Mèngxiàn

Mengxian lay north of the Yellow River in the Huaiqing region, in what is now northwestern Henan. The river and the plains around it shaped the connections between local settlements and the wider north China region. Farming supported communities along its northern bank, while floods made water management a continuing concern.

The area had earlier been known as Heyang. In 843, under the Tang dynasty, Heyang was raised to the status of Mengzhou; in 1377, under the Ming, the prefecture was reduced to Meng County. Its changing name and rank reflect successive adjustments to imperial administration on the Yellow River's northern bank.