The Regional Dynamic and Development Vicissitude of the Historical Geography in Nanyang, China

The town of Nanyang in Henan Province, China, known simply as Wan, has a long history and is the second batch of historical and cultural cities named by the State Council. Historical geography studies the interaction between people and places in historical periods and the laws of their evolution. This paper uses the perspective of historical geography as an entry point, the beginning (Qin Dynasty) and the end (Qing Dynasty) of China’s feudal dynasties as the timeline of the study, and the administrative evolution and population changes of Nanyang as the research questions, to explore the dynamic relationship between people and place in Nanyang and analyse the characteristics on the various dynasties’ rise and fall in Chinese history. The findings of the study are concluded as follows. (1) Population changes in Nanyang through the ages correlated with administrative unification. The population peaks with rapid growth due to administrative unification. The population reaches a low point when the political region is in disarray, and warfare is frequent. (2) Population density and number are in an overall U-shaped structure, with high levels in the Han and Qing dynasties and low levels in the Three Kingdoms to the Ming dynasty. The Yuan Dynasty was the trough of population numbers and population density. (3) The Qin and Han dynasties were the peak of ancient Nanyang. Because of its geographical location, the rulers organised many moves of people into Nanyang to occupy an essential political and military position. At the same time, the rulers had constructed water resources and developed agriculture in the area, leading to a large population with a developed economy and a flourishing culture. (4) The period from the Wei and Jin Dynasties to the Tang and Song Dynasties was a low point for Nanyang in ancient times, with many northern and southern regimes opposing each other in China. Because Nanyang occupied an essential position in military traffic and was located at the junction of the northern and southern regimes, it was subjected to war for thousands of years, leading to a rapid decline in population and a significant economic depression. (5) The Ming and Qing dynasties were a recovery period for ancient Nanyang. Displaced people moved into Nanyang and brought many people to reclaim the hills of western Henan to produce more food. At the same time, the government paid attention to the dredging of rivers, which led to population growth, agricultural prosperity, convenient water transport and commercial development. (6) Nanyang has historically shown a U-shaped development trend influenced by internal and external factors. The Nanyang basin’s topography, the changing waterway transportation conditions and the increase or decrease in population numbers were important internal factors that influenced the development of the Nanyang basin. Political factors are essential external factors influencing the rise and fall of Nanyang.