Shandong

Header = 山东省Shāndōng Shěng

History

Shandong is located on the eastern edge of the North China Plain, and has felt the influence of Chinese civilization since its very beginnings. The earliest dynasties (the Shang dynasty and Zhou dynasty) exerted varying degrees of control over western and central Shandong. The Shandong Peninsula to the east was, however, inhabited by the Laiyi peoples who were outside the influence of Chinese civilization, and considered to be barbarians. (The Laiyi were quickly sinicized and there is no more mention of them for most of Chinese history.)

Related Topics:
North China Plain - Shang dynasty - Zhou dynasty - Shandong Peninsula - Laiyi - Barbarian - Sinicized

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, regional states became increasingly powerful. Shandong was at this time home to two powerful states: the state of Qi at Linzi and the state of Lu at Qufu. Lu is noted for being the home of Confucius. The state was, however, comparatively small, and eventually succumbed to the powerful state of Chu from the south. The state of Qi was, on the other hand, a major power throughout this entire period. Cities it ruled included Linzi, Jimo (north of modern Qingdao) and Ju.

Related Topics:
Spring and Autumn Period - Warring States Period - State of Qi - Linzi - State of Lu - Qufu - Confucius - State of Chu - Jimo - Qingdao - Ju

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A unified Qin Dynasty was founded in 221 BC, creating the first centralized Chinese state. The Han Dynasty that followed created two zhou ("provinces") in what is now modern Shandong: Qingzhou Province in the north and Yanzhou Province in the south. (The Shandong Peninsula was still relatively underdeveloped at the time.) During the division of the Three Kingdoms Shandong belonged to the Kingdom of Wei, which ruled over northern China.

Related Topics:
Qin Dynasty - 221 BC - Han Dynasty - Zhou - Qingzhou Province - Yanzhou Province - Shandong Peninsula - Three Kingdoms - Kingdom of Wei

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A brief period of unity after the Three Kingdoms period quickly gave way to invasions by nomadic peoples from the north. Shandong, and the rest of northern China, was quickly overrun. Over the next century or so Shandong changed hands quickly, falling to the Later Zhao, then Former Yan, then Former Qin, then Later Yan, then Southern Yan, then the Liu Song Dynasty, and finally the Northern Wei Dynasty, the first of the Northern Dynasties during the Northern and Southern Dynasties Period. Shandong stayed with the Northern Dynasties for the rest of this period.

Related Topics:
Later Zhao - Former Yan - Former Qin - Later Yan - Southern Yan - Liu Song Dynasty - Northern Wei Dynasty - Northern and Southern Dynasties

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 412, the Chinese Buddhist monk Faxian landed at Laoshan, on the southern edge of the Shandong peninsula, and proceeded to Qingzhou to edit and translate the scriptures he had brought back from India.

Related Topics:
412 - Buddhist - Faxian - Laoshan - Qingzhou - India

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Sui Dynasty reestablished unity, and the Tang Dynasty presided over the next golden age of China. For the earlier part of this period Shandong was ruled as part of Henan Circuit, one of the circuits (a political division). Later on China splintered into warlord factions, resulting in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Shandong was part of the Five Dynasties, all based in the north.

Related Topics:
Sui Dynasty - Tang Dynasty - Henan Circuit - Circuits - Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Song Dynasty reunified China. In 1996, the discovery of over 200 buried Buddhist statues at Qingzhou was hailed as a major archaeological find. The statues included early examples of painted figures, and are thought to have been buried due to Emperor Huizong's Song Dynasty repression of Buddhism (he favoured Taoism).

Related Topics:
Song Dynasty - 1996 - Archaeological - Emperor Huizong - Song Dynasty - Buddhism - Taoism

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Song Dynasty was forced to cede of northern China to the Jurchen Jin Dynasty in 1142. Shandong was administered by the Jin Dynasty as Shandong East Circuit and Shandong West Circuit — the first use of its current name.

Related Topics:
Jurchen - Jin Dynasty - 1142 - Shandong East Circuit - Shandong West Circuit

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The modern province of Shandong was created by the Ming Dynasty. It also included much of modern-day Liaoning (in south Manchuria) at the time. However, the Manchus increasingly asserted independence, and eventually managed to conquer all of China as well. Under the Qing Dynasty, which they founded, Shandong acquired (more or less) its current borders.

Related Topics:
Ming Dynasty - Liaoning - Manchuria - Manchu - Qing Dynasty

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During the 19th century, China became increasingly exposed to Western influence, and Shandong was especially affected, being along the coast. Qingdao was ceded to Germany in 1897 and Weihai to Britain in 1898. The rest of Shandong was generally considered to be part of the German sphere of influence. In addition, the Qing Dynasty opened the lands of Manchuria to Han Chinese immigration during the 19th century; Shandong was the main source of the ensuing tide of migrants.

Related Topics:
19th century - Qingdao - Germany - 1897 - Weihai - Britain - 1898 - Sphere of influence - Qing Dynasty - Manchuria - Han Chinese

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the Republic of China was founded in 1911, Qingdao reverted to Chinese control in 1922, Weihai followed in 1930. In 1937 Japan began its invasion of China proper in the Second Sino-Japanese War, which would eventually become part of the Pacific theatre of the Second World War. Shandong was occupied in its entirety by Japan, with pockets of resistance. This lasted until the surrender of Japan in 1945.

Related Topics:
Republic of China - 1911 - Qingdao - 1922 - Weihai - 1930 - 1937 - Japan - Second Sino-Japanese War - Second World War - 1945

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

By 1945, communist forces already held some parts of Shandong. Over the next 4 years of the Chinese Civil War, they expanded their holdings, eventually driving the Kuomintang (government of the Republic of China) entirely out of Shandong by June 1949. The People's Republic of China was founded in October of the same year.

Related Topics:
1945 - Communist - Chinese Civil War - Kuomintang - Republic of China - June - 1949 - People's Republic of China

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Under the new government, parts of western Shandong was initially given to the short-lived Pingyuan Province, but this did not last. Shandong also acquired the Xuzhou and Lianyungang areas from Jiangsu province, but this did not last either. For the most part Shandong has kept the same borders that it has today.

Related Topics:
Pingyuan Province - Xuzhou - Lianyungang - Jiangsu

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In recent years Shandong, especially eastern Shandong, has raced ahead in economic development, becoming one of the richest provinces of China.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~