Qingyuan Circuit

Qingyuan Circuit (Chinese: 清源軍) was a de facto independent entity and circuit late in China's Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, renamed to Pinghai Circuit (平海軍) in 964. It was an office created in 949 by Southern Tang's second emperor Li Jing for the warlord Liu Congxiao, who nominally submitted to him but virtually controlled Quan Prefecture (泉州, comprising modern Quanzhou, Xiamen and Putian) and Zhang Prefecture (漳州, comprising modern Zhangzhou, Xinluo and Zhangping). Prefectures in de facto independence from the Southern Tang state.^[2] (Zhang Prefecture was, at times during the circuit's existence, also known as Nan Prefecture (南州).^[3] Starting in 960, in addition to being nominally submissive to Southern Tang, the Qingyuan Circuit was also nominally submissive to the Song, which had itself become Southern Tang's nominal suzerain.^[4]

Qingyuan Circuit Pinghai Circuit 清源軍 平海軍
949–978
Situation of Fujian in 957
Status	De facto independent entity De jure Fanzhen of Southern Tang (949 - 975) De jure Fanzhen of Northern Song (960 - 978)
Capital	Quan Prefecture (Quanzhou)
Common languages	Middle Chinese Medieval Min
Jiedushi
• 949 - 962	Liu Congxiao (Prince of Jinjiang)
• 962	Liu Shaozi (Liuhou [zh], namely acting Jiedushi)
• 962 - 963	Zhang Hansi (Liuhou)
• 963 - 978	Chen Hongjin
Historical era	Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period
• Quan Prefecture gained de facto independence from Southern Tang	947
• Liu Congxiao controlled all of South Fujian	949
• Southern Tang established Qingyuan Circuit	December 949 or January 950
• Northern Song established Pinghai Circuit	9 March 964
• Chen Hongjin surrendered to Northern Song	3 June 978
Area
• Total	36,000 km2 (14,000 sq mi)
Population
• 978 estimate	800,000[1]
Currency	Tangguo Tongbao Kaiyuan Tongbao Zhouyuan Tongbao
Preceded by Succeeded by Southern Tang Northern Song
Today part of	PRC ROC

After demise of Congxiao, the circuit was briefly ruled by his biological nephew/adoptive son Liu Shaozi, who was then overthrown by the officers Zhang Hansi and Chen Hongjin. Zhang then ruled the circuit briefly, before Chen deposed him and took over.^[3] In 978, with Song's determination to unify China proper without the pre-ceded sixteen prefectures in full order, Chen decided that he could not stay de facto independent, and offered the control of the circuit to Song's Emperor Taizong, ending the circuit as a de facto independent entity.^[5]

Map showing the location of Qingyuan Circuit in the late Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period

Map showing the location of Qingyuan Circuit in the early Northern Song Dynasty

Rulers

• Liu Congxiao 949–962 (in control of Quan Prefecture since 946, in de facto independence since 947)
• Liu Shaozi 962
• Zhang Hansi 962–963
• Chen Hongjin 963–978

See also

• Min (Ten Kingdoms)
• Fujian Circuit