Qingzhou Prefecture (éÂÂå·ÂåºÂ) was a fu (prefecture) that existed in central Shandong from 1367 to 1913, its administrative center was in today's Qingzhou City.
During the Yuan dynasty, the region was administered as Yidu Circuit (çÂÂé½路), under the authority of the Shandong EastâÂÂWest Circuit Pacification Commission (å±±ä¸Âä¸Â西éÂÂ宣栰å¸). In 1367, during the regime of Zhu Yuanzhang, Yidu Circuit was renamed as Qingzhou Prefecture. It governed one subprefecture and thirteen counties: Yidu (çÂÂé½), Linzi (è¨æ·Â), Boxing (Ã¥ÂÂèÂÂ), Gaoyuan (é«ÂèÂÂ), Le'an (æ¨Âå®Â), Shouguang (壽å Â), Changle (æÂÂæ¨Â), Linqu (è¨æÂÂ), Anqiu (å®Âä¸Â), Zhucheng (諸åÂÂ), Mengyin (èÂÂé°), and Juzhou (èÂÂå·Â), which administered Yishui (æ²Âæ°´) and Rizhao (æ¥砧).
In the early Qing dynasty, the prefecture governed Antong Guard (å®Âæ±è¡Â), one subprefecture, and thirteen counties. During the Yongzheng reign, Juzhou (èÂÂå·Â) became directly subordinate, and the counties of Mengyin (èÂÂé°), Yishui (æ²Âæ°´), and Rizhao (æ¥砧) were reassigned and later incorporated under Yi (æ²Â). Boshan (Ã¥ÂÂå±±) was newly established. In the 7th year of Qianlong, the Guard was abolished.
The prefecture then governed eleven counties: Yidu (çÂÂé½), Boshan (Ã¥ÂÂå±±), Linzi (è¨æ·Â), Boxing (Ã¥ÂÂèÂÂ), Gaoyuan (é«ÂèÂÂ), Le'an (æ¨Âå®Â), Shouguang (壽å Â), Linqu (è¨æÂÂ), Anqiu (å®Âä¸Â), Changle (æÂÂæ¨Â), and Zhucheng (諸åÂÂ).
The prefecture was officially classified as âÂÂimportant, populous, and difficultâ (è¡Â, ç¹Â, é£). It served as the seat of the DenglaiâÂÂQingâÂÂJiao Circuit (çÂȏÂÂéÂÂè éÂÂ), with a deputy commander stationed there. From Yongzheng Era to the collapse of Qing dynasty, Qingzhou was one of eleventh Manchu garrison cities in China, serving as the stronghold for Manchu-rule in this region. Many of those soldiers from Qingzhou garrison died in the First Opium War
After the Xinhai Revolution, the nationwide reform to abolish prefectures and convert them into counties was implemented, and the prefecture system was abolished.