Great Jin: Map & History
The Jin dynasty, officially the Great Jin, was a Jurchen-led imperial dynasty of China and empire ruled by the Wanyan clan that existed between 1115 and 1234.
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The Jin dynasty, officially the Great Jin, was a Jurchen-led imperial dynasty of China and empire ruled by the Wanyan clan that existed between 1115 and 1234. It is also often called the Jurchen dynasty or the Jurchen Jin after the ruling Jurchen people. At its peak, the empire extended from Outer Manchuria in the north to the Qinling–Huaihe Line in the south.
Modern Countries Once Part of Great Jin
At its mapped extent, Great Jin covered territory in 3 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Great Jin's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Great Jin in Depth
History
After Wuyashu's death in 1113, his brother Aguda (posthumously Emperor Taizu of Jin) was elected leader of the Jurchens by the tribal elders. The Liao continued to bestow upon the Wanyan leaders the title of military governor, but the Jurchens soon came into military conflict with the Liao.
In late 1112, Emperor Tianzuo of Liao embarked on a fishing expedition to the Huntong River (modern Songhua River) where the Jurchen tribes were expected to pay homage to the emperor. As a symbolic gesture of obeisance, the Jurchen chieftains were supposed to get up in turn and dance in the emperor's camp, but one of them, Aguda, refused. Even after being bidden three times, Aguda still refused to dance.
Government
The government of the Jin dynasty merged Jurchen customs with institutions adopted from the Liao and Song dynasties. The pre-dynastic Jurchen government was based on the quasi-egalitarian tribal council. Jurchen society at the time did not have a strong political hierarchy. The Shuo Fu (說郛) records that the Jurchen tribes were not ruled by central authority and locally elected their chieftains. Tribal customs were retained after Aguda united the Jurchen tribes and formed the Jin dynasty, coexisting alongside more centralised institutions. The Jin dynasty had five capitals, a practice they adopted from the Balhae and the Liao. The Jin had to overcome the difficulties of controlling a multicultural empire composed of territories once ruled by the Liao and Northern Song.
Culture
The Jin dynasty sought to revive of Tang-era urban design through architectural projects in Kaifeng and Zhongdu (modern Beijing), constructing landmarks such as a bell tower and drum tower to announce the night curfew which had been reinstated after being abolished by the Song government. The Jurchens, following the Khitan precedent, lived in tents amid Han Chinese-style architecture, which itself was modeled after Song dynasty Kaifeng.
Because the Jin had few contacts with its southern neighbour, the Song dynasty, different cultural developments took place in both states. Within Confucianism, the Neo-Confucian "Learning of the Way" that developed and became orthodox in Song did not take root in Jin.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Jin dynasty (1115–1234) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Great Jin: Key Facts
| Capitals | Huining, Zhongdu, Kaifeng Fu |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1115 |
| Dissolved | 1234 |
Preceded by
- Northern Song dynasty
- Liao dynasty
- Northern Liao
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q5066 (CC0).
Great Jin Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Great Jin appears, with the other states of the time.
Great Jin Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 2,118,396 km² in 1210 CE.
Great Jin: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Great Jin exist?
Great Jin is dated to 1126 CE – 1235 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Great Jin?
The capital of Great Jin was Zhongdu.
How large was Great Jin at its peak?
At its peak in 1210 AD Great Jin covered about 2,118,396 km².
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