Map Introduction

I. Establishment Background and Initial Integration

The Huainan East Route was one of the twenty-four routes of the Northern Song Dynasty. Its administrative establishment began with the division of the empire into fifteen routes in the 3rd year of the Zhidao era (997 AD) under Emperor Taizong, initially sharing the Huainan Route with the Huainan West Route. This adjustment stemmed from the Northern Song's reflection on the separatist military governors of the late Tang and Five Dynasties periods. By centralizing financial power through Fiscal Intendants, the "Route" evolved from a fiscal district into an administrative one with both civil and military functions. Given its strategic location in the Jiang-Huai region, the Huainan area became a frontier for defending against the remnants of the Southern Tang and the northern Liao Dynasty, making its administrative integration strategically significant.

II. Division during the Xining Era and Administrative Finalization

In the 5th year of the Xining era (1072 AD) under Emperor Shenzong, the Huainan Route was formally split into Eastern and Western Routes. The Huainan East Route had its seat at Yangzhou (modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) and governed ten prefectures and two military districts: Bo, Su, Si, Chu, Zhen, Yang, Tai, Tong, Chu, and Hai Prefectures, along with Gaoyou Army and Lianshui Army. This division enhanced local administrative efficiency. For example: * Bo Prefecture: Governed seven counties including Qiao County (its seat, modern Bozhou, Anhui). Established originally in the Northern Zhou, it became a distribution center for medicinal herbs during the Northern Song. * Si Prefecture: Its seat was at Xuyi (modern Xuyi, Jiangsu). It controlled Huai River shipping and was a crucial node for the regulated border trade between the Northern Song and the Liao Dynasty.

III. Economic Functions and Military Defense

The Huainan East Route possessed dual economic and military attributes: * Water Transport Hub: It transported grain and taxes from the Jiang-Huai region via districts like Gaoyou Army and Chu Prefecture, supporting the central finances of the Northern Song. * Strategic Defense Area: Jian'an Army was established in Zhen Prefecture (modern Yizheng) to monitor the northern bank of the Yangtze; Hai Prefecture (modern Lianyungang) defended against potential maritime incursions by the Liao. * Border Trade: Regulated markets in Si Prefecture and Chu Prefecture facilitated trade with the Liao Dynasty in horses and tea, with an annual trade volume reaching one million strings of cash.

IV. Contraction and Adjustment in the Southern Song Period

After the fall of the Northern Song, the territory of the Huainan East Route was significantly reduced. While its seat remained in Yangzhou, it lost northern prefectures and counties like Bo and Su, becoming the Southern Song's frontline against the Jin. Its functions shifted towards military defense, for instance: * Huai River Defense Line: A land-and-water defense system was constructed relying on Chu Prefecture and Hai Prefecture. * Southward Population Migration: Literati and elite families from the north flocked to Yangzhou, contributing to the southward shift of the cultural center of gravity.

V. Historical Assessment and Legacy

The evolution of the Huainan East Route reflects the Northern Song's governance logic of "strengthening the trunk and weakening the branches": * Institutional Innovation: The route-division system balanced centralization of authority with local administrative efficiency. * Economic Impact: Its water transport network supported the financial foundation of the Northern Song's "annual tribute" policy. * Cultural Integration: Yangzhou became a center for the convergence of northern and southern cultures, laying the groundwork for the subsequent prosperity of Lin'an (Hangzhou) in the Southern Song.