1664 Earthquake: Shanxi Province, China
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Shanxi Province, China in 1664.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- 1664
- Place
- Shanxi Province, China
- Magnitude
- 5.5 (Ms)
- Intensity
- VII, very strong shaking, on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 38.700° N, 112.700° E
- Country
- China
- Region
- East Asia
The toll
- Deaths
- Many (about 101 to 1,000)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
1664, between Xinxian and Daixian, Shanxi Prov, 38.7 N, 112.7 E, magnitude 5.5, intensity VII. In Xingzhou and Daizhou prefectures, numerous people were killed. Note: At that time (Qing Dynasty), the local government of Xingzhou and Daizhou prefectures were located at present-day Xingxian and Daixian counties, the former included Dingxiang and Jingle, the later covered Wutai, Fanshi and Guoxian. (reference #3939)
Sources NCEI cites
The publications NCEI lists for this record. The numbers match the “reference #” notes in its account above.
- #3939 Gu Gongxu, Zhou Wenfu, and Wang Renlong (eds.) (1989). Catalogue of Chinese Earthquakes (1831 B.C. - 1969 A.D.). Science Press, Beijing, China; English translation by Li Zengquan et al. provided through UNESCO, 872 pages.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- January 9, 1038, Dingxiang, Xinxian, Shaanxi Province, China
- June 28, 1626, Shanxi Province, China
- May 21, 512, Yingxian, Shaanxi Province, China
- May 3, 1305, Huairen, Datong, Shanxi Province, China
- November 22, 1683, Shanxi Province, China
- April 17, 1891, Shanxi Province, China
- October 18, 1989, Shanxi and Hebei Provinces, Datong, China
- August 19, 820, Fan Chong, Shaanxi Province, China
- September 22, 1898, Shanxi Province, China
- October 8, 1952, Shanxi Province, China
- June 10, 1957, Shanxi Province, China
- June 23, 1883, Shanxi Province, China
- August 4, 1561, Shaanxi,gansu,and Shanxi Provinces, China
- September 15, 1937, Shanxi Province, China
- July 8, 1368, Xugou, Shanxi Province, China
More
Significant earthquakes of 1664The 1600sRecent earthquakes near here
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-10-01. NCEI earthquake 7959.