Ming Prefecture (Zhejiang)

Ming Prefecture
Simplified Chinese	明州
Hanyu Pinyin	Míng Zhōu
Yuyao Commandery (742–758)
Traditional Chinese	餘姚郡
Hanyu Pinyin	Yúyáo Jùn
Population
• 739	207,032[1]
• 1100s	[2]
History
• Preceded by	Yin Prefecture (鄞州)
• Created	738 (Tang dynasty)
• Abolished	1194 (Song dynasty)
• Succeeded by	Qingyuan Prefecture
• HQ	Mao (鄮, before 908) Yin (鄞, after 908)
Contained within
• Circuit (Tang dynasty)	Jiangnan East Circuit (before 758) Zhejiang East Circuit (758–907)
• Kingdom	Wuyue (907–978)
• Circuit (Song dynasty)	Liangzhe Circuit (before 1060s) Liangzhe East Circuit (after 1060s)

Mingzhou or Ming Prefecture (738–1194) was a zhou (prefecture) in imperial China located in modern northeastern Zhejiang, China, around modern Ningbo.^[3] The prefecture was called Yuyao Commandery from 742 to 758.^[4]

Located on the coast of the East China Sea and the southern bank of Hangzhou Bay (which connects it to Hang Prefecture and the Grand Canal), Ming Prefecture was one of the most important international ports during the Tang (618–907), Wuyue (907–978) and Song (960–1279) dynasties. Cargo ships to and from Japan, Silla (57 BC – 935 AD), Goryeo (918–1392), and Liao (907–1125) frequented this prefecture. Ming Prefecture also administered Zhoushan, an island archipelago off the Zhejiang coast, including Zhoushan Island.