Current Position: Home >> Benxi Overview>> History and Culture   Place of Origin for Northeast Taoism-Qiankun Cave on Mount Tiesha In February 1371 (the fourth year of Hongwu’s reign of Ming Dynasty), the Liaodong Commanding Department was established. In July, it was replaced with Liao prefectural city. In October 1375 (the eighth year of Hongwu’s reign of Ming Dynasty), Liaodong Prefecture Commanding Department was set up. In 1377 (the tenth year of Hongwu’s reign of Ming Dynasty), Chunzhou County was restructured as an office. In 1403 (the first year of Yongle’s reign of Ming Dynasty), the state was delimited. In 1409 (the sixth year of Yongle’s reign of Ming Dynasty), the Commanding Department of Nuergan Prefecture was established. Benxi urban area and Benxi County were in the boundary of Dongning Guard of Liaodong Prefecture Commanding Department while Huanren County was in Jianzhou Guard of Beierzi Prefecture Commanding Department. In 1644 (the first year of Shunzi’s reign of Qing Dynasty), Benxi urban area and Benxi County were administered by Liaoyang Province. In 1657 (the fourteenth year of Shunzi’s reign of Qing Dynasty), the capital was relocated to Shengjing (later renamed by Fengtian). Liaoyang was reduced in rank from province to county. In 1664 (the third year of Kangxi’s reign of Qing Dynasty), Liaoyang was promoted from county to state. Up to 1906, Benxi urban area and Benxi County had been administrated by Liaoyang State of Fengtian, Fumin Department of Xingjing and Phoenix Department separately. Huanren County was taken as forbidden area during the years of Kangxi’s reign of Qing Dynasty. In 1877 (the third year of Guangxu’s reign of Qing Dynasty), Huairen County was established and administrated by Fumin Department of Xingjing. In 1904 (the thirtieth year of Guangxu’s reign of Qing Dynasty), Japan-Russia War broke out. Japanese capitalism forced Qing Government to agree with the construction of Anfeng railway (Shendan railway nowadays) for the purpose of military use. Meanwhile, the areas along the railway station were delimited as the boundary of “affiliated place to Manchuria Railway Co.” Illegal and colonial administrations were adopted in the areas. After Japan-Russia War was over, Japanese capitalism took aggressive activities in Benxi area such as mining coal resources by force. More and more conflicts happened between Japan and China that needed negotiation. In addition, Benxi was rich in resources of coal, woods and mountain products with the booming population. The bandits were rampant. General ZHAO Erxun of Shengjing wrote a request to his superior in order to enforce the administration based on the actual condition of Benxi area on October 28th, 1905 (the thirty-first year of Guangxu’s reign of Qing Dynasty). The details were “Benxi Lake is adjacent to Xingjing and Phoenix with chains of mountains in Liaoyang State. Many accesses have been formed and bandits are rampant. A separate county should be established.” In July of 1906 (the thirty-second year of Guangxu’s reign of Qing Dynasty), the county office was planned to be set up. In October, Qing Government approved in a formal document that Benxi County was founded comprising the east of Liaoyang State, southwest of Xingjing Fumin Department and north of Phoenix Department. It has been recorded in “Qing Verite” that “at the eighth of the ten Heavenly Stems and the fourth of the twelve Earthly Branches in October of the thirty-second year of Guangxu’s reign of Qing Dynasty, Benxi County was added based on the General ZHAO Erxun’s request.” Once Benxi County was founded, it was administrated by Dongbiandao then Fengtianshou. In 1914 (the third year of the Republic of China), Benxi County and Huanren County (renamed from Huairen County) were under the jurisdiction of Dongbiandao of Fengtian Province. In 1928 (the seventeenth year of the Republic of China), ZHANG Xueliang changed the flag of northeast part of China. Fengtian Province was renamed by Liaoning Province including Benxi County and Huanren County. In 1931, northeast of China fell into the colony of Japanese capitalism. In March 1932, when Manchukuo was set up, Benxi County was in Fengtian Province while Huanren County was in Andong Province. In 1937 (the twenty-sixth year of the Republic of China), puppet government controlled by Japanese adopted street administration system. Benxi Lake Street was established at which Public Office of Benxi County was located. Japanese Government gave the affiliated place to Manchuria Railway back to puppet government. At the same time, Benxi Lake Train Station, Shunshan area and Heyan area used to be one part of affiliated place to Manchuria Railway were included in Benxi Lake Street. In 1939 (the twenty-eighth year of the Republic of China), puppet government controlled by Japanese determined to separate Benxi Lake Street and Gongyuan area from Benxi County and set up Benxi Lake city which was under the jurisdiction of Fengtian Province. In 1945, Japanese capitalism announced unconditional surrender on August 15th. No. 16 Military Subarea of Jireliao Military Command entered and was stationed in Benxi on September 18th. Democratic governments of Benxi City and Benxi County were set up on 8th and 18th of October relatively which were under the jurisdiction of Liaoning Province. In 1946, the Kuomintang troops launched an all-out offensive attack on revolutionary area. On May 3rd, Benxi was in the possession of the Kuomintang. Benxi Lake Municipal Government and Benxi County Government were established and administrated by Liaoning Province. Democratic governments of Benxi City and Benxi County were moved out from Benxi City to Benxi County. In June, Liaoning Provincial Government made the decision to repeal democratic government of Benxi City. Democratic government of Benxi County fought against Kuomintang with guerilla war in the countryside. On October 1st 1946, Liaoning Provincial Government of Kuomintang issued the order to recall Benxi Lake City. All the city areas were combined with Benxi County. In 1948, Benxi People’s Government was set up after revolution. Right now, Benxi City, Benxi County and Huanren County were administrated by Andong Province. In April 1949, Northeast Administration Committee determined to merge Andong Province into Liaoning Province in order to form Liaodong Province and Liaoxi Province. Benxi City was under the direct jurisdiction of Northeast Administration Committee while Benxi County and Huanren County were administrated by Liaodong Province. In September 1952, Central People’s Government rescinded Benxi County and incorporated its area into Benxi City. In April 1953, the State Council of People’s Republic of China decided to take the direct control over Benxi City. In June 1954, the State Council established Liaoning Province by merging Liaodong Province with Liaoxi Province. Benxi City was administrated by Liaoning Province Government and Huanren County was under the jurisdiction of Andong Special Zone of Liaoning Province. In May 1956, the State Council determined to resume Benxi County which was governed by Benxi City on behalf of the state. In 1959, Benxi County and Huanren County were managed by Benxi City. In April 1966, Huanren County was administrated by Dandong City. In December 1968, Benxi took over the administration of Huanren County.