Bianjing
/pjɛ̂n.tɕíŋ/noun
A historical name for Kaifeng, the capital of China during much of the Northern Song dynasty.
Did you know?Bianjing was the setting associated with the famous Song-dynasty painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival, which depicts its crowded streets, bridges, shops, and river traffic.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese period
Old Chinese
汴 / 京
“Bian, the name of a river or region; capital”
Medieval Chinese
Middle Chinese
汴京
“The capital at Bian; the compound name for the city”
960–1127
Song Chinese
Bianjing
“The principal capital of the Northern Song dynasty, corresponding to modern Kaifeng”
12th–13th centuries
Chinese
東京 / Dongjing
“Eastern Capital, another official Song-era name for the same capital”
Modern English
English
Bianjing
“A historical English transcription used for Kaifeng, especially in discussions of Song China”