History of Beijing

The history of Beijing traces the city’s growth from early settlements and successive regional capitals to the imperial seat of several Chinese dynasties and the capital of modern China.

Zhoukoudian: An archaeological site near Beijing known for fossils and stone tools associated with Peking Man. Its prehistoric remains place human activity in the region long before Beijing became a city.
Zhongdu: The capital of the Jin dynasty, located in the southwest of present-day Beijing. Its construction marked a major expansion of the city as a dynastic capital.
Yongle Emperor: The third emperor of the Ming dynasty, who ruled from 1402 to 1424. He moved the Ming capital to Beijing and commissioned the Forbidden City.
Yuan dynasty: A Mongol-led dynasty that ruled China from 1271 to 1368. The Yuan made Dadu the capital of an empire spanning much of China.
Republic of China (1912–1949): The republican state established after the Qing dynasty, before the People’s Republic took control of mainland China. Its early governments made Beijing a contested republican capital.
Ji (ancient city): An ancient city in the area of modern Beijing that served as a capital of the state of Yan. Ji was an early political center on the site of the later metropolis.
Dadu: The capital built by Kublai Khan for the Yuan dynasty, centered on the site of modern Beijing. Dadu established the city’s durable role as a capital of a unified empire.
Empress Dowager Cixi: A Qing imperial regent who exercised political power in China during the late nineteenth century. Her court made Beijing the center of late Qing crises and reform efforts.
Ming dynasty: A Chinese dynasty that ruled from 1368 to 1644. The Ming restored Beijing as an imperial capital and built its iconic palace complex.
People's Republic of China: A state founded in 1949 that governs mainland China. Its establishment fixed Beijing as the capital of modern China.

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BeijingNarrower topic: Its successive political roles explain how Beijing became the enduring seat of power.