This list of Chinese monarchs includes rulers of China with various titles prior to the establishment of the Republic in 1912. From the Zhou dynasty until the Qin dynasty, rulers usually held the title "king" (Chinese: ?; pinyin: wáng). With the separation of China into different Warring States, this title had become so common that the unifier of China, the first Qin Emperor Qin Shihuang created a new title for himself, that of "emperor" (pinyin: huángdì). The title of Emperor of China continued to be used for the remainder of China's imperial history, right down to the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912. While many other monarchs existed in and around China throughout its history, this list covers only those with a quasi-legitimate claim to the majority of China, or those who have traditionally been named in king-lists. The following list of Chinese monarchs is in no way comprehensive. Chinese sovereigns were known by many different names, and how they should be identified is often confusing. Sometimes the same emperor is commonly known by two or three separate names, or the same name is used by emperors of different dynasties. The tables below do not necessarily include all of an emperor's names - for example, posthumous names could run to more than twenty characters and were rarely used in historical writing - but, where possible, the most commonly used name or naming convention has been indicated. In some cases, the regnal or era name is changed in the same year as the death of the previous sovereign; in other cases, the name change occurs in the subsequent year. Thus, the date given for the beginning of a reign may actually refer to the first full year of the sovereign's reign.

These tables may not necessarily represent the most recently updated information on Chinese monarchs; please check the page for the relevant dynasty for possible additional information.

Follow these links to see how they are related:

Family tree of ancient Chinese emperors -> Chinese emperors family tree (early) -> Chinese emperors family tree (middle) -> Chinese emperors family tree (late)

Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors (?)

Although it is ingrained in Chinese mythology that the earliest mythological rulers of China included three huáng (?, generally translated "sovereign" or "august one", denoting demigod status) and five dì (?, generally translated "emperor", but denoting much more reverential status than the modern term "emperor"), their identities have differed between different sources, with some individuals, such as the Yellow Emperor, being regarded as either sovereign or emperor, depending on the source. The two characters would later be taken together by Qin Shi Huang to form the new title huángdì (, emperor), thus claiming legendary status for himself.

Note: These figures are considered to be legendary.

Xia dynasty () (c. 2070 - c. 1600 BCE)

Chinese convention: use "Xia" + regnal name

Shang dynasty () (c. 1600 - c. 1046 BCE)

Chinese convention: use "Shang" + posthumous name

Zhou dynasty () (c. 1046 - 256 BCE)

Chinese convention: use "Zhou" + posthumous name ("Wang" is the chinese term for "King")

Note: The first generally accepted date in Chinese history is 841 BC, the beginning of the Gonghe regency. All dates prior to this are the subject of often vigorous dispute.

After King Nan was deposed by Qin, Ji Jie (), Duke Wen of the vassal duchy of Eastern Zhou was proclaimed the new king of Zhou and claimed the title until his death in 249 BCE. However, the King of Qin had taken possession of the Nine Tripod Cauldrons (), and Ji Jie's reign was not widely recognized. Historians generally considered the title of Son of Heaven to be vacant from 256 to 221 BCE.

Qin dynasty () (221-207 BCE)

Chinese convention: use regnal name

Note: The State of Qin was founded in the 9th century BCE as a vassal of the Zhou dynasty. In 325 BCE, the Duke of Qing, Ying Si (), declared himself king and was given the regnal name King Huiwen of Qin (?). In 256 BCE, King Zhaoxiang of Qin ended the Zhou dynasty, and in 221 BCE, Ying Zheng completed the conquest of the other states (kingdoms) and declared himself Qin Shi Huang, or "First Emperor of Qin." The unification of China under the Qin dynasty in 221 BCE is usually considered to be the beginning of Imperial China.

Han dynasty () (202 BCE - 220 CE)

Chinese convention: use "Han" + posthumous name (apart from Emperor Gaozu, who is known as "Han Gaozu")

Xin dynasty () (9-23 CE)

Chinese convention: use personal name

Three Kingdoms () (220-280)

Chinese convention: use personal name

Cao Wei () (220-266)

Shu Han () (221-263)

Eastern Wu () (222-280)

Jin dynasty () (266-420)

Chinese convention: Use "Jin" + posthumous name

Sixteen Kingdoms () (304-439)

Chinese convention: use personal name

Cheng Han () (303-347)

Note: addressed separately in traditional texts as Cheng (?) and Han (?)

Han Zhao () (304-329)

Note: addressed separately in traditional texts as Han (?) and Qian (Former) Zhao ()

Liang (?) (320-421)

Yan (?) (337-436)

Qin (?) (351-431)

Xia (?) (407-431)

Other sovereignties traditionally not counted in the Sixteen Kingdoms

Convention: use personal name

Ran Wei () (350-352)

Note: addressed as Wei in traditional texts)

Xi (Western) Yan () (384-394)

Shu (?) (405-413)

Chieftains of Tiefu Tribe () (mid 3rd century - 391)

Chieftains of Yuwen Tribe (?) (late 3rd century - 345)

Dukes of Liaoxi () (303-338)

Chouchi () (late 2nd century - 473)

Kings of Wuxing () (473-506 and 534-555)

Kings of Yinping () (477 - mid-6th century)

Chieftains of Tuoba Tribe () (219-377) (as Kings of Dai () (305?-377))

Northern and Southern Dynasties () (386-589)

Northern dynasties () (386-581)

Chinese convention: use dynasty name + posthumous name

Bei (Northern) Wei () (386-550)

Bei (Northern) Qi () (550-577)

Bei (Northern) Zhou () (557-581)

Southern dynasties () (420-589)

Chinese convention: use dynasty name + posthumous name

Liu Song () (420-479)

Nan (Southern) Qi () (479-502)

Liang (?) (502-557)

Chen (?) (557-589)

Sui dynasty () (581-618)

Chinese convention: use "Sui" + posthumous name

Tang dynasty () (618-907)

Chinese convention: use "Tang" + temple name (except for Emperor Shang and Emperor Ai; Emperor Xuanzong () is sometimes referred as Emperor Ming of Tang Dynasty ())

Wu Zhou () (690-705)

Kingdom of Qi () (881-884)

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (?) (907-960)

Five Dynasties ()

Chinese convention: name of dynasty + temple name or posthumous name

Hou (Later) Liang dynasty () (907-923)

Hou (Later) Tang dynasty () (923-936)

Hou (Later) Jin dynasty () (936-947)

Hou (Later) Han dynasty () (947-950)

Hou (Later) Zhou dynasty () (951-960)

Ten Kingdoms ()

Chinese convention: use personal names, noted otherwise

Wu Yue () (904-978)

Min (?) (909-945) (including Yin (?) (943-945))

Jingnan () (or Nanping ()) (906-963)

Chu (?) (897-951)

Wu (?) (904-937)

Nan (Southern) Tang () (937-975)

Chinese convention for this kingdom only: Use Nan (Southern) Tang + posthumous names.

Nan (Southern) Han () (917-971)

Bei (Northern) Han () (951-979)

Qian (Former) Shu () (907-925)

Hou (Later) Shu () (934-965)

Independent regimes during Ten Kingdoms

(local independent regimes during Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period traditionally not counted in the Ten Kingdoms)

Military Commissioner of Wuping/Hunan (/)

Military Commissioner of Quanzhang ()

Liao dynasty () (907-1125)

Chinese convention: use "Liao" + temple name except Liao Tianzuodi who is referred using "Liao" + posthumous name