Khanbaliq (Yuan Dadu)

Timeline

1. 1264Yanjing (northeast of the former Jin Zhongdu site) · North ChinaKublai Khan ordered Liu Bingzhong, Xu Shiheng, and others to oversee the construction of a new capital in the northeastern outskirts of Yanjing, adopting the Rites of Zhou principle of 'court in front, market behind; ancestral temple to the left, altar of soil and grain to the right,' establishing Dadu's central axis and ward framework; the Mongols called it Khanbaliq.
2. 1267Palace City of Yuan Dadu · Beijing MunicipalityIn the fourth year of Zhiyuan, the main structures of Dadu's imperial and palace cities were completed and Kublai Khan moved in, making Khanbaliq the imperial administrative hub; the palace city included the Great Inner and Longfu Palace, Xihua Hall, and others, reflecting a blended Mongol-Chinese architectural style.
3. 1270Khanbaliq maritime trade and relay station hub · Beijing MunicipalityBy around 1270, Dadu connected Persia, Central Asia, and Europe via the zanchi postal relay routes, maritime shipping, and the overland Silk Road; Semu merchants, missionaries, and envoys settled in the city, making it an international metropolis of the thirteenth century.