History of Jiangxi
This article traces the history of the territory of modern Jiangxi province, People's Republic of China. Jiangxi is centred on the Gan River valley, which provides the main north-south transport route. Its encirclement by mountains has allowed the lands of Jiangxi to develop as a separate geographic entity. They provide one of the communication routes from the North China Plain and the Yangzi River valley to the territory of modern Guangdong province. As a result Jiangxi has been strategically important throughout much of its history.
Earliest settlements
During the Spring and Autumn Period, the northern part of modern Jiangxi formed the western frontier of the state of Wu. Two settlements are known of at this time Ai (艾), and Po (番, later 潘). After Wu was conquered by Yue in 473 BC, the state of Chu took over northern Jiangxi and there may have been some Yue influence in the south.
Qin and Han Dynasties
Han Dynasty counties of Yuzhang commandery
| county | present location
|
| Nanchang (南昌) | Nanchang municipality
|
| Luling (廬陵) | Ji'an municipality
|
| Pengze (彭澤) | Hukou county
|
| Poyang (鄱陽) | Poyang county
|
| Yuhan (餘汗) | northeast of Yugan county
|
| Chaisang (柴桑) | southwest of modern Jiujiang
|
| Gan (贛) | Ganzhou municipality
|
| Xin'gan (新淦) | Zhangshu municipality
|
| Nancheng (南城) | east of Nancheng county
|
| Yichun (宜春) | Yichun municipality
|
| Yudu (雩都) | northeast of Yudu county
|
| Ai (艾) | west of Xiushui county
|
| Anping (安平) | southeast of Anfu county
|
| Haihun (海昏) | Yongxiu county
|
| Liling (曆陵) | east of Dean county
|
| Jiancheng (建成) | Gaoan county
|
| Chaoyang | west of Duchang county
|
| Nanye | southwest of Nankang county
|
The unification of China by the Qin Dynasty saw the incorporation of Jiangxi into the Qin empire. The First Emperor of Qin established seven counties in Jiangxi, all of them administered from the commandery seat of Jiujiang, located north of the Yangzi in modern Anhui. All of the commandery seats were located along the Gan River system. Most were no more than a day or two separated and protected one of the Qin routes to the newly incorporated territories further south in Nanhai (modern Guangzhou). Military settlements were known to have existed at at least two of the counties. The Qin colonisation formed the earliest settlement structure in Jiangxi and which for the most part, has survived to the present day.
The commandery of Yuzhang (豫章) was established in northern Jiangxi at the beginning of the Han Dynasty, possibly before the death of Xiang Yu in 202 BC. In 201, eight commanderies were added to the original seven of Qin, and three more were established in later years. Throughout most the Han the commandery's eighteen counties covered most of the modern province of Jiangxi. The county seats of Nanchang, Gan, Yudu, Luling among others are located directly on modern municipalities. Others counties, however, have been moved and abolished in later centuries.
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