Yuanhe County Atlas: (Volume 1, Volume 2)

Author: (Tang) Li Jifu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The Yuanhe County Gazetteer is one of the earliest and most complete regional general gazettes in China, consisting of 40 volumes. It has a comprehensive system and thorough collection, organized around 10 circuits and 47 prefectures/towns, with prefectures, counties, and districts as the main subjects. The records typically trace back to the three dynasties and extend to the Tang Dynasty, including the Yuanhe era, with systematic narration. It extensively cites previous works, referencing over 100 sources, and more importantly, it documents the transformation of nature through human efforts and explains the geographical forms of military strategies, making it a book with significant military geographical value.
Author Tang Li Jifu, Li Jifu (758–814), styled Hongxian, was from Zanhuang County, Zhao State (now part of Hebei). The Yulan County Gazetteer was written by Tang Li Jifu. Li Jifu, styled Hongxian, was from Zanhuang, Zhao State (now Zanhuang, Hebei). He was born in the first year of the Qianyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (758) and died in the ninth year of the Yuanhe era of Emperor Xianzong (814). The Old Book of Tang·Biography of Li Jifu describes him as "fond of learning and skilled in writing," "extremely knowledgeable, especially in the historical records of the Tang Dynasty, and often praised for his balanced and comprehensive analysis of historical changes." He wrote works such as The Brief History of the Six Dynasties, Essentials of Administrative Offices, The Yulan Circuit Maps, The Revised Shuijing Zhu, and The Yulan County Gazetteer, but only The Yulan County Gazetteer has survived, while the others are long lost.
The Yulan County Gazetteer was written during Emperor Xianzong's Yuanhe era (806–820), a period marked by the division of the empire into regional military commands. According to Tang administrative divisions, the empire initially implemented a two-tier system of prefectures and counties. During the Zhenguan era, the empire was divided into 10 circuits: Guannan Circuit, Henan Circuit, Hedong Circuit, Hebei Circuit, Shannan Circuit, Longyou Circuit, Huainan Circuit, Jiangnan Circuit, Jiannan Circuit, and Lingnan Circuit. By the Kaiyuan era, Guannan Circuit was split into Jingji Circuit, Henan Circuit was split into Duji Circuit, Shannan Circuit was divided into Shannan East, Shannan South, and Shannan West, and Jiangnan Circuit was divided into Jiangnan East, Jiangnan West, and Qizhong Circuit, resulting in 15 circuits. However, circuits were merely supervisory regions and did not constitute a first-level administrative division. Prefects still reported to the central government. After the An Lushan Rebellion, some regional military commands became large, controlling over ten prefectures, while smaller ones controlled three to four, effectively forming a first-level administrative division above prefectures and counties. Li Jifu, in The Yulan County Gazetteer, based his work on the 10 circuits of the Zhenguan era.
After the mid-Tang period, Longyou Circuit was occupied by the Tibetan Empire, but it was still listed at the end to show the intention of "reclaiming lost territory." According to the circumstances of the time, it was divided into 47 military commands, with the population, historical changes, mountains, rivers, historical sites, and tribute of each prefecture, county, and district described in order. Each military command had a map at the beginning, hence the name The Yulan County Gazetteer. However, after the Southern Song Dynasty, the maps were lost, and the title was shortened to The Yulan County Gazetteer.
The Yulan County Gazetteer is not only the oldest surviving general gazette since the Wei and Jin dynasties but also one of the best written. The General Preface to the Siku Quanshu compiled in the early Qing Dynasty states: "Geographical maps and records from the Sui and Tang dynasties are mostly scattered and lost; the only one that survives today is this book, which is the oldest and has the best system. Although later works have been modified and supplemented, none can surpass its scope."
The content of The Yulan County Gazetteer is extremely rich. As a general gazette covering the entire country, it provides systematic descriptions of the historical changes of administrative divisions and geography. Under each prefecture and county, it often traces back to the three dynasties or the records in Yu Gong, and extends to the Tang Dynasty. Especially valuable are the records of regional changes during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. The official histories of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, except for The Book of Song, The Book of Southern Qi, and The Book of Wei, lack geographical records; The Geographical Records of the Sui Dynasty mentions the five dynasties of Liang, Chen, Northern Qi, Zhou, and Sui, but the records before the Sui Dynasty are brief; The Commentary on the Waterways of the States is a geographical masterpiece from the Northern Wei period, but it is primarily focused on waterways, making The Yulan County Gazetteer's records of this period crucial.
Under each county in The Yulan County Gazetteer, there are brief accounts of historical changes, the relocation of county seats, and famous historical sites, along with necessary annotations. For example, all three counties—Wannian, Chang'an, and Xianyang—had places named Xiliuying. The Yulan County Gazetteer notes under Wannian: "Xiliuying is thirty li northeast of the county, traditionally said to be where General Zhao Yu led his troops. However, according to records, Yu's troops were stationed twenty li southwest of Xianyang, so this location is incorrect." Under Chang'an: "Xiliuyuan is thirty-three li southwest of the county, a different Xiliuyuan, not where Yu's troops were stationed." It also records the ruins of the Qin Dapang Palace, the Han Changle Palace, the Han Weiyang Palace, and the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang. All these provide important references for studying historical changes in administrative divisions and the locations of famous historical sites.
For unclear issues, the book does not make arbitrary conclusions but adopts a cautious approach. For instance, in Volume 2 of The Yulan County Gazetteer, under Xingping County of Jingzhao Prefecture (now Xingping County, Shaanxi), the record of the ancient city of Mawei states: "Mawei was fortified here to avoid danger, but the dynasty is unclear." Similarly, in Volume 9, under Yiyang County of Shen Prefecture (now Xinyang City, Henan), the record of Pingjing Pass states: "This pass existed in the past, but its founding dynasty is unknown." These reflect the author's pragmatic and scientific attitude.
In terms of physical geography, the book also contains extremely rich information. Under each county, it records the directions of nearby mountains, the courses of rivers, and the distribution of lakes. While most official histories since Ban Gu's Geographical Records in the Han Dynasty include brief descriptions of these, the records in The Commentary on the Waterways of the States are more detailed. However, no books on this topic have survived from the Northern Wei to the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, the preserved records in The Yulan County Gazetteer are also invaluable. The book records over 550 rivers and more than 130 lakes and ponds. It not only documents well-known large rivers and lakes but also small rivers and marshes. For example, in Volume 11, under Gaomi County of Mi Prefecture (now Gaomi County, Shandong), there is a record of Yian Marsh: "It measures forty li in circumference, abundant in deer and reeds." In Volume 18, under Wangdu County of Ding Prefecture (now Wangdu County, Hebei), there is a record of Yangcheng Pond: "It measures thirty li in circumference, with reeds, lotus, and other aquatic plants." Additionally, there are descriptions of various topographical features. For instance, in Volume 1, under Wannian, Chang'an, and Sanyuan counties of Jingzhao Prefecture, there are records of "yuan" (plains) in the Loess Plateau, such as Bi Yuan, Bailu Yuan, Xiliu Yuan, Menghou Yuan, Feng Yuan, and Tianqi Yuan. In Volume 4, under Mingsha County of Ling Prefecture (now Northeast Zhongning County, Ningxia), there is a record of the desert: "When people and horses pass through this sand, they make a sound along the way, different from other sands, hence the name Mingsha." In Volume 30, under Luxi County of Chen Prefecture (now Southwest Luxi County, Hunan), there is a record of karst topography: "The mountains here are as high as ten thousand feet, with Panhu Cave in the mountains capable of holding tens of thousands of people." All these provide invaluable materials for studying historical changes in waterways, lakes, and natural environments.
In terms of economic geography, each prefecture and county has a section on "tribute and taxes," a feature pioneered by The Yulan County Gazetteer. Tribute items mostly include local specialties, such as famous handicraft products, minerals, and medicinal herbs; taxes were paid in silk and cotton. For example, under Jingzhao Prefecture in Volume 1, it records: "Kaiyuan Tribute: hemp mats, white bark of the earthnut plant, jujube seeds; Taxes: silk and cotton." Under each county, there are records of local water conservancy facilities, mining industries, and other economic data. For instance, in Volume 1, under Liquan County of Jingzhao Prefecture (now Liquan County, Shaanxi), there is a record of the Zheng and Bai canals; in Volume 16, under Xiang Prefecture's Ye County (now Linzhang County, Hebei), there is a record of Simen Bao and Shi Qi diverting the Zhang River to irrigate fields; in Volume 11, under Fuliang County of Mi Prefecture (now Anqiu County, Shandong), there is a record of the Yu River weir irrigating fields, noting that "remnants of the weir still exist, and the rice fields and ditches remain." In Volume 3, under Pinggao County of Yuan Prefecture (now Guyuan County, Ningxia), there are records of pastoral grounds and horse numbers in the northwest; in Volume 4, under Yan Prefecture's Fushi County (now Northeast Yan'an City, Shaanxi), and in Volume 40, under Yumen County of Su Prefecture (now North Yumen City, Gansu), there are records of oil mines; in Volume 14, under Feihu County of Wei Prefecture (now Laiyuan County, Hebei), there is a record of the Sanhe smelting office, describing the author personally overseeing the restoration of copper smelting and coin production. There are also numerous records of copper, silver, and iron mines.
One distinctive feature of The Yulan County Gazetteer in recording population is its inclusion of population figures from different eras. The geographical records of population began with The Geographical Records in the Han Dynasty, but The Han Records only recorded the population in the second year of Emperor Yuanshou of the Western Han Dynasty (2 AD). The Yulan County Gazetteer records both the population figures of the Kaiyuan era and those of the Yuanhe era, providing important evidence for studying population changes in various regions before and after the An Lushan Rebellion.
Of course, The Yulan County Gazetteer also has many shortcomings, such as overly brief descriptions of the historical changes of some prefectures and counties. Due to incomplete materials, the book often appears fragmented and disorganized, giving the impression of being pieced together. Moreover, Li Jifu, the author of The Yulan County Gazetteer, was a member of the feudal ruling class. During Emperor Xianzong's reign, he was promoted twice to Vice Director of the Chancellery and Chief Councillor, holding the position of prime minister. His purpose in writing The Yulan County Gazetteer was entirely to consolidate feudal rule. As he stated in the preface: "In ancient and modern times, there have been dozens of works on geography. Some focus on the ancient past and neglect the present, while others rely on folklore and lose accuracy. Some embellish prefectures and states while narrating the lives of people, or consult tombs and spirits, straying into heresy and missing the essence. As for the foundations of military strategy and geographical advantages, they are all omitted. How can this help the wise ruler control the throat of the empire and govern the fate of all living beings, seize the advantages of land and territory, and demonstrate the principles of geographical constraints?" His meticulous study of geography and the writing of The Yulan County Gazetteer were aimed at enabling the emperor to survey the empire and achieve the goal of "controlling the throat of the empire and governing the fate of all living beings."
However, the book preserves a vast amount of rich material, providing concise descriptions of the geographical changes, mountains, rivers, and products of various regions in the country. In terms of writing style, it greatly influenced the Taiping Suishu Ji of Yue Shi in the Song Dynasty, as well as the Yitong Zhi of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Therefore, it is widely praised as the pioneer of China's general gazettes, and this praise is well-deserved.