Columbia Chronologies of Asian History and Culture

500,000–250,000B.C.: It had long been widely claimed that the hominids who inhabit the caves at Zhoukoudian make and control fire in hearths, but in 1998 scientists announce that there is no evidence of a fire in the cave.

12,000–6000B.C.: Neolithic people of China live in villages, farm, use polished stone tools, and make pottery.

5,000–3,000B.C.: Chinese sites from as early as 5000 B.C. yield some of the oldest known evidence for keeping nonruminant animals such as pigs and chickens. By 4500 B.C. the oldest known evidence in East Asia for keeping ruminants is the bones of small and possibly domesticated cattle found in northern China.

4000–3000B.C.: By the end of this period, copper is being used at some sites in China.

2698–2599B.C.: According to tradition, the Yellow Emperor himself takes an interest in mathematics and astronomy and he is the patron of important texts in these fields of study.

2500B.C.: The earliest known evidence of bronze in East Asia is found in northern China.

2357–2258B.C.: According to tradition, during the reign of Emperor Yao important astronomical observations are made.

2255–2208B.C.: According to Han tradition, the Emperor Shun's chief minister, Yu, tames the flood after nine devastating years with a series of permanent flood control measures: canals are dug, river channels are dredged, reservoirs are created.

1500B.C.: The Chinese are making silk about this time, the first people in the world known to do so. About this time, too, the Chinese are the first in East Asia known to use horsedrawn vehicles.

c. 1200B.C.: War chariots come into use in

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