Zhongdu

Zhongdu (中都, lit. "Central Capital") was the capital of the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty in medieval China. It was located in the southwestern part of Beijing's Xicheng District. It had a population of nearly one million by the late 12th century,[1] and was the last and largest pre-modern city built on that location.[2]

Map showing the change of the city walls in Beijing throughout Liao, Jurchen Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

This article is about the capital of the Jin dynasty in medieval China. For other uses, see Zhongdu (disambiguation).

The Daning Palace and Taiye Lake were located to the city's northeast.

After a move to Kaifeng was mooted by the Jurchens following a visit by Genghis Khan in 1214, he returned to the city the next year and destroyed it. His grandson Kublai Khan did not rebuild the site but instead built his capital of Khanbaligh to its northeast around the Daning Palace park.

See also

• History of Beijing
• Liao Nanjing

References

1. Kuo, Kaiser (2008-09-01). The Insider's Guide to Beijing 2005-2006. True Run Media. ISBN 9780977333400. [...] Zhongdu had a population of nearly one million by the late 12th century.
2. Casault, André (1988). Understanding the changes and constants of the courtyard house neighborhoods in Beijing (Thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. OCLC 18687273.