Jiangxi

Jiangxi ({{zh-cpw |c=江西 |p=Jiāngxī |w=Chiang-hsi}}; Postal System Pinyin: Kiangsi) is a southern province of the People's Republic of China, spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south.

History

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Jiangxi is centred on the Gan River valley, which provides the main north-south transport route of China. 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 Yangtze River valley to the territory of modern Guangdong province. As a result Jiangxi has been strategically important throughout much of its history.

Related Topics:
Gan River - North China Plain - Yangtze River - Guangdong

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Zhejiang was outside the sphere of influence of early Chinese civilization during the Shang Dynasty (16th century BC - 11th century BC). Information about Jiangxi in this era is scarce, but it is likely that peoples collectively known as the Yue inhabited the region. 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 the state of Yue (a power based in modern northern Zhejiang) in 473 BC, the state of Chu (based in modern Hubei) took over northern Jiangxi and there may have been some Yue influence in the south. Chu subjugated Yue in 333 BC, and was in turn subjugated by the state of Qin in 221 BC. Qin established the Qin Dynasty in that same year, the first unified Chinese state.

Related Topics:
Shang Dynasty - 16th century BC - 11th century BC - Yue - Spring and Autumn Period - Wu - State of Yue - Zhejiang - 473 BC - Chu - Hubei - 333 BC - Qin - 221 BC - Qin Dynasty

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The unification of China by the Qin Dynasty saw the incorporation of Jiangxi into the Qin empire. The Qin Dynasty established a two-tier administration system in China, with commanderies on top and counties below. Seven counties were established in what is now Jiangxi, all of them administered from Jiujiang commandery, located north of the Yangzi in modern Anhui, not the modern city of Jiujiang in Jiangxi. All of the county 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 commandery (modern Guangdong). Military settlements were known to have existed at at least two of the counties. Qin colonisation formed the earliest settlement structure in Jiangxi and which for the most part, has survived to the present day.

Related Topics:
Qin Dynasty - Commanderies - Counties - Jiujiang commandery - Anhui - Jiujiang - Nanhai commandery - Guangdong

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Yuzhang commandery (豫章) was established in northern Jiangxi at the beginning of the Han Dynasty, possibly before the death of Xiang Yu in 202 BC. (Xiang Yu was the main opponent to Liu Bang, founder of the Han Dynasty) It was named after the Yuzhang River (豫章江), the original name of Gan River (贛江). "Gan" has become the abbreviation of the province. In 201, eight counties were added to the original seven of Qin, and three more were established in later years. Throughout most of the Han Dynasty the commandery's eighteen counties covered most of the modern province of Jiangxi. The county seats of Nanchang, Gan, Yudu, Luling among others were located at the sites of modern major cities. Other counties, however, have been moved or abolished in later centuries.

Related Topics:
Yuzhang commandery - Han Dynasty - Xiang Yu - 202 BC - Liu Bang - Gan River - 201

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Under the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Yuzhang Commandery was assigned to Yangzhou Province, as part of a trend to establish provinces (zhou) all across China. In 291 AD during the Western Jin Dynasty, Jiangxi became its own zhou, called Jiangzhou (江州). During the Northern and Southern Dynasties Jiangxi was under the control of the southern dynasties, and the number of zhou slowly grew.

Related Topics:
Emperor Wu - Han Dynasty - Yangzhou Province - Zhou - 291 - Western Jin Dynasty - Northern and Southern Dynasties

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During the Sui Dynasty, there were 7 commanderies and 24 counties in Jiangxi. During the Tang Dynasty, one additional commandery and 14 additional counties were added. At the same time, commanderies were abolished, and all commanderies became zhou (henceforth translated as "prefectures" rather than "provinces").

Related Topics:
Sui Dynasty - Commanderies - Tang Dynasty

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Circuits were established during the Tang Dynasty as a new top-level administrative division. At first Jiangxi was part of the Jiangnan Circuit (lit. "Circuit south of the Yangtze"). In 733 this circuit was divided into western and eastern halves. Jiangxi was found in the western half, which was called Jiangnanxi Circuit (lit. "Western circuits south of the Yangtze"). This is the source of the modern name "Jiangxi".

Related Topics:
Circuits - Tang Dynasty - Jiangnan Circuit - 733 - Jiangnanxi Circuit

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As a circuit, Jiangnanxi had eight prefectures (zhou) under it:

Related Topics:
Circuit - Prefecture

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• Hong (洪 hong2)
• Rao (饒 rao2)
• Qian (虔 qian2)
• Ji (吉 ji2)
• Jiang (江 jiang1)
• Yuan (袁 yuan2)
• Fu (撫 fu3)
• Xin (信 xin4)

Six prefectures and four military prefectures (軍 jun) replaced the previous prefectures (with 55 counties).

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The Tang Dynasty collapsed in 907, heralding the division of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Jiangxi first belonged to Wu (吳), then to Southern Tang (南唐). Both states were based in modern-day Nanjing, further down the Yangtze River.

Related Topics:
Tang Dynasty - 907 - Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms - Wu - Southern Tang - Nanjing - Yangtze River

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During the Song Dynasty, Jiangnanxi Circuit was reestablished with nine prefectures and four army districts (with 68 districts).

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During the Yuan Dynasty, the circuit was divided into 13 different circuits, and Jiangxi Province was established for the first time. This province also included the majority of modern Guangdong. Jiangxi acquired (more or less) its modern borders during the Ming Dynasty after Guangdong was separated out. There has been little change to the borders of Jiangxi since.

Related Topics:
Yuan Dynasty - Guangdong - Ming Dynasty

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The Nanchang Uprising took place in Jiangxi on August 1, 1927, during the Chinese Civil War.

Related Topics:
Nanchang Uprising - August 1 - 1927 - Chinese Civil War

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The Chinese Soviet Republic's government was located in Ruijin (瑞金), which is sometimes called the "Former Red Capital" (红色故都), or just the "Red Capital".

Related Topics:
Chinese Soviet Republic - Ruijin

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