As the capital city of Sichuan Province and the major large city in southwest China, Chengdu has a long and unique history, with a profound cultural heritage.
In Pre-historic Times
As early as about 4500 to 3700 years ago, a series of settlement centers of ancient Shu ancestors, known as the "Baodun Culture" in later generations, had appeared in the Chengdu Plain. These settlement centers have all been fortified with city walls and built places for worship and gatherings. Based on the large number of historical relics unearthed from the "Jinsha Site", it can be inferred that by the late Shang Dynasty to the early Western Zhou Dynasty, Chengdu had become the central capital of the ancient Shu Kingdom.
In the Pre Qin Dynasty Period
In Pre Qin Dynasty, Chengdu was believed to be Baipu Kiingdom. Around the mid-4th century BC (367 BC), during the reign of King Kaiming of ancient Shu, the capital was relocated from Fanxiang (Huayang) in Guangdu to Chengdu and a city was built.
In the fourth year of King Shen of Eastern Zhou (316 BC), the state of Qin annexed the state of Shu and established Shu commandery in Chengdu. Qin Zhangyi and Simacuo built Taicheng (Funan City), and the following year, Zhangyi built Shaocheng (Fuxi City) to the west of Taicheng.
In the fifty first year of King Zhaoxiang of Qin Dynasty (256 BC), Li Bing, the governor of Shu Prefecture, learned from the experience of predecessors in water control, led the local people to take charge of the construction of the famous Dujiangyan Irrigation Project Water Conservancy Project, and made stone men to measure the water level of Dujiangyan Irrigation Project, which is the earliest water gauge in China. At the end of the Qin Dynasty and the beginning of the Han Dynasty, Chengdu replaced Guanzhong and became known as "Tianfu".
In the Han Dynasty
In the fifth year of the Yuanfeng reign of the Western Han Dynasty (106 BC), Emperor Wu of Han divided the country into thirteen states and established Yizhou. Wang Mang changed Yizhou to Yongbu and Shu Commandery to Daojiang, with its capital in Linqiong. In the fifth year of the reign of Emperor Di of the New Dynasty (24 AD), Gong Sunshu declared himself emperor and designated Chengdu as "Chengjia". Yizhou was renamed as Sili, and Shu Commandery was renamed as Chengdu Yin.
During the Eastern Han Dynasty, it remained as Shu Commandery. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Liu Yan became the "Governor of Yizhou" and moved Yizhou from Luoxian County in Guanghan Commandery to Chengdu, using Chengdu as the capital of the prefecture, commandery, and county.
During the Han Dynasty, Chengdu's urban economy made significant progress and by the end of the Western Han Dynasty, it had become the second largest handicraft and commercial capital in the country, second only to Chang'an. Chengdu is not only the largest center of commodity economic activities in the southwest region, but also the starting point and important port of the "Southern Silk Road".
During the Three Kingdoms period, Chengdu was the capital of Shu Han. In the first year of Yankang (220 AD), Cao Pi usurped the Han dynasty. The following year (221 AD), Liu Bei declared himself emperor in Chengdu, Sichuan province, as a member of the Han royal family, continuing the great power of the Han dynasty. The Shu Han regime began with Emperor Zhaolie Liu Bei and ended with Emperor Huai of Han Liu Shan, lasting for forty-three years. At its peak, it occupied Jingzhou and Yizhou, and its national strength was strong. However, after Guan Yu lost Jingzhou and Liu Bei defeated Yiling, its vitality was greatly damaged. Later, Zhuge Liang ruled the country and restored production, enabling it to compete with Wei and Wu.
From the Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period, the exquisite Shu brocade in Chengdu has always been highly appreciated and welcomed by both the government and the people; During this period, Chengdu was nicknamed "Jinguan City" and "Jincheng" due to the emergence of an official workshop specializing in weaving Shu brocade called "Jinguan City".
In the Sui Dynasty
In the second year of Emperor Kaihuang of Sui Dynasty (582 AD), it was renamed as Southwest Road Xingtai. The following year, the General Administration Office was reinstated. In the early years of Daye (605 AD), the prefecture was abolished and Emperor Yang of Sui renamed Yizhou as Shu Commandery.
In the Tang Dynasty
In the Tang Dynasty, Yizhou was restored, and in the early years of Wude (618 AD), the General Administration Office was established. In the third year of Wude (620 AD), it was renamed as Southwest Road Xingtai. In the ninth year of Wude (626 AD), it was renamed as the Governor's Office. In the second year of Longshuo (662 AD), he was promoted to the position of Grand Commander in Chief. In the early year of Tianbao (742 AD), it was restored as Shu Commandery. In the second year of Zhide (757 AD), Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was stationed in Shu and promoted Shu Commandery to Chengdu Prefecture. As Nanjing, it became the capital of the Tang Dynasty and was renamed as the governor of Chengdu. At that time, Jiannan Road was divided into two rivers, east and west, and Chengdu was the administrative center of the Xichuan Jiedushi of Jiannan Road. In the early years of the Shangyuan era (760 AD), the capital title was abolished, while Chengdu Prefecture remained unchanged. In the first year of Guangming (880 AD), Emperor Xizong of Tang traveled to Chengdu to escape the Huangchao Uprising. During the Tang Dynasty, the "Jiannan Xichuan Road" centered around Chengdu was the wealthiest region in the country, and there was a saying at that time that it was "one yang and two yi".
In the Song Dynasty
In the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty, the world's first paper currency, "Jiaozi," was born in Chengdu. [3] In the fourth year of Jiayou (1059), Yizhou Road (one of the four roads in Chuanxia) was renamed Chengdu Prefecture Road, with its capital located in Chengdu. During the Five Dynasties period, before and after Shu and the Two Song dynasties, the prosperity of Chengdu once again reached its peak. In the fifth year of Baoyou in the Southern Song Dynasty (1257), the Mongol Yuan army captured Chengdu, causing great damage to the local production and economy.
In the Yuan Dynasty
In the 23rd year of the Yuan Dynasty's Zhiyuan era (1286), the Chengdu Road Administration Office was established as the capital of Sichuan and other administrative provinces.
In the Ming Dynasty
In the fourth year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1371), Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, established the Sichuan Chengbao Political Envoy's Office, with Chengdu as the capital. Zhu Yuanzhang conferred the title of King of Shu upon his eleventh son Zhu Chun, and the palace was located in Chengdu, which is now known as the "Imperial City". In the 17th year of the Chongzhen reign of the late Ming Dynasty (1644), Zhang Xianzhong led his army to attack Chengdu and declared himself emperor, with the country's name Daxi and Chengdu called Xijing.
In the Qing Dynasty(1844-1911)
When the Qing army entered Sichuan, the Han people in Sichuan strongly resisted, causing years of war and a significant decrease in population. The Qing Dynasty established Sichuan Province in Chengdu. The emperor also dispatched the Governor General of Sichuan and the General of Chengdu to reside in Chengdu Prefecture. During the Kangxi reign, the Qing court implemented the "Huguang Filling Sichuan" immigration campaign, and Chengdu gradually regained its vitality and prospered.
In June of the third year of the Xuantong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1911), the Road Protection Movement was launched in Chengdu. The "Chengdu Massacre" caused by the suppression of the people by the Governor General of Sichuan, Zhao Erfeng, triggered a popular uprising, which directly led to the outbreak of the Xinhai Revolution and made immortal contributions to the Chinese bourgeois democratic revolution. On November 27th, constitutionalist Pu Dianjun announced in Chengdu that Sichuan would break away from the Qing Dynasty and establish the Great Han Military Government, serving as the commander-in-chief.
During the Republic of China era (1912-1949)
On March 12, 1912, the Great Han Military Government in Chengdu was renamed as the Sichuan Military Government, with the military government stationed in Chengdu and Yin Changheng serving as the commander-in-chief. In the third year of the Republic of China (1914), the Beiyang government issued an order to establish the Xichuan Road in Chengdu, which governed 31 counties including Chengdu and Huayang; After the abolition of the road and the restoration of the province, Chengdu remains the capital of Sichuan province. In 1928, Chengdu City was established.
During the People's Republic of China ( 1949- ? )
On December 27, 1949, the Chinese People's Liberation Army entered Chengdu, and on September 1, 1952, the People's Government of Sichuan Province was established in Chengdu, and Chengdu was founded as the capital city of Sichuan Province since that time.
