Founders of Imperial Chinese dynasties

first emperor of Qin Dynasty

founding emperor of the Yuan dynasty, grandson of Genghis Khan (1215–1294)

founding empress of Zhou dynasty (r. 690–705); de facto ruler of Tang dynasty from 665 to 690

founding emperor of the Han dynasty (256–195 BC)

founding emperor of China's Ming dynasty; ruled 1368–1398

Nurhaci (14 May 1559 – 30 September 1626), also known by his temple name Emperor Taizu of Qing, was the founding khan of the Jurchen-led Later Jin dynasty.

Founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty (566-635) (r. 618–626)

Han dynasty official and founding Emperor of the Xin Dynasty (c.45 BC-23 AD)

1st emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1592-1643)

Cao Wei Emperror (187-226)

Chinese warlord and founding Emperor of Shu Han (161–223)

Emperor of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period

founding emperor of the Sui Dynasty (541-604)

founding emperor of the Song Dynasty (reigned 960-976)

emperor and founder of the Eastern Han Dynasty (5 BC - AD 57) (r. AD 25 - AD 57)

Chinese general and emperor of Yan

Emperor of the Jin Dynasty from 266 to 290

Chinese rebel leader in the late Ming-early Qing period (1606–1645)

emperor of Song Dynasty China (1107–1187)

Chinese general and rebel (1612-1678)

Abaoji (872 – 6 September 926), posthumously known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Liao, was a Khitan leader and the founding emperor of the Liao dynasty of China, ruling from 916 to 926. He had a sinicised name, Yelü Yi; some sources suggest that Abaoji's family name, Yelü, was adopted during his lifetime, although there is no consensus amongst historians on this point.

founder of the Western Liao dynasty, or the Kara-Khitan Khanate

Jin Dynasty emperor (1068-1123)

Founding Liang emperor from 502 to 549

First Emperor of Eastern Jin Dynasty freom 318 to 323

Chinese emperor

Emperor of Later Zhao from 330 to 333

Southern Qi emperor

Prince of Jin and then Emperor of Later Tang (885-926)

Chinese rebel leader (1606-1647)

Emperor of Liu Song from 420 to 422

Chinese warlord and Later Liang emperor from 907 to 912

Southern Ming Emperor from 1644 to 1645

Later Han emperor from 947 to 948

Founding emperor of the Western Xia (Dangxiang Empire)

Emperor of Han Zhao dynasty from 304 to 310

founding emperor of Northern Wei (during the Northern dynasties period, China)

Chinese rebel

king or emperor of Former Shu (847–918)

Emperor of Northern Qi from 550 to 559

Later Jin emperor (892-942)

founding emperor of Chen dynasty from 557 to 559

general and later founder of the Later Shu kingdom

Emperor of Later Zhou from 951 to 954

Hu Xia Emperor from 407 to 425

king of the Southern Han during China's 10th-century Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Era

king of Chinese state of Chu from 208 to 206 BC

Emperor of the Yan state

Emperor of Western Wei from 535 to 551

founding emperor of the Di-led Chinese Former Qin dynasty during the Sixteen Kingdoms period

Northern Zhou emperor

Chinese emperor (889-943)

Northern Han emperor

Emperor of Eastern Wei from 534 to 550

Chinese rebel leader (573–621)

Western Qin ruler

Emperor of Southern Yan from 398 to 405

Emperor of Later Yan from 384 to 396

Chinese emperor during the Liang dynasty (503-552)

Chinese general and self-proclaimed emperor (567–621)