Zhēnzhōu

Zhēnzhōu belongs to the mountain country of northern Guizhou associated with Zhen'an. A historical Zhenzhou in the area was governed through a hereditary native chieftaincy, or tusi, under successive dynasties. In 1384 the Ming established the Zhenzhou chieftaincy administration under Bozhou.

After the Ming campaign against Bozhou, the former Zhenzhou jurisdiction was reorganized as Zhen'an Zhou in 1601. The Qing later changed its name to Zheng'an. These administrative changes connected local rulers and communities to shifting provincial institutions, while the mountain valleys continued to shape travel and settlement.