The Chinese: Dynasties and Warlords

China is the longest continuous civilization on Earth, spanning 7,000 years of history. The Imperial past is filled with dramatic stories of tyrannical courts of emperors and eunuchs along with great philosophers, impressive inventors and merciless warriors. Successive dynasties developed bureaucratic systems that gave the Emperor of China direct control of vast territories and led to tumultuous in-fighting, jealousy and political intrigue.