Local history of Chaozhou

Chaozhou has a long history and is one of the second batch of Chinese historical and cultural cities announced by the State Council. Archaeological materials confirm that Chaozhou was inhabited by humans at least 5,000 years ago. In ancient times, the indigenous She ancestors created oral literature - She Gezi. The ancestors of Chaozhou belong to the ancient Minyue ethnic group. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, most of the descendants of the Han people in the Central Plains moved to Chaozhou from Putian in southern Fujian. In the 33rd year of Qin Shihuang (214 BC), Nanyue was pacified; Xiangjun, Guilin, and Nanhai counties were established. The area belonged to Nanhai County and was first included in the territory. However, by this time in the Tang Dynasty, there were few Han people in Shantou, Chaozhou today. It was not until the late Tang Dynasty that the number of Han people increased rapidly. In the sixth year of Yuanding in the Western Han Dynasty (111 BC), it belonged to Jieyang County, Nanhai County. The earliest establishment of Chaozhou began in the sixth year of Chenghe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (331 AD), and Dongguan County was established in the eastern part of Nanhai County. In the ninth year of Yixi in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, (A.D. 413) Divided Dongguan and established Yi'an County. Ngee Ann is the predecessor of Chaozhou. The name Ngee Ann County has been used for 260 years. In the 10th year of the founding of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty (AD 590), counties were removed and prefectures were established throughout the country. Ngee'an County belonged to Ngee'an County in Xunzhou. In this year, it was promoted to a prefecture. Because it is located near the South China Sea, it took the meaning of "the reciprocation of the tide" and named it "" Chaozhou", Nghe An County is the state government. Later generations also wrote a poem: "Chaozhou has the sea in its south". The official appearance of the name "Chaozhou" began at this time. For more than 1,400 years, this name has basically been used.

Taiping Road

In the third year of the Sui Dynasty (AD 607), Chaozhou was renamed Chaoyang County. In the fourth year of Tang Wude (AD 621), Chaozhou was called Chaozhou for the second time. During the Tang Dynasty, Chaozhou's territory was very large. It could be said that it reached Quanzhou in the east, Jiangxi in the north, Dahai in the south, and Huizhou in the west. In the second year of Chui Gong (AD 686) of the Tang Dynasty, a part was cut off from Chaozhou to Quanzhou and Zhangzhou was established. Nowadays, Chaozhou dialect can be spoken in Zhangzhou. Counties and cities such as Yunxiao, Zhao'an, Dongshan, Zhangpu, and Pinghe below Zhangzhou also have Chaozhou opera troupes performing Chaozhou opera. It can be seen that the historical origins of the two places are connected. It can be seen that Chaozhou during the Tang Dynasty was originally bordered by Fuzhou in Fujian and Qianzhou in Jiangxi. One source of the Han River is Xinluo County in Tingzhou (now Changting County, Longyan City), and the other source is Xingning County in Xunzhou (now Zijin County, Xingning County now belongs to Meizhou). It can be imagined that at the time of Han Yu, except for the Tingzhou section and the Xunzhou section, the Hanjiang River was completely popular in Chaozhou's own region. In the first year of Tianbao of the Tang Dynasty (AD 742), it was renamed Chaoyang County. In the third year of Tianbao of the Tang Dynasty (central Fujian), Chaozhou was ceded to Lingnan and returned to Lingnan in the first year of Tianbao of the Tang Dynasty (AD 758). In the Yuan Dynasty, Chaozhou was called Chaozhou Road. In the second year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (AD 1369), the road was changed and a government system was established, and it was called Chaozhou Prefecture. The sixth year of Chongji was the year when Chaozhou Prefecture had the most extensive jurisdiction, with jurisdiction over 11 counties including Haiyang, Chaoyang, Jieyang, Raoping, Huilai, Chenghai, Puning, Pingyuan, Chengxiang, Dabu, and Zhenping. After the Sui and Tang Dynasties, with the wars, border guards, exiles and ethnic migration, a large number of Han people from the Central Plains came south, bringing advanced Central Plains culture with them. Through the Song and Ming dynasties, humanities gradually flourished and famous people emerged in large numbers. Chaojun was known as "Seaside Zou Lu". At the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of Putian people from southern Fujian immigrated to Shantou, Chaozhou, to escape the war, and saw the origins of Chaoshan and Putian. Putian immigrants, in terms of language, there are differences between Chaozhou dialect and today's Puxian dialect. The reason is that the Putian people who stayed in Putian continued to be influenced by the urban dialect of Fuzhou Province. The original dialect, Minnan dialect, was influenced by the Eastern Fujian dialect. The Puxian dialect became a mixed and transitional type with the foundation of Southern Fujian and the color of Eastern Fujian. of Fujian. By the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, the concept of Chaozhou had been basically finalized, and the Chaozhou that was owned by Chaozhou people at home and abroad was basically finalized on this basis. At this time, there were 9 counties under the jurisdiction of Chaozhou: Chao'an (Haiyang) County, Chaoyang County, Jieyang County, Huilai County, Puning County, Chenghai County, Raoping County, Fengshun County, and Dabu County , as well as Shantou Port and Nan'ao Island. There are also people from Shantou and Nan'ao in these nine counties, who were collectively called Chaozhou people in history. The definition of the title of Chaozhou people is based on the nine counties mentioned above, Shantou and Nan'ao. Later, Fengshun and Dabu were also excluded, but for some historical celebrities in modern history, such as Ding Richang of Fengshun, people still used to regard him as a Chaozhou native. At the beginning of the 20th century, Shantou Port gradually became an important coastal town under the Chaozhou Prefecture. It was prosperous in industry and commerce and has emerged as an emerging port connecting Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai and overseas. In 1904, Zhang Yunan, a native of Songkou, Meixian County, and others saw the huge development potential here, so they set up the Chaoshan Railway Co., Ltd. to build a direct railway from the seat of Chaozhou Prefecture to Shantou Port. In 1906, the Chaoshan Railway was completed, and the "Chaoshan" locomotive was installed and put into service. Hence the new term "Chaoshan". On May 22, 1907, the Chaozhou Huanggang Uprising broke out, led by Sun Yat-sen's Xu Xueqiu and He Ziyuan, the main ally of the Jiaying Prefecture of the Tongmenghui, and others. Due to being outnumbered, it was defeated after 6 days of fighting. On the afternoon of the 27th, the rebel army announced its disbandment, and the commander-in-chief Chen Yongbo and Yu Chengcheng were forced to flee Hong Kong. This armed uprising was of great significance, but the "Nanyang General Report" at the time accused Sun Yat-sen of colluding with the "Chaoshan Hui Party" and instigating the Huanggang Uprising. The name "Chaoshan" became famous and gradually became widely known. The land of "Chaoshan" has gradually attracted the attention of the outside world. After 1921, Shantou was established as a city with a city hall, under the leadership of the Guangdong Provincial Government, and became another regional highlight in eastern Guangdong after Chaozhou City.

By 1949, Chaozhou's territory was still relatively large, including the current Shantou City and Jieyang City; in terms of jurisdiction, it also included Meizhou City and Shanwei City. The second major territorial adjustment after the liberation of China resulted in two concepts of "Chaozhou", one is the concept of Chaozhou in a broad sense, and the other is the concept of Chaozhou in a narrow sense. Chaozhou in a broad sense is also the historical Chaozhou. This definition has a history of thousands of years and mainly includes the current Chaozhou City, Shantou City, Jieyang City and Fengshun County. With the same living habits, the same folk customs, the same cultural background, the same language environment, and the same value orientation, we all have the title of Chaozhou people. . (The concept of Chaozhou in a broad sense includes the concept of Chaozhou ethnic group in a narrow sense, which refers to the people who speak Chaozhou dialect in the three prefecture-level cities of Shantou, Chaozhou, and Jieyang and Fengshun County. In addition, Jiazi Town, Jiadong Town, and Jiaxi Town in Lufeng City, The people who speak Chaozhou with Huilai accent belong to the concept of Chaoshan people in the broad sense, not the concept of Chaozhou people in the narrow sense) Chaozhou in the narrow sense is the current Chaozhou City. In December 1991, Chaozhou was transformed from the original sub-prefecture-level city Upgrading and expanding areas. As a prefecture-level city, Chaozhou now governs Chao'an County, Raoping County, Xiangqiao District and Fengxi District. Xiangqiao District is also commonly known as Fucheng and Chaozhou City. However, whether it is domestic or overseas, the concept of Chaozhou still tends to be Chaozhou in a broad sense, or even Chaozhou in a broad sense. It can be seen that history is constantly blocked and irreplaceable. Since Chaozhou has now become one of the three prefectures in the Chaoshan area, the locals pay more attention to distinguishing Chaoshan from Chaozhou, such as saying "Chaozhou dialect", "Chaozhou Gongfu tea", etc., instead of calling it "Chaozhou" anymore. Such a statement is unfair in an academic sense. However, overseas Chaozhou people still like to call themselves Chaozhou people, and Chaozhou guild halls overseas are also called "Chaozhou guild halls". This is probably a continuation of the customary name.