The beginnings of the Chinese -- The first empires -- The period of political disunion -- A reunited China : the Sui and the T'ang -- Disunion : the Sung and the partition of the north -- The Mongols (the Yuan dynasty, 1260-1368) -- A Chinese house (the Ming, 1368-1644) -- The Ch'ing, or Manchu, dynasty (1644-1912) -- The republic (1912- ).