Qingdao - History

History

6000 years ago
Qingdao area was populated

720 BC
First manifestations of an organized village began during the Eastern Zhou dynasty (770-256 BC).

600 BC
The scholar Lao-Tzu gave birth to the religion known as Taoism

221 BC
After unifying China, Ying Zheng, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, climbed three times to the top of Mount Langyatai in the south of the present city of Jiaonan. Ying Zheng called himself Shi Huang Di (First Emperor), historically known as Qin Shi Huang, or First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty.
During his reign, Qin Shi Huang standardized the script, currencies, and weights and measures, established the system of prefectures and counties, and constructed the world-renowned Great Wall as well as a large palace, mausoleum and temporary regal lodges respectively in Xianyang, Lishan and other places.

Bo Le, a minister during the Qin Dynasty, choosing a war horse for troops.

140-87 B.C.
In today´s Chengyang District of Qingdao Liu Che (140-87 B.C), emperor of the Han Dynasty (206 BC- 220 AD) held sacrificial rites at the Jiaomen Palace in Mount Buqi and built nine temples in Mount Nugu along the Jiaozhou Bay. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, this part of the Shandong province had grown into a flourishing area which used to be called Jiao´ao.

685 AD
During the Tang dynasty (681-907) Qingdao took full advantage of its sea location by evolving into one of the Shandong peninsula´s most important cities for commerce.

1891
In 1891 the imperial court of Qing garrisoned troups in the area and make the area a defence base and the establishment of Qingdao began.

1897
It became a German concession when Germany occupied Qingdao by force.

1914
Japan invaded Qingdao at the beginning of the first world war and continued colonial rule.

1919
In protest against the then Chinese government yielding to Japanese pressure, the famous May 4th Movement was launched in 1919 and protestors demanded to resume sovereignty over Qingdao.

1922
The city reverted to Chinese rule but was once again occupied by Japan

1929
In July 1929 Qingdao was granted a status of special city under the control of the Kuomintang (KMT) government and was listed in the rank of cities in 1930

1938-1949
In 1938 Japan once again invaded and occupied Qingdao, but 1945 the Nationalist government took over. The city was finally liberated in June 2, 1949 by the Red Army.

1994
Qingdao was included in the country´s 15-vice-provincial-level-city list. Today Qingdao is one of the most important coastal cities in the Pacific Rim.