Nánzhāng

Nanzhang lies in the hills and valleys southwest of Xiangyang in Hubei. Cultivated land and mountain roads connect the Han River country with areas farther west. Across the region, farming households used valley water and terrain, while paths linked villages with markets and towns.

During the medieval and early modern periods, the wider Xiangyang region occupied an important position between northern China, the middle Yangtze and routes southwest. County officials, lineages and temples helped organise local affairs, while trade linked farming areas with nearby towns. Warfare could disrupt roads and supplies.