Gui Prefecture (Hubei)
prefecture in imperial China centering on modern Zigui County, Hubei, China
Guizhou or Gui Prefecture (歸州) was a zhou (prefecture) in imperial China centering on modern Zigui County, Hubei, China. In the Yuan dynasty it was briefly called Guizhou Military Commission (歸州安撫司) and Guizhou Route (歸州路). It existed (intermittently) from 619 until 1912.
Geography
The administrative region of Guizhou in the Tang dynasty is in modern western Hubei. It probably includes modern:
Under the administration of Yichang:
Zigui County
Xingshan County
Under the administration of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture:
Badong County
References
Shi Weile, ed. (2005). Zhongguo Lishi Diming Da Cidian (中国历史地名大词典) [Large Dictionary of Chinese Historical Place Names] (in Chinese). China Social Sciences Press. p. 738.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Gui Prefecture (Hubei)” is prefecture in imperial China centering on modern Zigui County, Hubei, China. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Prefecture, Hubei and prefecture, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “prefecture in imperial China centering on modern Zigui County, Hubei, China” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 21, 2024. The linked authority identifier is Q11125188. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1912 and 2005.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Gui Prefecture (Hubei)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Gui Prefecture (Hubei) primary sources, Gui Prefecture (Hubei) archive and Prefecture research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Gui Prefecture (Hubei)”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Gui Prefecture (Hubei)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.