History of Gaoyao

Before the Qin Dynasty, Zhaoqing belonged to Baiyue.

Qin Shihuang established the three counties of "Guilin, Xiang, and Nanhai" in the Lingnan area he captured. The jurisdiction of Nanhai County is bordered by the South China Sea in the southeast, extending to present-day Hezhou, Guangxi in the west, and connecting to Nanling in the north. It includes parts of present-day eastern Guangdong, northern Guangdong, central Guangdong, and western Guangdong. It governs four counties: Panyu, Longchuan, Boluo, and Sihui. (According to the "Book of Han" records), the county governs Panyu. Most of today's Guangdong Province belongs to Nanhai County.

In the thirty-third year of Qin Shihuang (214 BC), Qin pacified Baiyue and established Nanhai County, Guilin County and Xiang County. Today, part of Zhaoqing belongs to Guilin County and Nanhai County. The Qin Dynasty established Sihui County, whose jurisdiction included all or part of Sihui, Guangning, Huaiji and other cities and counties, under the jurisdiction of Nanhai County.

After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty pacified South Vietnam, Gaoyao County was established in today's Gaoyao, Zhaoqing urban area, western Gaoming and Sanshui, and eastern Yunfu, which belonged to Cangwu County. The name of the county comes from the Gaoyao Gorge within the territory. Gaoyao Gorge is named after its high mountains and waist-high water. The Han Dynasty divided South Vietnam into nine counties: Nanhai, Cangwu, Yulin, Hepu, Jiaozhi, Jiuzhen, Rinan, Daner and Zhuya. In order to facilitate the supervision of officials in various counties, the Han Dynasty established 13 permanent supervisory agencies, known as the "Thirteen Departments". Among them, the Jiaozhi Department in Guangxin County, Cangwu County (today's Fengkai) was specifically responsible for correcting and supervising the Lingnan Nine county.

In the seventh year of Yuanding in the Western Han Dynasty (110 BC), Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty set up a salt officer in Gaoyao, one of the 36 salt officers in the country. In the second year of Taikang in the Western Jin Dynasty (AD 281), Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty established the Xijiang Governor's Office in Gaoyao to manage the affairs of the indigenous peoples in the Xijiang Basin.

In the sixth year of Yuanding in the Western Han Dynasty (111 BC), 8 counties were built into the territory. Sihui County was affiliated with Nanhai County; Guangxin, Xiemu, Gaoyao, Fengyang, and Duanxi counties were affiliated with Cangwu County. ; Gaoliang County and Linyun County are under the jurisdiction of Hepu County; they are collectively under the jurisdiction of Jiaozhou.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Jiaozhi was renamed Jiaozhou. In addition to supervisory power, it also had military and political power and became a government above the county. The local administrative system also changed from the county-level to the state, county, and county level. class. Today's Guangdong Province includes the entire Nanhai County (central and eastern Guangdong) under the jurisdiction of Jiaozhou, as well as parts of Cangwu County, Hepu County, Jingzhou Guiyang County and Yangzhou Yuzhang County.

In the fifth year of Wuhuangwu in the Three Kingdoms (AD 226), it was built along the Eastern Han Dynasty. Most of it belonged to Guangzhou and a small part belonged to Jiaozhou. At that time, the northern part (now Huaiji County) belonged to Linhe County, Jingzhou.

In the seventh year of Yonghe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 351), 16 counties were established, divided into 4 counties, and all belonged to Guangzhou. Sihui County and Huaihua County were under the jurisdiction of Nanhai County; Guangxin County and Gaoyao County were under the jurisdiction of Cangwu County and were under the jurisdiction of Guangzhou;

In the sixth year of Liang Tianjian in the Northern and Southern Dynasties (AD 507), Emperor Wu of Liang promoted Gaoyao to a county. He also established the Guangzhou Governor's Office in Gaoyao and administered the 13 Lingnan prefectures. When Chen Ba first served as the governor of Xijiang and the prefect of Gaoyao, he recruited Li and Liao soldiers here to accumulate strength. Later, he made a northern expedition to Hou Jing and established the Chen Dynasty in 557 AD. In the Chen Dynasty, the Guangzhou Dudu Mansion still governed Gaoyao.

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties (AD 420-479), Gaoyao, Guangxin, Fengxing, Wuhua and other counties were set up to govern Nanhai, Cangwu, Jinkang, Xinning, Suijian, Songlong ( Formerly Song Xi) and Linqing 7 counties, respectively belong to Guangzhou and Xiangzhou. In September of the sixth year of Liang Tianjian (AD 507), the county was elevated to Gaoyao County, and the Guangzhou Governor's Office was merged into Gaoyao County.

In the ninth year of Kaihuang's reign in the Sui Dynasty (AD 589), Duanzhou was established and administered nine counties including Gaoyao and Duanxi. In the third year of Daye (AD 607), the state was abolished and a county was established, and Duanzhou was changed to Xin'an County. During the Wude period of Tang Dynasty, it was renamed Duanzhou, and in the first year of Tianbao (AD 742), it was renamed Gaoyao County. In the third year of Daye of the Sui Dynasty (AD 607), Duanzhou was renamed Xin'an County. The seven counties of Gaoyao, Duanxi, Lecheng, Pingxing, Xinxing, Bolin and Tongling are under the jurisdiction of Xin'an County (governing Gaoyao); they belong to Lianzhou.

In the 29th year of Kaiyuan of the Tang Dynasty (AD 741), 20 counties were established, which were divided into 7 prefectures: Sihui, Huaiji, Huameng, and Mian'an counties were under the jurisdiction of Guangzhou; Duanxi, Jinkang, The four counties of Yuecheng and Ducheng are under the jurisdiction of Kangzhou; the four counties of Longshui, Kaiyang, Zhennan and Jianshui are under the jurisdiction of Longzhou; Gaoyao and Pingxing counties are under the jurisdiction of Duanzhou; Xinxing and Yongshun counties are under the jurisdiction of Xinzhou; Fengchuan County and Kaijian County are under the jurisdiction of Fengzhou; Fulin County and Tongling County are under the jurisdiction of Qinzhou. In the 15th year of Qianhe in the Southern Han Dynasty (957 AD), Gaoyao County and Pingxing County were placed under the jurisdiction of Duanzhou.

The Song Dynasty was an important period for large-scale development of Gaoyao. The war in the north brought a large number of immigrants to the south. The rapid increase in population allowed a large amount of land to be cultivated in the Xijiang area. The construction of dikes accelerated the development of the land and the construction of villages. Gaoyao County was designated as Wang County by the imperial court.

In the third year of Shaosheng's reign (1096), Zhao Ji, the son of Zhao Xu, Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, was named King Duan. In the third year of Yuanfu (1100), Zhao Ji succeeded to the throne and became Huizong of Song Dynasty. In the first year of Zhenghe in the Northern Song Dynasty (AD 1111), Gaoyao County and Sihui County were under the jurisdiction of the Xingqing Army and under the jurisdiction of Guangnan East Road. In October of the first year of Chonghe (1118), Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty changed "Xingqing Mansion" to "Zhaoqing Mansion" and gave the imperial letter "Zhaoqing Mansion" a banner, and the name Zhaoqing came from this.

In the first year of Kangding (1040), Bao Zheng was transferred from the magistrate of Tianchang County in Yangzhou to the magistrate of Duanzhou for a three-year term. He built a post station, Xingyan Academy and Fengjicang, dug wells to benefit the people, and built canals to divert water, which won the support of the people. Gaoyao in the Song Dynasty has become one of the two major inkstone production centers in the country, with nearly 10 new inkstone pits opened. The upper, middle and lower rocks of Lanke Mountain in Gaoyao are the best, especially the lower rock is the best.

In the 17th year of Yuan Dynasty (AD 1280), Zhaoqing Mansion was renamed as Zhaoqing Road, and the General Manager's Mansion was set up, which was under the jurisdiction of Guangxi Road (it was changed to Guangdong Road in the 29th year).

In the first year of Hongwu (1368 AD), it was renamed Zhaoqing Mansion and was under the jurisdiction of the Chief Envoy of Guangdong. Zhaoqing Prefecture controls 5 counties and 1 prefecture: Gaoyao, Sihui, Xinxing, Yangchun, Yangjiang and Deqing Prefecture (3 counties: Fengchuan, Kaijian, Longshui). In the 11th year of Chenghua (AD 1475), the strategic location was analyzed and Gaoming County was established; in the 14th year, Enping County was established. In the fifth year of Jiajing (AD 1526), ??the eastern part of Gaoyao was analyzed and Sanshui County was established; in the thirty-eighth year of Jiajing, the Sihui area was analyzed and Guangning County was established. In the fifth year of Wanli (AD 1577), Longshui County was promoted to Luoding Prefecture (leading Dong'an County and Xining County), and was directly under the control of the Chief Envoy of Guangdong. So far, Zhaoqing Prefecture has led: Deqing Prefecture (leading Fengchuan County and Kaijian County), Gaoyao, Sihui, Xinxing, Yangjiang, Yangchun, Guangning, Gaoming, Enping and 8 counties. Shihuaiji County belongs to Wuzhou Prefecture, Guangxi.

In the early Qing Dynasty, it followed the Ming system. Zhaoqing Prefecture is the administrative office of Guangzhao Luodao, under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province. In the sixth year of Shunzhi (AD 1649), Kaiping County was established; in the ninth year of Yongzheng (AD 1731), Heshan County was established. At that time, Zhaoqing Prefecture controlled Deqing Prefecture, Gaoyao, Sihui, Xinxing, Gaoming, Guangning, Kaiping, Heshan, and Feng. There are 12 counties in Sichuan, Kaijian, Yangjiang, Yangchun and Enping. In the ninth year of Tongzhi (AD 1870), Yangjiang County was promoted to the Zhili Department, and Yangchun County and Enping County were ceded. In the thirty-fourth year of Guangxu (AD 1908), Huaiji County was transferred from Wuzhou Prefecture to Xindu Hall of Pingle Prefecture

From the Ming Dynasty to the middle of the Qing Dynasty, Gaoyao's politics, economy, and culture showed unprecedented prosperity. . In terms of politics and military affairs, in the 43rd year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1564), Wu Guifang moved the office of the admiral (later changed to the governor) of Guangdong and Guangxi from Wuzhou to Zhaoqing, which lasted 182 years until it was moved to Guangzhou in the 11th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1746). . On October 14, the third year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1646), Zhu Youlang, the king of Gui in the Ming Dynasty, supervised the country in Zhaoqing. In terms of economy, the commodity economy has developed to a certain extent. Xijiang's fish flowers, silkworm cocoons, straw mats and other products are exported to various places, and the Xijiang River is "like a woven sail". During the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty (1821-1850), Jindu mat weaving artists invented flower mats. In the fifth year of Xianfeng period, the foreign baskets and bamboo utensils woven by Xinqiao people began to be exported. The culture of Gaoyao during the Ming and Qing Dynasties developed at the intersection of Chinese and Western cultures. On September 10, the eleventh year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1583), Italian Catholic missionary Matteo Ricci came to Gaoyao to preach. He was known as the first person to bridge Chinese and Western cultures. In the 32nd year of Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1767), the Islamic mosque in the west of the city was built. In the eleventh year of Xianfeng's reign (1861), American missionary Ji Haobi built the first Christian Baptist Church on Chengzhong Road. In order to strengthen Confucian education, Songtai Academy was built in the sixth year of Xuande in the Ming Dynasty (1431). In the thirteenth year of Wanli (1585), in order to revitalize the literary style, a Civilization Tower was built on the south bank, and Wenfeng Academy was built under the tower. In the fourth year of Tianqi (1624), Xunfeng Pagoda (commonly known as Wurong Pagoda) was built on Wurong Gang, which means endless life.

After the Opium War, a large number of dignitaries gradually emigrated overseas. Gaoyao overseas Chinese are distributed in more than 30 countries and regions around the world, with the largest number in Australia.