Guangyang Commandery


Guangyang Commandery, at times also Guangyang or Guangyou Principality, was a territory of early imperial China located in modern Hebei and Beijing.

Qin dynasty

Guangyang Commandery was first established during Qin Shi Huang's reign as part of the Qin Kingdom and Empire in the territory of the former state of Yan.

Western Han dynasty

In early Han dynasty, its land became the fief of the Princes of Yan The commandery was restored in 80 BC, after Prince Dan of Yan's rebellion was suppressed. In 73 BC, Liu Jian, a son of Liu Dan, was granted the title Prince of Guangyang, and the commandery became his fief.
Four princes held the title Prince of Guangyang:
The principality had a population of 70,658 in 2 AD, in 20,740 households. It consisted of four counties: Ji, Fangcheng, Guangyang and Yinxiang.

Xin dynasty

During Wang Mang's Xin dynasty, the principality was renamed Guangyou.

Eastern Han dynasty

The commandery was expanded, and administered five counties: Ji, Guangyang, Changping, Jundu and Anci. The seat, Ji, was also the seat of You Province. In 140 AD, the population was 280,600, in 44,550 households. With the beginning of the Three Kingdoms period, the commandery was abolished and merged into the Principality of Yan.

Northern Wei

Northern Wei established a commandery of the same name in 441 with three counties, Yanle, Guangxing and Fangcheng. The seat was Yanle, in present-day Longhua County, Hebei. The population was 8,919, and the households numbered 2,800. The commandery was abolished in Northern Qi.