Shenyang (Ch.: 沈阳; pinyin: Shěnyáng, or Mukden ( in Manchu), is a sub-provincial city and capital of Liaoning province in Northeast China.
Along with its nearby cities, Shenyang is an important industrial center in China, and the transportation and commercial centre of China's northeastern region.
The city was also known as Shengjing (
盛京) or Fengtian (
奉天).
History
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Shenyang
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese: 渖阳
Simplified Chinese: 沈阳
[show]Transliterations
Mandarin
- Hanyu Pinyin: Shěnyáng
Manchu name
Manchu: (Mukden)
The city’s name, Shenyang, literally meaning "the city in the north of Shen River", comes from the Hun River on the city’s south side, which used to be called Shen River. Archaeological findings show that human beings resided in present day Shenyang as early as 7,200 years ago. The City of Shenyang was first established by Qin Kai, a general of Yan in the Warring States period about 300 B.C. It was named as Hou City (Chinese: 候城) at that time. It became known as Shen Prefecture (渖州) in the Jin Dynasty and Shenyang Path (Chinese: 渖阳路) in the Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, it became Shenyang Zhongwei (Chinese: 渖阳
中卫).
In 1625, the Manchu leader Nurhaci moved his capital to Shenyang, or Simiyan hoton as it is called in Manchu. The official name was changed to Shengjing (盛京) in Chinese, or Mukden ; in Manchu 1634. The name derives from the Manchu word, mukdembi, meaning "to rise", and this is reflected by its Chinese name, which means "rising capital". Shenyang remained the capital of the Qing Dynasty until the relocation of the capital to Beijing in 1644 after the fall of Ming dynasty. However, it retained considerable prestige as the older capital, treasures of the royal house were kept at its palaces, and the tombs of the early Qing rulers were once among the most famous monuments in China. In 1657, Fengtian Prefecture (Chinese: 奉天府; Pinyin: Fèngtiān fǔ; Manchu: Abkai imiyangga fu or Fungtyian, "obeying heaven") was established in the Shenyang area, and Fengtian was sometimes used synonymously with Shenyang/Mukden. In 1914, the city changed back to its old name Shenyang. However, Shenyang continued to be known as Mukden in English sources (sometimes spelled Moukden) through much of the 20th century.
With the building of the South Manchurian Railway, Mukden became a Russian stronghold. During the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), Mukden was the site of the Battle of Mukden from on 19 February - 10 March 1905. It was the largest battle in the world when it was fought buy the Russians. Following the Japanese victory, the Japanese concession at Mukden was one of the chief bases for Japanese economic expansion into southern Manchuria. It was also the seat of the Chinese viceroy of the three Manchurian provinces. In the 1920s, Mukden was the capital of the warlord Chang Tso-lin, who was killed when his train was blown up near Mukden at a Japanese-guarded railway bridge.