OUATIC Timeline

Period	Date	Wuxia Fiction & Related Items
Xia	c.1994-1523 B.C.	--
Shang-Yin	c.1523-1028 B.C.	--
Western Zhou	1027-722 B.C.	--
Spring and Autumn Period	722-481 B.C.	--
Warring States Period	481-221 B.C.	*Shuo Jian Pian* (On the Sword) from the *Zhuang Zi*
Qin	221-207 B.C.	--
Former Han	202 B.C.-A.D. 9	*The Biographies of the Youxia* and *the Biographies of the Assassins* from the *Shi Ji*
Xin	9-23	--
Later Han	25-220	--
Three Kingdoms Period	220-265	--
The Division into North and South	265-589	--
Sui	590-618	--
Tang	618-907	Chuanqi tales:, *Nie Yien Liang* (The Hermit Lady Nie), *Hongxian Nu* (Red Thread), *Qiu Yan Ke Zhuan* (The Curly Bearded Stranger), *Kunlun Nu* (The Kunlun Slave); Trend: emphasis on the fantastic and supernatural
Five Dynasties Ten Kingdoms Period	907-960	--
Song	960-1279	Huaben tales: *The First Song Emperor Escorts Lady Jing for One Thousand Miles, Shi Hongzhao and the Meeting of the Kings and Ministers, Yang Wen, the Road-Blocking Tiger, Cheng Yuanyu and the Eleventh Lady*; Trend: tales of military exploits
Yuan	1279-1368	Chinese opera
Ming	1368-1644	*The Water Margin, Strange Tales of Liaozhai*
Qing	1644-1911	*Wan Nien Qing* (Evergreen), Gongan tales: *Shi Gongan* (The Cases of Lord Shi), *Peng Gongan* (The Cases of Lord Peng), *Bao Gongan* (The Cases of Lord Bao), *Qi Xia Wu Yi* (The Seven Xia and Five Altruists); Trend: emphasis on the scandalous and titillating (resulting in various bans of wuxia literature)
Ming Guo	1912-1949	*The Burning of Red Lotus Monastery; Directors: Zhang Shichuan; Authors: Huanzhu Louzhu, Chu Zhenmu, Wang Dulu, Xiang Kairan, Zheng Zhengyin, Pai Yu, Yao Minai, Lu Shiye, Gu Mingdao; Trend: defiance to traditional thinking (leading to a ban on wuxia* films and literature in the 1930s, and later by the Communists)
The 50s	1950-1959	*Strange Hero, Legend of the Brave Archer, Huang Fei Hong Zhuan*; Directors: Wang Tianlin, Hu Peng, Wang Feng; Authors: Jin Yong, Liang Yushen, Wo Lungsheng, Zhuge Qingyun; Trend: promotion of a rigid orthodox moral code
The 60s	1960-1969	*Dragon Gate Inn, Come Drink with Me, A Touch of Zen, Golden Swallow; Directors: King Hu, Chang Cheh; Authors: Gu Long, Xiao Yi, Sima Ling, Sima Zhiyan, Ni Kuang, Ti Feng, Lin Meng, Fongyu Louzhu, Jiang Yiming; Trend: secularization of the xia*
The 70s	1970-1979	*A Chinese Ghost Story, The Butterfly Murders, Intimate Confessions of A Chinese Courtesan, Cold Blade, Drunken Master*; Directors: Tsui Hark, Chu Yuan, Yuen Woo-Ping; Trend: shifting emphasis from fantasy to realism
The 80s	1980-1989	*The Shaolin Monastery*
The 90s	1990-1999	*The Stormriders*
The 21^st Century	2000-	*Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon*