Timeline of Political Events in Late Qing and Early Republican China

Timeline of Political Events in Late Qing and Early Republican China
中國清末民初政權年表

Western Year 西歷	Sexagenary Cycle¹ 干支	Buddhist Year²佛歷	Political / Historical Events³	Era Names 年號
1850	gengxu 庚戌	2394	Feb. 25 Daoguang Emperor dies	Daoguang 道光 30 [Japan] Kaei 嘉永 3
1851	xinhai 辛亥 Feb. 1	2395	Jan. 31 Daoguang era ends Feb. 1 Xianfeng era begins Taiping Rebellion begins Taiping Yuannian era begins	Xianfeng 咸豐 1 [Taiping] Yuannian 元年 1 [Japan] Kaei 4
1852	renzi 任子 Feb. 20	2396	April-May Tiaping forces lay siege to Guilin	Xianfeng 2 [Taiping] Yuannian 2 [Japan] Kaei 5
1853	guichou 癸丑 Feb. 8	2397	Jan. 12 Taiping army occupies Wuchang Mar. 20 Taiping army seizes Nanjing	Xianfeng 3 [Taiping] Yuannian 3 [Japan] Kaei 6
1854	jiayin 甲寅 Jan. 29	2398	Chinese Maritime Customs Service established in Shanghai Mar. 31 Treaty of Kanagawa signed between US and Japan Nov. 27 Kaei era ends, Ansei era begins in Japan	Xianfeng 4 [Taiping] Yuannian 4 [Japan] Kaei 7 [Japan] Ansei 安政 1
1855	yimao 乙卯 Feb. 17	2399	Mar. 17 Taiping army invades Anhui	Xianfeng 5 [Taiping] Yuannian 5 [Japan] Ansei 2
1856	bingchen 丙辰 Feb. 6	2400	Oct. 8 The "Arrow incident" which would lead to the Second Opium War	Xianfeng 6 [Taiping] Yuannian 6 [Japan] Ansei 3
1857	dingsi 丁巳 Jan. 26	2401	Mar. 3 The United Kingdom and France formally declare war on China	Xianfeng 7 [Taiping] Yuannian 7 [Japan] Ansei 4
1858	wuwu 戊午 Feb. 14	2402	May 28 Treaty of Aigun signed June Treaties of Tianjin signed, temporarily ending Second Opium War July 29 Harris Treaty signed between US and Japan	Xianfeng 8 [Taiping] Yuannian 8 [Japan] Ansei 5
1859	jiwei 己未 Feb. 3	2403	June 25 Dagu fort repels British naval force at Tianjin	Xianfeng 9 [Taiping] Yuannian 9 [Japan] Ansei 6
1860	gengshen 庚申 Jan. 23	2404	Mar. 18 Ansei era ends, Man'en era begins in Japan Oct. 18 Convention of Peking signed, ending the Second Opium War Oct. Destruction of the Summer Palaces	Xianfeng 10 [Taiping] Yuannian 10 [Japan] Ansei 7 [Japan] Man'en 万延 1
1861	xinyou 辛酉 Feb. 10	2405	Zongli Yamen (Foreign Office) established Feb. 19 Man'en era ends, Bunkyū era begins in Japan	Xianfeng 11 [Taiping] Yuannian 11 Japan] Man'en 2 [Japan] Bunkyū 文久 1
1862	renxu 任戌 Jan. 30	2406	Tongwen Guan foreign language school established Jan. 29 Xianfeng era ends Jan. 30 Tongzhi era begins	Tongzhi 同治 1 [Taiping] Yuannian 12 [Japan] Bunkyū 2
1863	guihai 癸亥 Feb. 18	2407		Tongzhi 2 [Taiping] Yuannian 13 [Japan] Bunkyū 3
1864	jiazi 甲子 Feb. 8	2408	Most territories of the Taiping reclaimed by the Qing Mar. 27 Bunkyū era ends, Genji era begins in Japan	Tongzhi 3 [Taiping] Yuannian 14 [Japan] Bunkyū 4 [Japan] Genji 元治 1
1865	yichou 乙丑 Jan. 27	2409	May 1 Genji era ends, Keiō era begins in Japan June 25 James Hudson Taylor founds the China Inland Mission	Tongzhi 4 [Taiping] Yuannian 15 [Japan] Genji 2 [Japan] Keiō 慶応 1
1866	bingyin 丙寅 Feb. 15	2410		Tongzhi 5 [Taiping] Yuannian 16 [Japan] Keiō 2
1867	dingmao 丁卯 Feb. 5	2411	Jan. 30 Death of Emperor Kōmei 孝明天皇 Feb. 3 Abdication of Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu	Tongzhi 6 [Taiping] Yuannian 17 [Japan] Keiō 3
1868	wuchen 戊辰 Jan. 25	2412	Taiping Yuannian era ends Jan. 3 Meiji Emperor proclaims his restoration Aug. 22-23 Yangzhou riots against foreign missionary presence in China Oct. 23 Meiji era begins in Japan	Tongzhi 7 [Taiping] Yuannian 18 [Japan] Keiō 4 [Japan] Meiji 明治 1
1869	jisi 己巳 Feb. 11	2413		Tongzhi 8 [Japan] Meiji 2
1870	gengwu 庚午 Jan. 31	2414		Tongzhi 9 [Japan] Meiji 3
1871	xinwei 辛未 Feb. 19	2415		Tongzhi 10 [Japan] Meiji 4
1872	renshen 壬申 Feb. 9	2416		Tongzhi 11 [Japan] Meiji 5
1873	guiyou 癸酉 Jan. 29	2417		Tongzhi 12 [Japan] Meiji 6
1874	jiaxu 甲戌 Feb. 17	2418		Tongzhi 13 [Japan] Meiji 7
1875	yihai 乙亥 Feb. 6	2419	Feb. 5 Tongzhi era ends Feb. 6 Guangxu era begins	Guangxu 光緒 1 [Japan] Meiji 8
1876	bingzi 丙子 Jan. 26	2420		Guangxu 2 [Japan] Meiji 9
1877	dingchou 丁丑 Feb. 13	2421		Guangxu 3 [Japan] Meiji 10
1878	wuyin 戊寅 Feb. 2	2422		Guangxu 4 [Japan] Meiji 11
1879	yimao 己卯 Jan. 22	2423		Guangxu 5 [Japan] Meiji 12
1880	gengchen 庚辰 Feb. 10	2424		Guangxu 6 [Japan] Meiji 13
1881	xinsi 辛巳 Jan. 30	2425		Guangxu 7 [Japan] Meiji 14
1882	renwu 壬午 Feb. 18	2426		Guangxu 8 [Japan] Meiji 15
1883	guiwei 癸未 Feb. 8	2427	Fall Sino-French war begins in Vietnam	Guangxu 9 [Japan] Meiji 16
1884	jiashen 甲申 Jan. 28	2428	August Battle of Fuzhou	Guangxu 10 [Japan] Meiji 17
1885	yiyou 乙酉 Feb. 15	2429	June 9 Li Hongzhang signs treaty ended Sino-French War	Guangxu 11 [Japan] Meiji 18
1886	bingxu 丙戌 Feb. 4	2430		Guangxu 12 [Japan] Meiji 19
1887	dinghai 丁亥 Jan. 24	2431		Guangxu 13 [Japan] Meiji 20
1888	wuzi 戊子 Feb. 12	2432		Guangxu 14 [Japan] Meiji 21
1889	jichou 己丑 Jan. 31	2433		Guangxu 15 [Japan] Meiji 22
1890	gengyin 庚寅 Jan. 21	2434		Guangxu 16 [Japan] Meiji 23
1891	xinmao 辛卯 Feb. 9	2435		Guangxu 17 [Japan] Meiji 24
1892	renchen 壬辰 Jan. 30	2436		Guangxu 18 [Japan] Meiji 25
1893	guisi 癸巳 Feb. 17	2437		Guangxu 19 [Japan] Meiji 26
1894	jiawu 甲午 Feb. 6	2438	Nov. 21 Japan occupies Port Arthur	Guangxu 20 [Japan] Meiji 27
1895	yiwei 乙未 Jan. 26	2439	Apr. 17 Treaty of Shimonoseki signed, ending the First Sino-Japanese War May 25 Qing officials in Taiwan proclaim Republic of Formosa May 29 Japanese troops land in Jilong, Taiwan Oct. 21 Formosa resistance ended in Taiwan Oct. 26 Failed uprising in Guangzhou Dec. 8 Yuan Shikai appointed general of nacent New Army	Guangxu 21 [Japan] Meiji 28
1896	bingshen 丙申 Feb. 13	2440		Guangxu 22 [Japan] Meiji 29
1897	dingyou 丁酉 Feb. 2	2441		Guangxu 23 [Japan] Meiji 30
1898	wuxu 戊戌 Jan. 22	2442	Mar. 6 German Empire leases Jiaozhou Bay (Qingdao) for 99 years March Russia leases Guandong territory (Port Arthur) May 27 France occupies Guangzhouwan in Guangzhou Jun. 11 - Sept. 21 "Hundred Days Reform" Sept. Emperess Dowager assumes regency of the Qing	Guangxu 24 [Japan] Meiji 31
1899	jihai 己亥 Feb. 10	2443		Guangxu 25 [Japan] Meiji 32
1900	gengzi 庚子 Jan. 31	2444	June Boxer forces attack foreign compounds in Beijing and Tianjin	Guangxu 26 [Japan] Meiji 33
1901	xinchou 辛丑 Feb. 19	2445	Sept. 7 Boxer Protocol signed	Guangxu 27 [Japan] Meiji 34
1902	renyin 壬寅 Feb. 8	2446	June 25 New Army renamed Beiyang army, Yuan named Minister of Beiyang	Guangxu 28 [Japan] Meiji 35
1903	guimao 癸卯 Jan. 29	2447		Guangxu 29 [Japan] Meiji 36
1904	jiachen 甲辰 Feb. 16	2448	Feb. 8 Declaration of Russo-Japanaese War Feb. 9 Battle of Port Arthur	Guangxu 30 [Japan] Meiji 37
1905	yisi 乙巳 Feb. 4	2449	Aug. 10/20 Founding of Tongmenghui in Tokyo Sept. 2 Examination system abolished Sept. 5 Treaty of Portsmouth ends Russo-Japanese War	Guangxu 31 [Japan] Meiji 38
1906	bingwu 丙午 Jan. 25	2450		Guangxu 32 [Japan] Meiji 39
1907	dingwei 丁未 Feb. 13	2451		Guangxu 33 [Japan] Meiji 40
1908	wushen 戊申 Feb. 2	2452		Guangxu 34 [Japan] Meiji 41
1909	jiyou 己酉 Jan. 22	2453	Jan. 21 Guangxu era ends Jan. 22 Xuantong era begins	Xuantong 宣統 1 [Japan] Meiji 42
1910	gengxu 庚戌 Feb. 10	2454		Xuantong 2 [Japan] Meiji 43
1911	xinhai 辛亥 Jan. 30	2455	Oct. 10 Wuchang Uprising, Xinhai revolution begins	Xuantong 3 [Japan] Meiji 44
1912	renzi 任子 Feb. 18	2456	Jan. 1 Republic of China proclaimed, Minguo era begins Feb. 12 Emperor Puyi formally abdicates, Xuantong era ends Mar. 10 Yuan Shikai takes office of President of the ROC July 30 Meiji era ends, Taishō era begins in Japan Aug. 25 Founding of the Republican Party (Guomindang)	Minguo 民國 1 [Japan] Meiji 45 [Japan] Taishō 大正 1
1913	guichou 癸丑 Feb. 6	2457	March 20 Song Jiaoren assassinated	Minguo 2 [Japan] Taishō 2
1914	jiayin 甲寅 Jan. 26	2458	Aug. 23 ROC cancels German lease of Jiaozhou Bay Nov. 7 Jiaozhou Bay occupied by Japan	Minguo 3 [Japan] Taishō 3
1915	yimao 乙卯 Feb. 14	2459	Jan. 18 Japan's Twenty-One Demands delivered to the Chinese government	Minguo 4 [Japan] Taishō 4
1916	bingchen 丙辰 Feb. 3	2460	Jan. 1 Yuan Shikai proclaimed Emperor of the Empire of China Mar. 22 Yuan Shikai abandons status of Emperor June 5/6 Yuan Shikai dies Start of the "Warlord Era"	Minguo 5 [Chinese Empire] Hongxian 1 [Japan] Taishō 5
1917	dingsi 丁巳 Jan. 23	2461	July 1 Qing Dynasty proclaimed restored by Zhang Xun July 12 Qing restoration abandoned	Minguo 6 [Japan] Taishō 6
1918	wuwu 戊午 Feb. 11	2462		Minguo 7 [Japan] Taishō 7
1919	jiwei 己未 Feb. 1	2463	May 4 Student demonstrations of the "May Fourth Movement" Oct. 10 Sun Yat-sen establishes the Chinese Republican Party in Shanghai	Minguo 8 [Japan] Taishō 8
1920	gengshen 庚申 Feb. 19	2464		Minguo 9 [Japan] Taishō 9
1921	xinyou 辛酉 Feb. 8	2465	Founding of the Chinese Communist Party	Minguo 10 [Japan] Taishō 10
1922	renxu 任戌 Jan. 28	2466	Dec. 10 China regains soverignty of Jiaozhou Bay	Minguo 11 [Japan] Taishō 11
1923	guihai 癸亥 Feb. 16	2467		Minguo 12 [Japan] Taishō 12
1924	jiazi 甲子 Feb. 5	2468		Minguo 13 [Japan] Taishō 13
1925	yichou 乙丑 Jan. 24	2469	March 12 Sun Yat-sen dies May 30 Labour movement in Shanghai	Minguo 14 [Japan] Taishō 14
1926	bingyin 丙寅 Feb. 12	2470	Dec. 25 Taisho emperor dies, Taisho era ends, Shōwa era begins in Japan	Minguo 15 [Japan] Taisho 15 [Japan] Shōwa 昭和 1
1927	dingmao 丁卯 Feb. 2	2471		Minguo 16 [Japan] Shōwa 2
1928	wuchen 戊辰 Jan. 22	2472	June 4 Assassination of Zhang Zuolin by Japanese Kantojun forces outside of Shenyang Dec. 29 Zhang Xueliang in Manchuria accepts Nationalist rule Dec. 31 Zhang appointed as commander of Northeast Army, formal reunification of China	Minguo 17 [Japan] Shōwa 3
1929	jisi 己巳 Feb. 9	2473	Jan. 1 Gregorian calendar officially adopted by the Republic of China	Minguo 18 [Japan] Shōwa 4
1930	gengwu 庚午 Jan. 29	2474		Minguo 19 [Japan] Shōwa 5
1931	xinwei 辛未 Feb. 17	2475	Nov. 7 Provisional Soviet republic established in Jiangxi	Minguo 20 [Japan] Shōwa 6
1932	renshen 壬申 Feb. 6	2476	Feb. 18 Manchukuo established, Datong era begins	Minguo 21 [Manchukuo] Datong 大同1 [Japan] Shōwa 7
1933	guiyou 癸酉 Jan. 25	2477		Minguo 22 [Manchukuo] Datong 2 [Japan] Shōwa 8
1934	jiaxu 甲戌 Feb. 14	2478	Manchukuo Datong era ends Puyi proclaimed Kangde Emperor Manchukuo Kangde era begins Nov. 5 Jiangxi Soviet dissolves	Minguo 23 [Manchukuo] Kangde 康德1 [Japan] Shōwa 9
1935	yihai 乙亥 Feb. 3	2479		Minguo 24 [Manchukuo] Kangde 2 [Japan] Shōwa 10
1936	bingzi 丙子 Jan. 24	2480		Minguo 25 [Manchukuo] Kangde 3 [Japan] Shōwa 11
1937	dingchou 丁丑 Feb. 11	2481	Marco Polo Bridge incident, start of Second Sino-Japanese War Republican government moved from Nanjing	Minguo 26 [Manchukuo] Kangde 4 [Japan] Shōwa 12
1938	wuyin 戊寅 Jan. 31	2482		Minguo 27 [Manchukuo] Kangde 5 [Japan] Shōwa 13
1939	yimao 己卯 Feb. 19	2483		Minguo 28 [Manchukuo] Kangde 6 [Japan] Shōwa 14
1940	gengchen 庚辰 Feb. 8	2484		Minguo 29 [Manchukuo] Kangde 7 [Japan] Shōwa 15
1941	xinsi 辛巳 Jan. 27	2485	Dec. 7 Pearl Harbour attacked by Japan	Minguo 30 [Manchukuo] Kangde 8 [Japan] Shōwa 16
1942	renwu 壬午 Feb. 15	2486		Minguo 31 [Manchukuo] Kangde 9 [Japan] Shōwa 17
1943	guiwei 癸未 Feb. 4	2487		Minguo 32 [Manchukuo] Kangde 10 [Japan] Shōwa 18
1944	jiashen 甲申 Jan. 25	2488		Minguo 33 [Manchukuo] Kangde 11 [Japan] Shōwa 19
1945	yiyou 乙酉 Feb. 12	2489	August Manchukuo invaded by Soviet Union Sept. 2 Japan formally surrenders to the Allies	Minguo 34 [Japan] Shōwa 20
1946	bingxu 丙戌 Feb. 2	2490		Minguo 35 [Japan] Shōwa 21
1947	dinghai 丁亥 Jan. 22	2491		Minguo 36 [Japan] Shōwa 22
1948	wuzi 戊子 Feb. 10	2492		Minguo 37 [Japan] Shōwa 23
1949	jichou 己丑 Jan. 29	2493	Oct. 1 Establishment of People's Republic of China	Minguo 38 [Japan] Shōwa 24
1950	gengyin 庚寅 Feb. 16	2494		Minguo 39 [Japan] Shōwa 25

Notes

1) Refers to the Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch pair for the year of the Chinese calendar beginning early in this Western calendar year and ending early in the next one. For example, the xinhai 辛亥 year of 1911 actually runs from Jan. 30 1911 to Feb. 17 1912. If a Western date appears below the pair, then this is the starting date of the lunar year.

2) The modern Buddhist calendar uses 543 BCE as the date of the Buddha's birth and counts from that year, but previously 1027 BCE was one of the most widely accepted dates in Chinese historiography for this event. See an account of this system in the ealy 20th century in Joseph Edkins, Chinese Buddhism, p. 12. Some sources use the older date to calculate the Buddhist year, so subtract 483 to convert into the current standard Buddhist year. Interestingly 1027 BCE was also one of the propopsed dates for the founding of the Zhou dynasty.

[Buddhist years begin on 4/8 of the Chinese calendar, the traditional date for the Buddha's date of birth.] ed. to be confirmed

3) Dates are approximate - many sources conflate the Western date with the Chinese month and day, so that for example "the second day of the fifth month" in the Chinese calendar becomes recorded as "May 2nd". Wherever possible the proper date for the Western calendar has been used.

Some dates based on 兩千年中西歷轉換

Online Index of Chinese Buddhism

Print Bibliography of Modern Chinese Buddhism