What is the history of Xiangyang, Hubei province, which is the thoroughfare of seven provinces?

The name of Xiangyang comes from the record in the geographical masterpiece "Water Mirror Zhu" in the Northern and Southern Dynasties: the city is in the Yang of Xiang Shui, hence the name Xiangyang. The ancients took the north of the water as the sun, and Xiangyang was called Xiangyang because it was in the north of the ringing water. According to the Records of Xiangyang County, the name of Xiangyang first appeared in the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, and it is also clearly recorded in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, indicating that Xiangyang County belongs to the south county and its place is Atou Mountain.

However, Xiangyang first appeared in the Spring and Autumn Period, but it was not called Xiangyang at that time. During the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a small feudal country named Deng Guo in Xiangyang today, which was destroyed by the State of Chu in 678 BC. Later, King Chu named his son Deng Ling, that is, Deng Cheng. This place is Dengcheng Village, Tuanshan Town, about 6 kilometers north of Fancheng, Xiangyang City, Hubei Province today.

Xiangyang Ancient City Wall

Chu originated in Danyang, which is now Xichuan County, Henan Province. Later, Chu continued to expand outward. By 689 BC, the king of Chu moved his capital to Tancheng, which is now Jinan, Jingzhou City, Hubei Province. Xiangyang is the only way for Chu to move from Danyang to Tancheng. When Chu moved the capital, Deng was already very weak. After 20 years of moving the capital, Chu perished.

Xiangyang is the only way for Chu to move north and Qin to move south during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. According to bamboo records, Zhao Haoqi of the Western Zhou Dynasty attacked Chu twice, and the sixth army of the King of Chu was wiped out in the second attack. Even King Zhao of Zhou lost his life by the Han River. The capital of Zhou Dynasty is Haojiang River, and Chu State passes through Xiangyang area. It is very likely that King Zhao of Zhou and the Sixth Army of Chu were completely annihilated in Xiangyang area.

Second, the first city of China

Xiangyang is called the first city in China because of its unique geographical location. The location of Xiangyang must be viewed from the whole map of China. China is divided into four parts by the Yellow River and the Yangtze River: north of the Yellow River, south of the Yellow River, north of the Yangtze River and south of the Yangtze River. Xiangyang is at the junction of north and south, south of the Yellow River and north of the Yangtze River.

The first city of China

If we look at China's traditional sphere of influence, for example, in the early Qin and Han Dynasties, it stretched for more than 4,000 miles from west to east from Longxi County at the westernmost end to the sea at the easternmost end. This is the traditional dividing line between north and south in China. From Qinling to Huaihe River, Xiangyang is right in the middle of the dividing line. If the line from Qinling Mountain to Huaihe River, north is south, and south is north, there are three main traffic lines.

1, the line from Guanzhong to Hanzhong via Qinling, which is the western line.

2. From the Central Plains to Jianghan Plain via Xiangyang, this is the middle line.

3. The line from Jianghuai Plain to Jiangdong (Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai) is the eastern line.

Of the three lines, East Qinling, 800 miles away, is difficult to walk. Whether it is war or ordinary communication, the so-called Shu Dao is difficult, and it is difficult to go to the sky. Part of it refers to here, where mountains are high, valleys are deep and cliffs are steep, and there are no roads in most places. Even now, this is still the case. If you have the opportunity, you can take a walk from Guanzhong to Hanzhong via Qinling, which is even more difficult in the cold weapon era.

In ancient times, the most western Jianghuai area has always been an area with dense water networks and rivers. Northerners who want to go to the south have to be familiar with sailing. The dense water network here is not suitable for large-scale cavalry operations. The most important thing is to cross the Huaihe River, the Yangtze River and other natural disasters. In ancient times, there were no bridges. If they want to cross the Yangtze River, they must take a boat. If it is a war, they have to develop a water army. Relatively speaking, it is very difficult for northerners to cross the Yangtze River.

It seems that only Xiangyang in the middle is the only choice that can go directly to Jianghan Plain in the south by land. From the Central Plains to Xiangyang via Nanyang Basin, you can go directly south to Jingzhou as long as you cross the Hanshui River. As long as you pass Xiangyang, it is a Ma Pingchuan, and the cavalry can pass. Unlike the Yangtze River, the Hanshui River is much narrower than the Yangtze River. Crossing the Hanshui River is far from so difficult. Xiangyang is the best way for northerners to go south. There was no one around Yunmengze at that time. In other words, the natural conditions in Wuhan today are even worse. The vast swamp is not suitable for marching and walking at all. Only Xiangyang area connects the south and the north like a narrow valley.

Simple schematic diagram of Xiangyang location

To the north of Xiangyang is Nanyang basin, about 300 miles away from Nanyang, and to the north is Luoyang, the ancient capital, about 700 miles away from Xiangyang. The northwest of Xiangyang is Wuguan, which can directly reach the ancient capital Xi 'an 13, and Xiangyang to Xi 'an 1000 Li. Jingshan Mountain and Wudang Mountain are in the west of Xiangyang, Dahongshan Mountain, Tongbai Mountain and Dabie Mountain are in the east of Xiangyang, and Xuchang is in the northeast of Xiangyang. To the southeast of Xiangyang is Wuhan, about 700 miles away from Wuhan, and to the south of Xiangyang is the vast Jianghan Plain. First arrive in Jingmen City, about 260 miles from Xiangyang to Jingmen, then go south to Jingzhou, about 400 miles from Xiangyang to Jingzhou, and about 500 miles from Yichang in the southwest of Xiangyang.

Xiangyang is stuck in the middle of Nanyang basin and passes through Xiangyang from south to north. Since the residence and economic center of the Chinese nation expanded to the Yangtze River valley, Xiangyang's position has become more and more important. For example, during the Three Kingdoms period, Jingzhou, where Xiangyang was located, was the focus of the Three Kingdoms struggle. Guan Yu's northern expedition to Xiangfan was the main battlefield. Guan Yu flooded seven armies here, captured the Forbidden City, beheaded Pound and shocked China. The fundamental reason why Cao Cao wants to move the capital is that as long as Guan Yu wins Xiangyang, he opens the door to the Central Plains. As long as the gate is opened, Cao Cao's Central Plains will never have peace, and Xuchang and Luoyang are under Guan Yu's control.

Xiangyang

And Mongolia's war against the Southern Song Dynasty. Because Xiangyang is the top priority of the north going south, it has also become the top priority of the defense in the Southern Song Dynasty and the top priority of the Mongolian attack. Brave Mongols launched Xiangfan to attack the Southern Song Dynasty, and it took six years to win the city. When Xiangyang fell, the Yuan army marched in, and the Southern Song Dynasty immediately perished. This shows the importance of Xiangyang as the first city in China. If you win Xiangyang, the south will be guaranteed. If you lose Xiangyang, you will lose Jianghan.

Third, the culture of the Three Kingdoms: Long Zhong Dui and San Gu Mao Lu

Xiangyang is also a famous historical and cultural city with a history of more than 2,800 years. The most famous is the culture of the Three Kingdoms. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Jingzhou Pastoral took office in 190, and Xiangyang was the seat of Jingzhou until Cao Cao went south, and Liu Cong surrendered in 208. Later, Xiangyang became the territory controlled by Cao Cao, and it was always controlled by Wei until the Three Kingdoms returned to Jin.

The famous Longzhong Dui and Sangu Maolu also happened here. Due to the war in the north, Xiangyang, as the political center of Jingzhou, received many northern celebrities. For example, Zhuge Liang lived here in seclusion, and Xu Shu, Pang Degong, Wang Can all lived in Xiangyang. Liu Bei visited the thatched cottage three times before meeting Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang put forward Liu Bei's grand strategy of winning the world in Xiangyang Longzhong. Until today, there is also the Gulong Central Scenic Area, which is extremely rich.

Xiangyang's position in Hubei Province

Thoroughfare of 47 provinces

Thoroughfare means roads extending in all directions, and thoroughfare of seven provinces means that there are roads leading to seven provinces here. Xiangyang is located in the northwest of Hubei Province, adjacent to Henan Province, connected to Henan Province in the north, Shaanxi Province in the northwest, Anhui Province and Jiangxi Province in the east, Hunan Province in the south, Sichuan Province in the west and Hubei Province in the west. It is the thoroughfare of seven provinces. It can be described in one sentence: there are Sichuan and Shaanxi in the west and Jianghan in the east.

Xiangyang is the largest and most important transportation hub in Hubei Province except Wuhan. The waterway has Hanshui River from the Yangtze River to Wuhan, and kilometers have north-south and east-west arteries. The same is true for railways, forming a cross-traffic network. Xiangyang is a small cross network of traffic in Hubei province, second only to Wuhan, and its geographical position is very important.