Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Timeline
500,000 BC
Peking man
(Sinanthropus pekinensis)
, an example of
Homo erectus
, inhabits the region; fossils are excav-
ated at Zhōuk
ǒ
udiàn municipality from 1923 to 1927.
pre-11th century BC
The first settlements in the Běijīng area are recorded (evidence suggests Paleolithic cultures living
in the central areas of Běijīng).
c 600 BC
Laotzu (Laozi), founder of Taoism, is supposedly born. Taoism goes on to coexist with later intro-
ductions such as Buddhism, a reflection of Chinese religion's syncretic nature.
551 BC
The birth of Confucius. His ideas of an ethical, ordered society operating through hierarchy and
self-development dominated Chinese culture until the early 20th century.
5th-3rd century BC
Yānjīng, capital of Yan state, is located near Běijīng. Yānjīng (which means 'Capital of Yan') was
also known as Ji and moved to Xiàdū in today's Yīxiàn (in Héběi province) during the Warring
States period.
214 BC
Emperor Qin indentures thousands of labourers to link existing city walls into one Great Wall,
made of tamped earth. The later stone-clad bastion dates from the Ming dynasty.
AD 938
Běijīng is established as auxiliary capital of the Liao dynasty. Běijīng's oldest street - Sanmiao Jie,
or Three Temples St - dates to this time, when it was known as Tanzhou Jie.
1153
Běijīng becomes capital of the Jin dynasty where it becomes known as Zhōngdū or 'Middle Capit-
al'; the city walls are expanded and paper currency enters circulation.
