Map Introduction

Historical Evolution of the Jiangnanxi Circuit in the Tang Dynasty (733–907 AD)

I. Establishment and Jurisdictional Scope

The Jiangnanxi (West of the Yangtze River) Circuit was established in the 21st year of the Kaiyuan era (733 AD) under Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, following the division of the original Jiangnan Circuit. It formed a new administrative system alongside the Jiangnandong and Qianzhong Circuits. Its jurisdiction included:

• Core Area: The entirety of modern Jiangxi Province.
• Extended Areas: The region east of the Xuefeng Mountains in modern Hunan Province; southeastern Hubei Province (including Ezhou, Huangshi, etc.); areas such as Xuancheng and Chizhou in modern Anhui Province; and parts of modern Nanjing in Jiangsu Province.
• Administrative Seat: Hong Prefecture (modern Nanchang). It governed 19 prefectures, including Xuan, Rao, Hong, and Qian Prefectures.

II. Administrative Adjustments

• Initial Structure: It initially functioned as an inspection circuit, with an Investigating Commissioner overseeing the prefectures and counties. By the 29th year of Kaiyuan (741 AD), it was formalized as one of the standardized "Fifteen Circuits of Kaiyuan."
• Mid to Late Period Reforms: After the An Lushan Rebellion, the circuit system became more substantive, with Observers (Guanchashi) added. During the mid-Tang period, the Hunan Circuit was separated from it, reducing its territorial scope. Internal adjustments of prefectures and counties were frequent, such as the establishment of Xinfeng County within the Nankang Commandery of Qian Prefecture.

III. Political and Economic Status

• Economic Pillars:
  • Agriculture: Promoted irrigation projects, becoming a nationally important granary.
  • Handicrafts: The celadon from the Hongzhou Kilns and silk from Rao Prefecture were renowned throughout the country.
  • Commerce: Leveraging the Yangtze River water system, trade hubs like Nanchang (Hong Prefecture) and Jiujiang emerged.
• Fiscal Contribution: After the implementation of the Twice-Taxation System, its tax revenue constituted a significant portion of the central government's income. During the Baoying era (762 AD onwards), harsh tax collection led to a large-scale popular uprising.
• Strategic Military Location: A Military Observer of Jiangxi was established to control local forces. The circuit served as a crucial logistical base during the suppression of the An Lushan Rebellion.

IV. Major Historical Events

V. Evolution during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

• Southern Tang Period (937–975 AD): The area fell under the control of Wu and later the Southern Tang, largely retaining its original administrative structure.
• Song Dynasty Reorganization: The circuit (dao) system was replaced by the route (lu) system, establishing the Jiangnanxi Route with its seat still at Hong Prefecture.
• Yuan Dynasty Finalization: The Jiangxi Provincial Secretariat was formally established, laying the foundation for the approximate territorial extent of the modern Jiangxi province.

As a core administrative district in the middle Yangtze region during the Tang Dynasty, Jiangnanxi's development model—"prioritizing agriculture while promoting both industry and commerce"—not only supported the financial operations of the mid to late Tang period but also shaped the unique cultural identity of the Jiangxi region, poetically described as "the head of Wu and the tail of Chu, a household of Yue and a courtyard of Min." Its evolution from a circuit to a province profoundly reflects the trajectory of local administrative systems in ancient China, transitioning from oversight districts to fully territorial entities.