Chen Commandery (Chinese: 陳郡) was a Chinese commandery that existed from the late Han dynasty to the Sui dynasty. It was located in present-day eastern Henan province.
For much of the Western Han dynasty, the territory was part of the vassal Principality of Huaiyang. In 88 AD, Huaiyang was renamed Chen, and was granted to Liu Xian (劉羨), a son of Emperor Ming; Xian was posthumously known as Prince Jing (敬) of Chen. Xian's descendants held the principality until 197 AD, when the last Prince of Chen was killed by Yuan Shu. The commandery administered 9 counties, including Chen, Yangjia (陽夏), Ningping (寧平), Ku (苦), Zhe (柘), Xinping (新平), Fule (扶樂), Wuping (武平) and Changping (長平). The population was 1,547,572, or 112,653 households. In Cao Wei dynasty, the Principality of Chen was briefly restored, and granted to Cao Zhi, Prince Si (思) of Chen in 232.
The commandery was briefly merged into the Principality of Liang in the early Jin dynasty, but was restored to independence soon after. Chen in this era was known for being the home commandery of the Xie clan, a powerful faction in the imperial court of the Jin with influential members such as Xie An and Xie Xuan. In Northern Wei, the commandery administered 4 counties, including Xiang (項), Changping (長平), Xihua (西華) and Xiangyi (襄邑), and according to the Book of Wei, the population was 7,669, or 3,024 households. The commandery subsequently passed to the Eastern Wei, Northern Qi, Northern Zhou and eventually the Sui dynasty. It was abolished in 583 AD.
Princes of Chen
- Liu Xian (劉羨), Prince Jing (敬) of Chen (88－11 January 97;
- Liu Jun (劉鈞), Prince Si (思) of Chen, January 97－ 13 September 117;
- Liu Song (劉竦), Prince Huai (懷) of Chen, September 117－25 Oct 119;
- Liu Chong (劉崇), Prince Qing (頃) of Chen, 28 May 120－2 April 124;
- Liu Cheng (劉承), Prince Xiao (孝) of Chen, Apr 124－?
- Liu Chong (劉寵), Prince Min (愍) of Chen, ?－197;
- Cao Zhi (曹植), Prince Si (思) of Chen, 232.
- Cao Zhi (曹志), son of Prince Si. His fiefdom was later shifted to Jibei (济北).
References
- Book of Later Han, Chapter 50.
- Book of Wei, Chapter 106.
- Book of Sui, Chapter 30.
- (十二月辛亥，陈王羡薨。) Houhanshu, vol.04
- (秋七月辛丑，陈王钧薨。) Houhanshu, vol.05
- (九月癸巳，陈王竦薨。) Houhanshu, vol.05
- Liu Chong was another son of Liu Xian and was Marquis of Anshou Village before he was made Prince of Chen. Emperor An's biography in Book of the Later Han recorded that Liu Chong was made Prince of Chen on 28 May 120 and died on 2 Apr 124. (己巳，绍封陈王羡子崇为陈王......甲午，陈王崇薨。) Houhanshu, vol.05.
- Liu Cheng likely died before 173, as his son Liu Chong was already Prince of Chen in 173.
| Provinces and commanderies of the Han dynasty (140 AD) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sili |  Han provinces and commanderies in 219 CE | |
| Yu Province | ||
| Ji Province | ||
| Yan Province | ||
| Xu Province | ||
| Qing Province | ||
| Jing Province | ||
| Yang Province | ||
| Yi Province | ||
| Liang Province | ||
| Bing Province | ||
| Shuofang Province | ||
| You Province | ||
| Jiaozhi Province | ||
| Full list (202 BC – 220 AD) | ||