Southern Song Temporary Capital Lin'an (Hangzhou)

Timeline

1. 1138Lin'an Prefecture · ZhejiangEmperor Gaozong decreed Hangzhou the temporary capital, named Lin'an Prefecture; palaces and offices were gradually built, shifting the political center from the Central Plains to the Qiantang River and opening the Southern Song capital era.
2. c. 1150–1200Lin'an imperial city and imperial street · ZhejiangThe imperial city, imperial street, Qinghe Fang commercial district, and entertainment quarters flourished in succession; population grew rapidly, and Mengliang Lu records its bustling wards and year-round attractions as the city form matured.
3. 1241–1250Lin'an Prefecture and Maritime Trade Office · ZhejiangLin'an was the terminus of southeastern grain transport and a maritime trade hub; silk, porcelain, and tea were sold by sea to East Asia and the Indian Ocean world; Marco Polo called Hangzhou the finest city in the world, reflecting its 13th-century urban status.
4. 1276–1279Lin'an Prefecture · ZhejiangIn 1276 Yuan forces peacefully took Lin'an; after the 1279 Yashan defeat the Southern Song capital era ended; the city became the seat of Hangzhou Circuit under the Yuan, but no longer an imperial capital.