Historical Evolution 

Origination of Xuanwu

For the origination of Beijing, we are more likely to lay stress on the ancient city in Yan state near Liuli River, Fangshan Mountains, but overlook Guang’an men zone Xuanwu District as the origin of Beijing City, which is certified by a historical geographer called Professor Hou Renzhi.   Three or four thousand years ago, there were many swamps and rivers everywhere in Beijing. At that time, there was only a road in north direction from Central Plains, i.e. from Taihang Mountains towards north to Beijing at road offset. Liuli River and Guang’an Men were both on this road where you had to walk. Guang’an Men had excellent geographical advantages because it was near to Yongding River, next to high slopes and hills in Ji County and on 50m contour line. In BC 1045, King Zhouwu demolished Kingdom Shang and hived two vassals, of which Zhaogong established a state called Yan near to Liuli River, Fangshan Mountains, and a descendant of King Huang (or descendant of King Yao) founded a country called Ji in the north of ancient city of Yan state. Thus, it was this cause that made Beijing into a steady development. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Yan State became stronger, but Ji State was weaker, and finally Yan State merged Ji State, and made Yan state into its capital for its important geographic location. According to the records in “The Commentary to the River Classic” written by Li Daoyuan by reference to locations of rivers or lakes in Beijing, discoveries in study of ancient relic and relevant documents, Ji city was in Guang’an men zone Xuanwu District at that time. After the name of Yan city disappeared, the name of Ji city continued to use until Yuan Dynasty established a capital called Pei in 938, but its address was still kept in original location. Jin Dynasty changed it into the Middle Capital by building east, west and south walls based on original north wall. At that time, Ji city was not only the origin of Beijing at present (over 3040 years ago) but also the real beginning to become the capital in history (more than 840 years ago). The Second Ring Road towards south from Guang’an men at present is an axle wire of the Middle Capital in Jin Dynasty, and the original address of Da’an Palace (i.e. Taihe Palace of Forbidden City in Qing Dynasty) is on this road. Therefore, Xuanwu District committee and government built a “Ji City Memorial Column” to represent a city sculpture for Xuanwu District in the riverside greenland on the northeast of Guang’an Men Overpass Bridge during the 30th anniversary activity in 1995, on which was an article “Beijing City Building Records” written by Professor Hou Renzhi engraved.   After the Yuan Dynasty, Ji city was in suburban due to changes of Beijing urban layout. Since the middle period of Ming Dynasty, the most part of this ancient city including “Xuannanfang” was comprised in the urban district where farmers gather. One area of this district had the most population in Beijing. From then on, the name of Ji kept in mind has been replaced by the word of “Xuannan”. The changes from Ji to Xuanwu through Xuannan indicate that this district not only contains deep ancient rhymes but also has become the best evidence for development of Beijing city.

Cradle of Beijing Opera

Xuanwu District is a place where Beijing opera was born, and a cradle of its development and growth. After Qing Dynasty made Beijing city as its capital, it pushed out a policy of dividing Manchu and Han clansmen into different living districts. Therefore, a famous player called Gao Langting from Class Wei led “Sanqing Class” into Beijing and lived  “Liyuan Hall” in  Grainshop Street outside the gate called Zhengyang (within Large Fence area of present Xuanwu District) in the 55th year of the Reign of Emperor Qian (1970). And then some of Wei Classes like Sixi, Qixiu, Chuntai, Hechun, Sanhe, Songzhou entered into Beijing one after another, and all of them lived in Large Fence area, of which the most famous classes are Sanqing, Sixi, Hechun and Chuntai called “Four Famous Wei Classes”. Wei Class was turned into Beijing Opera in its practice by absorbing the advantages of other dramas and merging Weiqin and Weihan classes during the period from the 20th year of Emperor Daoguang to the tenth year of Emperor Xianfeng (1840 to 1860). The representatives of Beijing Opera during this period included Zhang Erkui, Cheng Changgeng, Yu Sansheng, Lu Shengkui, Xu Xiaoxiang, Yang Mingyu, Hao Lantian and Zhu Dama, etc, and all of them lived within this district. In the 9th year of Guangxu (1883), Beijing Opera went into its mature period and made some innovations and development, thus its singing skills became more and more mature. Up to 1918, there were over 150 famous players in this district in total, for example, Tan Xinpei, Yang Yuelou, Sun Juxian, Chen Delin, Yang Xiaolou and Wang Yaoqing. During this period, Beijing Opera was played in those theatres like Guangde Pavilion, Sanqing Garden, Qingle Garden, Zhonghe Garden and Wenming Garden or others every day, thus Beijing Opera overcame all the other dramas. After 1919, many famous artists of Beijing Opera and many dramatic genres appeared in Beijing city. Mei Lanfang, Shang Xiaoyun and Xun Huisheng of “Four Great Famous Actresses”, Yu Shuyan, Gao Qingkui and Yan Jupeng of “Four Great Actors”  as well as Li Shifang, Mao Shilai and Song Delin of “Four Little Famous Actresses” had ever lived and played in this district. Their skills were different from one another, and formed into their own unique genres, which is one of important marks for indicating Beijing Opera entered into its period of highest development.

Training class is a place where players are trained. The first training class in this district appeared during the Reign of Emperor Daoguang, and such classes were developed during the Reign of Emperor Guangxu. Many training classes in this district had created a number of excellent talents for playing Beijing Opera. Little Sanqing Training Class provided Chen Delin and Wang Yaoqing, etc; Jinghetang Training Class created Yu Zhiyun, etc; Zhongshutang Training Class cultivated Yang Yuelou and Yu Juesheng, etc; Xiaorongchun Training Class was founded in the eighth year of Guangxu (1882) and provided Yang Xiaolou and Guo Chunshan, etc; Little Fushou Training Class was established in the 23th year of Emperor Guangxu (1896) and cultivated Fan Baoting and Xu Deyi; Fuliancheng Training Class was founded in the 30th year of Emperor Guangxu (1904) and cultivated “Six Great Followers” like Lu Xicai, Lu Ximing and Zhao Xikui, etc; Xiliancheng Training Class was established in the 31st year of Emperor Guangxu (1905) and cultivated Zhou Xinfang and Shui Shangpiao, etc; Sanle Community Traing Class was established in the second year of Emperor Xuantong (1910) and cultivated Wei Sankui and Shang Xiaoyun, etc; Rongchun Community Training Class was established in 1938 and cultivated 304 students with titles of “Rong”, “Chun”, “Chang” and “Xi”; Mingchun Community was established in 1939 and cultivated more than 200 students with titles of “Ming” and “Chun”. The former of National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts is “Xiwei Children Drama School”, which was established in 1946 and changed into its present name in 1955, and it is located in Liren Street. Up to 1994, it had organized 8 training classes for Beijing Opera and cultivated hundreds of students, of whom many ones became cadres of Beijing Opera groups of different provinces and cities, for instance, Yang Qiuling, Liu Changyu, Li Weikang, Feng Zhixiao, Qian Haoliang, Li Changchun, Wang Jinghua, Yu Kuizhi and Geng Jichang, etc.

Since the Reign of Emperor Daoguang, Beijing Opera classes gathered in Xuannan District mainly included “Seven Great Famous Classes”, namely, Sanqing Class, Sixi Class, Chuntai Class, Hechun Class, Songzhoucheng Class, Xinxingjinyu Class and Dajinghe Class. During the reign of Emperor Guangxu, the number of such classes became more and more, and Tongchun Class, Yongqing Community, Tongqing Community, Little Changqing Community, Fushou Class, Chunqing Class and Qingshou Class or others lived in this district. During the period of the Republic of China, each Beijing Opera Class must be called by the name of “Community”. From 1912 to 1948, there were more than 70 dramatic communities including Qinghe Community, Hechun Community, Shengyun Community, Xiqing Community and Qingguang Community, etc. After liberating Peking in peace, the name of Beijing Opera Community was called by group. From the Early 1950s to the Late 1960s, there were 10 groups in this district, including New China Experiment Beijing Opera Group, Baohua Beijing Opera Group, Minglai Beijing Opera Group, Tonghe Beijing Opera Group and Xinxing Beijing Opera Group, etc. After 1970s, those groups in this district began to be regulated and move out. Up to 1994, only a group called Fenglei Beijing Opera still stayed in Xuanwu District, which is the only one owned by this district in Beijing.

Birthplace of Ancient Capital

Over 3000 years ago, Ji city as the capital of Ji Country (the former and first name of present Beijing, whose central part is in the area of Guang’an Men in Xuanwu District) had begun the history of Beijing capital. During the 11th year of Emperor Zhouwu (B.C. 1045), the place where King Huang was appointed was called as Ji city at that time, which was the real capital of vassal state in the West Zhou Dynasty. During the Spring and Autumn period, some weak countries were merged one after another due to fierce wars of large countries. According to “Historical Records-Records of Events in Zhou Dynasty”, “Ji country became weaker, but Yan State was stronger, and then Ji country was merged by Yan State so that the name of Ji country was removed”. Afterwards, Yan State moved its capital to Ji city. In the Warring States Dynasty, Yan State became stronger gradually up to “One of Seven Strong Countries” (Qin, Chu, Qi, Yan, Zhao, Wei and Han), Ji city became more and more important, which was not only the center in history, economy and war of Yan State but also junction of transportations between Central Plains and Sai Shang. Over 800 years from Qin Dynasty to the North and South Dynasty, You-Yan area was either a prefecture or state. Ji city was not only a venue of prefecture or a capital of state but also a distributing center of trades of folks in northern and northeastern areas. During the Sui Dynasty, King Yang changed its name from prefecture to city, thus You prefecture was called as Zhuo county, but it was recalled as You prefecture in Tang Dynasty. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, Ji city was the venue of Ji prefecture, and its military location became more important. According to historical data, King Suiyang and Emperor Tang Taizong had led their armies to overmaster Country of Korea by themselves, both of them stayed in Ji city to control their armies and act this city as a base for assuring logistics. The present Fayuan Temple in this district was called as Minzhong Temple in the Tang Dynasty, which was built by Emperor Li Shiming in the 19th year of the Reign of Zhenguan (645). During the Liao dynasty, Ji city was turned into Pei Capital named Nanjing, which was the first mark for the capital of Beijing. After Ji city was renamed by Pei Capital, Yongxing Palace, Jiqing Palace, Qingliang Palace and Jianing Palace were built in addition to original palaces including Zhiwei Palace, Yuanhe Palace and Tingzheng Pavilion. King Liao went to Nanjing to listen to political and military affairs every year. Nanjing was not controlled by not only central officers directly appointed by the emperor but also local officers in the prefecture or county. Therefore, Nanjing was the leading center of outguards on southern border of Liao Dynasty and central pivot of Youyan area. Present Tianning Temple Tower was built during the Liao Dynasty. Jin country appeared and built east, west and south walls of Nanjing city. In March, Zero Year of Zhengyuan (1153), Emperor Hailing and other officers arrived in Nanjing city and set it down as the Middle Capital, which was the beginning of making Beijing as a capital. The palaces had been removed, but Yu Zao pool (i.e. Youth Lake in Xuanwu District) was only left. During the Yuan Dynasty, Large Capital was rebuilt in northeastern suburb of the Middle Capital, and called as “Southern City” or “Old City”, which was within Daxing County with its venue set in said district. During the Ming dynasty, this district was within Wanping County. After its outer city was built in the years of Jiajing in Ming dynasty, its inner and outer cities were divided into five zones. Most of present Xuanwu District is within the western part of Southern City. During the Qing dynasty, this district was still within Wanping County. In the late period of Qing Dynasty, a district began to be set, and the western part of its outer city was divided into 5 districts from No.1 outer right district to No.5 outer right district. In addition to No.5 outer right district within Chongwen District, other districts were within Xuanwu District. In the early period of the Republic of China, it was the same as one in the late period of Qing Dynasty. In 1928, the government of the Republic of China was moved to south; Beijing was renamed by Peking and set as a special city. Afterwards, this district was not within Wanping County but within the special city called Peking. In 1930, this special city was called as Peking city, and this district was within Peking city, which was the whole part of No.2 outer district and No.4 outer district and western part of No.5 outer district.   After Peking was liberated in peace, this district was the whole part of No.9 district and No.11 district and western half part of No.12 district. In 1950, this district was the whole part of No.8 district and western half part of No.6 district and No.9 district. In 1952, No.8 district was changed its name into Xuanwu District, No.9 district was removed, other districts were merged into Xuanwu and Chongwen districts, and No.6 district was renamed by Front Door District. In 1958, Front Door District was removed, the western part on Front Door Street was merged into Xuanwu District, and the eastern part on this street was merged into Chongwen District. In October, 1960, the venue controlled by Maliandao Office of Fengtai District was merged into Xuanwu District. In 2002, Fengxuan Park in Fengtai District was merged into Xuanwu District, thus the present area of Xuanwu District was formed.