Jiankang Circuit Renamed Jiqing Circuit, 1329 CE

Date and content

In 1329 CE, the second year of the Tianli era, Jiankang Circuit was renamed Jiqing Circuit and Lishui passed under it. The entry for the year is a single sentence:

文宗天历二年己巳，改建康路为集庆路，溧水隶之。

Translated: In the second year of the Tianli era of Wenzong of the Yuan, Jiankang Circuit was changed into Jiqing Circuit, and Lishui was placed under it. This is a translation, not the words of the original.

The gazetteer gives no reason for the change of name.

Background

Under 1277, the second year of the Jingyan era, the gazetteer records that the Yuan changed Jiankang Prefecture into a circuit, with Lishui under it. In 1295 Lishui was raised to a zhou, still under Jiankang Circuit. In 1329 the circuit took the name Jiqing.

Consequences

Lishui Zhou belonged to Jiqing Circuit from that year. Under 1355 the gazetteer records that Ming forces took Taiping and that Xu Da took Lishui Zhou; in 1356, when the Ming took Jiqing Circuit and renamed it Yingtian Prefecture, Lishui passed under Yingtian. In 1369 the zhou was reduced to a county again.

Uncertainties

Neither the reason for the renaming nor the seat of Jiqing Circuit is recorded.