Chengdu History

- Shu State: Kaiming (king) moved capital to Chengdu, 4th century BC

- Qin Dynasty: city founded, protective 25-meter tall wall built, and the city's reputation as commercial hub and center for arts and crafts trades established

- Western Han Dynasty: Brocade City (silk brocade industry thriving)

- Song Dynasty: five rather large commercial centers plus a large market

- Until Tang Dynasty: Most of China's silk trade with Middle East was silk from Chengdu

- Sui Dynasty: Yang Xiu brought a group of master monks, Sichuan important center for Buddhist studies

- After founding of People's Republic of China in 1949: 3 important railways under construction, large number of professionals and technicians transferred to Chengdu

- Since Yuan Dynasty: location of Sichuan province gov.