Kublai Khan's Imperial City: The Building of Dadu

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the ambitious construction of Dadu (modern Beijing) as Kublai Khan's new capital for the Yuan Dynasty. They discuss the role of Liu Bingzhong and the Persian architect Yeheidie'erding in designing a city that blended Chinese, Mongol, and Islamic influences. The conversation covers the city's grid layout, the astronomical observatory of Guo Shoujing, the canal system that brought grain from the south, and the symbolic placement of the palace complex. Lucas explains how Dadu was not just a political center but a statement of Kublai's vision of a cosmopolitan empire, contrasting with the old Mongol capital at Karakorum. The episode also touches on the challenges of building on a floodplain, the use of forced labor, and the city's later fate under the Ming. #KublaiKhan #YuanDynasty #Dadu #Beijing #LiuBingzhong #Yeheidie'erding #GuoShoujing #Karakorum #MongolArchitecture #CityPlanning #ImperialCapital #ChineseHistory #MongolEmpire #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast #WorldHistory #MedievalAsia Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo