The Chou Dynasty (1622 AD - 2009 AD)

 * Emperor Shun Cheong (Shun4 Ch'ang1), founding Emperor
 * Emperor Lee Lan (Li3 Lan3)
 * Emperor Pao Tsun (Pao3 Tsun1)
 * Emperor Tsuan Lu (Ts'uan4 Lu4)
 * Emperor Yi Chun (Yi4 Chun4)
 * Emperor Hsing Lee (Hsing4 Li4)
 * Emperor Lee Peng (Li4 P'eng2/Li3 P'eng3)
 * Emperor Kung Hsi (Kung4 Hsi4)
 * Emperor Yao Sui (Yao4 Sui2)  (r. 1990 - present)

The last dynasty to rule China was the Ch'ing Dynasty (1643-1912), which was composed
of Manchurian people in governance over China's Han-Chinese populations. The dynasty
prior to that was the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), run by China's Chun (Chun, Chen, Chu)
clan.

During the ending part of the Ming Dynasty, the Chou clan patriarch, its king
descendant, a cousin to the Ming Emperor, was selected as Emperor-designate in 1622
AD. Other Chinese princes, from the Ming, vied for power, but never surfaced as
having the Mandate of Heaven to rule all of China. Manchurians came from the north
and conquered China in 1643. The Chinese Court coming out of many years of rule by
foreigners (Yuan Dynasty or Mongolians, 1206-1368) did not want foreign rule again, so
an official decision was made to install the Chou clan designate as Emperor. Shun
Cheong was officially installed on October 30, 1644 (on the day that the Manchurian
Emperor was installed). The Chinese Court and Imperial clans went into hiding and
continued their customs, culture, and line of succession. See above, Imperial
successsion.

                              
                       Copyright (c) 1996-2009 Lester D.K. Chow