A Research On The History And Culture Of Jingnan Area In Tang Dynasty

Jingnan area in Tang Dynasty refers to the compass of competencyunder jingnan Jiedushi. Because of its important geographical position, it hasalways been a place contested by all military strategists. In the middle period ofTang Dynasty, the north was in war chaos and thousands of civilians migratedsouth.So the economy of Jingnan developed rapidly. In the period of Emperor LiHeng, many Jiedushi were established to reinforce the administration of that area.The area within the jurisdiction of Jiedushi in Tang Dynasty changed for manytimes. This paper takes the eight zhou (Jingzhou, Lizhou, Langzhou, Xiazhou,Kuizhou, Zhongzhou, Guizhou and Wanzhou) that Jingnan Jiedushi have governedas the object of study and tries to make a brief exposition on its economy, politics,military affairs and culture.This paper consists of six chapters. Chapter One is an introduction to thecurrent situation of research into Jingnan area in Tang Dynasty. It sets forth thereason for choosing the topic, the significance of conducting the research and themethods that the author intends to employ. Chapter Two states briefly thegeographical factors of Jingnan area in Tang Dynasty and expounds the scope ofstudy for the sake of supplying geographical support for the further study on thearea's economy, politics and culture.Chapter Three, Chapter Four and Chapter Five function as the main body ofthis paper. They sort out and analyze the related historical records and the localrecords, notes, folk songs, slangs and jottings and generalize the features of thehistorical and cultural development in the Jingnan area of Tang Dynasty.Concerning its economy, this part elaborates the developing situation of itsagriculture, handicraft and commerce. Chapter six sums up the whole paper.Thanks to the influence of the natural factors, the economy of the plain areacentering around Jingzhou developed very rapidly. It basically reached thedeveloping level of the north in Tang Dynasty. So its farming skill improved,cultivated area expanded and crops output increased. But Kuizhou and Guiwan, which lay to the Three Gorges, were full of hilly lands and mountains, so theirnatural circumstances were rather adverse and people even farmed by theslash-and-burn method. Although the handicraft industry developed quickly, it wasnot the most developed area in Tang Dynasy. Because it was a hub ofcommunication, its commerce was bustling, especially its transmission and trade.In politics, the paper expounds from the following aspects: the administrativedivison, the organization of Jiedushi, the establishment of the officials and the warsin Jingnan area. The Tang imperial administration was manifested in theestablishment of Jiedushi during Zhide years. In the whole Tang Dynasty, Jingnanarea has been controlled by the central government. For its important geographicallocation, the power of appointment and removal was mastered by the centralKuizhou and Gui Wan that lie to Three Gorges, too. Although there were severalriots within the governorship of outlying prefectures and even the chiefcommanders translocated, also the new one took office by force needs to obey theessential distinction between the Jiedushi in Jingnan other governorship of outlyingprefectures that it was controlled by the central government.In culture, people in Jingnan area have created their unique and splendidculture with their life and wisdom. It explods the famous literatus and theirachievement, which live or hold a post in Jingnan area. The custum peculiar tothe natire, dialect Zhuzhici and the special custum of the women in Xiajiangdistrict. Among them,Zhuzhici is the most famous. It is the ancient folk songs offour seven-character lines with love or local topics as their theme written by thelocal people. Later, it becomes an exotic flower in the garden of the ancient Chinesepoetry by Du Fu and Liu Yuxi. Because of its special natural factors, history andrace, the culture of Jingnan area has presented its unique state.