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Xia Dynasty

The first dynasty in traditional Chinese historiography, founded by the legendary Yu the Great; its historicity remains debated but it likely corresponds to the Erlitou archaeological culture.

The Xia dynasty was conquered by the Shang king Tang around 1600 BCE at the Battle of Mingtiao, ending Xia rule and founding the Shang dynasty.

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Further reading

• The Origins of Chinese Civilization David N. Keightley and Noel Barnard · 1983

  Key reference for early Chinese state formation and the Xia question.

• The Cambridge History of Ancient China: From the Origins of Civilization to 221 B.C. Michael Loewe and Edward L. Shaughnessy (eds.) · 1999

  Era/regional: authoritative chapters on the historicity of the Xia and its proposed correlation with the Erlitou archaeological culture.

Sources

• Wikipedia, 'Xia dynasty' (Q169705)
• Wikidata entity Q169705: label 'Xia dynasty', description 'the first hereditary dynasty recorded in Chinese dynasties (ca. 2100 BCE–1600 BCE)', start circa 2205 BCE (alt: 2070 BCE), end circa 1600 BCE
• Battle of Mingtiao — Wikipedia (via WebSearch 2026-06-25)