Region
East Asia
East Asia, as today's map draws it. The atlas places 52,235 events here, from the earliest records to our own day: the most significant follow, era by era, with the civilizations at home here and their wonders, trade routes, faiths and great people.
- 52,235 events
- 15 civilizations
Civilizations through time
Our civilizations at home here; culture spheres outlinedEvents by era
The most significant of each era, with its centuries3500 – 1001 BCE31 events
- Battle of Muye1046 BCE · Battle1046 BCE
- Great Flood3rd millennium BCE · Event3rd millennium BCE
- Ancient China18th century BCE – 220 CE · Event18th century BCE – 220 CE
- Battle of Zhuolu3rd millennium BCE · Battle3rd millennium BCE
- Rebellion of the Three Guards1040 BCE · Rebellion1040 BCE
- Mount Tai earthquake1831 BCE · Natural disaster1831 BCE
35th century BCE34th century BCE33rd century BCE32nd century BCE31st century BCE30th century BCE29th century BCE28th century BCE27th century BCE26th century BCE25th century BCE24th century BCE23rd century BCE22nd century BCE21st century BCE20th century BCE19th century BCE18th century BCE17th century BCE16th century BCE15th century BCE14th century BCE13th century BCE12th century BCE11th century BCEMore on the atlas
1000 – 501 BCE29 events
- Battle of Chengpu632 BCE · Battle632 BCE
- Jimmu's Eastern Expedition667 BCE · Event667 BCE
- Battle of Yanling575 BCE · Battle575 BCE
- Founding of Japan660 BCE – 1947 CE · Founding660 BCE – 1947 CE
- Zhou–Chu War961 – 957 BCE · War961 – 957 BCE
- Construction of Great Wall of China700s BCE · Construction700s BCE
10th century BCE9th century BCE8th century BCE7th century BCE6th century BCEMore on the atlas
500 – 1 BCE104 events
- Han–Xiongnu Wars139 BCE – 89 CE · War139 BCE – 89 CE
- Battle of Changping262 – 260 BCE · Battle262 – 260 BCE
- Feast at Hong Gate206 BCE · Event206 BCE
- Battle of Baideng200 BCE · Battle200 BCE
- Rebellion of the Seven States154 BCE · Rebellion154 BCE
- Battle of Yique293 BCE · Battle293 BCE
5th century BCE4th century BCE3rd century BCE2nd century BCE1st century BCEMore on the atlas
1 – 500 CE218 events
- Yellow Turban Rebellion184 – 205 CE · War184 – 205 CE
- Battle of Red Cliffs208 CE · Battle208 CE
- Battle of Fei River30 November 383 CE · Battle30 November 383 CE
- Battle of Guandu200 CE · Battle200 CE
- Civil War of Wa146 – 189 CE · War146 – 189 CE
- Battle of XiaotingAugust 221 CE · BattleAugust 221 CE
1st century CE2nd century CE3rd century CE4th century CE5th century CEMore on the atlas
501 – 1000 CE1,444 events
- An Lushan Rebellion755 – 763 CE · Rebellion755 – 763 CE
- Taika Reform645 CE · Event645 CE
- foot binding10th century – 1999 CE · Event10th century – 1999 CE
- Goguryeo–Tang War645 – 668 CE · War645 – 668 CE
- 869 Jōgan earthquake9 July 869 CE · Natural disaster9 July 869 CE
- Battle of Baekgang663 CE · Battle663 CE
6th century CE7th century CE8th century CE9th century CE10th century CEMore on the atlas
1001 – 15001,925 events
- Black Death1346 – 1352 · Epidemic1346 – 1352
- Genpei War1180 – 1185 · War1180 – 1185
- Mongol invasions of Japan1274 – 1281 · Conquest1274 – 1281
- Ōnin War1467 – 1477 · War1467 – 1477
- Red Turban Rebellion1351 – 1368 · Rebellion1351 – 1368
- Battle of Yamen19 March 1279 · Battle19 March 1279
11th century12th century13th century14th century15th centuryMore on the atlas
1501 – 18003,209 events
1801 – 19003,878 events
1901 – 200030,201 events
- Korean War1950 – 1953 · War1950 – 1953
- atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki1945 · Event1945
- Cultural Revolution1966 – 1976 · Rebellion1966 – 1976
- 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre15 April 1989 · Attack15 April 1989
- renminbi1949 · Event1949
- Second Sino-Japanese War1937 – 1945 · War1937 – 1945
Since 200111,196 events
- COVID-19 pandemic2019 · Epidemic2019
- 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami11 March 2011 · Natural disaster11 March 2011
- Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster11 March 2011 · Accident11 March 2011
- 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests15 March 2019 · Protest15 March 2019
- persecution of Uyghurs in China2014 – 21st century · Attack2014 – 21st century
- 2015 Tianjin explosions12 August 2015 · Accident12 August 2015
Wonders
Standing here, or once- Built c. 246 – 210 BCEThe Terracotta ArmyXi'an, China
- Built c. 221 – 210 BCEThe Great Wall of ChinaMutianyu, Beijing, China
- Built 745 – 758 CEThe Great Buddha Hall of Tōdai-jiNara, Japan
- Built 1406 – 1420The Forbidden CityBeijing, China
- Built 1601 – 1609Himeji CastleHimeji, Japan
- Built 1645 – 1694The Potala PalaceLhasa, Tibet, China
Trade routes
With stops in the region- Grand Canal609 CE – today · by river · Hangzhou, Suzhou, Zhenjiang and 10 more609 CE – today
- Silk Roadc. 130 BCE – 1453 CE · by land · Chang'an, Wuwei, Dunhuang and 6 morec. 130 BCE – 1453 CE
- Tea Horse Roadc. 618 CE – 1949 · by land · Pu'er, Dali, Lijiang and 5 morec. 618 CE – 1949
- Tea Roadc. 1727 – 1905 · by land and river · Wuyi Mountains, Hekou, Hankou and 2 morec. 1727 – 1905
- Canton trade1757 – 1842 · by sea and river · Macau, Lintin Island, Whampoa and Canton1757 – 1842
- Maritime Silk Roadc. 200 BCE – 1500 CE · by sea and river · Guangzhou and Quanzhouc. 200 BCE – 1500 CE
- Ryukyu tradec. 1372 – 1570 · by sea and river · Fuzhou and Hakatac. 1372 – 1570
- Nanban trade1543 – 1639 · by sea · Macau and Nagasaki1543 – 1639
- Maritime fur tradec. 1785 – 1840 · by sea and river · Macau and Cantonc. 1785 – 1840
- Clipper Routec. 1850 – 1939 · by sea · Shanghai and Foochowc. 1850 – 1939
- Suez Canal Route1869 – today · by sea and river · Hong Kong and Shanghai1869 – today
- Radhanite route via the Red Seac. 700 CE – 950 CE · by land and sea · Guangzhouc. 700 CE – 950 CE
- Radhanite route via Baghdadc. 762 CE – 950 CE · by land, sea and river · Guangzhouc. 762 CE – 950 CE
- East India Company Route1601 – 1833 · by sea · Canton1601 – 1833
- Red Seal Ships1604 – 1635 · by sea and river · Nagasaki1604 – 1635
- Dutch East India Company Route1611 – 1799 · by sea · Dejima1611 – 1799
Faiths that came here
Each from its first arrival- ConfucianismBegan at Qufu (c. 500 BCE). Reached Chang'an (200 BCE), Luoyang (c. 136 BCE), Goguryeo (Gungnae) (372 CE) and 6 more
- BuddhismReached Khotan (c. 84 BCE), Luoyang (c. 68 CE), Kucha (c. 200 CE) and 12 more
- TaoismBegan at Mount Heming (c. 142 CE). Reached Hanzhong (191 CE), Chang'an (215 CE), Jiankang (317 CE) and 8 more
- ShintoBegan at Yamato (Mount Miwa) (c. 300 CE). Reached Izumo (c. 300 CE), Ise (c. 672 CE), Mutsu (Taga Castle) (724 CE) and 3 more
- ZoroastrianismReached Chang'an (c. 621 CE)
- ChristianityReached Tang China (Chang'an) (635 CE), Japan (Nagasaki) (1549), Macau (c. 1557) and 3 more
- ManichaeismReached Chang'an (694 CE), Luoyang (c. 762 CE), Yangzhou (771 CE) and 2 more
- IslamReached Chang'an (c. 742 CE), Karakhanid realm (Kashgar) (c. 934 CE) and Quanzhou (1009)
- JudaismReached Kaifeng (c. 1000)
- SikhismReached Hong Kong (1867)
Great people
Of its civilizations, in the halls of the Agora of Ages- fl. 6th century BCE (traditional)LaoziFounder of Taoism; the Tao Te ChingChinese Emperors & Sages
- 551 – 479 BCEConfuciusPhilosopher; the Analects; foundation of Chinese ethicsChinese Emperors & Sages
- c. 544 – 496 BCE (traditional)Sun TzuStrategist; 'The Art of War'Chinese Emperors & Sages
- 259 – 210 BCEQin Shi HuangFirst Emperor of a unified China (221 BCE); Great Wall, Terracotta ArmyChinese Emperors & Sages
- 156 – 87 BCEEmperor Wu of HanHan emperor 141–87 BCE; Silk Road, Confucian stateChinese Emperors & Sages
- died 43 CEHai Bà TrưngLed the uprising against Han rule, 40–43 CEVietnamese Commanders
- c. 50 – 121 CECai LunHan court official credited with the invention of paperInventors & Engineers
- c. 225 – 248 CEBà TriệuLed the rising against the Eastern Wu in Cửu Chân (248)Vietnamese Commanders
- Emperor Taizong of Tang598 – 649 CE · Tang emperor 626–649; golden age of the Tang598 – 649 CE
- Wu Zetian624 – 705 CE · Only woman to rule China as emperor (690–705)624 – 705 CE
- Li Bai701 – 762 CE · Quiet Night Thought701 – 762 CE
- Phùng Hưngdied c. 791 CE · Led a rising against the Tang and took the citadel of Tống Bình (791)died c. 791 CE
- Dương Đình Nghệ874 – 937 CE · Drove the Southern Han out of Đại La (931); military governor of Tĩnh Hải874 – 937 CE
- Murasaki Shikibuc. 973 – c. 1014 CE · The Tale of Genjic. 973 – c. 1014 CE
- Yongle Emperor1360 – 1424 · Ming emperor 1402–1424; built the Forbidden City, sent Zheng He's fleets1360 – 1424
- Zheng He1371 – 1433 · Admiral of the Ming treasure fleets1371 – 1433
- Yi Sun-sin1545 – 1598 · Korean admiral; turtle ships; Myeongnyang (1597)1545 – 1598
- Kangxi Emperor1654 – 1722 · Qing emperor 1661–1722; longest-reigning Chinese emperor1654 – 1722





