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==Xia dynasty: 2070–c. 1600 BC==

==Xia dynasty: 2070–c. 1600 BC==

The Xia dynasty is thought to be a legend invented by the Zhou to justify their conquest of the Shang. That is it to say, it allowed the Zhou to claim that the Shang, too, were conquers. (This can be compared to the King Arthur legend in England, which Medieval writers developed to justify the Norman conquest.) The traditional list of kings and the existence of a unified Chinese state at this time are problematic. Nonetheless, the term "Xia dynasty" is used by historians in China to describe archaeological finds from this period. There are classified as Calcolithic, i.e. they show a mixture of copper and bronze technology. Calcolithic is a transitional stage between the neolithic and the Bronze Age. These existence of a transitional period suggests that China developed bronze independently

The [[Xia dynasty]] is the first dynasty in traditional history. The legend of this dynasty was used by the Zhou to justify their conquest of the Shang. It can be compared to the King Arthur legend in England, which Medieval writers developed to justify the Norman conquest. The fourteen Xia rulers on the traditional dynasty list were descended from Yu the Great. Jie, the last king of the dynasty, is said to have fallen in love with a beautiful but cruel woman. In response, Zi Lü led a revolt, overthrew the Xia, and founded the Shang dynasty.

==Shang dynasty: 1600-c. 1046 BC==

==Shang dynasty: 1600-c. 1046 BC==