Map Introduction

Historical Evolution of the Jingdong Circuit in the Northern Song Dynasty (997–1074 AD)

The Jingdong Circuit was one of the fifteen circuits established in the 3rd year of the Zhidao era (997 AD) of the Northern Song Dynasty. Its initial administrative seat was at Song Prefecture (modern Shangqiu, Henan), and its jurisdiction encompassed the entirety of modern Shandong, eastern Henan, northern Jiangsu, and northern Anhui. Its name derived from its location east of the Eastern Capital, Kaifeng Prefecture. As a crucial financial and resource base for the Northern Song, it fulfilled the vital economic role of "supplying the capital's granaries," while also serving as a military barrier against the Liao Dynasty, leveraging the natural defense of the Yellow River. In the 3rd year of the Jingde era (1006 AD), the Qingping Army and Xuanhua Army districts were added, only to be abolished later in the 2nd year of the Xining era (1069 AD).

Period of Division into Eastern and Western Jingdong Circuits (1074–1086 AD)

Due to its excessively large jurisdiction, the Jingdong Circuit was split in the 7th year of the Xining era (1074 AD) into the Jingdong East Circuit (seat: Qing Prefecture, modern Qingzhou, Shandong) and the Jingdong West Circuit (seat: Yingtian Prefecture, modern Shangqiu, Henan). The Jingdong East Circuit governed Jinan Superior Prefecture and 7 prefectures (including Qing, Mi, and Yi), totaling 38 counties. The Jingdong West Circuit administered 4 superior prefectures (including Yingtian and Xiqing) and 5 prefectures. Following the division, the Jingdong East Circuit emerged as a cultural center of the Northern Song, while the Jingdong West Circuit gained prominence because Yingtian Prefecture was the place where Zhao Kuangyin began his rise to power, leading to its elevation to a Grand Area Command.

Brief Reunification and Reorganization in the Jin Dynasty (1086–1127 AD onwards)

In the 1st year of the Yuanyou era (1086 AD), the two circuits were merged back into a single Jingdong Circuit, with the seat remaining at Yingtian Prefecture. After the southward retreat of the Song court following the Jingkang Incident, the Jingdong Circuit was occupied by the Jin Dynasty. The Jin merged it with the former Jingdong East Circuit to form the Nanjing Route, later renamed the Shandong Route, thereby laying the foundation for the subsequent administrative divisions of Shandong. During the Northern Song period, the Jingdong Circuit definitively broke the cyclical pattern of "long unity inevitably leads to division" that had characterized earlier separatist regimes. Its "Circuit" system became the blueprint for the local administrative structures of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.

Military Interaction between the Liao Five Capitals and the Jingdong Circuit

The Liao Dynasty established its Five Capitals (such as the Supreme Capital, Linhuang Prefecture, and the Middle Capital, Dading Prefecture) to the north of the Jingdong Circuit. Through institutions like Military Governor and Surveillance prefectures, a standoff with the Northern Song was formed. As a border region between the Song and Liao, the Jingdong Circuit's ports in Deng Prefecture and Mi Prefecture served as passageways for Goryeo envoys, fulfilling dual functions of military defense and overseas trade.