Lǐdiàn

Lidian lies in the mountain valleys of southern Gansu, near the old seat of Changdao County. Under the Yuan, Changdao was absorbed into Xihe and a military headquarters was established nearby. The names Lidian, written with different Chinese characters, came to be used for the headquarters; the more formal character for ritual was later adopted for Li County. The Ming maintained a military post at Lidian, whose position connected the valleys of the western Qinling with the roads toward the Wei River.