces the territory of Jin and of the Sixteen Kingdoms.

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Map of the Northern and Southern Dynasties

420–589 · 170 years · 130 cities

China year by year from the founding of Liu Song (420) to the Sui reunification (589). Who held each of 130 major cities, taken from the histories year by year, traces the territory of each dynasty.

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Map of the Fall of Sui and the Rise of Tang

613–628 · 16 years · 168 cities

China year by year from Yang Xuangan's revolt (613) to 628, when Liang Shidu fell and Tang unified the realm. Who held each of 168 major cities in every year, taken from the histories, traces the territories of Sui, Tang and rebel powers such as Li Mi, Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande.

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Map of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

907–979 · 73 years · 216 cities

China year by year from the founding of Later Liang (907) to the surrender of Northern Han and the Song reunification (979). Who held each of 216 major prefectures at the end of every year, taken from the histories, traces the territory of the Five Dynasties, the Ten Kingdoms and the Khitan.

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Map of Song, Liao, Jin and Western Xia

960–1279 · 320 years · 280 cities

China year by year from the founding of Song (960) to the fall of the Southern Song at Yamen (1279). Who held the major cities each year, taken from the histories, traces the territories of Song, Liao, Jin, Western Xia and the Mongols (Yuan), along with Dali, Eastern Xia, the Qi of Liu Yu and others.

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Map of the Fall of the Yuan

1351–1387 · 37 years · 173 cities

China year by year from the Red Turban Rebellion (1351) to Naghachu's surrender to the Ming in 1387. Who held each of 173 major cities, taken from the histories year by year, traces the Yuan, the Red Turban Song, Tianwan, Chen Han, Ming Xia, Zhang Shicheng, Fang Guozhen and Zhu Yuanzhang's Ming.

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Map of the Ming–Qing Transition

1616–1683 · 68 years · 197 cities

China year by year from Nurhaci's founding of Later Jin (1616) to the Zheng family's surrender of Taiwan to the Qing (1683). Who held each of 197 major cities, taken from the histories, traces the territories of the Ming, Later Jin and Qing, Li Zicheng's Shun, Zhang Xianzhong's Xi, the Southern Ming, the Zheng family, and Wu Sangui's Zhou and the Three Feudatories.

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What the maps show

Year by year
Move the year or press Play to watch the borders shift one year at a time, at half or double speed if you like.
Emperors of the year
Under each state's name is the emperor reigning at the end of that year, linked to his page.
City by city
Click a city to see who held it each year. Every change of hands rests on a passage in the histories.