Zhènyuán

Zhenyuan lies in the hills and valleys of eastern Gansu, between the approaches to Guanzhong and the northern frontier. Its name combines those of Zhenrong and Yuanzhou, the two districts united under the Yuan in 1270. The new Zhou was governed from Linjing, the site of the later county town. In 1369 the Ming reduced Zhenyuan to a county and abolished the separate seat county of Linjing. Old forts in the surrounding country recall earlier campaigns along the Song frontier with Western Xia.