Duan Prefecture

Duanzhou or Duan Prefecture was a zhou (prefecture) in imperial China in modern Guangdong, China, centering on modern Zhaoqing.^[3] Duan Prefecture was a major production center of inkstones.

Duan Prefecture
Simplified Chinese	端州
Hanyu Pinyin	Duān Zhōu
Population
• 740s or 750s	21,120[1]
• 1070s or 1080s	25,130[2]
History
• Preceded by	Gaoyao Commandery
• Created	589 (Sui dynasty) 621 (Tang dynasty) 758 (Tang dynasty)
• Abolished	1118 (Song dynasty)
• Succeeded by	Zhaoqing Prefecture
Contained within
• Circuit	Lingnan Circuit Guangnan Circuit (971–988) Guangnan East Circuit (988–1118)

The modern Duanzhou District in Zhaoqing is named after the prefecture.

Counties

Duan Prefecture administered the following counties (縣) through history (Sui dynasty, Tang dynasty, Southern Han and Song dynasty):

1. Gaoyao (高要), roughly modern Zhaoqing city proper (probably around Gaoyao District).^[4]
2. Pingxing (平興), roughly modern Gaoming District, Foshan. Pingxing was abolished by the Song dynasty in 972.^[5]
3. Sihui (四會), roughly modern Sihui. Sihui was only under the administration of Duan Prefecture in the Song dynasty.^[6]