Beijing History

Introduction of Beijing History

About 690,000 years ago, Peking Man lived at Zhoukoudian, 48 kilometres southwest of Beijing.

In 1045 B. C, a small town appeared southwestern of present city of Beijing. It was named Ji and then changed to Yan.

At the beginning of the 10th century,the city was the second capital of the Liao Dynasty. From then on, it had been the capital of the Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties until 1911.

In the early twenties, Beijing became the cradle of China's new democratic revolution. The May Fourth Movement against imperialism and feudalism began here in 1919.

On October Ist, 1949, Chairman Maozedong proclaimed to the whole world the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing.

Recorded History of Beijing
The recorded history of Beijing as a city can date back to more than 3,000 years ago.

During the Eastern Zhou Dynasty(c. 11th century-771 B.C.), the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.) and the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.), Beijing was the capital city of the State of Yan, which was ruled by dukes or princes under the emperor.

From the Qin Dynasty (221-207 B.C.) and the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.) to the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127),Beijing was a major city and also a strategic point in northern China.

When the Qidan (Khitan) people founded the Liao Dynasty (907-1125),they established Beijing, which was then under their occupation and was called Jiuzhou, as the secondary capital under the name of Nanjing (southern capital).

Afterwards, the dynasties of Jin(1115-1234), Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) all chose Beijing as their capital city.

In 1928, the Nanjing-based nationalist government of the Republic of China designated Beijing as the Beiping Special Municipality. In 1930, the municipality was renamed as Beiping City.

On September 27, 1949, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference decided that the newborn People's Republic of China would base its capital in Beiping and renamed the city as Beijing.