"Yuanhe County Atlas (Volumes 1 and 2)"

Author: Li Jifu (Tang Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The Yuanhe Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties is one of the earliest and most complete regional general gazettes in China, comprising 40 volumes. It has a comprehensive system, thorough collection, and is organized around 10 circuits and 47 towns, with prefectures, counties, and districts as subheadings. The records typically trace back to the Three Dynasties and extend to the Tang Dynasty, including the Yuanhe era, with systematic and detailed narration. It extensively cites previous works, with over 100 references, and more importantly, it documents the transformation of nature through human efforts and explains the geographical forms of military strategies, making it also a book with significant military geographical value.
Author: Li Jifu of the Tang Dynasty, Li Jifu (758–814), styled Hongxian, was a native of Zanhuang County, Zhao State (now part of Hebei). The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties was written by Li Jifu of the Tang Dynasty. Li Jifu, styled Hongxian, was a native of 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 Dynasty·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 Departments, The Ten Circuits Map of Yuanhe, The Revised Shuijing Zhu, and The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties, but only The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties has survived, while the others are long lost.
The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties was written during the Yuanhe era of Emperor Xianzong (806–820), a period marked by the division of the empire into regional military commands. According to Tang Dynasty 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 Dujji 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-tier administrative division. The prefectural magistrates still reported to the central government. After the An Lushan Rebellion, some regional military commands became "larger ones controlling over ten prefectures and smaller ones overseeing three to four," effectively forming a first-tier administrative division above prefectures and counties. Li Jifu, in The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties, based his work on the 10 circuits of the Zhenguan era. After the mid-Tang Dynasty, Longyou Circuit was occupied by the Tibetan Empire, but it was still listed last to show the intention of "reclaiming lost territory." According to the then-existing situation, it was divided into 47 military commands, and the population, historical changes, mountains, rivers, ancient sites, and tribute of each prefecture, county, and district were described in order. Each military command had a map at the beginning, hence the title The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties. However, after the Southern Song Dynasty, the maps were lost, and the title was shortened to The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties.
The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties is not only the oldest preserved 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 were mostly scattered and lost; the only ones that survive today are this book, which is the oldest, and its system is the best. Although later works were improved upon, none surpassed its scope."
The content of The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties is extremely rich. As a general gazette covering the entire country, it provides systematic descriptions of the geographical changes of administrative divisions. Under each prefecture and county, it often traces back to the Three Dynasties or the records in the Yu Gong and extends to the Tang Dynasty. Among these, the records of administrative division changes during the Southern and Northern Dynasties are particularly valuable. 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, do not include 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 relatively brief; The Commentary on the Waterways of the Han Dynasty is a geographical masterpiece from the Northern Wei period, but it is primarily focused on waterways, making The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties' descriptions of this period crucial.
Under each county in The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties, there are brief accounts of historical changes, relocation of county seats, and famous ancient sites, along with necessary. For example, all three counties of Jingzhao Prefecture—Wannian, Chang'an, and Xianyang—have places named Xiliuying. The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties notes under Wannian: "Xiliuying is 30 li northeast of the county, traditionally said to be where General Zhou Yafu stationed his troops. However, according to historical records, Yafu's camp was 20 li southwest of Xianyang, so the location mentioned here is incorrect." Under Chang'an: "Xiliuyuan is 33 li southwest of the county, a different Xiliuyuan, not where Yafu camped." Under Chang'an, there are also records of 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 administrative changes and the locations of famous historical sites.
For some unclear issues, the book does not make arbitrary conclusions but adopts a cautious attitude. For example, in Volume 2 of The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties, regarding 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 of the person who built it remains unclear." Similarly, in Volume 9, regarding 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. This aspect has been recorded in most historical geographical records since Ban Gu's Geographical Records of the Han Dynasty, but the content is often too brief. Li Daoyuan's Commentary on the Waterways of the Han Dynasty provides more detailed records, but no books on this subject have survived from the Northern Wei to the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, the preserved information in The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties is also highly valuable. 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, regarding Gaomi County of Mi Prefecture (now Gaomi County, Shandong), the Yi'an Marsh is described as "40 li in circumference, abundant in deer and reeds." In Volume 18, regarding Wangdu County of Ding Prefecture (now Wangdu County, Hebei), the Yangcheng Pond is described as "30 li in circumference, with reeds, lotus, and other aquatic plants." Additionally, there are descriptions of various topographical features. For instance, in Volume 1, regarding Wannian, Chang'an, and Sanyuan counties of Jingzhao Prefecture, there are records of the "yuan" (plateau) in the Loess Plateau, such as Bi Yuan, Bailu Yuan, Xiliu Yuan, Menghou Yuan, Feng Yuan, and Tianqi Yuan. In Volume 4, regarding Mingsha County of Ling Prefecture (now Northeast Zhongning County, Ningxia), there are records of deserts, stating, "When horses and men pass through this sand, they make sounds along the way, different from other sands, hence it is called Mingsha." In Volume 30, regarding Luxi County of Chen Prefecture (now Southwest Luxi County, Hunan), there are records of karst topography, stating, "The mountains here are as high as ten thousand feet, with Panhu cave formations capable of holding tens of thousands of people." All these provide invaluable materials for studying historical changes in waterways and lakes, as well as the environmental changes in various regions.
In terms of economic geography, after each prefecture and county, there is a section on "tribute and taxes," which is considered a pioneering feature of The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties. Most tribute items are local specialties, including famous handicraft products, minerals, and medicinal herbs; taxes include silk and cotton. For example, in Volume 1, regarding Jingzhao Prefecture, it records: "Kaiyuan Tribute: hemp mats, white bark of the earthnut plant, sour jujube seeds; Taxes: silk and cotton." Under each county, there are records of local water conservancy facilities, mining industries, and other economic information. For instance, in Volume 1, regarding Liquan County of Jingzhao Prefecture (now Liquan County, Shaanxi), there are records of the irrigation by the Zheng and Bai canals; in Volume 16, regarding Ye County of Xiang Prefecture (now Linzhang County, Hebei), there are records of Simen Bao and Shi Qi diverting the Zhang River to irrigate fields; in Volume 11, regarding Fuliang County of Mi Prefecture (now Anqiu County, Shandong), there are records of the Yu River embankment irrigating fields, stating, "Today, the embankment remains, and the rice fields are still visible"; in Volume 3, regarding Pinggao County of Yuan Prefecture (now Guyuan County, Ningxia), there are records of the pastoral grounds and horse numbers in the northwest; in Volume 4, regarding Yan Prefecture, there are records of salt lakes; in Volume 3, regarding Fushi County of Yan Prefecture (now Northeast Yan'an City, Shaanxi) and in Volume 40, regarding Yumen County of Su Prefecture (now North Yumen City, Gansu), there are records of petroleum mines; in Volume 14, regarding Feihu County of Wei Prefecture (now Laiyuan County, Hebei), there are records of the Sanhe smelting official factory and the author personally overseeing the restoration of copper smelting and coin production. As for general copper, silver, and iron mines, the records are even more numerous.
One of the distinctive features of The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties in recording population is its inclusion of population figures from different eras. The geographical records of population began with The Geographical Records of the Han Dynasty, but The Han Records only recorded the population of the Western Han Dynasty in the second year of Emperor Yuanshi (2 AD). The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties includes both the population figures of the Kaiyuan era and those of the Yuanhe era, providing important evidence for studying the changes in population across various regions before and after the An Lushan Rebellion.
Of course, The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties also has many shortcomings, such as overly brief descriptions of the historical changes of some prefectures and counties. Due to incomplete materials, the records often appear fragmented and disorganized, giving the impression of being pieced together. Moreover, Li Jifu, the author of The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties, was a member of the feudal ruling class. During Emperor Xianzong's reign, he was promoted twice to the positions of Zhongshu Shilang and Pingzhangshi, serving as a prime minister. His purpose in writing The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties 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 who emphasized the past overlooked the present, while those who collected folk customs often spread doubts and lost accuracy. Some decorated the states and provinces while narrating the people, or consulted tombs and graves to invoke ghosts and gods, deviating from the essence and neglecting the foundation. As for the land, mountains, rivers, and the advantages and disadvantages of defense, which are rooted in geography, were all omitted. How can such works assist the wise ruler in controlling the empire and governing the people, securing the advantages of land and terrain, and demonstrating the principles of geographical constraints?" His meticulous study of geography and writing of The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties were indeed aimed at helping the emperor better understand the empire's geographical conditions to achieve the goal of "controlling the empire and governing the people."
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 Suwuji of Yue Shi of the Song Dynasty, as well as the Yitongzhi of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Therefore, it is widely praised that The Yulan Gazetteer of Commanderies and Counties pioneered the genre of Chinese general gazettes, and this praise is well-deserved.