Ānnán

Ānnán grew around a Ming garrison in the mountainous country of southwestern Guizhou. Established in 1390, Ānnán Guard was moved two years later to Wěisǎ Fort, where a walled military town took shape. The seat of Yǒngníng Zhou was transferred to the guard town in 1576, though it later moved away again. Under the Qing, Ānnán became a county in 1687. Its early history is closely tied to the soldiers and administrative centres stationed along the route through the southwestern highlands.