Yuzhou or Yu Province was one of the

Nine Provinces The term Nine Provinces or Nine Regions (), is used in ancient Chinese histories to refer to territorial divisions or islands during the Xia dynasty, Xia and Shang dynasty, Shang dynasties and has now come to symbolically represent China. "Pro ...

of ancient China, later to become an administrative division around the reign of Emperor Wu (r. 141 BC - 87 BC) of the

Western Han dynasty The Han dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) and a warring in ...

(206 BC-AD 9).

History

Pre-Qin dynasty

Pre-

Qin dynasty The Qin dynasty ( ) was the first Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China. It is named for its progenitor state of Qin, a fief of the confederal Zhou dynasty (256 BC). Beginning in 230 BC, the Qin under King Ying Zheng enga ...

(221 BC–206 BC) historical texts such as the '' Yu Gong'' or ''Tribute of Yu'' chapter of the '' Book of History'', '' Erya'', '' Rites of Zhou'' and '' Lüshi Chunqiu'' all refer to the Nine Provinces. Yuzhou appears in all of these texts even though different names are provided for the Nine Provinces. The ''Rites of Zhou'' states that Yuzhou was

Henan Henan; alternatively Honan is a province in Central China. Henan is home to many heritage sites, including Yinxu, the ruins of the final capital of the Shang dynasty () and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the historical capitals of China, Lu ...

Province, while the ''Lüshi Chunqiu'' records: "Yuzhou was between the

Yellow Yellow is the color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In t ...

and Han rivers. That was where Zhou was located."

Han dynasty

In 106 BC during the reign of Emperor Wu of the

(206 BC-AD 9), China was divided into thirteen administrative divisions (excluding the area under the central government's control), each governed by an Inspector (刺史). Yuzhou was one of the thirteen. The areas it governed included: north of the

Huai River The Huai River, formerly romanized as the Hwai, is a major river in East China, about long with a drainage area of . It is located about midway between the Yellow River and Yangtze River, the two longest rivers and largest drainage basins ...

, east of the Ru River basin, and Feng and Pei counties in

Jiangsu Jiangsu is a coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province in East China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its capital in Nanjing. Jiangsu is the List of Chinese administra ...

. However Yuzhou did not have a provincial capital and was only an administrative division in name. Han provinces

In 188 during the reign of Emperor Ling of the

Eastern Han dynasty The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

(25-220), Yuzhou's capital was established in Qiao County (譙縣; present-day

Bozhou Bozhou () is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Anhui province, China. It borders Huaibei to the northeast, Bengbu to the southeast, Huainan to the south, Fuyang to the southwest, and Henan to the north. Its population was 4,996,844 at ...

Anhui Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiang ...

). The area under Yuzhou's jurisdiction included parts of eastern

, western

. It was in charge of two commanderies - Yingchuan (潁川) and Runan (汝南) - and four

states State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

- Liang (梁), Pei (沛), Chen (陳) and Lu (魯).

Three Kingdoms

During the

Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin dyna ...

period (220-280), Yuzhou was in the state of

Cao Wei Wei () was one of the major Dynasties in Chinese history, dynastic states in China during the Three Kingdoms period. The state was established in 220 by Cao Pi based upon the foundations laid by his father Cao Cao during the end of the Han dy ...

(220–265) and its capital was designated in Ancheng County (northeast of present-day Zhengyang County,

, on the southwestern bank of the south Ru River). Under its jurisdiction were nine commanderies - Yingchuan (潁川), Chen (陳), Lu (魯), Runan (汝南), Qiao (譙), Yiyang (弋陽), Yang'an (陽安), Xiangcheng (襄城) and Ruyin (汝陰) - and two

- Liang (梁) and Pei (沛).

Jin dynasty and Sixteen Kingdoms

During the Western Jin dynasty (266-316), Yuzhou's capital was in Chen County (陳縣; present-day Huaiyang County,

), and it governed ten commanderies and

. Its capital constantly changed during the Eastern Jin dynasty (317-420) and its boundaries were not fixed. Yuzhou controlled the

delta and parts of

and

along the

Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ) is the longest river in Eurasia and the third-longest in the world. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains of the Tibetan Plateau and flows including Dam Qu River the longest source of the Yangtze, i ...

when its land area was greatest during Eastern Jin. In 329 Yuzhou's capital was set up in Wuyang County (蕪湖縣; east of present-day Wuyang, Anhui). After 338 the capital kept changing, and its locations included: Zhucheng (邾城; northwest of present-day

Huanggang Huanggang is a prefecture-level city in easternmost Hubei, Hubei Province, China. It is situated to the north of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and is bounded in the north by the Dabie Mountains and is named after Mount Huanggang, Huang ...

Hubei Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland ...

); Wuhu (蕪湖); Niuzhu (牛渚; present-day Caishi Subdistrict, Ma'anshan, Anhui); Liyang (歷陽; present-day

He County He County or Hexian () is a county in the east of Anhui Province, China, under the jurisdiction of Ma'anshan. It has a population of 650,000 and an area of . The government of He County is located in Liyang Town. History From 1965 to 2011, He Co ...

, Anhui); Matou (馬頭; southern bank of the

at south of

Huaiyuan County Huaiyuan County (Chinese postal romanization, Postal: Hweiyuen; ) is a county in the north of Anhui, Anhui Province, China. It is under the administration of Bengbu city. Administrative divisions Huaiyuan County has 15 towns and 3 townships. ;15 ...

, Anhui); Qiao (譙; present-day

, Anhui); Gushu (姑孰; present-day Dangtu County, Anhui). From 416 onwards its capital was in Shouchun (壽春; present-day Shou County, Anhui). During the

Sixteen Kingdoms The Sixteen Kingdoms (), less commonly the Sixteen States, was a chaotic period in Chinese history from AD 304 to 439 when northern China fragmented into a series of short-lived dynastic states. The majority of these states were founded b ...

period (304-439), Yuzhou was under

Later Zhao Zhao, briefly known officially as Wei (衛) in 350 AD, known in historiography as the Later Zhao (; 319–351) or Shi Zhao (石趙), was a dynasty of China ruled by the Shi family of Jie ethnicity during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. Among the ...

, and its capital was moved to Xuchang County (許昌縣; east of present-day

Xuchang Xuchang ( zh, s=, t= ; postal: Hsuchang) is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It is bordered by the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe ...

, Henan). The

Former Qin Qin, known as the Former Qin and Fu Qin (苻秦) in historiography, was a Dynasties of China, dynastic state of China ruled by the Fu (Pu) clan of the Di (Five Barbarians), Di peoples during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. Founded in the wake of ...

kingdom later renamed it Dongyuzhou (東豫州; Eastern Yu Province) and designated its capital in Luoyang County (洛陽縣; northeast of present-day

Luoyang Luoyang ( zh, s=洛阳, t=洛陽, p=Luòyáng) is a city located in the confluence area of the Luo River and the Yellow River in the west of Henan province, China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zheng ...

, Henan).

Southern and Northern Dynasties

During the Southern and Northern dynasties period (420-589), China was further divided into many administrative divisions so the land area in each division was reduced. Yuzhou fell under the control of several dynasties and experienced a series of renaming and changes to its capital. * The

Liu Song dynasty Song, known as Liu Song (), Former Song (前宋) or Song of (the) Southern dynasties (南朝宋) in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the first of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties peri ...

(420-479) established a Nanyuzhou (南豫州; Southern Yu Province) with its capital in Gure (姑熟; present-day Dangtu County,

). * The

Southern Qi Qi, known in historiography as the Southern Qi ( or ) or Xiao Qi (), was a Chinese imperial dynasty and the second of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties era. It followed the Liu Song dynasty and was succee ...

(479-502) set up another Yuzhou in addition to Nanyuzhou, with the former's capital in Shouchun (壽春; present-day Shou County, Anhui). * In 500 Yuzhou fell under

Northern Wei Wei (), known in historiography as the Northern Wei ( zh, c=北魏, p=Běi Wèi), Tuoba Wei ( zh, c=拓跋魏, p=Tuòbá Wèi), Yuan Wei ( zh, c=元魏, p=Yuán Wèi) and Later Wei ( zh, t=後魏, p=Hòu Wèi), was an Dynasties of China, impe ...

(386-535) control and was renamed Yangzhou (揚州). It was later renamed to Luozhou (洛州), and Sizhou (司州) was renamed Yuzhou, with the latter's capital in Shangcai County (上蔡縣; present-day Runan County,

). * In 506 the

Liang dynasty The Liang dynasty (), alternatively known as the Southern Liang () or Xiao Liang () in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the third of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. It was pre ...

(502-557) set up Yuzhou's capital in Hefei (合肥; present-day

Hefei Hefei is the Capital city, capital of Anhui, China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural center of Anhui. Its population was 9,369,881 as of the 2020 census. Its built-up (or ''metro'') area is made up of four u ...

, Anhui). In 526 it was renamed Nanyuzhou. Towards the end of the Liang dynasty its capital was moved to Huaining (懷寧; present-day

Qianshan County Qianshan() is a county-level city in the southwest of Anhui, Anhui Province, China; it is under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Anqing. It has a population of 570,000 and an area of . The government of Qianshan County is located i ...

, Anhui). In 550 it was renamed to Jinzhou (晉州) with its capital in Nanchang (南昌; present-day

Nanchang Nanchang is the capital of Jiangxi, China. Located in the north-central part of the province and in the hinterland of Poyang Lake Plain, it is bounded on the west by the Jiuling Mountains, and on the east by Poyang Lake. Because of its strate ...

Jiangxi ; Gan: ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = , translit_lang1_type3 = , translit_lang1_info3 = , image_map = Jiangxi in China (+all claims hatched).svg , mapsize = 275px , map_caption = Location ...

). In 557 it was renamed Jiangzhou (江州). * In 550 Yuzhou came under

Eastern Wei Wei (), known in historiography as the Eastern Wei (), was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei dynasty. One of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Nor ...

(534-550) and was renamed back to Yangzhou. * In 573 Yuzhou came under the

Chen dynasty The Chen dynasty (), alternatively known as the Southern Chen (南陳 / 南朝陳) in historiography, was a Dynasties in Chinese history, Chinese imperial dynasty and the fourth and last of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Southern dynasties, ...

(557-589) and was renamed back to Yuzhou. * In 579

Northern Zhou Zhou (), known in historiography as the Northern Zhou (), was a Xianbei-led Dynasties in Chinese history, dynasty of China that lasted from 557 to 581. One of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties of China's ...

(557–581) renamed Yuzhou to Yangzhou (揚州), and later to Shuzhou (舒州) and Zhenzhou (溱州).

Sui and Tang dynasties

During the early Daye era (605-618) of the

Sui dynasty The Sui dynasty ( ) was a short-lived Dynasties of China, Chinese imperial dynasty that ruled from 581 to 618. The re-unification of China proper under the Sui brought the Northern and Southern dynasties era to a close, ending a prolonged peri ...

(589–618), Yuzhou was renamed Caizhou (蔡州) and its capital designated in Luoyang (洛陽; present-day

). In 607 it was renamed to Henan Commandery (河南郡). Yuzhou was restored in the early

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

(618–907) and its capital set up in Ruyang County (汝陽縣; present-day Runan County, Henan). In 742 it was renamed Runan Commandery (汝南郡), and in 758 it was renamed back to Yuzhou. Around 762 and 763 it was renamed to Caizhou (蔡州) again.

Liao dynasty

During the Khitan-led Liao dynasty (907–1125), Yuzhou was under the control of the Prince of Chen (陳王) lineage. It was established as a military division of the capital Shangjing (上京; present-day Baarin Left Banner,

Inner Mongolia Inner Mongolia, officially the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of China. Its border includes two-thirds of the length of China's China–Mongolia border, border with the country of Mongolia. ...

). Its capital was near northwest of present-day Jarud Banner, Inner Mongolia.

Jin dynasty

Yuzhou was abolished during the Jurchen-ruled Jin dynasty (1115–1234).

References

{{Han dynasty provinces Provinces of ancient China Provinces of the Han dynasty