Baicheng

 ( Prefecture-level Divisions Of Jilin ) 

During the Khitan-founded Liao dynasty, the area was incorporated as part of the , the seat of which was located in the ancient city of Chengsijiazi (p=Chéngsìjiāzǐ), located in present-day in Taobei District. Four emperors of the Liao dynasty were based out of Changchun Prefecture: Emperor Shengzong, Emperor Xingzong, Emperor Daozong, and Emperor Tianzuo. During this time, the area was a major political, military, economic, and cultural center of the Liao Dynasty.

During the Jin dynasty, Changchun Prefecture remained intact until 1150, when it was reorganized as Changchun County (p=Chángchūn Xiàn), which was placed under the jurisdiction of . In 1198, the area was re-organized as , the seat of which was located in Chengsijiazi.

During the Yuan dynasty, the area was first a fief of Genghis Khan younger brother Temüge. Later, it was organized as , which was still based out of Chengsijiazi.

During the Ming dynasty, Taining Circuit reorganized as , and was part of the Nurgan Regional Military Commission briefly used to administer Manchuria.

During the Qing dynasty, the area belonged to the Khorchin Mongols. As Qing government forbade the settlement of Han Chinese in the 19th century, no farming was allowed until 1902. In 1902, under the reign of Guangxu Emperor, the Qing government approved the opening of the area to settlement. In 1904, was established in the area, which was under the jurisdiction of the . In the same year, Kaitong County (p=Kāitōng Xiàn) and Jing'an County (p=Jìng'ān Xiàn) were established within Taonan Fu. In 1905, Anguang County (p=Ānguǎng Xiàn) was established as part of Taonan Fu. In December 1905, Dalai Ting (p=Dàlài Tīng) was established in the area, and put under the jurisdiction of the .

In 1907, the northeast portion of the Qing dynasty was reorganized into provinces, and positions of the Shangjing General and the Heilongjiang General, which were responsible for the area's administration, were merged into the Viceroy of the Three Eastern Provinces. Taonan Fu, including Kaitong County, Jing'an County, and Anguang County were under the jurisdiction of Fengtian province. Dalai Ting was placed under the jurisdiction of Heilongjiang province. In 1910, Zhendong County (p=Zhèndōng Xiàn) was established in the area, and placed under the jurisdiction of Fengtian province. In 1913, the area's administrative divisions were reorganized, and the area was split between in Fengtian province, and in Heilongjiang province. In 1914 Jing'an County was renamed Tao'an (洮南). In 1915, was established in Taochang Circuit.

Baicheng's importance started to increase after a railway from Qiqihar to Siping City through Baicheng was constructed in the 1920s. In the 1930s another railway connecting Baicheng to Ulanhot and the mines at Arxan was opened northwestward. These two lines enabled Baicheng to become a regional transportation hub in western Jilin province. One more rail line connecting Changchun was opened in the mid-1930s as well.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the entire area was brought under the control of Longjiang province (p=Lóngjiāng shěng), part of Manchukuo. By 1938 the area was renamed to Baicheng, which in Chinese means white town. The name's origin is the Mongolian name of the city Chaghanhot, which also means "white town".

After the liberation of the area from Japanese forces on August 15, 1945, all counties in the area were placed under the jurisdiction of Nenjiang province. In 1946, Communist forces took the area, and it was placed under the jurisdiction of Nenjiang province and . The following year, the area was reorganized as part of . In 1949, it was moved back to Heilongjiang province. The area was moved again to Jilin province in 1954. In August of that year, the area was reorganized as Baichengzi zone (p=Báichéngzǐ zhuānqū). The following year, it was renamed to Baicheng. From the late 1950s throughout the late 1970s, the area of Baicheng was modified multiple times, as were its internal borders. In July 1987, Tao'an County was reorganized as Taonan, a county-level city, which it remains today. In November 1988, Da'an County was also reorganized to be a county-level city, which it remains today. Baicheng underwent multiple more border changes in the early 1990s. In August 1993, it was reorganized as a prefecture-level city, which it remains today.