CORRECTLY DATING CHINESE JADE THAT COULD BE THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD  IS DIFFCULT UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND CHINESE HISTORY SEPARATED BY TIME LINES KNOWN AS DYNASTIES.  OFTEN THE ARTIFICAT WILL BE REPRESENTED BY THE WORD, "DY."  DY IS THE ABBREVIATED FORM OF DYNASTY THUS A PIECE FROM THE SONG DYNASTY MIGHT BE LISTED AS, "SONG DY" FOR SHORT.  

THE FOLLOWING IS A CONDENSED LIST OF ALL THE KNOWN DYNASTIES AND HOW THEY CORRELATE TO AGE:

NEOLITHIC:  (12,000 BC - 2, 000 BC):'

The neolithic period is one of the most complex to understand.  It is generally recognized as the very earliest beginnings of what would become the China we know today.  Generally speaking, it is divided into two different phases as related to the locations of the cultures: The Yangshao and Lungshan.  However, these two providences were subdivided into distincitve cultures that overlap and share the same time period.  Since the collector will sooner or later encounter items from the Neolithic Period, the following tables are offered to assist the collector in correctly dating the artifact in question:

7,500 BC - 6,100 BC  Pengtoushan Culture              5,000 BC - 3,000 BC  Daxi Culture

7,000 BC - 5,800 BC  Jiahu Culture                          5,000 BC - 3,000 BC   Majiabang Culture

7,000 BC - 5,000 BC Peiligang Culture                      5,000 BC - 3,000 BC   Yangshao Culture

6,500 BC - 5,500 BC  Houli Culture                           4,700 BC - 2,900 BC   Hongshan Culture

6,200 BC - 5,400 BC  Xinglongwa Culture                  4,500 BC - 3,000 BC  Chengtoushan Culture

6,000 BC - 5,500 BC  Cishan Culture                          4,100 BC - 2,600 BC   Dawenkou Culture

5,800 BC - 5,400 BC  Dadiwan Culture                      3,400 BC - 2,250 BC   Liangzhu Culture

5,500 BC - 4,800 BC  Xinle Culture                            3,100 BC - 2,700 BC  Majiayao Culture

5,400 BC - 4,500 BC  Zhaobaogou Culture                 3,100 BC - 2,700 BC  Qujialing Culture

5,300 BC - 4,100 BC  Beixin Culture                           3,000 BC - 2,000 BC  Longshan Culture

5,000 BC - 4,500 BC  Hemudu Culture                        2,800 BC - 2,000 BC  Baodun Culture

5,000 BC - 3,000 BC  Daxi Culture                              2,500 BC - 2,000 BC  Shijiahe Culture

It is also noteworthy the collector will also find the following sub--cultures attributed to the Neolithic Period:

5,500 BC - 4,900 BC  P'elikang Culture                      3,300 BC - 2,050 BC  Paichia & Machi'ayao Culture

2,200 BC - 1,600 BC  Ch'ichia Culture                       1,000 BC -  1,600 BC  Hsintien Culture

4,300 BC - 2,500 BC Ssuwa Culture                           5,400 BC - 4,400 BC  Ch'inglienkang Culture

4,300 BC - 2,500 BC  Tawenkou'u Culture                 2,500 BC - 2,000 BC  Lungshan Culture

2,600 BC - 2,000 BC  Honan Lungshan Culture          2,500 BC - 2,000 BC  Shantung Lungshan Culture

2,300 BC -  2,000 BC  Shanhsi Lungshan Culture

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Ancient China:

Neolithic 12,000 - 2,000 BC                                       Xia Dynasty  2,100 - 1,800 BC

Shang Dynasty  1,766 -1,027 BC                                Western Zhou Dynasty  1,122 - 256 BC

Eastern Zhou Dynasty 770 -221 BC                             Zhou Spring and Autum Period   770 -476 BC

Warring States Period  475-221 BC

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Early Imperial China:

Quin Dynasty 221-256 BC                                           Western Han  206 BC - 9 AD

                         Hsing (Wang Mang interregnum)  or Xin Dynasty   9 AD - 25 AD  

                                                            Eastern Han   25-220 AD

Three Kingdoms - (Period of Disunion and sometimes called the Six Dynasty period) 220 -265 AD and were divided into the Southern and Northern Dynasties:

Southern Dynasties                                                                    Northern Dynasties

Song   420- 478 AD                                                                  Northern Wei  386 - 533 AD                                           

Qi    470 - 501 AD                                                                     Eastern Wei    534 - 549 AD

Liang    502 - 556 AD                                                                Western Wei    535 - 557 AD

Chen     557 - 588 AD                                                                Northern Qi    550 - 577 AD

                                                                                                    Northern Zhou 557 - 588 AD

Classical Imperial: 

 Eastern and Western Jin   265 - 420 AD                                   16 Kingdoms    304- 439 AD

Sui Dynasty   581 - 619 AD                                                      Tang Dynasty   618 - 907 AD

                                                           5 Dynasties   907 - 960 AD (subdivided )

Later Liang   907 -923 AD                                                        Later Tang   923 - 936 AD

Later Jin       936 - 946 AD                                                       Later Han   947 - 950 AD

Later Zhou      951 - 960 AD

                                                     10 Kingdoms     907 - 979 AD (subdivided)*

Wu   (902 - 937 AD)                                                                  Wuyue  (907 - 945 AD)

Min   (909 - 945 AD)                                                                  Southern Han  (917 - 971 AD)

Chu   (927 - 951 AD)                                                                 Jingana (aka Nanping)  (924 - 963 AD)

Former Shu   (907 - 925 AD)                                                     Later Shu   (935 - 965 AD)

Southern Tang  (937 - 975 AD)                                                   Northern  (aka Bei) Han  951 -979 AD)

*Please note: although these were the principle regimes other regimes existed at the same time and some artifacts from this peroid might be encountered so I will list them here for reference altlhough the dates are not available at this time.  Some fold these kingdoms into the 10 Kingdoms and you might find this period and regimes furhter divided into eariler and later regimes and southern and northern regmies.  Those who lean towards this methology refer to these subdivisions as the 16 Kingdoms, although most archeologist and historical text do not separate these regimes that clearly as they were short-lived and insignificant regimes probably under control of one of the 10 kingdoms. These are included only to avoid confusion for the collector.

Yan                                                                                             Qi

Chengde Jiedushi (aka Zhao)                                                     Yiwu Jiedushi

Dingnan Jiedushi                                                                        Wuping Jiedushi

Qingyuan Jiedushi                                                                       Yin

Ganzhou                                                                                      Shazhou

Liangzhou

                                     Song (sometimes called Sung) Dynasty 960 - 1279 AD (subdivided)

                                  Northern Song   960 -1125 AD    Southern Song   1127 -1279 AD

Liao Dynasty   907 - 1125 AD                                 Western Xia    1038 - 1227 AD

Jin     1115 - 1234 AD

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LATER IMPERIAL:

Yuan   1279 - 1368 AD                                            Ming   1368 - 1644

Quing   1644 - 1911 AD

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Anything after 1911 is considered Modern China and would be an antique and not an artifact. The words, "vintage" and "antique" should be closely observed when dealing with jade.  Vintage is anything before 1970 or about 30 years as some school of thought places the antique timeline of 25 years to most objects.  Some differ to this as being early antique while most suggest a true antique must be at least 50 years old, while others take the view a good antique is 100 years or more.  Antique in Chinese termonology can also mean "old looking" without regard to age, so great attention to photo detail should be used in deciding if this piece is right for your collection or use....

I hope these timelines are benefical to the collector and it is helpful in identifying the age of your artifact.  The best way to use this is to search for the name of the dynasty or culture and then date it with the guide. As archeology evloves and new discoveries take place in China, there will be, of course, some sub-cultures that may not be listed here, but I as discover them through research I will add them so come back from time to time to see if the list has been updated.

PLEASE READ MY OTHER GUIDES AND VOTE ON THEM.  "SYMBOLISM IN JADE - UNDERSTANDING ITS PURPOSE" AND "THE SEDUCTION OF JADE - WHAT TO LOOK FOR".  ALL FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATATED.