Mingzhou or Ming Prefecture (738–1194) was a '' zhou'' (prefecture) in

imperial China The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), during the reign of king Wu Ding. Ancient historical texts such as the '' Book of Documents'' (early chapte ...

located in modern northeastern

Zhejiang Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Jiang ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, around modern

Ningbo Ningbo (; Ningbonese: ''gnin² poq⁷'' , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), formerly romanized as Ningpo, is a major sub-provincial city in northeast Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. It comprises 6 urban districts, 2 sate ...

. The prefecture was called Yuyao Commandery from 742 to 758. Located on the coast of the

East China Sea The East China Sea is an arm of the Western Pacific Ocean, located directly offshore from East China. It covers an area of roughly . The sea’s northern extension between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula is the Yellow Sea, separated b ...

and the southern bank of

Hangzhou Bay Hangzhou Bay, or the Bay of Hangzhou (), is a funnel-shaped inlet of the East China Sea, bordered by the province of Zhejiang and the municipality of Shanghai, which lies north of the Bay. The Bay extends from the East China Sea to its head a ...

(which connects it to

Hang Prefecture Hangzhou or Hang Prefecture (589–1129) was a '' zhou'' (prefecture) in imperial China The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), during the reign ...

and the Grand Canal), Ming Prefecture was one of the most important international ports during the

Tang Tang or TANG most often refers to: * Tang dynasty * Tang (drink mix) Tang or TANG may also refer to: Chinese states and dynasties * Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...

(618–907),

Wuyue Wuyue (; ), 907–978, was an independent coastal kingdom founded during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907–960) of Chinese history. It was ruled by the Haiyan Qian clan (海盐钱氏), whose family name remains widespread in t ...

(907–978) and

Song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...

(960–1279) dynasties. Cargo ships to and from Japan,

Silla Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of K ...

(57 BC – 935 AD),

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...

(918–1392), and Liao (907–1125) frequented this prefecture. Ming Prefecture also administered

Zhoushan Zhoushan , formerly romanized as Chusan, is an urbanized archipelago with the administrative status of a prefecture-level city in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang. It consists of an archipelago of islands at the southern mouth of H ...

, an island archipelago off the Zhejiang coast, including

Zhoushan Island Zhoushan Island is the principal and namesake island in the Zhoushan Islands, formerly romanized as the ChusanIslands, an archipelago administered by Zhoushan Prefecture in Zhejiang Province in the People's Republic of China. It is the province ...

Counties

For most of its history, Ming Prefecture administered the following 4–6 counties (縣): Before 764, Xiangshan (which is separated from the prefectural seat by

Xiangshan Harbor Xiangshan may refer to: Mainland China *Xiangshan County, Guangdong, former county *Xiangshan County, Zhejiang (象山县), a coastal county in Ningbo, Zhejiang *Xiangshan District, Guilin (象山区), in Guilin, Guangxi *Xiangshan District, Huaib ...

) was under the administration of Tai Prefecture.

History

Tang dynasty

Ming Prefecture was created on 3 August 738 by splitting Mao County (鄮縣) from Yue Prefecture and dividing the area into 4 counties. Around 500 homeless people from

Run Prefecture Runzhou or Run Prefecture was a ''Zhou (country subdivision), zhou'' (prefecture) in history of China, imperial China in modern Jiangsu, China, seated in modern Zhenjiang. It existed (intermittently) from 595 to 1113, when it became Zhenjiang Prefe ...

were brought over to resettle in Ming Prefecture. In 739, it was determined that 207,032 people from 42,027 families resided in Ming Prefecture. In 744, Mao County's magistrate Lu Nanjin (陸南金) had laborers expand the Wanjin Lake (now known as

Dongqian Lake Dongqian Lake () is a large freshwater lake in Yinzhou District, Ningbo in Zhejiang, China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by populati ...

) to facilitate irrigation and agricultural water management. In 744, while waiting for the typhoon to pass before embarking on his third journey to Japan, the Buddhist monk

Jianzhen Jianzhen (; 688–763), or Ganjin in Japanese, was a Chinese monk who helped to propagate Buddhism in Japan. In the eleven years from 743 to 754, Jianzhen attempted to visit Japan some six times. Ganjin finally came to Japan in the year 753 and ...

stayed at the

Temple of King Ashoka Temple of King Ashoka () is a Buddhist temple located in Yinzhou District of Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. History Western Jin dynasty The temple was first established in 282 by monk Huida () from the Western Regions, under the Western Jin dynas ...

. In 752, three ships carrying Japanese diplomats from

Empress Kōken , also known as , was the 46th (with the name Empress Kōken) and the 48th monarch of Japan (with the name Empress Shōtoku), Emperor Kōnin, Takano Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. ...

's court arrived in Ming Prefecture. In 762, Yuan Chao (袁晁) rebelled from the

Archipelago, and quickly took several prefectures including Ming Prefecture. In 763, Yuan Chao was destroyed and captured by the Tang army led by

Li Guangbi Li Guangbi (李光弼) (708 – August 15, 764), formally Prince Wumu of Linhuai (臨淮武穆王), was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician during the Tang dynasty. He was of ethnic Khitan ancestry, who was instrumental in Tang's s ...

. In 798, military officer Li Huang (栗鍠) rebelled in Ming Prefecture. He was defeated in 799. In 804, a Japanese ship carrying 127 people from

Emperor Kanmu , or Kammu, was the 50th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 桓武天皇 (50) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Kanmu reigned from 781 to 806, and it was during his reign that the sco ...

's court arrived in Ming Prefecture, the Buddhist monk

Saichō was a Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai school of Buddhism based on the Chinese Tiantai school he was exposed to during his trip to Tang China beginning in 804. He founded the temple and headquarters of Tendai at Enryaku-j ...

among them.

Prefects

Tang dynasty

*Qin Changshun (秦昌舜), 738 *Lü Yanzhi (呂延之), 758–759 *Pei Jing (裴儆), 771–773 *Cui Yin (崔殷), 773–? *Wang Mi (王密), 770s *Zhao Heng (趙恒) *Li Chang (李長), 770s *Wang Mu (王沐), 788–? *Ren Dong (任侗), 793–? *Han Cha (韓察), 821–823 *Ying Biao (應彪), 823–? *Li Wenru (李文孺), 829–? *Yu Jiyou (于季友), 832–? *Zhang Cizong (張次宗), 840s *Li Jingfang (李敬方), 847–? *Yin Sengbian (殷僧辯) *Li Xiugu (李休古), 850s? *Li Kang (李伉), 865 *Cui Qi (崔琪), 874–? *Zhong Jiwen (鍾季文), 881–892 *Liu Wen (劉文), 880s? *Yang Zhuan (羊僎), 880s? *Huang Sheng (黄晟), 892–909

Wuyue

*Qian Hua (錢鏵) *Shen Chengye (沈承業), 916–? *Qian Yuanqiu (錢元球), 916–? *Qian Yuanqu (錢元 ��瞿, 924–926? *Qian Yuanxiang (錢元珦), ?–933 *

Yang Renquan Yang Renquan () (died 940s) was a general and politician of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms state Wuyue, eventually reaching the position of chancellor. His daughter was the second wife of Wuyue's third king Qian Hongzuo. Background ...

, 933–? *Kan Fan (闞燔), 945–? *Qian Hongyi (錢弘億), 949–? *Qian Weizhi (錢惟治), 975–978

Song dynasty

*Wang Su (王素), 980–981 *Xu Xiufu (徐休復), 981–982 *Zhao Yizhi (趙易知), 982–983 *Xi Ping (席平), 983–984 *Qian Xiangxian (錢象先), 984?–987? *Chen Jin (陳矜), 988–989 *Sun Fu (孫扶), 989–990 *Qiu Chongyuan (邱崇元), 990–992 *Ling Jingyang (凌景陽), 990s *Chen Chong (陳充), 992–994 *Hu Dan (胡旦), 994–995 *Bao Dang (鮑當), 996–997 *Xu Jizong (徐繼宗), 997–1000 *Ding Gunian (丁顧年), 1000? *Wang Ying (王膺), 1008–1009 *Su Qi (蘇耆), 1009–1011 *Fan Feng (范諷), 1011–1013 *Kang Xiaoji (康孝基), 1013–1015 *Liu Chuo (劉綽), 1015–1017 *Li Yigeng (李夷庚), 1017–1022 *Yan Su (燕肅), 1022–1023 *Lin Daishu (林殆庶), 1023–1024 *Zeng Hui (曾會), 1024–1027 *Liu Geng (劉賡), 1020s?/1030s? *Zhang Jiao (張交), 1032–1034 *Xu Qi (徐起), 1035–1036 *Li Zhao (李照), 1036–1037 *Zhang Yan (張弇), 1037–1038 *Li Zhi (李制), 1038–1040 *Bao Yazhi (鮑亞之), 1040–1041 *Qian Yannian (錢延年), 1042–1044 *Lu Zhen (陸軫), 1044–1046 *Wang Zhou (王周), 1040s *Fan Sidao (范思道), 1047–1049 *Sun Gai (孫沔), 1051–1052 *An Zhen (安稹) *Lü Changling (呂昌齡), 1053–1054 *Shen Tong (沈同), 1055–1056 *Qi Kuo (齊廓), 1056–1057 *Bao Ke (鮑軻), 1057–1058 *Qian Gongfu (錢公輔), 1058–1060 *Lang Qi (郎玘) *Li Sidao (李思道), 1064–1065 *Yu Changnian (俞昌年), 1065–1066 *Shen Fu (沈扶), 1066–1067 *Miao Zhen (苗振), 1060s?/1070s? *Wang Han (王罕), 1069–1071 *Zhao Cheng (趙誠), 1072?–1073? *Li Yan (李綖), 1073–1074 *Li Ding (李定), 1075–1078 *

Zeng Gong Zeng (, ) is a Chinese family name. In Cantonese, it is Tsang; In Wade-Giles, such as those in Taiwan, Tseng or Tzeng; in Malaysia and Singapore, Chen or Cheng; in the Philippines, Chan; in Indonesia, Tjan; in Vietnam, Tăng. The surname Zeng is ...

, 1078–1079 *Wang Hui (王誨), 1082–1084 *Ma Chong (馬珫), 1084–1085 *Li Kang (李閌), 1080s?/1090s? *Li Cui (李萃), 1086–1087 *Zhang Xiu (張修), 1080s?/1090s? *Han Zongdao (韓宗道), 1088–1089 *Wang Fen (王汾), 1089 *Wang Ziyuan (王子淵), 1089–1090 *Liu Shu (劉淑), 1090–1091 *Lü Wenqing (呂溫卿), 1091–1093 *Liu Cheng (劉珵), 1093–1095 *Yao Mian (姚勔), 1090s *Wang Zishao (王子韶), 1096–1097 *Ye Tao (葉濤), 1097–1098 *Wei Xiang (韋驤), 1098 *Lu Chuan (陸傳) *Wang Zishen (王資深), 1102 *Ye Di (葉棣) *Peng Xiu (彭休) *Bai Tong (白同) *Qian Jingfeng (錢景逢) *Song Kangnian (宋康年), 1109 *Tan Zongdan (檀宗旦), 1110–1111 *Cai Zhao (蔡肇), 1111 *Li Tunan (李圖南), 1110s *Lü Zong (呂宗), 1110s *Zhou Zhi (周秩), 1114–1115 *

Zhou Bangyan Zhou Bangyan (; 1056–1121) was a Chinese bureaucrat, literatus and ci (poetry), ''ci'' poet of the Northern Song Dynasty. He was from Hangzhou, Qiantang (in modern Hangzhou). His courtesy name was Meicheng (), and his art name was Qingzhen Jus ...

, 1115 *Mao You (毛友), 1116–1117 *Lou Yi (樓异), 1117–1121? *Li Youwen (李友聞), 1121–1122 *Jiang Yi (蔣彝), 1122 *Jiang You (蔣猷), 1122–1123 *Zhao Yi (趙億), 1123–1125 *Wei Xian (魏憲), 1125–1126 *Li Biru (李弼孺), 1126 *Li Youwen (2nd appointment), 1126–1127 *Su Xi (蘇攜), 1127–1128 *Jin Shou (金受), 1128–1129 *Shen Hui (沈晦), 1129–1130 *Zhang Ruzhou (張汝舟), 1130 *Liu Hongdao (劉洪道), 1130 *Xiang Zimin (向子忞), 1130 *Wu Mao (吳懋), 1130–1132 *Chen Jian (陳戩), 1132 *Lu Changmin (陸長民), 1132–1133 *Li Chengzao (李承造), 1133 *Guo Zhongxun (郭仲荀), 1133–1135 *Qiu Yu (仇悆), 1135–1138 *Zhou Gang (周綱), 1138–1139 *Pan Lianggui (潘良貴), 1139–1140 *Qiu Yu (2nd appointment), 1140–1141 *Liang Rujia (梁汝嘉), 1141–1142 *Mo Jiang (莫將), 1142–1145 *Qin Di (秦棣), 1145–1147 *Xu Chen (徐琛), 1147–1150 *Cao Yong (曹泳), 1150–1152 *Han Jin (韓璡), 1152–1153 *Li Zhuang (李莊), 1153–1154 *Wang Hui (王會), 1154–1155 *Li Chong (李㳘), 1155 *Fang Zi (方滋), 1155 *Wang Yu (王俁), 1155–1156 *Jiang Shizhong (姜師仲), 1156–1158 *Zhao Shanji (趙善繼), 1158–1159 *Zhang Cheng (張偁), 1159–1160 *Shen Gai (沈該), 1160–1162 *Han Zhongtong (韓仲通), 1162–1163 *Zhao Zisu (趙子潚), 1163–1164 *Zhao Bogui (趙伯圭), 1164–1167 *Zhang Jin (張津), 1167–1169 *Zhao Bogui (2nd appointment), 1169–1174 *Zhao Kai (趙愷), 1174–1180 *

Fan Chengda Fan Chengda (, 1126–1193), courtesy name Zhineng (), was a Chinese geographer, poet, and politician. Known as one of the best-known Chinese poets of the Song Dynasty, he served as a government official, and was an academic authority in geography, ...

, 1180–1181 *Zhao Yi (趙益), 1181 *Xie Shiji (謝師稷), 1181–1182 *Yang Xie (楊獬), 1182–1184 *Zhao Shikui (趙師夔), 1184–1186 *Geng Bing (耿秉), 1186 *Yan Xi (延璽), 1186 *Yue Fu (岳甫), 1186–1189 *Lin Li (林栗), 1189–1190 *Cheng Dachang (程大昌), 1190–1191 *Lin Ji (林枅), 1191 *Yu Chou (虞儔), 1191 *Gao Kui (高夔), 1191–1193 *Zhu Quan (朱佺), 1193–1194 *He Dan (何澹), 1194–1195

References

* {{Liangzhe Circuit Prefectures of Wuyue Prefectures of the Tang dynasty Liangzhe East Circuit Former prefectures in Zhejiang Ningbo Zhoushan