The Niujie Mosque, the largest of all the mosques in Beijing, is built in 996 during the Liao Dynasty.

The local Muslim community is forbidden from constructing the mosque in a style other than traditional Chinese architecture, with the exception that the use of Arabic calligraphy is allowed.

Chinese scholar Li Fang, born in what is now Hengshui, Hebei, had once served the Later Han and Later Zhou.

A prime minister of the Song Dynasty, he is known for leading the compilation of three of the Four Great Books of Song.

The term will be coined after Cefu Yuangui completes the compilation of the final volume during the eleventh century.

The four encyclopedias, each published and intended to collect the whole knowledge of the new state, include: Imperial Readings of the Taiping Era, a general encyclopedia.

Extensive Records of the Taiping Era, a collection of gods, deities, fairies, ghosts stories and theology.

Finest Blossoms in the Garden of Literature, an anthology of poetry, odes, songs and writings.

Prime Tortoise of the Record Bureau is an encyclopedia of political essays, autobiographies, memoirs and decrees.

The Rus-Greek religio-political integration has checked the influence of the Roman Latin church in the Slavic East and has determine the course of Russian Christianity, although Kiev exchanges legates with the papacy.

The Church of the Tithes, dedicated about 996, becomes the symbol of the Rus conversion.

Vladimir also expands education, judicial institutions, and aid to the poor.

Adalbert, traveling to Hungary, baptizes its duke, Géza, together with his son and heir, Vajk, in the city of Esztergom.

Boleslaw sends soldiers with Adalbert, who, together with his followers—including his half-brother Radim (Gaudentius)—enters Prussian territory and travels along the Baltic Sea coast to Gdańsk.

Adalbert next travels to Poland, where he receives a cordial welcome from Bolesław.

After a short visit, Adalbert departs for Prussia with a Christian mission sent by the Pope to convert the heathen Prussians.

The Hamdanids in northern Syria, under attack by the Fatimids, appeal for help from Basil, whose forces aid the Hamdanids in winning in 996.

Muhammad ibn Musayyib dies in 996 and is succeeded by his brother Muqallad, who in this same year marches on Mosul, forcing its Buyid governor to flee.

From here, …

…the 'Uqailids advance into Iraq; they succeed in overrunning much of the country and even raiding Baghdad.

The Cholas make the city of Polonnaruwa their capital and rename it Jananathamangalam.

The choice of this city demonstrates the desire of Rajaraja to conquer the entire island.

Rajaraja also builds a Temple for Siva in Pollonaruwa.

Rajaraja's desire to bring the whole Lankan island under Cholan empire will ultimately be fulfilled by his son Rajendra Chola I.