Ding Yuan

Dingyuan-Class Ironclads(simplified Chinese: 定远; traditional Chinese: 定遠; pinyin: Dìngyǔan; Wade–Giles: Ting Yuen or Ting Yuan) built for the Imperial Chinese Navy in Germany during the years of 1881 to 1884.  The defeat of China's traditional junk fleets during the First and Second Opium Wars prompted a major rearmament program that began in the 1880s. There were 2 ships built in this class.

Dingyuan-Class Ironclads served between the years of 1885 to 1912.

Preceded by:  None

Succeeded by: None

Dingyuan-Class Ironclads Dingyuan & Zhenyuan first saw combat at the Battle of the Yalu River on 17 September 1894, during the First Sino-Japanese War. They were next in combat during the Battle of Weihaiwei in early 1895, where they were blockaded in the harbour. Dingyuen was struck by a torpedo, and was beached where it continued to operate as a defensive fort. When the fleet was surrendered to the Japanese, she was destroyed while Zhenyuan became the first battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy as Chin'en.