History of Beijing
Beijing has a long history of turmoil and conflict. Beijing came into
existence as a frontier trading town for various warring groups. From its
beginnings, the city has been passed from warlord to warlord, from
conqueror to conqueror, from revolutionary to revolutionary. The
influence of foreign intervention and radical ideologies have had
significant impacts on the urban geography of Beijing.
A brief timeline of the history and development of Beijing:
-
1000 BCE
- Earliest records of settlement.
- 476-221 BCE
- During the period of the Yan kingdom, Beijing (then named Ji to
reflect the physical geography of
the area) ascends to the status of capital.
- 907-1125 CE
- Beijing (Yanjing) becomes the capital of the Liao Dynasty.
- 1215
- Genghis Khan, the Mongol warrior, conquers the region. Virtually
everything in sight was destroyed. Under Khan's rule, a new city of Dadu
(or Khanbaliq) was constructed on top of the ashes on the site of present-
day Beijing.
- 1215-1368
- Yuan Dynasty under Genghis Khan and his descendants.
- 1279
- Genghis Khan's grandson, Kublai, had gained control of the majority of
Asia. Khanbaliq (Dadu/Beijing) was the center of governmental and
military control over this vast empire. At one point, Kublai was advised
by his astrologer that Khanbaliq had been the birthplace of countless
rebels. Kublai acted on this advice and moved the city just to the north.
- 1368
- A number of natural disasters and China's first inflation of paper
currency greatly weakened the Mongol empire. Zhu Yanhang led an uprising
to take control of the area. Thus began the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
During the Ming Dynasty Beijing was known as Beiping. The Dynasty's
capital was shifted to Nanjing for a significant term during this time.
- early 1400's
- Yong Le, Zhu's son, moves the capital back to Beiping and gives the
city its modern name of Beijing. Generally, Yong Le is considered to be the
ruler who truly designed the present-day
layout of Beijing. For instance, this was the period in which the
Forbidden City was constructed.
- 1644-1911
- Qing Dynasty. During this period, Beijing grew greatly in geographical
size, many older buildings were restored, and several important new
governmental and imperial structures were built.
- 1860
- Beijing invaded by Anglo-French troops. Significant portions of the
city were burned to the ground. Other power struggles were to follow,
such as the reign of Empress Dowager Wu Cixi and the Boxer Rebellion.
- 1911
- The Kuomintang Party establishes the Republic of China. However,
private armies and warlords continue to hold much of the control, and
foreign powers controlled several economic zones.
- 1937
- Beijing invaded by the Japanese.
- 1939
- The national capital temporarily moves from Beijing to Chongqing for
the duration of World War II.
- 1949
- Communist leader Mao Zedong takes power and the People's Republic
of China is born. A great period of reconstruction of the city began,
including massive Soviet influences in the areas of socialist urban planning and increased industry.
- 1950
- The outer walls of Beijing are torn down to facilitate transportation interests.
- 1966
- Mao declares the Cultural Revolution. Additional monuments and
structures glorifying Communist ideals were constructed, and symbols of
China's past, such as temples and non-Communist monuments, were
obliterated.
- 1979
- Political leader Deng Xiaoping institutes his "modernization"
campaign. China, and Beijing, are opened to Westerners for the first time
in thirty years.
- 1980s
- The ban on private businesses is lifted. Repair work begins to undo
the devastation achieved by the Cultural Revolution.