Xuānchéng

Xuancheng lies in southeastern Anhui, among the valleys and hills of Jiangnan. In 1166 the Southern Song elevated Xuanzhou to Ningguo Prefecture, with its seat at Xuancheng. The prefecture included several counties, among them Jing County to the southwest.

The region was known for paper and brushes used in writing and painting. Paper was made in several counties of old Xuanzhou, with Jing County especially associated with the craft. Ming writers praised paper made there; its connection with Xuancheng lay in the wider prefectural region rather than a claim that all Xuan paper was made in the city itself.