The Historical and Geographical Analysis of the Jiujiang Commandery in the Han Dynasty: The Enfeoffment Territory of Ying Bu

Brief Introduction

In the records of the Hanshu (Book of Han), "Jiujiang" is not merely a geographical coordinate; it is also a witness to the dramatic shifts in the political landscape during the early Western Han Dynasty. It refers both to the administrative region of "Jiujiang Commandery" established during the Qin Dynasty and, due to enfeoffments, often specifically points to the sphere of influence of Wu Chai, son of Wu Rui (later King Jing of Changsha), or the territory of King Ying Bu of Huainan (Qing Bu). As a high-frequency geographical entity in the Hanshu, the Jiujiang region is located on the north bank of the middle Yangtze River, controlling the strategic throat connecting the river to the sea. It was a key strategic fulcrum for the Chu-Han Contention and the confrontation among feudal states in the early Western Han period.

Core Knowledge Points

1. Geographical and Administrative Evolution of Jiujiang

During the Qin Dynasty, Jiujiang Commandery was one of the core administrative regions of the Chu area. There are differing theories regarding the location of the commandery seat, such as "Chen," "Lu," or "Shouchun," but it is generally acknowledged that it covered the junction of present-day Anhui, Jiangxi, and Hubei provinces. When Xiang Yu enfeoffed the various feudal lords, he appointed Wu Rui as the King of Hengshan and changed Hengshan Commandery to Jiujiang Commandery, with its seat at Liyang (present-day He County, Anhui Province). This change laid the foundation for Jiujiang to serve as the base of the Wu royal state in the early Western Han period.

2. The Connection Between Ying Bu and Jiujiang

It is necessary to clarify a common historical confusion here: In the Records of Gaozu and the Biography of Qing Bu in the Hanshu, Ying Bu (originally named Qing Bu, later granted the surname Liu, and later restored to his original surname) was initially enfeoffed as the "King of Huainan," with his core territory lying north of Jiujiang Commandery and between the Huai River and the Yangtze. However, the Records of Gaozu, Part 2 in the Hanshu records that after King Liu Bang (Han Gaozu) destroyed the Xiang Yu regime, he adjusted Ying Bu's enfeoffment territory or interacted frequently with him in the Jiujiang region. More importantly, Jiujiang Commandery geographically encompassed the core area of Ying Bu's sphere of influence. In the context of the Hanshu, mentioning "Jiujiang" often implies a struggle for control over this strategic location. It was not only the enfeoffment territory of Wu Rui (later changed to King of Changsha) but also a place passed through on Ying Bu’s path from Huainan to Pengcheng, leading ultimately to his downfall.

3. The Imagery of "Jiujiang" in the Hanshu

When the Hanshu narrates the "Chen Xi Rebellion" and "Ying Bu Raising Troops," the importance of Jiujiang as a geographical barrier is self-evident. For example, when Ying Bu rebelled, he once led his army eastward, relying on the military forces and grain reserves of the Jiujiang region. The geographical position of Jiujiang determined that it was the hub connecting the Central Plains with South of the Yangtze. Whoever controlled Jiujiang mastered the ability to cut off or connect the north-south transportation lines.

Association with Content in the Book

The Records of Gaozu and the Biography of Prince Li of Huainan in the Hanshu mention Jiujiang multiple times.

Hanshu, Records of Gaozu*: It records that in the second year of Han, Xiang Yu appointed Wu Rui as the King of Hengshan, who was later changed to the King of Jiujiang. This record established the legal status of Jiujiang as the royal state of the Wu clan.
Hanshu, Biography of Qing Bu*: Although it mainly tells the story of Ying Bu (King of Huainan), Ying Bu’s enfeoffed state of "Huainan" was administratively adjacent to Jiujiang Commandery, and his military route of "leading troops east to strike Xiang Ji" had to pass through the peripheral areas of Jiujiang. The text mentions that Ying Bu "heard that King Hengshan, Wu Rui, had died," which subsequently triggered a power vacuum in the Jiujiang region. Ying Bu took the opportunity to intervene, reflecting the political sensitivity and fluidity of Jiujiang in the era of multiple rival powers.

By examining the texts of the Hanshu, it can be seen that "Jiujiang" was not a single, static administrative unit, but a dynamically changing political symbol. It witnessed the process from a Qin commandery to the Wu State, and later to the infiltration of Ying Bu’s forces. It is a key sample for understanding how local strongmen challenged central authority by leveraging geographical advantages under the "parallel system of commanderies and feudal states" in the early Western Han period. For researchers, Jiujiang is an important key to interpreting the geographical logic of the struggles among feudal princes in the early Han period.