Yunnan History

Yunnan History

Yunnan is one of the important birthplaces of human beings.

About 1.7 million ago, the Yunnan Yuanmou people lived here, who is the earliest ape-man discovered so far in the history of our country.

During the Zhan States Period (286 BC), Zhuangqiao, the General of the Chu State (in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River) led the army to the area around Dian Lake and established the Dian Kingdom. The Dian Kingdom was centered on Dian Lake and extended as far as Dali.

In 221 BC, Emperor Qin Shihuang unified China, established Yunnan as a county, and appointed officials to manage Yunnan.

In 109 BC, under the rule of Emperor Hanwudi, the Dian Kingdom became part of the Han Dynasty. It was then an important traffic center, connecting China’s hinterland with the southeast Asia countries Via Yunnan, especially international trade and cultural exchanges with Myanmar and India.

The Tang Dynasty supported the Mengshe tribe, which was born in Dali Weishan County, unified the other six tribes, and established the “Nanzhao State” based on Erhai Lake. The Nanzhao Kingdom has 13 kings and lasted for more than 200 years.

In 937 AD, Duan Siping, a Bai general, destroyed Nanzhao State and established the Dali Kingdom. The political center is in the Erhai area, with Dali as its capital, and it has 22 kings and ruled for a total of 316 years.
During the Dali state, the king developed Kunming as the Tuodong city and moved a large number of local craftsmen to build the city.

In 1253 AD, Kublai Khan led the Mongolian army to conquer Yunnan and destroy Dali. After the unification of China, Yunnan Province was established, and Sayyid Ajjal was appointed as the first provincial governor and moved the political center from Dali to Kunming.

In AD 1381, the Ming army conquered Kunming, established the Ming Dynasty regime in Yunnan, and ruled for 278 years.

During the Qing Dynasty, Wu Sangui killed the Yongli Emperor in Kunming and was crowned Prince of Pingxi. Later Wu Sangui betrayed the Qing Emperor and crowned himself emperor in Hengzhou (now Hunan Hengyang). During the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty, Wu San Gui’s rebellion was ended by the Qing army.

In 1911, the Yunnan generals Cai E and Tang Jiyao started the Kunming Uprising, overthrowing the Qing dynasty in Yunnan.

On December 9, 1949, Lu Han, provincial chairman, led an uprising, peacefully liberated Yunnan, and established a new Yunnan Provincial People’s Government.