Map Introduction

I. Establishment Background and Administrative Integration

The Yongxingjun Circuit, a core administrative district in the northwest of the Northern Song Dynasty, was established in the 5th year of the Xining era (1072 AD) following the division of the Shaanxi Circuit. Its administrative seat was located at Jingzhao Prefecture (modern Xi'an), and its jurisdiction encompassed the Guanzhong Plain and parts of eastern Gansu (Longdong). The circuit was managed under a dual system comprising the Fiscal Intendant circuit and the Military-Pacification Commissioner circuit. It governed 3 superior prefectures (Jingzhao, Yan'an, Hezhong), 14 prefectures, and 3 military districts, forming a "Four-Commission Power-Sharing" structure where, for instance, the Fiscal Intendant Commission managed finances and taxes, and the Pacification Commission handled military affairs. Its establishment was directly linked to the demands of the Song-Xia wars, and together with circuits like Qinfeng and Fuyan, it constituted the defensive system of the Six Circuits of Shaanxi.

II. Military Defense and Economic Function

The Yongxingjun Circuit served the dual role of strategic depth and logistical base:

• Military Deployment: It transported provisions to the frontier via the Longguan Route, with forward strongholds like Suide Army and Qing Prefecture forming key defensive points.
• Economic Support: The military agricultural colonies in the Guanzhong Plain produced an average of 2 million shi of grain annually, accounting for 40% of the total storage capacity of the Six Circuits of Shaanxi.
• Demographic Changes: The number of households increased by 15% during the Yuanfeng era compared to the early Xining period, but plummeted by 30% after the Jingkang Incident due to wartime losses.

III. Reorganization in the Jin Dynasty and Historical End

The Yongxingjun Circuit was abolished in the 2nd year of the Huangtong era (1142 AD) of the Jin Dynasty and replaced by the Jingzhao Prefecture Circuit, marking the end of this Northwestern administrative region of the Northern Song. Its evolution exemplifies:

• Institutional Innovation: The Four-Commission power-sharing system effectively prevented regional separatism.
• Ethnic Integration: It became a convergence zone for Han Chinese, Tanguts, and Tibetans.

Map Source:

Tan Qixiang Edition of Chinese Historical Maps

Extended reading:

• Northern Song Dynasty twenty-four road
• Ancient division name "Yongxingjun"