Jin Dynasty, 1115–1234

Jin dynasty
金朝
1115–1234
Jin dynasty (blue) circa 1141
Capital		Huining Prefecture (1122–1153) Zhongdu (1153–1214) Kaifeng (1214–1233) Caizhou (1233–1234)
Languages		Middle Chinese, Jurchen, Khitan
Religion		Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, Chinese folk religion
Government		Monarchy
Emperor
•	1115–1123	Emperor Taizu (first)
•	1234	Emperor Mo (last)
History
•	Founded by Aguda	28 January 1115
•	Destruction of the Liao dynasty	1125
•	Capture of Bianliang from the Northern Song dynasty	9 January 1127
•	Mongol invasion	1211
•	Fall of Caizhou to the Mongol Empire	9 February 1234
Area
•	1126 est.	2,300,000 km² (888,035 sq mi)
•	1142 est.	3,000,000 km² (1,158,306 sq mi)
Currency		Chinese coin, Chinese cash
Preceded by Succeeded by Liao dynasty Song dynasty Mongol Empire Southern Song Eastern Liao Eastern Xia
Today part of		China, Russia, North Korea, Mongolia

The Jin dynasty, officially known as the Great Jin, lasted from 1115 to 1234 as one of the last dynasties in Chinese history to predate the Mongol invasion of China. Its name is sometimes written as Kin or Jinn in English to differentiate it from an earlier Jìn dynasty of China whose name is identical when transcribed without tone marker diacritics in the Hanyu Pinyin system for Standard Chinese. It is also sometimes called the "Jurchen dynasty" or the "Jurchen Jin", because its founding Emperor Taizu of Jin (reign 1115–1123) was of Wanyan Jurchen descent.

The Jin emerged from Taizu's rebellion against the Liao dynasty (907–1125), which held sway over northern China until the nascent Jin drove the Liao to the Western Regions, where they became known as the Western Liao. After vanquishing the Liao, the Jin launched an over hundred-year war against the Song dynasty (960–1279), which was based in southern China. Over the course of their rule, the Jurchens of Jin quickly adapted to Chinese customs, and even fortified the Great Wall against the rising Mongols. Domestically, the Jin oversaw a number of cultural and technological advancements, such as the development of gunpowder and the revival of Confucianism.

In 1234 Jin succumbed to Mongol conquest.

The Jin dynasty was officially known as the "Great Jin" at that time. Furthermore, the Jin emperors referred to their state as Zhongguo (中國) like some other non-Han dynasties. Non-Han rulers expanded the definition of "China" to include non-Han peoples in addition to Han people whenever they ruled China. Jin documents indicate that the usage of "China" by dynasties to refer to themselves began earlier than previously thought.