Abstract
In the Southern Song dynasty, Zhenjiang, located at the meeting point of the Jiangnan Canal and the Yangtze River, became the transportation center of the lower Yangtze region, thereby serving as the nexus that connected the capital Lin’an and the frontiers in the Huai River region. From 1141 onwards, ambassadors of the Southern Song and Jin dynasties as well as merchants traveling around or through the region usually passed through Zhenjiang. Due to this strategic importance, the Song court stationed a significant number of soldiers along with installing a commander-general and commissariat in the city. Zhenjiang thus transformed into a city with economic, political, military, and other functions and was crucial to the state by being its “northern gate.” However, after the establishment of the Yuan dynasty following the defeat of the Song in 1279, the importance of Zhenjiang quickly diminished as the Jiangnan Canal silted up, dismantling Zhenjiang’s status as a transportation center.
This article analyzes the history of Zhenjiang from four perspectives: river transportation, military deployments, administrative structures, and the impact of canals on the livelihood of the people. In this way, shifts and influences in Zhenjiang society during its growth and later decline from the 11th to 13th century are explored.
Keywords
Zhenjiang; Jiangnan Canal; canal transport; commissariat; border defense
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