Xia Dynasty

The Xia dynasty (Chinese: 夏朝), ca. 2070 BC - 1600 BC, is the first dynasty to be described in Chinese historical records, which record the names of seventeen kings over fourteen generations. The legends of the Three August Ones and the Five Emperors precede this dynasty, and it is followed by the Shang dynasty. Until scientific excavations were made at early bronze-age sites at Anyang, Henan Province, in 1928, it was difficult to separate myth from reality in regard to the Xia. But since then, and especially in the 1960s and 1970s, archaeologists have uncovered urban sites, bronze implements, and tombs that point to the existence of Xia civilization in the same locations cited in ancient Chinese historical texts. At minimum, the Xia period marked an evolutionary stage between the late neolithic cultures and the typical Chinese urban civilization of the Shang dynasty. In the Marxist histography common in mainland China, Xia society is considered a slave society (奴隶社会). Jie, the last ruler, was said to be a corrupt king. He was overthrown by T'ang, the leader of Shang people from the east.

Sovereigns of the Xia dynasty

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Order	Reign*	Chinese Character	Pinyin Name	Notes
01	45	禹	Yǔ	or Xia Yu (夏禹; xià yǔ) or Da Yu (大禹; dà yǔ)
02	10	啟	Qǐ
03	29	太康	Tài Kāng
04	13	仲康	Zhòng Kāng
05	28	相	Xiāng
06	21	少康	Shǎo Kāng	or Xia Shao Kang (夏少康 xià shào kāng)
07	17	杼	Zhù
08	26	槐	Huái
09	18	芒	Máng
10	16	泄	Xiè
11	59	不降	Bù Jiàng
12	21	扃	Jiōng
13	21	廑	Jǐn	Guoyu: jìn
14	31	孔甲	Kǒng Jiǎ
15	11	皋	Gāo
16	11	發	Fā
17	52	桀	Jié	or Xia Jie (夏桀 xià jié) or Lu Gui (履癸 lǚ guǐ)

\n * possible length of reign, in years

See also

\n*History of China\n*Chinese sovereign\n*Chinese mythology\n*Sanhuangwudi\n*Shang Dynasty