Xianyang

Timeline

1. c. -350Xianyang · Guanzhong PlainDuke Xiao of Qin moved the capital from Yueyang to Xianyang, relying on the agriculture of the Wei River plain and Guanzhong's four natural passes, laying the geographic and political foundation for Qin's eastward advance toward unification.
2. -356–-230Xianyang · Guanzhong PlainShang Yang's reforms made Xianyang the center for implementing new policies; the rudiments of the commandery-county system and the merit-based nobility system were established here, and Xianyang became the power core of the strongest state of the late Warring States period.
3. -221–-210Xianyang · Guanzhong PlainAfter unification Qin Shi Huang built the Epang Palace and the imperial post roads on a grand scale; Xianyang became the imperial capital commanding the thirty-six commanderies, and national policies such as a unified script, unified weights and measures, and unified axle widths were issued from here.
4. -206Xianyang · Guanzhong PlainAfter Qin Er Shi's death Zhao Gao usurped power; Liu Bang entered the passes and accepted the surrender, after which Xiang Yu entered the passes and set fire to Xianyang's palaces, ending the Qin Empire capital's function, and in the early Han the political center shifted to Chang'an.