Yunnan History
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Yunnan's long history dates all the way back to the birth of mankind. Thousands of years of history, paralleling the development of China as a nation, bear witness to a diverse variety of ethnicity in Yunnan; centuries of remarkable, cultural evolution and advancement. Starting with the foundation of the Dian Kingdom in the Warring States Period, through ever-changing administrative organization and division, current Yunnan gradually came into being.
1 Yuanmou Man
The Yunnan "Yuanmou Man" in Kaiyuan, the "Lama Ancient Ape" in Lufeng and the "Yuanmou Ape Man" (1.7 million years old) are the earliest pithecanthropus remains found in China. With the coming of the Neolithic Age, the people who lived near the Dianchi and Erhai were using some simple instruments of production, such as the stone axe, to undertake a primitive form of farming. The ruins at Haimenkou, Jianchuan prove that as early as 1100 B.C., bronze was already been used in some areas of Yunnan. By this era cultural productivity had made such progress that people were already structuring a class-based society.
2 Coming of Zhuangjiao
In 286 BC, Zhuangjiao, a Chu (ancient name of Sichuan province) general, received orders to lead his men into Yunnan, via the Yuanjiang River. He conquered the barbarians in the region and unified the Dianchi district, subsequently founding the Dian Kingdom and setting himself up as its king. Zhuangjiao introduced to Yunnan a relatively advanced culture and more productive farming techniques, both of which promoted the region's development. It not only symbolized the beginning of the connection between Yunnan and the midland of China, but also led Yunnan into a slave society.
3 The five-chi path built in the Qin Dynasty
In 221 BC, after the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty had unified China, he set up counties in Yunnan and sent officials there for administrative overseeing. Also at this time, a path from Yibing, Sichuan, to Qujing, Yunnan, was built. From its width of only 5 chis (a unit of length in China), the path was named "Five-Chi Path", and it symbolized the beginning of the formal rule of the central court in Yunnan.
4 Emperor Hanwu exploiting Yunnan
In the second Yuanfeng year of the Western Han Dynasty (109 BC), the Emperor Hanwu, sent his general Guochang to Yunnan, to lead men from Ba and Shu (Sichuan in general) to invade the district and set up Yizhou County with 24 subordinate counties. One of these was Yunnan, named "Yunnan Yi" at that time. The Eastern Han Dynasty followed suit by establishing Yongchang County at the site of present-day Baoshan, thereby strengthening their overall domination in Yunnan. At this point in history, Chinese territory in western Yunnan was basically entrenched. During the Qin and Han Dynasties, bronze as a core metal had been widely used in Yunnan, greatly contributing to the development of the region's economy. Over 2,000 bronze artifacts have been excavated in Lijia Mountain, Jiangchuan, and Shizhai Mountain, Jinning. Also, in Zhuti (present Zhaotong, Ludian) and Tanglang (present Dongchuan, Huize and Qiaojia) in northeastern Yunnan, the smelting and manufacture of copper and silver was well-known all over China. In the western districts of Yunnan, however, production of silk, hemp and cotton fabrics was the leading industry. Together with the greatly developed commercial exchange, this industry helped promote the communication of trade and culture between southwestern China and various countries in Southwestern Asia, especially Burma and India. This famous period in Yunnan history became known as "Emperor Hanwu Exploiting Dian".
5. Zhuge Liang's administration in the south
During the Three State Period, the present Yunnan plus western Guizhou and some area of southwestern Sichuan were called by the combined name "Nan Zhong". In 225, Zhuge Liang, the prime minister of the Kingdom of Shu Han, personally led three troops into the district of Erhai or thereabouts in western Yunnan, and he squelched the revolt launched by slaveholder nobles in Yunnan. Menghuo. from a local reputable family, surrendered and promised never to revolt again from the bottom of his heart. From this point on, Yunnan became part of the Kingdom of Shu Han.
6 Cuan's conquest
In 317, Sima Rui proclaimed himself emperor and built the Eastern Jin Dynasty. During the early years of this dynasty, the power of the Cuan family, who had moved to Yunnan from the midland, was gradually strengthening. As this power intensified, Cuanchen set himself up as king, and his descendants ruled the district of Dianchi for over 400 years. He called his territory Kunchuan or Kunsa, and kept economic and cultural communication with the Sui and Tang Dynasties.
7. Unity of six "Zhaos"
In 707, the Tang Dynasty beat the spreading force from Tufan, and then directed attention to the south and invaded Erhai, erecting an iron pillar as a memorial of this invasion. In 738 during the Zhenguan period, the Tang Dynasty supported the Mengshe Zhao, who unified the six Zhao and founded Nan Zhao Kingdom based in Erhai. And its prince, Luoge, was entitled as "Yunnan King". This kingdom lasted in power for over 200 years, under the rule of 13 generations of kings.
8 Duan's building Dali Kingdom
1n 937, Duan Siping wiped out the Kingdom of Nan Zhao and replaced it with Dali. In 1117, the Song Dynasty offered the king of Dali the title of "Yunnan Jiedu Ambassador", with its political center in Erhai and capital in Dali. For 316 years, the Kingdom of Dali had 22 generations of rulers in all. During this period, Shanchan City (Kunming) became the most prosperous city in central Yunnan, where the famous story of the"Peacock Gallbladder" took place and was handed down from generation to generation.
9 The Yuan Dynasty's crossing Genang
In 1253, leading his army, Kubalai Khan crossed into Yunnan from Genang, and wiped out the Kingdom of Dali. Seven years later he set up "Manager of Dali Kingdom". Fourteen years later, Kubalai Khan designated Sai Dianci, a talented Hui (the Chinese Muslim people), to build Yunnan Province and appointed him as the"Yunnan Province Pingzhang Zhengshi (the official to deal with government affairs in Yunnan Province)". Sai Dianci also took charge of Zhongqing (Kunming). This setting up of Yunnan Province effectively brought Yunnan into the united administration of the Yuan Dynasty thereby creating a new chapter in the history of Yunnan. From this point on, as a province-level mechanism, the name of "Yunnan" formally appeared in its history.
10. Regime of the Ming Dynasty
In the 14th Hongwu year of the Ming Dynasty (1381), Zhu Yuanzhang sent Fu Youde and Muying to crush Yunnan and capture Kunming, ending the rule of Liang King of the Yuan Dynasty, and extending the political power of the Ming Dynasty in Yunnan. The next year in 1382, the Ming Dynasty set up "Buzhengshi Si (equal to provincial government)" and "Duzhihui Si (equal to provincial military area command)". In the midland of Yunnan, the administrative organs of Fu, Zhou and county were established, executing an administration of ambulatory officials for the most part. The Ming Dynasty ruled Yunnan for 278 years.
11. Coming of Wu Sangui
At the end of Ming Dynasty, the Daxi Army, represented by Li Dingguo, a supporter of the exiled emperor Yongli, was sent to resist Qing troops at the base of Kunming. In the 16th Shunzhi year of the Qing Dynasty (1659), Wu Sangui launched an attack against Yunnan. The emperor Yongli and his followers escaped over the border to Burma. In 1662, Wu Sangui captured the emperor, Zhu Youlang, and his son in Burma, who were later hanged in Jinchan Temple, Kunming. This temple is found in the present-day Bisi Slope, meaning: forced to death. This heralded the last generation of the Ming Dynasty's eventual demise. During the period of Emperor Kangxi's rule, Wu Sangui's revolt attempting to divide the country was crushed, namely, the "Three Fans' Revolt" in history. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Du Wenxiu, Li Wenxue and others launched successive riots which took the whole province by storm.
12. Resisting the invasion of the eight countries
After the Opium War, Yunnan also suffered from the invasion by the imperialistic countries led by Britain and France, against which people of various nationalities in Yunnan put up a fierce fight to oppose imperialism and feudalism. After 1856, Du Wenxiu and Li Wenxue led a great insurrection of Hui, Bai, Yi and Hani people, vigorously supporting the nation's struggle against imperialism and feudalism and breaking down the enemy's dream of separating and conquering Yunnan. In the west, the defenders intercepted the "British Exploration Group" and killed Ma Jiali and his guardians, Pianma and Banhong. In the south, during the Sino-France War (1883-1885), the local militia severely punished French invaders, winning the Great Xuanguang and Lintao victories. Xiang Chongzhou and Yang Ziyuan also led people to fight against the French invaders. All of them composed numerous patriotic poems that to this day move people to song and tearful reflection.
13. Foundation of the regime of Republic of China and the campaign against Yuan Shikai
On October 30, 1911 (the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar), Caie led troops into "the Double Nine" insurgence. Two days later, the officials and soldiers taking part in the insurgence built the"Great Chinese Yunnan Military Governor Prefecture" and put forward Caie as Governor and Li Genyuan as Chief of Senate and Minister of Stratocracy Department. They set up the Republic Government and overthrew the 250 years' rule of the Qing Dynasty in Yunnan. On December 25, 1915, Caie and Tang Jiyao launched the State-Protection Campaign, lighting up the revolutionary flame by punishing Yuan Shikai and protecting the state. In 1926, Chinese Communist organizations came into being in Yunnan. On December 1, 1945, students staged "the 12, 1 Students' Campaign" in Kunming, which was cruelly suppressed by the authorities, known as "the 12,1 Massacre". During this suppression, 4 people were killed and the whole nation was shocked. On December 9, 1949, Luhan, president of Yunnan Province of Kuomintang, led his troops into an insurrection. Consequently, Yunnan was liberated peacefully and the People's Government of Yunnan Province was formally set up.
