Kingdom of Dali: Map & History
The Dali Kingdom, also known as the Dali State, was a Bai dynastic state situated in modern Yunnan province, China, from 937 to 1253.
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The Dali Kingdom, also known as the Dali State, was a Bai dynastic state situated in modern Yunnan province, China, from 937 to 1253. In 1253, it was conquered by the Mongols. However, descendants of its ruling house continued to administer the area as tusi chiefs under Yuan dynasty rule until the Ming conquest of Yunnan in 1382. The former capital of the Dali Kingdom remains known as Dali in modern Yunnan Province today.
Modern Countries Once Part of Kingdom of Dali
At its mapped extent, Kingdom of Dali covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Kingdom of Dali's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Kingdom of Dali in Depth
History
Yuan records claim that the Dali kingdom’s Duan rulers originally came from Wuwei Commandery in modern-day Gansu Province, but this is not confirmed by Song or Dali sources. A significant change from Nanzhao is apparent in Dali rulers’ naming practices, which generally do not follow the patronymic linkage system. This suggests that the Dali elites presented themselves as more “Chinese” than their Nanzhao counterparts.
Nanzhao's last ruler, Shunhuazhen (r. 897-902), was deposed by the chief minister (buxie), Zheng Maisi. Zheng Maisi was descended from a Tang official named Zheng Hui, who had been captured by Nanzhao in 756 and rose to become Nanzhao's imperial tutor and chief minister.
Government
The administration of the Dali Kingdom has been characterized as a mandala state similar to Southeast Asian kingdoms with some Chinese influence. The Duan rulers bestowed Sinitic-style official appointments upon clans such as the Gao, Yang, and Dong to incorporate them into the mandala's center while subordinating peripheral ethnic groups by establishing alliances with their leaders. The Dali court granted hereditary fiefs to pre-existing clan chiefs, in particular the Duan, Gao, Yang, and Dong clans, to win over their support. Some administrative units were designated semi-autonomous military divisions. Similarly to the Nanzhao military, the Dali military consisted of a standing army, townsfolk peasant-soldiers and indigenous militia.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Dali Kingdom (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kingdom of Dali: Key Facts
| Capital | Dali |
|---|---|
| Founded | 937 CE |
| Dissolved | 1253 |
Facts from Wikidata Q26472 (CC0).
Kingdom of Dali Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Kingdom of Dali appears, with the other states of the time.
Kingdom of Dali Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 360,583 km² in 958 CE.
Kingdom of Dali: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Kingdom of Dali exist?
The Kingdom of Dali is dated to 947 CE – 1259 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Kingdom of Dali?
The capital of the Kingdom of Dali was Yangjumie (in present-day Dali Town, Yunnan).
How large was the Kingdom of Dali at its peak?
At its peak in 958 AD the Kingdom of Dali covered about 360,583 km².
How did the map of the Kingdom of Dali change over time?
The Kingdom of Dali appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1000 CE to 1200 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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