Chapter 169: The Ancient Jiangling City

Jiangling City, also known as Jingzhou City, is located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, on the western part of the Jianghan Plain, bordering the Yangtze River to the south, leaning on the Han River to the north, controlling Ba Shu to the west, and connecting Xiang and Yue to the south; it was historically referred to as "the crossroads of seven provinces." It was here in the era of the Three Kingdoms that Liu Bei borrowed Jingzhou with no intention of returning it.

It is named "Jiangling" because "nearby there are no high mountains; all are hills and mounds."

Jiangling was also affluent and bustling, situated at a critical juncture for water traffic, which made it a hotly contested area during wars, and an important place to establish kingdoms and official residences during peaceful times, certainly no less magnificent than cities like Chang'an and Luoyang.