Beijing Story

Author: Shujun (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: What is the origin of the name Beijing? This story begins with the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, who moved the capital to Nanjing. At that time, Beijing was merely the fiefdom of Zhu Yuanzhang's son, Prince Yan Zhu Di, known as Shuntianfu. Later, Zhu Di plotted and launched a coup here, seizing the throne and eventually ascending to the imperial throne. After Zhu Di was enthroned in Beijing, he immediately renamed Shuntianfu as Beijing. The "North" in Beijing's name was thus relative to the "South" in Nanjing's name. As shown, historically, Nanjing came first, followed by the name Beijing. The character "Jing" in Beijing, in ancient Chinese, means "great." So, which came first—the name Beijing or the term Beiping? Before Beijing was known as Shuntianfu, in 1368, the Ming founder Zhu Yuanzhang ordered his general Xu Da to march north and conquer the Yuan Dynasty capital, Dadu, renaming it Beipingfu. Therefore, the name Beiping should have appeared earlier than Beijing. Until the founding of the People's Republic of China, the names Beijing and Beiping alternated in China's territory. From the ancient city of Ji, the Jin Dynasty capital of Zhongdu, to the Yuan Dynasty's Dadu and the Ming and Qing Dynasty capitals, Beijing has undergone a continuous process of development. During this time, many relics have vanished, and many past events have been forgotten. Only scattered fragments of the former imperial city remain. The author has compiled only a portion of these fragments, leaving behind a glimpse of memory for the capital and guiding readers to explore the magnificent former palaces and ancient sites.