周武王　始诛纣 八百载　最长久
King Wu of the Chou Dynasty
finally slew Chou Hsin.
His own line ! lasted for eight hundred years;
the longest dynasty of all.
周辙东　王纲堕　逞干戈　尚游说
When the Chous made tracks eastwards,
the feudal bond was slackened;
the arbitrament of spear and shields prevailed;
and peripatetic politicians were held in high esteem.
始春秋　终战国　五霸强　七雄出
This period began with the Spring and Autum Epoch
and ended with that of the Warring States.
Next, the Five Chieftains domineered,
and Seven Martial States came to the front.
嬴秦氏　始兼并　传二世　楚汉争
Then the House of Chin, descended from the Ying clan,
finally united all the states under one sway.
The thrown was transmitted to Erh Shih,
upon which followed the struggle between the Ch\'u and the Han states.
高祖兴　汉业建　至孝平　王莽篡
Then Kao Tsu arose,
and the House of Han was established.
When we come to the reign of Hsiao P\'ing,
Wang Mang usurped the throne.
光武兴　为东? ~　四百年　终於献
Then K uang Wu arose,
and founded the Eastern Han Dynasty.
It lasted four hundred years,
and ended with the Emperor Hsien.
魏蜀吴　争汉鼎　号三国　迄两晋
Wei, Shu and Wu,
fought for the sovereignty of the Hans.
They were called the Three Kingdoms,
and existed until the two Chin Dynasties.
宋齐继　梁陈承　为南朝　都金陵
Then followed the Sung and the Ch\'i dynasties,
and after them the Liang and Ch\'en dynasties
These are the Southen dynasties,
with their capital at Nanking.
北元魏　分东西　宇文周　兴高齐
The northern dynasties are the Wei dynasty and the Yuan family
which split into Eastern and Western Wei.
The Chou dynasty and the Yuwen family,
with the Ch\'i dynasty of the Kao family.
迨至隋　一土宇　不再传　失统绪
At length, under the Sui dynasty,
the empire was united under one ruler.
The throne was not transmitted twice,
succession to power being ! loast