Hist 487-1

TIMELINE

960 Foundation of the Song Dynasty by Zhao Kuangyin; capital: Kaifeng

969 Civil officials progressively replace military personnel in the provinces

971 The Song army eliminates the Southern Han kingdom (situated in Canton).

975 The Song army eliminates the Southern Tang kingdom (situated in Nanjing).

978 - 979 Unification completed when the Song army eliminates the kingdom of Wu-Yue.

981 A large compilation of literary texts from the Han to the Song is edited and printed: Taiping guangji (Great Gleanings from the Reign Period Taiping)

983 Three departments are established, that control and administer the economy. They are responsible for the state monopolies, agrarian taxes, and the state budget.

984 The first canal lock is built.

986 The Khitan (Qidan; Liao) achieve a victory over the Song in the north-east (Manchuria and north China, including the area of Beijing)

1004 Peace of Shanyuan between the Khitan and the Song. The Song 'buy peace' for a high price in annual payments of silver and silk bolts.

1012 Early ripening rice from Champa (neighboring Cambodia) is imported into China.

1024 The first promissiory notes are issued in Sichuan.

1038 The Tangut found the Xixia (= Western Xia) empire.

1041-1048 First printing attempts with movable types.

1044 To ward off attacks by the Xixia, the Song agree to deliver annual 'peace agreement' payments of silver, bolts of silk, and tea.

1068 Wang Anshi attempts to reform fiscal, administrative, and military laws. (New Laws reform.)

1077 The Yellow River dyles break downstream from Kaifeng.

1085 The conservative opponent of Wang An shi, Sima Guang abolishes the set of New Laws installed by Wang Anshi.

1086 Death of Wang Anshi and Sima Guang.

1087 In Quanzhou an office for merchant shipping is established.

1090 First attested use of the compass in Chinese ships.

1094 Wang Anshi's reforms are partially re-introduced. Exiled reformers are recalled.

1115 Foundation of the Jin-Dynasty by the Jurchen in Manchuria.

1122 The Jin and Song fight against the Liao until the Jin capture Beijing.

1125 The Jin achieve a victory over the Liao. The Liao empire ends. The Jin invade northern China, including Kaifeng. Emperor Huizong is led into exile in Manchuria with his mother and court. The Song flee to the south.

1127 The Southern Song is founded by the new emperor, Gaozong. Capital: Hangzhou.

1138 Peace treaty between Jin and Song.

ca. 1141 Death of the poetess Li Qingzhao.

1148 The Yellow River changes course.

1151 The Jin transfer their main capital to Beijing.

1163 A synagoge is etablished in Kaifeng.

1194 The Yellow River moves from the north of the Shandong peninsula to its south.

1200 Death of the philosopher and educator Zhu Xi.

1206 Chenghis Khan becomes Great Khan in Mongolia.

1214 Under the pressure of the Mongols the Jin move their main capital from Beijing to Kaifeng.

1227 The Xixia empire ends. Death of Chenghis Khan.

1229 Yelü Chucai (Liao descendant) is installed as administrator general of north China by the Mongols.

1233-34 With the help of the Southern Song the Mongols seize Kaifeng and end the Jin rule. Instead of withdrawing, the Mongols move further south.

1253 The Mongol armies reach Yunnan and Sichuan.

1257 A Mongol army attempts to invade Vietnam.

1260 Khubilai Khan becomes Great Khan of the Mongols. Tibetan Buddhism is favored by the Mongol ruler. His advisor, the lama 'Phags-pa is entrusted to lead the religious communities of north China.

1264 The Jin city of Beijing becomes the Mongol capital. Three years later Khubilai begins with the creation of Khanbalik northeast of Beijing.

1271 The dynastic name 'Yuan' (=origin, beginning) is chosen by the Mongols.

1274 First Mongol attempt to invade Japan.

1276 The Mongols have captured most of south China and reach Hangchou.

1279 With the suicide of the last Song emperor the Southern Song comes to an end.

1281 Second Mongol attempt to invade Japan. The kamikaze (Wind of the Gods) destroys their fleet.

1285 Champa and Cambodia recognize Mongol suzerainty.

1288 Vietnam recognizes Mongol suzerainty.

1289 The Yellow river changes its course.

1292/93 Mongol expedition to Java (Indonesia).

1294 Death of Khubilai Khan.

1306 Giovanni di Monte Corvino is appointed archbishop of Khanbalik.

1324 The Yellow river changes its course.

1336 The Yellow River returns to its old course.

1346 Great famine results in peasant revolts.

1352 The Red Turbans fight against the Mongols.

1355 Further rebel armies successfully fight the Mongol army.

1364 Zhu Yuanzhang becomes the leader of the territory araound Nanjing and proclaims himself Prince of Wu.

1368 Zhu Yuanzhang proclaims the Ming dynasty.