Kunming History

Kunming is a historical and cultural city, with a time-honored history, splendid culture and a glorious revolutionary tradition. Our ancestors in the tortuous process of pursuing of progress, happiness, independence and freedom left us a profound and effulgent culture with local characteristics and ethnic characteristics. There are many historical sites, historical tombs, historical celebrities, historical events, and historical contributions.

‣ In Ancient Times

In ancient times, Dianchi played an important role in Yunnan. There were many bamboos, grasses, Asian elephants, rhinos, pandas and other animals at the foot of the mountain and primitive forests at the hill of the mountains. Fossil teeth found in Jiuxiang Cave proved that there were early wise man lived in Kunming 300 thousand years ago. In the Neolithic age, the original population in Dianchi area has been greatly increased, “slash-and-burn cultivation” began.

‣ During Pre-Qin period

In the Chunqiu period, there were thousands of tribal alliance inDianchi and its surrounding areas, though “Dian” was the largest tribe. In the warring states period, the Zhuang people from Chu State established the Dian Kingdom in Dianchi Lake area, which brought a more advanced culture from Chu State and the middle of China to the Dian Kingdom and invigorated local politics and the economy. All ethnic groups created a world-renowned, unique bronze culture, with exquisite craft, wide subject, strong local characteristics. It reflected the social development level of ancient Dian country.

‣ The Qin and Han Dynasties

The Han Dynasty(205 BC–AD 220) wanted to do business with Burma and India, so The Han Dynasty occupied small parts of Yunnan and Yunnan was named as Dian. though subsequent dynasties expanding their borders through Yunnan gradually.

‣ In the Period of Sui and Tang Dynasties

Kunming was named as Kunzhou in The Sui Dynasty (581–618). In 765, Kunming was named as Tuodong city in the Kingdom of Nanzhao and Kunming was out of Tang’s control and became an independent area in Tang Dynasty.

‣ In the Period of Yuan Dynasties

It got its current name in 1276 from the Mongols in the period towards the decline of the Yuan dynasty and later still in 1832, the beginnings of a real city were acknowledged within the city walls and significant structures within their confines. Founding of the city can, therefore be said to have been a predominantly 19th century affair. It was also in this century that the city grew to become the major market and transport centre for the region.

‣ In the Period of Ming and Qing Dynasties

Kunming was occupied by Ming Dynasty in the 14th century and was named as Yunnanfu. Ming Dynasty built a protective wall surrounding present-day Kunming in case of invasion, but it didn’t work. And then Kunming was ruled by Manchu of Qing. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was the seat of the superior prefecture of Yunnan. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, the government chose Kunming as a commercial port. In 1910, Dianyue Railway was completed, which comprehensively enhanced the role of Kunming.

‣ In the Period of The People’s Republic of China

Yunnan was peacefully liberated in 1949, and after 1949,Kunming developed rapidly into an industrial metropolis with the construction of large iron, steel, and chemical complexes, along with Chongqing, Chengdu and Guiyang in the southwest. In the 1980s and 1990s, the city center was rebuilt, with Swiss help, in its current modern style to impress visitors attending the 1999 World Horticultural Exposition. Now, the World Horticultural Expo is widely regarded as a public relations success for Kunming, which seemed to exceed almost all expectations. The Expo made the outside world take notice of Kunming.

‣ Modern history

In the 1980s and 1990s, the city center was rebuilt, with Swiss’s help, in its current ‘modern’ style to impress visitors attending the 1999 World Hortcultural Exposition. It was primarily during 1997 and 1998 that much of the city’s roads, bridges and high rises were built.

The World Horticultural Expo was widely regarded as a public relations success for Kunming. Today the after-effects of the Expo are apparent in more than just the physical improvements to the city—it was the Expo that made the outside world take notice of Kunming, which was relatively unknown at the time.

In July 2006, talks at the ASEAN Regional Forum, China, Bangladesh and Myanmar (Burma) agreed to construct a highway from Kunming to Chittagong through Mandalay for trade and development.

On 1 March 2014, 29 people died, and more than 130 were injured at Kunming Railway Station in what the Chinese Xinhua News Agency described as a terrorist attack.