Jiaozhou Province

Lore & Background

In 111 BC, Emperor Wu's armies conquered the rebel state of Nanyue and organized the area as the circuit of Jiaozhi, under the rule of a cishi. Six original commanderies—Nanhai, Hepu, Cangwu, Yulin, Jiaozhi, and Jiuzhen—were established, and new territories on Hainan and south of the Ngang Pass were added as Zhuya, Dan'er, and Rinan. In 203 CE, the Jiaozhi circuit was raised to a province named Jiaozhou. Following Shi Xie's death in 226 CE, Eastern Wu divided Jiaozhou into Guangzhou and a new Jiaozhou. After suppressing Shi Hui, Shi Xie's son, Wu re-annexed Guangzhou into Jiaozhou. In 264 CE, Jiaozhou was re-divided: Guangzhou took Nanhai, Cangwu, and Yulin, while the new Jiaozhou held Hepu, Jiaozhi, Jiuzhen, and Rinan. That same year, a Roman envoy arrived in Jiaozhi and was hastened to the Wu court. In 229, Eastern Wu sent an embassy to Funan, where merchants from India and beyond gathered. The Wu regime was harsh. In 231, Lac Viet people in Jiuzhen revolted but were pacified by a Wu general. In 248, Lam Ap forces seized most of Rinan and marched into Jiuzhen, provoking uprisings. A Jiaozhi rebel commanded thousands and invested several walled towns before Wu officials got him to surrender. In Jiuzhen, a Lac Viet woman named Trieu Au (Lady Trieu) led a rebellion in 248, but was suppressed by Lu Yin. In 263, 'Yue barbarians' in Jiaozhi and Jiuzhen under La Hung revolted against Wu, handing the region to the northern Chinese kingdom of Jin. In 268 and 269, they held off large Wu armies and fleets, which retook Jiaozhi's ports and main towns in 271. Fighting continued until 280, when Jin destroyed Wu, reunifying China.

In Their Own Story

In the early Jin dynasty, the imperial court favored southern trade networks with Funan and Lam Ap. Jiaozhi and Jiuzhen enjoyed some autonomy until the 320s. In 312, rebels and imperial units fought fiercely over Jiaozhi and Jiuzhen. Frustrated by trade difficulty, Lam Ap resorted from 323 to seaborne raids on northern ports in Jiaozhou. Though defeated in 399, Lam Ap continued raids for two decades. A Chinese rebel army from Zhejiang briefly seized Jiaozhi's capital in 411. During the Jin and Six dynasties, the Li-Lao people extended their territories along the south coast of modern Guangdong and Guangxi, occupying overland roads between Guangzhou and Jiaozhou, putting travelers in danger. In 446, the Liu Song dynasty invaded Lam Ap, capturing its capital near modern Hue and plundering eight temples and treasury, carrying off 100,000 pounds of gold. Despite that, Lam Ap flourished on sea trade. Rebellions broke out in Jiaozhou from 468 to 485, and in 506 and 515 under the Liang dynasty. In 541, Ly Bon of the local Ly clan revolted against Liang. In 544, he defeated Liang and proclaimed himself Emperor of Nan Yue with reign era Thien-duc, briefly making Jiaozhou independent. In 545, Chen Baxian led Liang forces, forcing Ly Bon to flee west into the mountains above the Red River, where he was killed by Lao highlanders in 548. Jiaozhou remained autonomous. In 583, Ly Huu Vinh sent a trained elephant to the Chen court. Around 589-590, Ly Xuan (Ly Phat Tu) became leader of Van Xuan. As Sui authority consolidated, Ly Phat Tu recognized Sui overlordship. In 601, governor of Guangzhou Ling-hu Hsi forwarded an imperial summons for Phat Tu to appear at the Sui capital. Phat Tu sought delay; Hsi approved, but someone accused Hsi of taking a bribe. When Phat Tu rebelled in 602, Hsi was arrested and died en route north. The Sui court called general Liu Fang to command 27,000 troops against Ly Phat Tu from Yunnan in 602. At Do Long Pass, Fang met 2,000 of Phat Tu's men, brushed them aside, and descended the Chay River into Phat Tu's realm. Unprepared, Phat Tu surrendered and was sent to Chang'an, where he and his subordinates were beheaded. This marked the Third Chinese domination of Vietnam. In 622, Xiao Xian was defeated by Tang, and the Chinese warlord in Jiaozhou, Qiu He, submitted to Tang. In 679, the Protectorate General to Pacify the South (Annam) replaced Jiaozhou. The name 'Jiaozhi' was revived for the province encompassing northern Vietnam in the Ming dynasty.

Reader's Guide

Jiaozhou's history is defined by its commanderies: Nanhai, Hepu, Cangwu, Yulin, Jiaozhi, Jiuzhen, and later Zhuya, Dan'er, and Rinan. Key events include the 264 CE division by Eastern Wu, the 248 rebellion of Lady Trieu, and the 263 revolt of La Hung. The province saw the rise of Ly Bon's Van Xuan kingdom in 544 and its fall to Sui in 602. The Annan Protectorate replaced Jiaozhou in 679. The Ming dynasty revived the name 'Jiaozhi' for northern Vietnam.

Did You Know?

• In 264 CE, a Roman envoy arrived in Jiaozhi of Jiaozhou and was hastened to the Wu court.
• In 446, Liu Song invaders plundered Lam Ap's capital, carrying off 100,000 pounds of gold.
• Lady Trieu led a rebellion in Jiuzhen in 248, suppressed by Wu general Lu Yin.
• In 583, local leader Ly Huu Vinh sent a trained elephant to the Chen court.
• The name 'Jiaozhi' was revived for northern Vietnam during the Ming dynasty.