Today, let's talk about a city, a city whose name contains humiliation and historical precipitation - Dalian. Although the name sounds good, behind it is the memory left by foreign colonists. Let's uncover this humiliating history and see how Dalian transformed from a "Dalini" to a prosperous "Dalian"!
Dalian, located in Liaoning Province, occupies the southernmost tip of the Liaodong Peninsula in Northeast China, facing the sea on three sides, and has a unique geographical location. It was once the focus of competition among dynasties throughout history.
In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, the national strength was weak, and Dalian became a target coveted by Western powers, especially Japan and Russia. In 1898, **forced the Qing Dynasty to sign the "Luda Land Lease Treaty" and leased Dalian to **, which was named "Dalini". However, Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905 made Dalian a Japanese colony and its name was changed to "Dalian".
The Russian name "Dalini" was changed to "Dalian" in Japanese hands, a change that took place in February 1905. The name continues to this day. After the liberation, Dalian and Lushun merged into Luda City in 1949, and was officially named Dalian City in 1981, becoming the only city named by foreigners in China.
Why does Dalian retain this name full of humiliating history? No official reason has been given, which has sparked a lot of speculation. Some people believe that this is a testimony to the rise of Dalian from humiliation, a part of history, and should be preserved. On the other hand, there are also people who think that the name is good, and that you should not pay too much attention to the past, but should focus on the future.
Today, Dalian's economy is booming, even surpassing the provincial capital Shenyang to become the GDP leader of Liaoning Province. This may be due to its strategic location, Dalian has developed into an important port, industrial, financial and tourist city in China. In 2018 and 2020, Dalian was selected as a second-tier city in the world.
The city of Dalian, whose name is wrapped in humiliation, is not limited by the past, but rises from the haze of history. Today, Dalian is a prosperous city with a long history and a bright future. Let us witness this city, from "Dalini" to "Dalian", from humiliation to prosperity, interpreting the historical road of a city.