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Historical Timeline

Timeline of Monument in China (East Region)

Comprehensive chronological documentation of 101 significant historical events spanning 50 CE to 2050 CE, chronicling the architectural evolution and cultural significance of monument across China (East Region)'s heritage landscape.

101
Historical Events
16
Heritage Sites
6
Periods
6.3
Avg Events/Site

Ancient Period

Before 500 CE • 9 events

50 CE
Monument
Establishment as a major Buddhist center
Mount Wutai Monasteries Shanxi ChinaShanxi Province
150 CE
Monument
City establishment
Loulan Ancient City Ruoqiang Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
250 CE
Monument
Early Recorded Name
West Lake Cultural Landscape Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
350 CE
Monument
Temple establishment
Lingyin Temple Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
350 CE
Monument
Temple establishment (as Wang Yuan Temple)
Guangxiao Temple Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
350 CE
Monument
Flourishing period
Loulan Ancient City Ruoqiang Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
350 CE
Monument
Abandonment
Loulan Ancient City Ruoqiang Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
450 CE
Monument
Initial establishment and commencement of carving
Longmen Grottoes Luoyang Henan ChinaHenan Province
494 CE
Monument
Primary Construction of Yungang Grottoes
Yungang Grottoes Datong Shanxi ChinaShanxi Province

Early Medieval

500 - 1200 CE • 32 events

537 CE
Monument
Establishment of Baozhuangyan Temple and original Flower Pagoda
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
550 CE
Monument
Northern Wei Dynasty carving period
Longmen Grottoes Luoyang Henan ChinaHenan Province
550 CE
Monument
Bodhidharma's visit and association with Chan Buddhism
Guangxiao Temple Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
550 CE
Monument
Flourishing period
Kizil Caves Baicheng Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
550 CE
Monument
Temple establishment
Nanhua Temple Shaoguan Guangdong ChinaGuangdong Province
550 CE
Monument
Continued Construction and Maintenance
Yungang Grottoes Datong Shanxi ChinaShanxi Province
647 CE
Monument
Foundation of Jokhang Temple
Jokhang Temple LhasaTibet Autonomous Region
650 CE
Monument
Artistic and Religious Flourishing
Kumtura Caves Kuqa Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
650 CE
Monument
Early Construction and Architectural Synthesis
Jokhang Temple LhasaTibet Autonomous Region
650 CE
Monument
Initial construction of East and West Pagodas (wood)
Kaiyuan Temple Quanzhou Fujian ChinaFujian Province
650 CE
Monument
Huineng's residence and Chan Buddhism development
Nanhua Temple Shaoguan Guangdong ChinaGuangdong Province
676 CE
Monument
Sixth Patriarch Huìnéng's Ordination
Guangxiao Temple Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
686 CE
Monument
Founding of Lianhua Temple
Kaiyuan Temple Quanzhou Fujian ChinaFujian Province
738 CE
Monument
Renamed Kaiyuan Temple
Kaiyuan Temple Quanzhou Fujian ChinaFujian Province
750 CE
Monument
Initial Cave Construction
Kumtura Caves Kuqa Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
750 CE
Monument
Tang Dynasty carving period and peak
Longmen Grottoes Luoyang Henan ChinaHenan Province
750 CE
Monument
Cave construction
Kizil Caves Baicheng Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
822 CE
Monument
Sino-Tibetan Treaty Pillar Inscription
Jokhang Temple LhasaTibet Autonomous Region
850 CE
Monument
Royal Patronage and Expansion
Jokhang Temple LhasaTibet Autonomous Region
850 CE
Monument
Development of Buddhist Cultural Center
West Lake Cultural Landscape Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
850 CE
Monument
Bai Juyi's Improvements
West Lake Cultural Landscape Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
950 CE
Monument
Major expansion under King Qian Liu
Lingyin Temple Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
950 CE
Monument
Construction of oldest wooden buildings
Mount Wutai Monasteries Shanxi ChinaShanxi Province
963 CE
Monument
Construction of East Iron Pagoda
Guangxiao Temple Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
967 CE
Monument
Construction of West Iron Pagoda
Guangxiao Temple Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
967 CE
Monument
Temple destroyed by fire
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
989 CE
Monument
Reconstruction of Temple and Flower Pagoda begins
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
998 CE
Monument
Completion of Flower Pagoda reconstruction
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
1050 CE
Monument
Su Shi's Improvements
West Lake Cultural Landscape Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
1097 CE
Monument
Official Renaming to Guangxiao Temple
Guangxiao Temple Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
1097 CE
Monument
Temple renamed 'Temple of the Six Banyan Trees'
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
1127 CE
Monument
Hangzhou Becomes Southern Song Capital
West Lake Cultural Landscape Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province

Late Medieval

1200 - 1526 CE • 7 events

1237 CE
Monument
Reconstruction of East and West Pagodas in stone
Kaiyuan Temple Quanzhou Fujian ChinaFujian Province
1250 CE
Monument
Construction of temple structures and rock carvings
Lingyin Temple Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
1250 CE
Monument
Period of major monastic expansion
Mount Wutai Monasteries Shanxi ChinaShanxi Province
1250 CE
Monument
Construction and Reuse of Shiva Temple Columns
Quanzhou Shiva Temple Columns Laoximen Fujian ChinaFujian Province
1250 CE
Monument
Survival under Mongol Influence
Jokhang Temple LhasaTibet Autonomous Region
1320 CE
Monument
Main Hall Construction and Temple Establishment
Zhenru Temple Shanghai ChinaShanghai
1350 CE
Monument
Housing of Song Dynasty Indian Bronze Statues
Zhenru Temple Shanghai ChinaShanghai

Mughal Era

1526 - 1757 CE • 4 events

1550 CE
Monument
Reconstruction of Mahavira Hall
Kaiyuan Temple Quanzhou Fujian ChinaFujian Province
1650 CE
Monument
Renaming by Emperor Kangxi
Lingyin Temple Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
1650 CE
Monument
Major Renovations by the Fifth Dalai Lama
Jokhang Temple LhasaTibet Autonomous Region
1750 CE
Monument
Continued Expansion and Addition of Chapels
Jokhang Temple LhasaTibet Autonomous Region

Colonial Period

1757 - 1947 CE • 5 events

1767 CE
Monument
Construction of Putuo Zongcheng Temple begins
Putuo Zongcheng Temple Chengde Hebei ChinaHebei Province
1850 CE
Monument
Construction of Temples, Pagodas, and Gardens
West Lake Cultural Landscape Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
1850 CE
Monument
Rediscovery by European expeditions
Kizil Caves Baicheng Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
1864 CE
Monument
Damage during Taiping Rebellion
Lingyin Temple Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
1900 CE
Monument
Rediscovery by Sven Hedin
Loulan Ancient City Ruoqiang Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang

Modern Era

1947 CE - Present • 44 events

1950 CE
Monument
European Expeditions and Rediscovery
Kumtura Caves Kuqa Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
1950 CE
Monument
Removal of Artworks by Expeditions
Kumtura Caves Kuqa Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
1950 CE
Monument
Extensive removal of murals by foreign expeditions
Kizil Caves Baicheng Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
1961 CE
Monument
National Heritage Site designation
Lingyin Temple Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
1961 CE
Monument
Designated National Heritage Site
Guangxiao Temple Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
1966 CE
Monument
Damage during the Cultural Revolution
Jokhang Temple LhasaTibet Autonomous Region
1976 CE
Monument
Protection during Cultural Revolution
Lingyin Temple Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
1980 CE
Monument
Post-Cultural Revolution Restoration
Jokhang Temple LhasaTibet Autonomous Region
1994 CE
Monument
UNESCO World Heritage Site Designation
Putuo Zongcheng Temple Chengde Hebei ChinaHebei Province
2000 CE
Monument
UNESCO World Heritage Site designation
Longmen Grottoes Luoyang Henan ChinaHenan Province
2000 CE
Monument
UNESCO World Heritage Inscription
Jokhang Temple LhasaTibet Autonomous Region
2001 CE
Monument
UNESCO World Heritage Inscription
Yungang Grottoes Datong Shanxi ChinaShanxi Province
2006 CE
Monument
National Heritage Site Designation
Zhenru Temple Shanghai ChinaShanghai
2009 CE
Monument
UNESCO World Heritage Site designation
Mount Wutai Monasteries Shanxi ChinaShanxi Province
2011 CE
Monument
UNESCO World Heritage Site Inscription
West Lake Cultural Landscape Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
2013 CE
Monument
Minor Fire Incident
Jokhang Temple LhasaTibet Autonomous Region
2021 CE
Monument
UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription
Kaiyuan Temple Quanzhou Fujian ChinaFujian Province
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
Lingyin Temple Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Documentation
Kumtura Caves Kuqa Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
Mount Wutai Monasteries Shanxi ChinaShanxi Province
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Documentation
Longmen Grottoes Luoyang Henan ChinaHenan Province
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
Guangxiao Temple Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
Quanzhou Shiva Temple Columns Laoximen Fujian ChinaFujian Province
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Documentation
Jokhang Temple LhasaTibet Autonomous Region
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
Zhenru Temple Shanghai ChinaShanghai
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
Loulan Ancient City Ruoqiang Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
West Lake Cultural Landscape Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
Kizil Caves Baicheng Xinjiang ChinaXinjiang
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
Kaiyuan Temple Quanzhou Fujian ChinaFujian Province
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
Nanhua Temple Shaoguan Guangdong ChinaGuangdong Province
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
Putuo Zongcheng Temple Chengde Hebei ChinaHebei Province
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
2025 CE
Monument
Inheritage Foundation Archival Capture
Yungang Grottoes Datong Shanxi ChinaShanxi Province
2050 CE
Monument
Ongoing research and conservation
Lingyin Temple Hangzhou Zhejiang ChinaZhejiang Province
2050 CE
Monument
Ongoing research and conservation efforts
Mount Wutai Monasteries Shanxi ChinaShanxi Province
2050 CE
Monument
Ongoing conservation, research, and maintenance
Longmen Grottoes Luoyang Henan ChinaHenan Province
2050 CE
Monument
Ongoing conservation, research, and restoration efforts
Guangxiao Temple Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
2050 CE
Monument
Ongoing Archaeological Research and Conservation
Quanzhou Shiva Temple Columns Laoximen Fujian ChinaFujian Province
2050 CE
Monument
Ongoing Research and Conservation
Zhenru Temple Shanghai ChinaShanghai
2050 CE
Monument
Ongoing archaeological research and conservation
Kaiyuan Temple Quanzhou Fujian ChinaFujian Province
2050 CE
Monument
Modern Revival, Research, and Conservation
Nanhua Temple Shaoguan Guangdong ChinaGuangdong Province
2050 CE
Monument
Ongoing Conservation and Research
Putuo Zongcheng Temple Chengde Hebei ChinaHebei Province
2050 CE
Monument
Ongoing research and conservation
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees Guangzhou ChinaGuangdong Province
2050 CE
Monument
Ongoing Research and Conservation
Yungang Grottoes Datong Shanxi ChinaShanxi Province

Historical Significance

Monument across China (East Region) spans 50 CE to 2050 CE, representing continuous architectural innovation and spiritual devotion. This timeline documents 101 events from 16 heritage sites, revealing patterns of royal patronage, architectural evolution, and cultural continuity. Ancient monuments established foundational forms, medieval constructions introduced regional variations, and later periods synthesize indigenous and external influences.

Architectural Evolution

Construction timelines highlight refinements in structural engineering, material technologies, and spatial concepts. Chronological analysis reveals knowledge transmission between workshops, dynastic patronage patterns, and responses to shifting political and religious contexts. Viewing events period-by-period helps interpret the broader trajectories of sacred architecture across China (East Region)'s cultural development.

Timeline Periods Overview

Ancient Period
Before 500 CE
9
Documented Events
Early Medieval
500 - 1200 CE
32
Documented Events
Late Medieval
1200 - 1526 CE
7
Documented Events
Mughal Era
1526 - 1757 CE
4
Documented Events
Colonial Period
1757 - 1947 CE
5
Documented Events
Modern Era
1947 CE - Present
44
Documented Events
Oldest Event

50 CE

Most Recent

2050 CE

Events / Site

6.3

Sites Covered

16

Historical Periods

6

Events Documented

101

What is Timeline of Monument in China (East Region)?

Chronological documentation of 101 events linked to monument across China (East Region)'s heritage landscape, spanning 50 CE to 2050 CE.

Total Events:
101
Time Span:
50 CE to 2050 CE
Period Count:
6
Heritage Sites:
16
How to Use This Timeline
  1. 1

    Scan Periods

    Events are grouped by historical periods to highlight architectural evolution.

  2. 2

    Open Site Pages

    Follow links within each event to review full site documentation and media.

  3. 3

    Compare Chronology

    Study patterns across regions, dynasties, and architectural patrons.

  4. 4

    Plan Research

    Build itineraries or research outlines aligned with specific centuries.

Timeline Snapshot
Coverageacross China (East Region)
Time Span50 CE to 2050 CE
Sites with Timeline16
Avg Events / Site6.3
Events Logged101