History of Beijing Timeline

(1045 BCE - Present)

Beijing, one of the world's oldest cities, has served as China's political and cultural center for centuries. From its origins as the ancient city of Ji over 3,000 years ago, through its rise as the capital of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, to its role as the capital of the People's Republic of China, Beijing's history reflects the grandeur and transformation of Chinese civilization itself. More Less

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Imperial Era

City of Ji established

1045 BC

The ancient city of Ji, located near present-day Beijing, was established as the capital of the state of Yan during the Zhou dynasty. It became one of the earliest urban settlements in the region and laid the foundation for the later development of Beijing.

Ji becomes capital of Yan state

700 BC - 222 BC

Ji served as the capital of the powerful state of Yan throughout the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, growing into a major political and commercial center in northern China before Yan's conquest by Qin.

Image source: Yan (state)

Qin dynasty annexes the region

221 BC

Following the unification of China under the Qin dynasty, the area around Ji was incorporated into the empire as a commandery. The city declined in importance but remained a regional administrative center under successive dynasties.

Image source: Qin (state)

Youzhou becomes a major garrison town

581 - 907

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the city, known as Youzhou, served as a key military garrison guarding China's northeastern frontier. It was a staging ground for campaigns against Korea and a hub of trade with nomadic peoples.

Image source: Youzhou (ancient China)

An Lushan rebels from Youzhou

Dec 16, 755 - Feb 17, 763

An Lushan, the military governor based at Youzhou (present-day Beijing), launched a massive rebellion against the Tang dynasty. The devastating revolt severely weakened the Tang empire and marked a turning point in Chinese history.

Image source: An Lushan rebellion

Mongol and Ming Rule

Khitan Liao dynasty establishes Nanjing at the site

938

The Khitan-led Liao dynasty captured the city and made it one of its secondary capitals, known as Nanjing or 'Southern Capital'. This marked the beginning of the city's role as an imperial capital.

Image source: Liao dynasty

Jin dynasty makes Zhongdu its capital

1153 - 1215

The Jurchen Jin dynasty destroyed the Liao city and built a new capital nearby called Zhongdu, or 'Central Capital'. It grew into a large, prosperous metropolis with palaces, gardens, and a population approaching a million.

Image source: Zhongdu

Mongols sack Zhongdu

1215

Genghis Khan's Mongol forces besieged and captured Zhongdu, burning much of the city. The destruction paved the way for the construction of a new Mongol capital on the site.

Image source: Sieges of Zhongdu

Kublai Khan builds Dadu

1267 - 1276

Kublai Khan commissioned the construction of a new capital, Dadu (also known as Khanbaliq), just northeast of the old Jin city. Designed with a grid plan, it became the grand capital of the Yuan dynasty and impressed visitors like Marco Polo.

Image source: Khanbaliq

Dadu becomes capital of Yuan dynasty

1272 - 1368

Dadu served as the political center of the Mongol Yuan dynasty for nearly a century. It was the terminus of the Grand Canal and flourished as one of the largest and most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

Image source: Yuan dynasty

Zhu Yuanzhang's forces capture Dadu

1368

Ming armies under Zhu Yuanzhang drove the Mongols out of China and captured Dadu, renaming it Beiping ('Northern Peace'). The Yuan court fled north, ending Mongol rule over the city.

Image source: Hongwu Emperor

Construction of the Forbidden City completed

1420

After years of construction employing hundreds of thousands of workers, the Forbidden City was completed. It served as the imperial palace for Ming and Qing emperors for nearly five centuries and remains the world's largest palace complex.

Image source: Forbidden City

Temple of Heaven completed

1420

Built concurrently with the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven was where emperors performed annual rites to pray for good harvests. Its distinctive circular architecture made it one of Beijing's most iconic landmarks.

Image source: Temple of Heaven

Yongle Emperor moves capital to Beijing

1421

The Yongle Emperor relocated the Ming capital from Nanjing to Beijing, transforming it into a magnificent imperial city. He rebuilt the palace complex and expanded the city, establishing its enduring layout.

Image source: Yongle Emperor

Altan Khan raids Beijing suburbs

1550

Mongol forces under Altan Khan breached the Great Wall and raided the outskirts of Beijing, demonstrating the vulnerability of the Ming capital and prompting renewed fortification efforts.

Image source: Altan Khan

Qing Dynasty

Li Zicheng captures Beijing; Chongzhen Emperor dies

Apr 25, 1644

Rebel leader Li Zicheng stormed Beijing, and the last Ming emperor, Chongzhen, hanged himself on Coal Hill. Li occupied the city briefly before being driven out by Manchu forces allied with Ming general Wu Sangui.

Image source: Li Zicheng

Li Zicheng captures Beijing; Chongzhen Emperor dies

Manchu Qing dynasty enters Beijing

Jun 5, 1644

The Manchu armies entered Beijing and proclaimed the young Shunzhi Emperor ruler of China, beginning nearly three centuries of Qing rule with Beijing as the imperial capital.

Image source: Shunzhi Emperor

Summer Palace constructed

1750 - 1764

The Qianlong Emperor expanded Kunming Lake and built the vast Summer Palace northwest of Beijing. With its pavilions, temples, and gardens, it became the favored retreat of the imperial court.

Image source: Summer Palace

Macartney Embassy visits Beijing

1793

British envoy Lord Macartney traveled to Beijing seeking trade concessions. The mission famously failed after disputes over ritual kowtow etiquette, symbolizing the widening gap between Qing China and expanding European powers.

Image source: Macartney Embassy

British and French troops occupy Beijing

Oct 1860 - Nov 1860

Anglo-French forces captured Beijing during the Second Opium War, looting and burning the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) in retaliation. The humiliation forced the Qing to sign the Convention of Peking.

Image source: Second Opium War

Boxer Rebellion siege of foreign legations

Jun 20, 1900 - Aug 14, 1900

Boxer fighters and Qing troops besieged foreign legations in Beijing for 55 days. An Eight-Nation Alliance eventually relieved the siege and occupied the city, imposing harsh penalties on China through the Boxer Protocol.

Image source: Siege of the International Legations

Modern Era

Xinhai Revolution ends imperial rule

Feb 12, 1912

The abdication of the child emperor Puyi ended over two millennia of imperial rule. Beijing remained the capital of the new Republic of China, now governed by warlords and republican politicians.

Image source: 1911 Revolution

May Fourth Movement protests erupt in Beijing

May 4, 1919

Thousands of students marched in Beijing protesting the Treaty of Versailles' transfer of German concessions in Shandong to Japan. The movement sparked a cultural and intellectual awakening that shaped modern Chinese politics.

Image source: May Fourth Movement

Nationalist government moves capital to Nanjing

1928

After the Northern Expedition unified much of China, the Kuomintang government designated Nanjing as the national capital, and Beijing was renamed Beiping, reducing its political status.

Image source: Nanjing decade

Marco Polo Bridge Incident sparks Second Sino-Japanese War

Jul 7, 1937

Clashes between Japanese and Chinese troops near Beijing's Marco Polo Bridge escalated into full-scale war. Japanese forces quickly occupied Beiping, which remained under occupation until 1945.

Image source: Marco Polo Bridge Incident

Communist forces take Beiping peacefully

Jan 31, 1949

Following the Pingjin Campaign, Nationalist general Fu Zuoyi surrendered the city without a battle, allowing Communist forces to enter intact. The city was renamed Beijing shortly afterward.

Image source: Pingjin campaign

People's Republic of China proclaimed in Beijing

Oct 1, 1949

Mao Zedong stood atop Tiananmen Gate and proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China, restoring Beijing's status as the national capital after decades of upheaval.

Image source: Proclamation of the People's Republic of China

Great Leap Forward famine affects Beijing

1958 - 1962

Mao's ambitious economic campaign caused nationwide famine. Even in Beijing, food shortages led to rationing, while backyard steel furnaces dotted the cityscape during the ill-fated industrial drive.

Image source: Great Leap Forward

Cultural Revolution launched with rallies in Tiananmen Square

Aug 18, 1966 - 1976

Massive Red Guard rallies in Tiananmen Square marked the start of the Cultural Revolution. Beijing became the epicenter of political turmoil as historic sites were vandalized and intellectuals persecuted.

Image source: Cultural Revolution

Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown

Apr 15, 1989 - Jun 4, 1989

Students and workers occupied Tiananmen Square for weeks calling for democratic reform. On June 4, the government declared martial law and sent troops to clear the square, resulting in numerous deaths and international condemnation.

Image source: 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre

Beijing hosts the 2008 Summer Olympics

Aug 8, 2008 - Aug 24, 2008

Beijing hosted the Summer Olympics, showcasing iconic venues like the Bird's Nest stadium and Water Cube. The games marked China's emergence as a global power and transformed the city's infrastructure and skyline.

Image source: 2008 Summer Olympics

Beijing hosts the 2022 Winter Olympics

Feb 4, 2022 - Feb 20, 2022

Beijing became the first city ever to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Held amid strict COVID-19 protocols, the games featured venues across Beijing and neighboring Hebei province.

Image source: 2022 Winter Olympics

Key Facts

Beijing was first established as the ancient city of Ji around 1045 BCE during the Zhou Dynasty, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Kublai Khan made Beijing (then called Dadu) the capital of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty in 1272, marking its first role as the capital of a unified China.
The Ming Dynasty rebuilt the city in the early 15th century under Emperor Yongle, constructing iconic landmarks such as the Forbidden City (completed in 1420) and the Temple of Heaven.
Beijing served as the capital of the Qing Dynasty from 1644 until 1912, when the last emperor Puyi abdicated following the Xinhai Revolution.
On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China in Tiananmen Square, establishing Beijing as the nation's capital, a status it retains today.

Source

This History of Beijing timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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