Yuanqu County (Shandong)

Yuānqú is the pinyin romanization of the present Mandarin pronunciation of the Chinese placename {{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|冤句}}}}}}.{{sfnp|Shandong Archives|2006}} Because the character {{lang|zh|{{linktext|句}}}} is now usually pronounced jù in its sense of "phrase" or "sentence", the town and county's name is frequently{{sfnp|Breuer|2016|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=kp6iDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT451 452]}}{{sfnp|Hung|2014|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=cfhKBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA10 10]}}{{sfnp|Thaxton|1997|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=4aYkMs2XTXAC&pg=PA239 239]}} misread as Yuānjù in English sources. Although {{lang|zh|{{linktext|句}}}} now has the variant readings qú, jù, gōu, and gòu in different contexts,{{sfnp|Baxter & al.|2014|pp=35 & 59}} the Old Chinese pronunciation of all of these has been reconstructed as /*[k]ˤ(r)o.../{{sfnp|Baxter & al.|2014|pp=35 & 59}} or as /*ko.../,{{sfnp|Zhengzhang|2003}} with slightly different terminal consonants later developing into the modern pronunciations. Similarly, both {{lang|zh|{{linktext|冤}}}} and {{lang|zh|{{linktext|宛}}}} were originally pronounced /*qon/,{{sfnp|Zhengzhang|2003}} leading to their interchangeable use in ancient records about the county.

Both characters in the name—meaning "curvy" or "bent"{{sfnp|Shandong Archives|2006}}—refer to the meandering course of the Ji River,{{sfnp|Shandong Archives|2006}} a major river which once flowed through the area but whose bed was assumed by the Yellow River during its massive 1852 flood.{{harvp|Pletcher & al.|2011|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=tfVN0Gwx67YC&pg=PA171 171]}}. Lin Chuanjia further claims that "Yuan" ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|冤}}}}) was an occasional ancient name for the Ji.{{sfnp|Lin|1920}}{{sfnp|Ding|2014}}{{efn|Lin's work used the character {{lang|zh|{{linktext|泲}}}} rather than the more common {{lang|zh|{{linktext|濟}}}},{{sfnp|Lin|1920}}{{sfnp|Ding|2014}} but the two were synonyms with regard to the ancient Shandong river.{{citation |at=s.v. [http://www.zdic.net/z/1c/js/6CF2.htm "泲"] |url=http://www.zdic.net |title=《漢典》 |date=2015 }}. {{in lang|zh}}}}

Under Wang Mang's Xin dynasty, Yuanqu was known as {{nowrap|Jiping}}.{{sfnp|Ding|2014}} Under the Song, the name was changed to {{nowrap|Wanting County}}, from tíng’s sense of "straight" or "erect".{{sfnp|Shandong Archives|2006}}

Yuanqu County covered most of present-day Dongming County and the southwestern part of what is now Mudan District, Heze Prefecture, Shandong.{{sfnp|Shandong Archives|2006}}

The remains of Yuanqu, its chief city and seat of government, are now located near Longwangmiao Village (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|龍王廟|村}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|龙王庙|村}}}},}} Lóngwángmiào Cūn) in Malinggang (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|馬嶺崗|鎮}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|马岭岗|镇}}}},}} Mǎlǐnggǎng Zhèn),{{sfnp|Ding|2014}} southwest of the central core of Mudan{{sfnp|Shandong Archives|2006}} and northwest of present-day Caoxian.{{harvp|Xiong|2009|loc=[https://books.google.com/books?id=fCdCDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA655 s.v. "Wen Zisheng"]}}.

File:Huang Chao Uprising.png and Huang Chao's rebellions against the Tang, with "Yuanju" marked.]]

The territory of Yuanqu County had been a center of Chinese civilization since at least the Shang, who had their capital Bo in nearby Cao County. Sima Qian records that, under the Han, there was even a legend that the Yellow Emperor had obtained a valuable sacrificial tripod at Yuanqu.{{harvp|Nienhauser & al.|2002|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=x14nnLsLoAEC&pg=PA235 235]}}.{{efn|The Book of Han, however, describes the Yellow Emperor's tripod as originating at Mianhou ({{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|冕|候}}}},}} Miǎnhòu).{{sfn|Book of Han|loc=Vol. 25A, "Treatise on Sacrifices", Pt. 1}}{{sfnp|Ding|2014}}}} The area was part of the state of Liang during the Zhou dynasty.{{sfnp|Shandong Archives|2006}}

The historical county was probably established under the Qin,{{sfnp|Ding|2014}} although some sources place its creation under the Han.{{sfnp|Shandong Archives|2006}}{{sfnp|Placename Bureau|1987}} Under the Qin, it is said to have formed part of the Eastern Commandery (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|東郡}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|东郡}}}},}} Dōng Jùn) of the Henan Area (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|河南|地區}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|河南|地区}}}},}} Hénán Dìqū).{{sfnp|Ding|2014}} Under the Han, it formed part of Jiyin Commandery (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|濟陰|郡}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|济阴|郡}}}},}} Jìyīn Jùn){{sfn|Book of Han|loc=Vol. 28A, "Treatise on Geography", Pt. 1}} and was also sometimes considered part of the princely realm of Liang.{{sfnp|Ding|2014}} Under Wang Mang's short-lived Xin dynasty, its name was changed to Jiping and it was given the status of a commune, rather than a county seat.{{sfnp|Ding|2014}}

In Kaihuang{{nbsp}}3 (AD{{nbsp}}583), the Sui emperor Yang Jian (posthumously known as the "Wen" or "Literary Emperor") abolished Jiyin and organized Yuanqu as part of Cao Prefecture.{{sfnp|Shandong Archives|2006}}

In the 860s and early 870s, the area suffered droughts but its people met with indifference or malice from Tang officials. Huang Chao, the son of a wealthy local salt merchant, tried to become one of these mandarins but failed the imperial exams and took up salt smuggling instead.{{harvp|Tong|2012|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=jhPyvsdymU8C&pg=PA175 175]}}. When the salt smuggler Wang Xianzhi rose against the empire in nearby Changyuan County in 874,{{harvp|Xiong|2009|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=fCdCDgAAQBAJ&pg=PR110 cx]}}. he was able to overrun several towns and even defeated the local forces under Xue Chong ({{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|薛|崇}}}},}} Xuē Chóng), the governor of the area's Tianping Circuit ({{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|天平|道}}}},}} Tiānpíng Dào). The next year, Huang Chao raised several thousand men of his own from Yuanqu and joined Wang, eventually overrunning much of the country and proclaiming the Qi dynasty before being defeated and driven to suicide in 884.{{harvp|Williams & al.|2011|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=WJlIAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT31 31]}}.{{harvp|Tong|2012|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=jhPyvsdymU8C&pg=PA176 176]}}. (Yuanqu was the place where the Shato Turk leader Li Keyong ceased pursuing the fleeing Chao,{{sfnp|Davis|2004|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=R0QpslzUi50C&pg=PR6 6] & [https://books.google.com/books?id=R0QpslzUi50C&pg=PR32 32]}} although the would-be emperor met his end soon afterwards beside Mount Tai.)

In Yuanyou{{nbsp}}1 (1086), the Song emperor Zhao Xu (posthumously known as "Emperor Zhezong" or the "Wise Ancestor") changed the name of the county to Wanting.{{sfnp|Shandong Archives|2006}} Under the Jin, the county seat at Yuanqu was destroyed by the flood of the Yellow River{{sfnp|Shandong Archives|2006}} in Dading{{nbsp}}8 (1168).{{sfnp|Ding|2014}} The county was subsequently abolished,{{sfnp|Shandong Archives|2006}} with its territory added to Jiyin.{{sfnp|Ding|2014}}

Chinese archeologists from Mudan District excavated the ruins at Longwangmiao Village in June 2007 under the direction of Pan Jianrong (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|潘|建|榮}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|潘|建|荣}}}},}} Pān Jiànróng).{{sfnp|Ding|2014}} They established their identity as Yuanqu and examined the eastern city wall, which runs for {{convert|347|m|sp=us}}.{{sfnp|Ding|2014}} The walls originally stood about {{convert|9.3|m|sp=us}} high, although presently about two-thirds of the structure is underground,{{sfnp|Ding|2014}} the soil of surrounding countryside having built up over the years.

• Chen Xi (d.{{nbsp}}194{{nbsp}}BC), Han rebel{{harvp|Nienhauser & al.|2002|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=x14nnLsLoAEC&pg=PA78 78]}}.
• Bian Hu ({{lang|zh|卞壺}}; 281–328), Eastern Jin regent{{harvp|Xiong|2009|loc=[https://books.google.com/books?id=fCdCDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA63 s.v. "Bian Hu"]}}.
• Wen Zisheng ({{lang|zh|溫子昇}}; 495–547), Eastern Wei scholar
• Huang Chao (d. 884), Tang rebel{{harvp|Xiong|2009|loc=[https://books.google.com/books?id=fCdCDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA261 s.v. "Huang Chao"]}}.

• Yuanqu County in Shanxi

{{noteslist}}

{{reflist|30em}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Yuanqu County, Shandong}}

Category:Former counties of China

Category:Former cities in China

Category:Archaeological sites in China