Lingnan (simplified Chinese: 岭南; traditional Chinese: 嶺南; pinyin: lǐng nán; Jyutping: ling5 naam4; lit. 'South of the [Nanling] Mountains'; Vietnamese: Lĩnh Nam) is a geographic area referring to the lands in the south of the Nanling Mountains. The region covers the modern Chinese subdivisions of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hong Kong & Macau[1][2] and Northern Vietnam.
Lingnan
岭南 | |
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Modern day-location | Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hong Kong, Macau, and North Vietnam (Tonkin) |
The area was inhabited by the Baiyue and was the base of the ancient kingdom of Nanyue. At that time, Lingnan was considered by the ancient Chinese court to be a tropical barbarian land that had no contact with the Zhongyuan, which was the cultural cradle of Chinese culture.
In the second century BCE, the Han conquest of Nanyue led to its absorption into the Han dynasty during its southward expansion, and its development was boosted once the Mei Pass was paved. The region was also the base of the Kingdom of Southern Han (917-971).[3]
Lingnan Jiedushi or military command, were ruled by military governors during the Tang dynasty.
List of jiedushis: