History of Manchuria

The history of Manchuria traces the societies and states of northeastern Asia through shifting dynasties, empires, borders, and modern political systems.

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Hongshan culture: A Neolithic culture of northeastern China, known for settlements, jade objects, and ritual structures. Its archaeological sites reveal complex societies in southern Manchuria before recorded dynasties.
Goguryeo: An ancient Korean kingdom that controlled parts of Manchuria and the Korean peninsula from 37 BCE to 668 CE. Its northern territories made Manchuria a central theater in early Korean and Chinese rivalries.
Russian invasion of Manchuria: Russia’s military occupation of Manchuria during and after the Boxer Rebellion, beginning in 1900. The occupation intensified foreign rivalry over the region and helped trigger the Russo-Japanese War.
Manchuria: A historical region of northeastern Asia, generally corresponding to northeastern China and adjacent areas. The name itself has carried different political meanings across periods and national narratives.
Sushen: An ancient people of northeastern Asia recorded in Chinese histories as living beyond the northeastern frontier. Chinese accounts place early northeastern peoples in the region later called Manchuria.
Liao dynasty: A Khitan-led dynasty that ruled parts of northern China and Mongolia from 907 to 1125. The Liao made Manchuria a base for an empire spanning agricultural and steppe regions.
Russo-Japanese War: A war fought by Russia and Japan from 1904 to 1905 over influence in Korea and Manchuria. Japan’s victory transferred key Russian positions in southern Manchuria and altered regional power.
Northeast China Plain: A fertile lowland in northeastern China, also called the Manchurian Plain. Its agricultural geography contrasts with the region’s broader frontier and imperial histories.
Yilou: An ancient people of northeastern Asia associated with the lower Amur and Songhua river regions. Their communities preceded several states that arose in the region.
Jin dynasty (1115–1234): A Jurchen-led dynasty that ruled northern China and Manchuria from 1115 to 1234. Its conquest of the Liao and Northern Song reshaped the region’s political reach.