Map Introduction

Historical Evolution of the Commanderies in the Jianghan, Yuan, and Xiang River Regions during the Sui Dynasty (581–618 AD)

I. Administrative Division Establishment and Scope Definition

The commanderies of the Jianghan, Yuan, and Xiang river regions formed the core administrative divisions of the Sui Dynasty in the middle Yangtze River and Dongting Lake basin, primarily including:

• Jianghan Commanderies: Nan Commandery (seat: Jiangling), Yiling Commandery (seat: Yichang), Jingling Commandery (seat: Tianmen), Mianyang Commandery (seat: Xiantao), and Jiangxia Commandery (seat: Wuchang). These constituted a governance system for the Han River basin centered on Jiangling.
• Yuan-Xiang Commanderies: Yuanling Commandery (seat: Yuanling), Wuling Commandery (seat: Changde), Liyang Commandery (seat: Lixian), Baling Commandery (seat: Yueyang), Changsha Commandery (seat: Changsha), Hengshan Commandery (seat: Hengyang), Guiyang Commandery (seat: Chenzhou), and Lingling Commandery (seat: Yongzhou). These covered the entirety of modern Hunan and parts of southwestern Hubei.

Initially, Emperor Wen of Sui retained the prefecture-commandery system of the Southern Dynasties. In the 3rd year of the Daye era (607 AD), Emperor Yang implemented the reform of "abolishing prefectures in favor of commanderies," merging former provinces like Jingzhou and Xiangzhou into 21 commanderies. This created a commandery-county network with dual cores at Jiangling and Changsha. Within the Hunan region, these were consolidated into 8 commanderies; for instance, Yuanling Commandery governed 5 counties including Chenxi and Daxiang, while Wuling Commandery administered 7 counties including Longyang and Hanshou.

II. Political, Economic, and Military Status

• Economic Hub:
  • Agriculture: Farming methods in the Yuan-Xiang basin, historically involving "slash-and-burn and water-weeding," were gradually improved. Changsha Commandery became an important grain-producing area, where the Sui established the Xiangzhou Granary for storage.
  • Water Transport: The Jianghan commanderies controlled the Yangtze-Han River waterways. Yuanling Commandery, strategically located at the confluence of the You and Yuan Rivers, served as a transshipment point connecting Ba-Shu (Sichuan) with Lingnan.
  • Handicrafts: The Tongguan Kiln in Changsha began to take shape. Lacquerware from Jiangling and bamboo ware from Baling were sold north via the canal network.
• Strategic Military Location:
  • Jiangling city, "occupying the confluence of the Yangtze and Han rivers," housed the Jingzhou Area Command, which oversaw military affairs south of the Yangtze.
  • The "Wuxi Man" region within Yuanling Commandery served as a Sui frontier outpost for managing southwestern ethnic groups. In the 17th year of the Kaihuang era (597 AD), Shi Wansui pacified the rebellion of Cuan Wan, a Qiang chieftain in Nanning.
• Political Governance:
  • A policy of "using Han methods to control the indigenous peoples" was implemented. In commanderies like Wuling and Yuanling, "Xi Zhou" (Stream Prefectures) were established to administer native tribes.
  • Changsha Commandery, as the administrative center of central Hunan, hosted the "Xiangzhou Grand Area Commander" appointed by Emperor Yang to supervise the southern commanderies.

III. Major Historical Events

During the late Sui popular uprisings, the Jianghan region became a primary battlefield:

• In 617 AD, Xiao Xian declared himself Prince of Liang from his base in Jiangling, controlling the Jianghan commanderies.
• The rebel army of Du Fuwei, active in Wuling Commandery, severed the Sui's north-south grain transport, hastening the dynasty's collapse.

IV. Impact of the Administrative System

• Institutional Reforms:
  • Abolished the Southern Dynasties' three-tier "Province-Commandery-County" system, implementing a streamlined two-tier "Commandery-County" system. Frontier commanderies like Yuanling saw significant simplification.
  • Implemented the "Large Township System," merging over 200 townships in Lingling Commandery into just over 40, enhancing administrative efficiency.
• Long-Term Effects:
  • Laid the foundation for the Tang Dynasty's "Jiangnan Circuit" administrative division, with Jiangling and Changsha continuing as regional centers.
  • The Yuan River waterway became a vital route connecting the Tang's "Qianzhong Circuit" with Lingnan.
  • The "Stream Prefecture" system in Wuling Commandery provided a prototype for the later Tusi (native chieftain) system.

The evolution of the Jianghan, Yuan, and Xiang commanderies during the Sui Dynasty illustrates the strategic value of the middle Yangtze region following national unification. From Jiangling's role as a military stronghold to Changsha's function as an administrative center, and from the initial consolidation of commanderies and counties to the turmoil of its final years, the historical trajectory of this area profoundly reflects the macro-process of the Sui Dynasty's rise and fall. Its innovations in administrative divisions and the construction of its economic network not only supported the Sui's national fortunes but also helped shape the later geographical pattern in China where "When Huguang (Hunan-Hubei) has a good harvest, the whole empire is fed."