The Early Chinese Dynasties were the CHOU, Hsia, Wei, and Tsin Dynasties. The CHOU Dynasty was the first of these dynasties, ruling from 1122 to 256 BC. It was followed by the Hsia Dynasty, which ruled from 2205 to 1766 BC. The Wei Dynasty then ruled from 386 to 534 AD, and the Tsin Dynasty ruled from 265 to 420 AD. These four dynasties were some of the earliest in Chinese history and laid the foundation for the culture and traditions that are still seen today.