Map Introduction

The Evolutionary Relationship Between the Jingji and Guannei Circuits in the Tang Dynasty

Origin and Separation

• In the early Tang Dynasty, following the Sui system, the Guannei Circuit was established as one of the Ten Circuits. It administered the Guanzhong region and northern Shaanxi, with its seat at Chang'an (modern Xi'an).
• In 733 AD (the 21st year of the Kaiyuan era), Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, aiming to strengthen oversight of the capital region, separated the Jingji Circuit from the Guannei Circuit. It encompassed six prefectures: Jingzhao Fu, Fengxiang Fu, Hua Zhou, Tong Zhou, Shang Zhou, and Bin Zhou, forming a special administrative district centered on Chang'an.

Functional Shift

• Initially a supervisory circuit, the Jingji Circuit was overseen by an Investigative Commissioner who monitored local administration. However, after the An Lushan Rebellion (post-756 AD), the office of Military Commissioner of the Jingji Circuit was established, gradually transforming it into a combined military-administrative entity. Its functions shifted from pure supervision to include executive and military governance.
• The northern part of the Guannei Circuit was a critical border defense area, governed by military commissioners. This created a power dynamic where the "inner (capital) region was strong, while the outer regions were weak" compared to the strategic frontier commands.

Administrative Characteristics

• Jingzhao Fu was the core of the Jingji Circuit, administering the two capital counties of Wannian and Chang'an, along with over 20 other metropolitan counties. It registered more than 360,000 households and implemented a dual grassroots management system of "Villages & Wards - Townships & Hamlets".
• Fengxiang Fu (formerly Qi Zhou) was elevated to a "Fu" (metropolitan prefecture). Hua Zhou was temporarily renamed Tai Zhou to avoid using a character in Empress Wu Zetian's name. This formed a three-tiered urban network centered on Chang'an.

Historical Context and Institutional Origins

• The Jingji administrative structure can be traced back to the Qin's Neishi and the Han's Three Adjuncts (Jingzhao Yin, Zoupingyi, and Youfufeng). The Tang Dynasty inherited and developed this into the "Circuit - Fu - County" system.
• After the An Lushan Rebellion, the power of military commissioners expanded. Both the Jingji and Guannei Circuits were effectively absorbed into the provincial warlord system, marking a decline in central authority.

Geographical and Economic Status

• The Jingji Circuit corresponded roughly to the modern Guanzhong region in Shaanxi. It was the political and economic heartland of the Tang Dynasty, its material supply secured by the "Two Capitals System" linking Chang'an and Luoyang.
• The Guannei Circuit covered Guanzhong, northern Shaanxi, and southern Inner Mongolia. It served as a military buffer, but the economic center of gravity remained concentrated in the Jingji Circuit.

Summary

The Jingji Circuit of the Tang Dynasty, separated from the Guannei Circuit, underwent a transformation from a supervisory district to an administrative entity. This evolution reflects both the central government's effort to strengthen control over the capital region and the later predicament of fragmentation under powerful regional military governors.