Shenyang is located to the north of Hun River (named Shen Shui
River in the ancient time), and the ancient Chinese traditionally
called the north of a river "yang". So the city got its name as
Shenyang. Shenyang is an ancient city with a long history. Back to
more than 7,200 years ago, ancestors of the mankind lived and
multiplied on this beautiful land. It was subordinate to Yingzhou
before Zhou Dynasty (about the 11th century B.C.), subordinate to
Liaodong County during the Period of Warring States (475-221 B.C.),
to Hou City in the Western Han Dynasty (206-24 B.C.).
Shenzhou was set up in Liao Dynastry (960-1127), surrounded by
earthen walls. This was the start of the city of Shenyang. The city
continued to use the name Shenyang in Jin Dynastry (1127-1279). And
in Yuan Dynastry, the city was rebuilt and renamed Shenyang Lu. In
1625, Nurhach, the Tai Zu Emperor of Qing Dynasty, transferred its
capital from Liaoyang to Shenyang, and in 1634, Huang Tai Ji, Tai
Zong Emperor of Qing Dynasty worshipped Shenyang as Shengjing, and
it became the capital of Qing Dynasty. In 1644, after the capital
was moved to Beijing in Qing Dynasty, Shenyang became an
accompanying capital. After Qing united the whole China, in 1657,
it set up Fengtian Government in Shenyang. In 1945, the city
recovered its name-Shenyang. (chinahotelsreservation.com)