Xiangyang - Ancient Battleground Between Northern and Southern China

Xiangyang, now a moderate-sized city in Hubei Province, has traditionally been one of the most strategically important cities in Chinese history.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction
00:35: General Geography of Xiangyang
06:20: Early History (Zhou Dynasty)
11:18: Increasing Significance (Three Kingdoms Period)
19:14 Early Medieval Centuries of Division
25:36 Tang and Song Dynasties
30:30 Song-Mongol Wars
32:55 Siege of Xiangyang and Fancheng
38:13 Later History

Comments/Corrections:

- The early history maps all show a reservoir south of the Huai River known in ancient times as the "Quebei" (芍陂) which date to the 500s BC at the earliest, and so should not have been in these maps.


References:

Traditional Chinese sources:

Zizhi Tongjian (资治通鉴), Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志), Xu Zizhi Tongjian (续资治通鉴), New Yuan History (新元史), Dushi Fangyu Jiyao (读史方舆纪要)

Modern books:

Rao, Shengwen (饶胜文). 布局天下:中国古代军事地理大势. 中国人民解放军出版社. 2020.
Song, Jie (宋杰). 中国古代战争的地理枢纽. 北京科学技术出版社, 2022.
Yu,Yunguo (虞云国). 黎东方讲史之续: 细说宋朝. 上海人民出版社, 2019.

Some additional sources:

Discussion of the "Muslim Artillery" (counterweight trebuchet)
马建春.蒙元時期“回回炮”的東傳及作用. 西北民族研究； 1996.

Google Arts and Culture: Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng:
https://artsandculture.google.com/sto...

Blog post discussing how Xiangyang got its name:
Sohu, September 9, 2023: 襄阳起名字的由来和历史,襄阳取名专家哪家专业
https://www.sohu.com/a/717184208_1216...

Grain shipments through Xiangyang: http://dfz.shaanxi.gov.cn/sqzlk/xbsxs...

Name change of Xiangyang/Xiangfan:
“襄阳”，终于找回来的名字
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/201...

Xiangyang moat:
中国最宽的护城河襄阳城护城河
https://www.hubei.gov.cn/2015change/2...


Maps were modified from the maps at https://maps-for-free.com/ by ©OpenStreetMap https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright
Based on The Historical Atlas of China by Tan Qixiang (谭其骧)

Image Credits (unless otherwise noted): Wikimedia Commons