Liaocheng

History

Pre-Qin era

During the Spring and Autumn period, the area was part of the State of Qi as Liaocheng Town (聊城邑). The Strategies of the Warring States Qi section records: "The general of Yan captured Liaocheng." The Zuo Zhuan also notes: "Liao and She, the two cities, were the western frontier of Qi." The modern city takes its name from the ancient Liaocheng.

Imperial era

In the Qin dynasty, Liaocheng County was established under Dong Commandery, and this administrative arrangement continued through the Han period. In the 222 under Wei of the Three Kingdoms, it was reassigned to the Principality of Pingyuan, later changed to Pingyuan Commandery, a system retained by the Jin dynasty. In 499 under the Northern Wei, the county seat was moved to Wangcheng in the northeast of today’s urban area, serving as the administrative center of Pingyuan Commandery.

In the Sui dynasty, Pingyuan Commandery was abolished in 583, and in 596 Bo Prefecture was established, which was later abolished during the Daye era, with Liaocheng County reassigned to Wuyang Commandery. In the 1st year of the Tang Wude era (618), Liaocheng County was placed under Weizhou of Hebei Circuit, and in 621 Bo Prefecture was reestablished. In 906, it was renamed Liaoyi County; during the Five Dynasties, it reverted to Liaocheng County. In 992 of the Northern Song dynasty, the county seat was moved to the site of the present city.

In the Yuan dynasty, during the 1267, Bozhou Circuit (博州路) was established with its seat at Liaocheng County. In 1276 it was renamed Dongchang Circuit. In the Ming dynasty, early in the Hongwu reign, it became Dongchang Prefecture, with its seat at Liaocheng County. The Qing dynasty retained this structure, and the area belonged to the Jidong Taiwu Lin Circuit.

Modern era

In the Republic of China, the prefectural system was abolished in 1913 and Liaocheng County was placed under Jixi Circuit, then under Donglin Circuit in the following year. In 1925, it was reassigned to Dongchang Circuit. After the National Government abolished the circuit system in 1928, the county came under the Sixth Administrative Inspectorate District of Shandong Province. In November 1938, Liaocheng was occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army. After the Japanese withdrawal, Nationalist troops retook the city. In December 1946, the People’s Liberation Army attacked Liaocheng, and the Nationalist forces withdrew.

In August 1949, Liaocheng was detached from Shandong and attached to Pingyuan. In November 1952, Pingyuan was dissolved and Liaocheng returned to Shandong. In 1967, Liaocheng Prefecture was reorganized as Liaocheng District. In August 1983, Liaocheng County was reconstituted as Liaocheng City (county-level). In March 1998, Liaocheng District was abolished and replaced by the prefecture-level Liaocheng City; the former county-level Liaocheng City (city core) became Dongchangfu District. In June 2019, the State Council approved the abolition of Chiping County and it was replaced by Chiping District. In 2007, the city is named China's top ten livable cities by Chinese Cities Brand Value Report, which was released at 2007 Beijing Summit of China Cities Forum.