Map Introduction

Historical Evolution of the Jiangnandong Circuit during the Tang Dynasty in China (733–907 AD)

I. Establishment Background and Administrative Divisions

The Jiangnandong (East of the Yangtze River) Circuit was established in the 21st year of the Kaiyuan era (733 AD) under Emperor Xuanzong by dividing the original vast Jiangnan Circuit to strengthen local oversight. Its administrative seat was set in Su Prefecture (modern Suzhou, Jiangsu), and its jurisdiction covered southern modern Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, and the Huizhou area of Anhui. Its creation stemmed from the impracticality of administering the overly extensive Jiangnan Circuit, which spanned approximately 1,500 kilometers east to west. After the division, three circuits were formed: Jiangnandong (seat: Su Prefecture), Jiangnanxi (seat: Hong Prefecture), and Qianzhong (seat: Qian Prefecture).

Adjustments to Constituent Prefectures: The Jiangnandong Circuit initially governed 19 prefectures, including:

• Core Prefectures: Run Prefecture (Zhenjiang), Chang Prefecture (Wuxi), Su Prefecture, Hu Prefecture, Hang Prefecture, Yue Prefecture (Shaoxing), etc.
• Newly Added Prefectures: In 758 AD, five prefectures, including Fu Prefecture, Jian Prefecture, and Quan Prefecture, were transferred from the Lingnan Circuit.
• Administrative Reform: In 758 AD, the commandery (jun) names were reverted to prefecture (zhou) names, e.g., Wu Commandery became Su Prefecture again, and Yuhang Commandery became Hang Prefecture again.

II. Political and Economic Status

• Crucial Tax Base: The Jiangnandong Circuit was a vital granary and source of tax revenue for the Tang Dynasty. Terraced field irrigation flourished in the Tai Lake basin, and cities like Hang Prefecture and Su Prefecture became grain distribution centers. After the An Lushan Rebellion, as the northern economy declined, the circuit's contribution to the total tax revenue increased significantly, making it a financial pillar of the late Tang state.
• Cultural Center:
  • Talent Output: It produced numerous successful candidates in the imperial examinations. Literati like Bai Juyi and Liu Yuxi served as officials here, fostering cultural prosperity.
  • Urban Development: Su Prefecture and Hang Prefecture emerged as commercial hubs. Their handicraft industries, renowned for silk and porcelain, engaged in frequent overseas trade.

III. Impact of Major Historical Events

• An Lushan Rebellion (755–763 AD): Warfare in the north prompted significant southward migration, positioning the Jiangnandong Circuit at the core of the southward shift of the economic center. The Tang court relied heavily on its tax revenues to sustain itself, while also establishing new military commissioner offices to strengthen control over the region.
• Huang Chao Rebellion (875–884 AD): The rebel forces operated within the Jiangnandong Circuit, capturing cities like Hang Prefecture and Fu Prefecture, damaging the local economy, and accelerating the Tang court's compromises with regional powers.

IV. Evolution in the Late Tang Period

• Administrative Dissolution: In the first year of the Qianyuan era (758 AD), the Jiangnandong Circuit was formally abolished and split into the Zhedong (Eastern Zhejiang), Zhexi (Western Zhejiang), and Fujian Circuits. Their former territories were governed by separate military commissioners.
• Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period: After the fall of the Tang, Hang Prefecture became the capital of the Wuyue Kingdom (907–978 AD). Qian Liu established his regime based on the foundations of the former Jiangnandong Circuit, continuing regional prosperity.

V. Historical Assessment

As a core southeastern region of the Tang Dynasty, the evolution of the Jiangnandong Circuit reflects:

• Positive Impacts: It propelled the southward shift of the economic center of gravity and laid the foundation for the future wealth of the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region; it fostered multicultural integration.
• Limitations: In its later stages, the fragmentation of power among military governors weakened central control, setting the stage for the fragmentation of the Five Dynasties period.

The historical trajectory of the Jiangnandong Circuit is both a microcosm of the Tang Dynasty's prosperity and decline and a critical juncture in the transformation of China's regional economic structure.