Lishui County Absorbs Liyang, 598 CE

Background

In 591 CE, the eleventh year of the Kaihuang era, the northwestern part of Liyang and the former Danyang lands were separated off to form Lishui County, so that Lishui and Liyang existed side by side, both under Jiangzhou. Seven years later the two were merged.

Time and place

The gazetteer records:

十八年戊午，并溧阳入溧水。

Translated: In the eighteenth year, a wuwu year, Liyang was merged into Lishui.

The entry follows the eleventh year of the Kaihuang era without repeating the era name, so "the eighteenth year" is the eighteenth year of Kaihuang, 598 CE. The gazetteer does not record where the county seat stood after the merger.

What happened

Liyang County was merged into Lishui County and ceased to exist.

Consequences

The territory of Lishui County was enlarged and for a time covered the former Liyang lands. In 620 CE, the third year of the Wude era, Lishui and Jiangning were made into Yangzhou and the eastern part of Lishui was separated off as Liyang, so that Liyang County was restored and stood alongside Lishui again.

Uncertainties

The entry consists of six characters only. It gives no reason for the merger, no county seat and no boundary, and this entry adds none. No source consulted states the boundary between Lishui and the former Liyang after the merger. The confidence level is set to medium.