Commandery
Encyclopedia
The commandery also known as prefecture, was a historical administrative division of China from the time of the Zhou Dynasty
(1046–256 BCE) until the early Tang Dynasty
(618–907CE).
, Jin and Wei
began to absorb their smaller neighbours. As these lands were not part of their original enfeoffment
s, they were instead established as counties or xiàn . In the later stages of this period, with increasing territorial expansion, each state began to set up commanderies in their border regions. These were larger than counties but contained fewer people. A commandery ranked lower in the administrative hierarchy but their military strength and importance exceeded that of any county.
As each state's territory gradually took shape in the Warring States Period
(406–221BCE) the border regions with their commanderies flourished. This gave rise to a two tier administrative system with counties suordinate to commanderies. Each of the warring states' territories was by now comparatively large with no need for the military might of a commandery in the interior where counties were established. The border commanderies' military objectives and their value to the state were now greater than those of a county.
After Qin Shi Huang
united China in 221 BCE, the populations of the six defeated states did not fully accept Qin Dynasty
authority so a continuing military occupation was required. As a result, Qin Shi Huang set up 36 commanderies in his new empire each with their own county divisions. This was the first two tier administrative system to exist in China.
When the Qin Dynasty was replaced by the Western Han
in 206 BCE, the system of enfeoffment was to a degree reinstated with all existing commanderies effectively becoming vassal states although the two tier commandery and county system remained in effect. The number of commanderies increased significantly from 48 at the end of the Qin Dynasty to around 102 during the Han Dynasty.
In the final years of the Eastern Han Dynasty and at the beginning of the Three Kingdoms
Period around 210 CE, of the original administrative districts only 13 provinces zhōu existed as first tier territories with commanderies relegated to second place in the administrative hierarchy. During the following Jin (265–420 CE) and Southern and Northern Dynasties
(420–589 CE), the number of administrative districts greatly increased thereby establishing the three tier province/commandery/county system (州/郡/县) with the whole of China divided into more than 200 provinces, 600 commanderies and 1000 counties. Each province consisted of between two and three commanderies and each commandery two or three counties with the significance of the commandery in reality irrelevant.
Following the reign of the first Sui Dynasty
Emperor Wen of Sui
all commanderies were abolished to be replaced by a two tier province and county system (州/郡). Once the Tang Dynasty
came to power commanderies became prefectures (still referred to as zhōu 州) in Chinese. Later on during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
(r. 712–756 CE) reversed the previous change. This was the last time that the word "commandery" was used for an administrative division. When Xuanzong's son Li Heng ascended the throne as Emperor Suzong of Tang
(r. 756–762) commanderies once more became prefectures.
.
In Taiwan during the Japanese Occupation
from 1920 until 1945, senior officials in charge of administrative subdivisions were also known as Jùn Shŏu, By the end of World War II
there were 51 commanderies on the island.
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
(1046–256 BCE) until the early Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
(618–907CE).
History & development
During the Spring and Autumn Period (771–406 BCE), the largest and most powerful of the Zhou Dynasty vassal states including the states of QinQin (state)
The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history...
, Jin and Wei
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
began to absorb their smaller neighbours. As these lands were not part of their original enfeoffment
Enfeoffment
Under the European feudal system, enfeoffment was the deed by which a person was given land in exchange for a pledge of service. This mechanism was later used to avoid restrictions on the passage of title in land by a system in which a landowner would give land to one person for the use of another...
s, they were instead established as counties or xiàn . In the later stages of this period, with increasing territorial expansion, each state began to set up commanderies in their border regions. These were larger than counties but contained fewer people. A commandery ranked lower in the administrative hierarchy but their military strength and importance exceeded that of any county.
As each state's territory gradually took shape in the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
(406–221BCE) the border regions with their commanderies flourished. This gave rise to a two tier administrative system with counties suordinate to commanderies. Each of the warring states' territories was by now comparatively large with no need for the military might of a commandery in the interior where counties were established. The border commanderies' military objectives and their value to the state were now greater than those of a county.
After Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
united China in 221 BCE, the populations of the six defeated states did not fully accept Qin Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
authority so a continuing military occupation was required. As a result, Qin Shi Huang set up 36 commanderies in his new empire each with their own county divisions. This was the first two tier administrative system to exist in China.
When the Qin Dynasty was replaced by the Western Han
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
in 206 BCE, the system of enfeoffment was to a degree reinstated with all existing commanderies effectively becoming vassal states although the two tier commandery and county system remained in effect. The number of commanderies increased significantly from 48 at the end of the Qin Dynasty to around 102 during the Han Dynasty.
In the final years of the Eastern Han Dynasty and at the beginning of the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
Period around 210 CE, of the original administrative districts only 13 provinces zhōu existed as first tier territories with commanderies relegated to second place in the administrative hierarchy. During the following Jin (265–420 CE) and Southern and Northern Dynasties
Southern and Northern Dynasties
The Southern and Northern Dynasties was a period in the history of China that lasted from 420 to 589 AD. Though an age of civil war and political chaos, it was also a time of flourishing arts and culture, advancement in technology, and the spreading of Mahayana Buddhism and Daoism...
(420–589 CE), the number of administrative districts greatly increased thereby establishing the three tier province/commandery/county system (州/郡/县) with the whole of China divided into more than 200 provinces, 600 commanderies and 1000 counties. Each province consisted of between two and three commanderies and each commandery two or three counties with the significance of the commandery in reality irrelevant.
Following the reign of the first Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
Emperor Wen of Sui
Emperor Wen of Sui
Emperor Wen of Sui — personal name Yang Jian , Xianbei name Puliuru Jian , nickname Naluoyan — was the founder and first emperor of China's Sui Dynasty . He was a hard-working administrator and a micromanager. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through the state...
all commanderies were abolished to be replaced by a two tier province and county system (州/郡). Once the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
came to power commanderies became prefectures (still referred to as zhōu 州) in Chinese. Later on during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
(r. 712–756 CE) reversed the previous change. This was the last time that the word "commandery" was used for an administrative division. When Xuanzong's son Li Heng ascended the throne as Emperor Suzong of Tang
Emperor Suzong of Tang
Emperor Suzong of Tang , personal name Li Heng , né Li Sisheng , known as Li Jun from 725 to 736, known as Li Yu from 736 to 738, known briefly as Li Shao in 738, was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty and the son of Emperor Xuanzong...
(r. 756–762) commanderies once more became prefectures.
Administrative hierarchy
During the Warring States Period heads of commanderies were high level officials known as Jùn Shŏu . The name changed to Tài Shŏu during the Three Kingdoms period at which time the post carried an annual salary of 2,000 dàn (石) or Chinese bushels of grain according to the Pinzhi System of administrative rank. Tài Shŏu was an important position with officials frequently transferring to and from posts as one of the Three Councillors of State or Nine MinistersNine Ministers
The Nine Ministers was the collective name for nine high officials in the imperial government of the Han Dynasty , who each headed a specialized ministry and were subordinates to the Three Councillors of State...
.
In Taiwan during the Japanese Occupation
Taiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
from 1920 until 1945, senior officials in charge of administrative subdivisions were also known as Jùn Shŏu, By the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
there were 51 commanderies on the island.