Historical capitals of China

This is a list of historical capitals of China.

Four Great Ancient Capitals

There are traditionally four major historical capitals of China referred to as the "Four Great Ancient Capitals of China" (simplified Chinese: 中国四大古都; traditional Chinese: 中國四大古都; pinyin: Zhōngguó Sì Dà Gǔ Dū). The four are Beijing, Nanjing, Luoyang and Xi'an (Chang'an).^[1]

List of historical capitals of China

Plot of major historical capitals of China prior to the 20th century

Sorted in alphabetical order

Acheng District of the city of Harbin was the capital of the Jin dynasty from 1115 to 1153. It was called Shangjing (上京; Shàngjīng; 'Upper Capital') or Huining Prefecture at the time. It was destroyed in 1157 and reestablished as a secondary capital in 1173.
Anyang was the capital of the Shang dynasty (1600 BC – 1046 BC) at its peak. It was called Yin (殷; Yīn) by the Zhou.
Balasagun in modern Kyrgyzstan was the capital of the Western Liao dynasty from 1134 to 1218.
Beijing (also romanized Peking), literally meaning "Northern Capital", previously also known as Beiping, was the capital of various dynasties and regional regimes, including:

The state of Yan (11th century BC – 222 BC) in the Zhou dynasty, when it was called Ji (蓟; 薊; Jì).
The short-lived regional kingdom of Yan (911–914) established by Liu Shouguang during Five Dynasties period.
The Liao dynasty (907–1125), when it was a secondary capital called Yanjing (燕京; Yānjīng; 'Capital of Yan'). (Liao Lang is used as another name for Dadu during Yuan dynasty. The city is called Nanjing (南京, not to be confused with city in Jiangsu) in Liao dynasty due to the southerly location.)
The Jurchen-led Jin dynasty, from the 1160s to 1215, when it was called Zhongdu ("Central Capital").
The Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), when it was called Dadu (大都; Dàdū; 'Great Capital') in Chinese,^[2] Daidu (direct translation from Chinese) in Mongolian, and Khanbaliq ("city of the Khan") in Altaic, Mongolian and Turkic languages. Marco Polo called it Cambuluc.
The Ming dynasty, from 1403 to 1644, when it was called Shuntian Prefecture (顺天府; 順天府; Shùntiān Fǔ) and then later simply as Jingshi (京师; 京師; Jīngshī; 'Capital').
The Qing dynasty, from 1644 to 1912.
The Beiyang government of the Republic of China, from 1912 to 1927.
The People's Republic of China since 1949.

Changchun was the capital of Japanese puppet state Manchukuo during the Japanese occupation in WWII, then named Xinjing (新京; Japanese: Shinkyō, Mandarin: Xīnjīng, literally "New Capital").
Chengde was the summer residence and capital of the Qing dynasty from 1703 to 1820.^[3]
Chengdu was the capital city of various regional kingdoms in ancient China:

State of Shu in Warring States period
Shu Han (AD 221–263) during the Three Kingdoms period
Kingdom of Cheng-Han during Eastern Jin period
Qiao Shu, a short-lived kingdom during Eastern Jin period
The kingdom of Li Shu, a short-lived regime established by Wang Xiaobo and Li Shun during Song dynasty
Former Shu, one of Ten Kingdoms between Tang and Song dynasties
Later Shu, one of Ten Kingdoms between Tang and Song dynasties
Da Xi established by Zhang Xianzhong during the transition between Ming and Qing dynasties
It was also briefly the seat of the Nationalist government of the Republic of China in late 1949 towards the end of the Chinese Civil War.

Chongqing was the capital city of Ba State during Warring States period. Ming Yuzhen, the rebellion leader during the transition time between Yuan and Ming dynasties, established the Xia kingdom and set the capital city in Chongqing. Chongqing was also the provisional capital of the Nationalist government of the Republic of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945), and briefly the seat of the Nationalist government in late 1949 towards the end of the Chinese Civil War.
Datong was the capital of the Northern Wei dynasty from 398 to 493.
Emin was briefly the capital of the Western Liao dynasty from 1132 to 1134.
Fenghao, located near present-day Xi'an, was the capital of the Western Zhou dynasty from 1046 BC to 771 BC.
Fuzhou was briefly the capital of the Southern Ming dynasty from 1645 to 1646.
Guangzhou (also romanized Canton) was the capital of:

Nanyue Kingdom (204–111 BC).
Southern Ming dynasty from 1646 to 1647.
Nationalist government of the Republic of China, before 1928 and in 1949 towards the end of the Chinese Civil War.

Hangzhou was the capital of:

Wuyue Kingdom (907–978) during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
Southern Song dynasty, from 1127^[4]^: 67 to 1276, when it was called Lin'an (临安; 臨安; Lín'ān).

Haojing was capital of Western Zhou.
Kaifeng was the capital of various dynasties, including:

The state of Wei (443 BC – 225 BC) in the Zhou dynasty, when it was called Daliang.
Later Liang dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, from AD 913 to 923.
Later Jin dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, in AD 937.
Later Han dynasty (AD 947–951) during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
Later Zhou dynasty (AD 951–960) during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), when it was called Bianjing (汴京; Biànjīng).

Karakorum in modern Mongolia was the capital of the Northern Yuan dynasty from 1371 to 1388.
Luoyang was the capital of various dynasties, including:

The Eastern Zhou dynasty, from 510 BC to 314 BC.
The Eastern Han dynasty from AD 25 to 190 and then briefly in AD 196.
The Cao Wei (AD 220–265) during the Three Kingdoms period.
The Western Jin dynasty, from AD 265 to 311.
The Northern Wei dynasty from AD 493 to 534.
The Wu Zhou from AD 690 to 705.
The Later Tang dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, from AD 923 to 936.
The Later Liang dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, from AD 907 to 913.

Nanjing (also romanized Nanking), literally meaning "Southern Capital", was the capital of various dynasties and governments, including:

All the Six Dynasties from AD 220 to 589, when Nanjing was called Jianye (建業; Jiànyè) or Jiankang (建康; Jiànkāng). The Six Dynasties were:

Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period, from AD 229 to 265, and then from AD 266 to 280.
Eastern Jin dynasty, from AD 317 to 420.
Liu Song dynasty (AD 420–479)
Southern Qi dynasty (AD 479–502)
Liang dynasty, from AD 502 to 552, and then from AD 555 to 557.
Chen dynasty (AD 557–589)

The Southern Tang dynasty (AD 937–976) during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period
The Ming dynasty, from 1368 to 1644, when it was also called Yingtian Prefecture (应天府; 應天府; Yìngtiān Fǔ)
The Southern Ming dynasty from 1644 to 1645.
The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864) during the Taiping Rebellion in the Qing dynasty, when it was called Tianjing (天京; Tiānjīng; 'Heavenly Capital').
The Nationalist government of the Republic of China from 1928 to 1949.
The Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China (1940–1945), a pro-Japanese collaborationist government headed by Wang Jingwei during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Ruijin in Jiangxi was the capital of the self-declared Chinese Soviet Republic from 1931 to 1934, the start of the Long March.
Shaoguan, then known in English as Kukong, was the temporary capital of Nationalist controlled areas of Guangdong (then known as Kwangtung) during the Sino-Japanese war, after the fall of Guangzhou (Canton).
Shenyang in the northern state of Liaoning briefly served as the capital of the Qing dynasty (who referred to it as Mukden) from 1625 until Qing takeover of Beijing in 1644.^[5]
Taipei in Taiwan has been the de facto capital and the seat of government of the Republic of China since 1949.
Tongwancheng was the capital of the Hu Xia dynasty from 419 to 427.
Wuhan was the capital of a government formed by Wang Jingwei and leftist members of the Kuomintang in 1927. It opposed the Nationalist government led by Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek. It was also briefly "provisional wartime capital" in 1937 during the Sino-Japanese war.
Xanadu / Shangdu (上都; Shàngdū; 'Upper Capital'), located northwest of present-day Dolon Nor in Inner Mongolia, China, was the summer capital of the Yuan dynasty. After the fall of the Yuan dynasty, it briefly became the capital of the Northern Yuan dynasty between 1368 and 1369. It was destroyed in 1369.
Xi'an (also romanized Sian), previously called Chang'an, and including its surrounding areas in present-day Shaanxi Province, was the capital of various dynasties, including:

The Western Zhou dynasty, from around 1046 BC to 771 BC. See also Fenghao.
The state of Qin (9th century BC – 221 BC) and the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC). The Qin capital, called Xianyang (simplified Chinese: 咸阳; traditional Chinese: 咸陽; pinyin: Xiányáng), was located near present-day Xi'an. It was destroyed in 206 BC.
The Western Han dynasty, from 206 BC to AD 9.
The Xin dynasty (AD 9–23)
The Eastern Han dynasty, from AD 190 to 195.
The Western Jin dynasty, from AD 312 to 316.
The state of Former Zhao during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, from AD 318 to 329.
The State of Former Qin during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, from AD 351 to 385.
The State of Later Qin during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, from AD 384 to 417.
The Western Wei dynasty (AD 535–557)
The Northern Zhou dynasty (AD 557–581)
The Sui dynasty, from AD 581 to 605.
The Tang dynasty, from AD 618 to 684, and then from AD 705 to 904.

Ye, located within the present-day city of Handan, was one of secondary capital cities of Cao Wei (220–265), and the capital city of several regional kingdoms during Eastern Jin period: Later Zhao (319–351), Ran Wei (350–352) and Former Yan (337–370). It was also the capital city of two major dynasties in Southern and Northern dynasties period: Eastern Wei dynasty (534–550), and the Northern Qi dynasty (550–577).
Yinchuan was the capital of the Western Xia from 1038 to 1227, when it was called Xingqing (simplified Chinese: 兴庆; traditional Chinese: 興慶; pinyin: Xīngqìng).
Yingchang was briefly the capital of the Northern Yuan dynasty from 1369 to 1370.
Zhaoge was the secondary capital city during last years of Shang dynasty when it was ruled by King Zhou. Later, it was the capital city of Wey during the Eastern Zhou period.
Zhaoqing was the capital of the Southern Ming dynasty from 1646 to 1662.

Chronology

Dynasty / Government		Capital	Period	Notes
Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors	Nüwa
	Youchao
	Suiren
	Zhurong
	Fuxi	Chen 陳	c. 2852–2737 BC
	Shennong / Yan Emperor	Lu 魯	c. 2737–2699 BC
	Yellow Emperor	Xuanyuan 軒轅	c. 2699–2588 BC
	Taihao	Wanqiu 宛丘
	Shaohao	Qiongsang 窮桑	c. 2587–2491 BC
	Gonggong
	Zhuanxu	Gaoyang 高陽	c. 2490 BC – 25th century BC
	Zhuanxu	Diqiu 帝丘	c. 25th century BC – 2413 BC
	Ku	Diqiu 帝丘	c. 2412 BC – 24th century BC
	Ku	Bo 亳	c. 24th century BC – 2343 BC
	Zhi	Qinghua 清化	c. 2343–2333 BC
	Yao	Pingyang 平陽	c. 2333–2234 BC
	Shun	Puban 蒲坂	c. 2233–2184 BC
Xia dynasty		Daxia 大夏	Gun
		Song 崇	Gun
		Yangcheng 陽城	Yu^[6]
		Yangzhai 陽翟	Yu, Qi, Taikang
		Chu 鉏	Hou Yi
		Qiongshi 窮石	Hou Yi, Hanzhuo
		Zhen 斟	Taikang, Zhongkang
		Diqiu 帝丘	Xiang, Shaokang
		Yuan 原	Zhu
		Laoqiu 老丘	Zhu to Jiong
		Xihe 西河	Jin to Fa
		Zhen 斟	Jie
		Henan 河南	Jie^[7]
Shang dynasty		Bo 亳	Tang^[7]
		Fan 蕃	Xie
		Dishi 砥石	Zhaoming
		Shang 商	Zhaoming
		Shangqiu 商邱	Xiangtu
		Foot of Mount Tai 泰山麓	Xiangtu
		Shangqiu 商邱	Xiangtu
		Yin 殷	Shanghou
		Shangqiu 商邱	Yinhou
		Bo "西"亳	Tang
		Xiao 囂	Zhongding
		Xiang 相	Hedanjia
		Xing 邢	Zuyi
		Bi 庇	Zuyi
		Yan 奄	Nangeng
		Yin 殷	Pangeng
Zhou dynasty	Western Zhou	Zongzhou 宗周	1046 BC – 771 BC	Western capital
	Western Zhou	Chengzhou 成周	1039 BC – 771 BC	Eastern capital(auxiliary capital)
	Eastern Zhou	Chengzhou 成周	770 BC – 367 BC
		Henan 河南	367 BC – 256 BC	capital of the Western Zhou State
		Gong 鞏	367 BC – 249 BC	capital of the Eastern Zhou State
Qin dynasty		Xiquanqiu 西犬丘
		Pingyang 平陽	– 677 BC
		Yong 雍	677 BC –
		Jingyang 涇陽	– 383 BC
		Yueyang 櫟陽	383 BC – 250 BC
		Xianyang 咸陽	350 BC – 207 BC
Han dynasty	Western Han	Luoyang 雒陽	202 BC
		Yueyang 櫟陽	202 BC – 200 BC
		Chang'an 長安	200 BC – 8 BC
Xin dynasty		Chang'an 常安	AD 8–23
Han dynasty	Eastern Han	Luoyang 雒陽	AD 25–190
		Chang'an 長安	191–195
		Xu 許	196–220
Three Kingdoms period	Cao Wei	Luoyang 洛陽	220–265
	Shu Han	Chengdu 成都	221–263
	Eastern Wu	Jianye 建業	227–279
Jin dynasty	Western Jin	Luoyang 洛陽	265–313
	Western Jin	Chang'an 長安	313–316
	Eastern Jin	Jiankang 建康	317–420
Northern dynasties	Northern Wei	Pingcheng 平城	386–493
	Northern Wei	Luoyang 洛陽	493–534
	Eastern Wei	Ye 鄴	534–550
	Western Wei	Chang'an 長安	535–557
	Northern Qi	Ye 鄴	550–577
	Northern Zhou	Chang'an 長安	557–581
Southern dynasties	Liu Song	Jiankang 建康	420–479
	Southern Qi	Jiankang 建康	479–502
	Liang dynasty	Jiankang 建康	502–557
	Chen dynasty	Jiankang 建康	557–589
Sui dynasty		Daxing 大興	581–618	auxiliary capital (605–618)
Sui dynasty		Dongdu 東都	605–618
Tang dynasty		Chang'an 長安	618–690
Tang dynasty		Luoyang 洛陽	657–690	auxiliary capital
Wu Zhou		Luoyang 洛陽	690–705
Tang dynasty (restored)		Chang'an 長安	705–904
		Luoyang 洛陽	705–736	auxiliary capital
		Luoyang 洛陽	904–907
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period	Later Liang	Dongdu 東都	907–923
	Later Tang	Dongdu 東都	923–936
	Later Jin	Dongjing 東京	936–947
	Later Han	Dongjing 東京	947–950
	Later Zhou	Dongjing 東京	951–960
Song dynasty	Northern Song	Dongjing 東京	960–1127
	Southern Song	Nanjing 南京	1127–1129	After the fall of Dongjing, Zhao Gou declares himself emperor in Henan
		Yangzhou 楊州	1129–1130	Flight of Emperor Gaozong during the Jin invasion of the Yangtze Delta in 1129–1130.
		Zhenjiang 鎮江
		Lin'an 臨安
		Yuezhou 越州
		Mingzhou 明州
		Dinghai 定海
		Off the coast Taizhou, Wenzhou "海上朝廷"
		Zhang'an 章安
		Yuezhou 越州
		Lin'an 臨安	1130–1276	Song court settles in Lin'an for 146 years
		Fuzhou 福州	1276–1277	Flight of Emperor Duanzong along the southeast coast following the fall of Lin'an in 1276.
		Guangzhou 廣州	1277–1278
		Guanfuchang 官富場	1278
		Gangzhou 碙州	1278	Emperor Bingzong succeeds Duanzong on Lantau Island in modern Hong Kong
		Yashan 涯山	1278–1279	Song court makes last stand off the coast of Yashan
Liao dynasty		Shangjing 上京	907–1120
Liao dynasty		Nanjing 南京	1122–1123
Western Liao		Emin 葉密立	1132–1134
Western Liao		Balasagun 虎思斡耳朵	1134–1218
Jin dynasty		Shangjing 上京	1115–1153
		Zhongdu 中都	1153–1214
		Nanjing 南京	1214–1234
Western Xia		Xingqing 興慶	1038–1227
Yuan dynasty		Shangdu 上都	May 1264 – 1267
Yuan dynasty		Dadu 大都	1267^[8] – August 1368
Northern Yuan		Shangdu 上都	August 1368 – 1369
		Yingchang 應昌	1369–1370
		Karakorum 哈拉和林	1371–1388
Ming dynasty		Nanjing 南京	23 January 1368 – 2 February 1421
Ming dynasty		Beijing 北京	2 February 1421 – 25 April 1644
Southern Ming		Nanjing 南京	1644 – 1645
		Fuzhou 福州	1645 – 1646
		Guangzhou 廣州	1646 – 1647
		Zhaoqing 肇慶	1646 – 25 April 1662
Later Jin		Fe Ala 費阿拉	1587–1603
		Hetu Ala 赫圖阿拉	1603–1619
		Jiefan 界凡	1619 – September 1620
		Sarhu 薩爾滸	September 1620 – April 1621
		Dongjing 東京	April 1621 – 11 April 1625
		Shengjing 盛京	11 April 1625 – 1636
Qing dynasty		Shengjing 盛京	1636 – 30 October 1644
Qing dynasty		Beijing 北京	30 October 1644^[9] – 12 February 1912^[10]
Republic of China		Nanjing 南京	1 January 1912 – 2 April 1912	Provisional Government
		Beijing 北京	2 April 1912 – 30 May 1928	Beiyang government^[10]
		Fengtian 奉天	30 May 1928 – 29 December 1928	Beiyang government
		Guangzhou 廣州	1 July 1925 – 21 February 1927	Guangzhou Nationalist Government
		Wuhan 武漢	21 February 1927 – 19 August 1927	Wuhan Nationalist Government^[11]
		Nanjing 南京	18 April 1927 – 20 November 1937	the Nanjing decade^[10]
		Luoyang 洛陽	29 Jan 1932 – 1 December 1932
		Beijing 北平	9 September 1930 – 23 September 1930	Beiping Nationalist Government
		Taiyuan 太原	23 September 1930 – 4 November 1930	Beiping Nationalist Government
		Guangzhou 廣州	28 May 1931 – 22 December 1931	Guangzhou Nationalist Government
		Chongqing 重慶	21 November 1937 – 5 May 1946	during the Second Sino-Japanese War^[10]
		Nanjing 南京	30 March 1940 – 10 August 1945	Wang Jingwei Government
		Nanjing 南京	5 May 1946 – 1 May 1991	From 23 April 1949 to 1 May 1991, Nanjing was the claimed capital of the Republic of China
		Guangzhou 廣州	23 April 1949 – 14 October 1949	during the Chinese Civil War
		Chongqing 重慶	14 October 1949 – 30 November 1949	during the Chinese Civil War
		Chengdu 成都	30 November 1949 – 27 December 1949	during the Chinese Civil War
		Xichang 西昌	27 December 1949 – 27 March 1950	during the Chinese Civil War
		Taipei 台北	10 December 1949 – Present	Established as capital following the Republic of China retreat to Taiwan
Chinese Soviet Republic People's Republic of China		Ruijin 瑞金	7 November 1931 – 10 October 1934	Establishments of the Chinese Soviet Republic
		Bao'an 保安	July 1936 – January 1937	From 1934 to 1936, the Long March occurred.
		Yan'an 延安	January 1937 – 22 September 1937	CSR dissolves in the midst of the formation of the Second United Front
		Beijing 北京	1 October 1949 – Present

References

^ "中国四大古都的前世之谜-深度阅读 -". www.silkroads.org.cn. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
^ Denis Twitchett, Herbert Franke, John K. Fairbank, in The Cambridge History of China: Volume 6, Alien Regimes and Border States (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p 454.
^ Millward, J. A. (2013). New Qing imperial history the making of inner Asian empire at Qing Chengde. Taylor and Francis. http://suss.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=200446
^ Ma, Xinru; Kang, David C. (2024). Beyond Power Transitions: The Lessons of East Asian History and the Future of U.S.-China Relations. Columbia Studies in International Order and Politics. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-55597-5.
^ Ebrey, Patricia (2010). The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge University Press. pp. 220–224. ISBN 978-0-521-12433-1.
^ 李玉潔. [2003] (2003). 中國早期國家性質. 知書房出版集團. ISBN 986-7938-17-8, ISBN 978-986-7938-17-6.
^ ^a ^b Bamboo annals Xia chapter on Xia Jie under the name Gui (癸).
^ Kenneth Pletcher (2010) ”The History of China”, page 173 ISBN 1615301097
^ William T. Rowe (2009) ”China's Last Empire: The Great Qing”, page 19 ISBN 0674036123
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Esherick, Joseph. [2000] (2000). Remaking the Chinese City: Modernity and National Identity, 1900-1950. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-8248-2518-7.
^ Clark, Anne Biller. Clark, Anne Bolling. Klein, Donald. Klein, Donald Walker. [1971] (1971). Harvard Univ. Biographic Dictionary of Chinese communism. Original from the University of Michigan v.1. Digitized Dec 21, 2006. p 134.

[1] "中国四大古都的前世之谜-深度阅读 -". www.silkroads.org.cn. Retrieved 2024-02-17.

[2] Denis Twitchett, Herbert Franke, John K. Fairbank, in The Cambridge History of China: Volume 6, Alien Regimes and Border States (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p 454.

[3] Millward, J. A. (2013). New Qing imperial history the making of inner Asian empire at Qing Chengde. Taylor and Francis. http://suss.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=200446

[:Ma&Kang-4] Ma, Xinru; Kang, David C. (2024). Beyond Power Transitions: The Lessons of East Asian History and the Future of U.S.-China Relations. Columbia Studies in International Order and Politics. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-55597-5.

[5] Ebrey, Patricia (2010). The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge University Press. pp. 220–224. ISBN 978-0-521-12433-1.

[6] 李玉潔. [2003] (2003). 中國早期國家性質. 知書房出版集團. ISBN 986-7938-17-8, ISBN 978-986-7938-17-6.

[ba-7] Bamboo annals Xia chapter on Xia Jie under the name Gui (癸).

[8] Kenneth Pletcher (2010) ”The History of China”, page 173 ISBN 1615301097

[9] William T. Rowe (2009) ”China's Last Empire: The Great Qing”, page 19 ISBN 0674036123

[Esherick-10] Esherick, Joseph. [2000] (2000). Remaking the Chinese City: Modernity and National Identity, 1900-1950. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-8248-2518-7.

[Clark-11] Clark, Anne Biller. Clark, Anne Bolling. Klein, Donald. Klein, Donald Walker. [1971] (1971). Harvard Univ. Biographic Dictionary of Chinese communism. Original from the University of Michigan v.1. Digitized Dec 21, 2006. p 134.

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Four Great Ancient Capitals

List of historical capitals of China

Chronology

See also

References