Yanzhou (ancient China)

Yan Province or Yanzhou was one of the Nine Provinces of ancient China, a list of regions compiled by Yu the Great when he toured the land after stopping the Great Flood and succeeding Emperor Yao.

Description

In the Shang Shu, translated by Martin Palmer, Yu's report on Yanzhou is as follows:

History

During the Han dynasty, Yanzhou covered roughly present-day southwestern Shandong, eastern Henan, and the northwestern corner of Jiangsu. The name is reflected in the modern city of Yanzhou, Jining, Shandong.
In 1265, during the Song dynasty, Yanzhou was upgraded to Jiande Fu, overseeing six counties: Jiande County, Chun'an County, Sui’an County, Shouchang County, Fenshui County and Tonglu County.
During the Qing dynasty, Yanzhou influence started to decline.
In 1912, Yanzhou was revoked and in 1914 it was integrated into the Dao prefecture.

Government

The Yanzhou government seat was located at the northern end of the central axis, halfway up the mountains, to avoid floods caused by the nearby rivers and to create "a sense of oppression" in the inner city.
In 1578, the government inner walls were dismantled, with its citizens gaining access to their headquarters. The government also moved to the northern end of the city.