Xuzhou (ancient China)
Xuzhou as a historical toponym refers to varied area in different eras.
Ordinarily, it was a reference to the Nine Provinces which modern Xuzhou inherited.
History
Pre-Qin era
Xuzhou or Xu Province was one of the Nine Provinces of ancient China mentioned in Chinese historical texts such as the Tribute of Yu, Erya and Rites of Zhou.The Yu Gong records: "The Sea, Mount Dai, and the Huai River served as the boundaries of Xuzhou." While the definition of Xuzhou is more brief in Erya: "Where is located in the east of Ji River". Based on these descriptions, the ancient Xuzhou covered an area that roughly corresponds to the regions in modern southeastern Shandong and northern Jiangsu.
Han dynasty
In 106 BCE, during the reign of Emperor Wu in the Western Han dynasty, China was divided into 13 administrative divisions or provinces, each governed by a cishi. 11 of them were named after the Nine Provinces mentioned in the historical texts Classic of History and Rites of Zhou. Xuzhou was one of the 11, and it covered parts of modern Jiangsu and southeastern Shandong. In the Eastern Han dynasty, Xuzhou's capital was set up at Tan.Three Kingdoms period and Jin dynasty
During the Three Kingdoms period, Xuzhou was a territory of the state of Cao Wei, and its capital was moved to Pengcheng. The area of Xuzhou shrank slightly as its southern border with Sun Wu.After the fall of the Western Jin due to the Wu Hu uprising, the Jin remnants fled to southern China from the north and established the Eastern Jin. To govern the people from northern who relocated in the south of the Huai River, while its area shrank again. Its capital was variable, it moved to Xiapi, Shanyang, Guangling and Jingkou at different stages. Since its capital moved to the south of the Yangtze River, where had never been a part of its area, Xuzhou became a commanderies and counties|migrated province].
Sixteen Kingdoms and Southern and Northern Dynasties period
In the Sixteen Kingdoms period, Xuzhou was divided between, or came under the administration of, various kingdoms:- The Later Yan kingdom set up Xuzhou's capital at Huangjin'gu, and moved it to Liyang, and later to Juancheng.
- The Southern Yan kingdom set up Xuzhou's capital at Jucheng, which administered parts of southeastern Shandong.
- The Later Qin kingdom set up Xuzhou's capital at Xiang, which administered the regions east of present-day Shangqiu, Taikang County, Shangshui County in Henan province, as well as Bozhou, Woyang County and Mengcheng County in Anhui province.
In 421, during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Liu Song dynasty, North Xuzhou was restored as Xuzhou, while South Xuzhou instead of the former migrated Xuzhou comparatively.
In 433, during the reign of Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei, Xuzhou's capital was established at Jiyang County. It was disbanded in 467 during the reign of Emperor Xianwen.
In 473, as the original area was captured by Northern Wei, Liu Song set up the new Xuzhou whose capital was located in Yan County.
Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties
During the reign of Emperor Huizong of Yuan|Emperor Huizong] in the Yuan dynasty, Xuzhou became an administrative division known as "Xuzhou Circuit" after 1348, with its capital in Pengcheng.During the reign of the Hongwu Emperor in the Ming dynasty, the name "Xuzhou" was restored, and the administrative division governed Pei County and Feng County in Jiangsu, and Dangshan County and Xiao County in Anhui.
Xuzhou became "Xuzhou Prefecture" in the Qing dynasty during the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor and it administered the modern city of Xuzhou and Suqian in Jiangsu, and Suzhou, Xiao County and Dangshan County in Anhui.
As other alternative toponym
Pre-Qin era
- An area in the east of Lu state: Zhu. "Xu" was "Zhu", the Chinese character's variant sometimes in ancient China.
- An area of Qi state: Xue. In 340 BCE, Xiapi was moved to Xue, then the latter renamed Xuzhou.
- An area of Qi state originally, captured by Yan and Zhao later: Shuzhou.