The word "Xianning" first appeared in "The Book of Changes" "The first common people came out, Xianning of all countries". "Xianning of all nations" means peace in the world.
Xianning County was established relatively late. In the third year of Dali (768), Emperor Daizong of the Tang Dynasty established Yongan Town in the three townships of Jincheng, Fengle and Xuanhua in the south of Jiangxia County. It means eternal peace. During the Five Dynasties, Wu Yangpu changed Yongan Town into Yongan Chang in the second year of Emperor Qianzhen's reign (928). In the twelfth year of Baoda in the Southern Tang Dynasty (954), Yong'an Chang was promoted to Yong'an County. As for the name Xianning, this was the fourth year of Jingde reign of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty (1007). In order to avoid the taboo of Yong'an Mausoleum of Song Taizu, it was named after the meaning of "Xianning of all nations" in "Yi Qianxiang". Xianning means everyone is peaceful, which has a similar meaning to eternal peace. "Xianning County Chronicle" records: "In the early Ming Dynasty, there was no city in Xiangu." The city was built during the Hongzhi period of the Ming Dynasty (1496-1499 AD). After several generations of reconstruction, it began to take shape. Today, the ancient city has been destroyed, and only a few fragments remain, but it still retains the names of the east, south, west and north gates. As for Xian'an, because the seat of Xianning County is Yong'an Town, it is a combination of the same characters.
It can be seen that Xianning, Xian'an and Yong'an are three words with similar meanings.
Interestingly, Xianning, Xian'an and Yong'an were all used as the reign names of emperors. Xianning has the second reign title of Sima Yan, Emperor Wu of the Western Jin Dynasty (275-280), and the reign title of Lu Zuan, Emperor Ling of Later Liang during the Sixteen Kingdoms period (399-401). Xian'an was the reign name of Sima Yu, Emperor Jianwen of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (371-372); Yong'an had Sun Xiu, Emperor Wu Jing of the Three Kingdoms (258-264), Sima Zhong, Emperor Hui of the Western Jin Dynasty (304), Liang Zhang, Emperor of the Sixteen Kingdoms Shi (314-320), Juqu Mengxun (401-412) of the Northern Liang Dynasty, Yuan Ziyou (528-530), Emperor Xiaozhuang of the Northern Wei Dynasty and Zhao Qianshun (1098-1100), Chongzong of the Western Xia Dynasty, both Use it as the year name.
Xian'an District of Xianning City currently governs 3 streets, 9 towns and 1 township. Among them, there are seven towns named after "Qiao", namely Tingsiqiao Town, Heshengqiao Town, Gaoqiao Town, Maqiao Town, Guanbuqiao Town, Henggouqiao Town, Shuangxiqiao Town. Xiangyang Lake Town is named after Xiangyang Lake and is located in Gantang Pavilion. Osmanthus Town is named after the many osmanthus flowers in the territory, located in Baidun (originally there were eight mounds, named Badun, later incorrectly called Baidun). Damu Township is named after Damu Mountain (because the mountain looks like a drooping curtain from a distance. It was originally called Taimu Mountain and Datong Mountain, and it was named after Li Jing's mother was buried here in the Tang Dynasty. Later it was mistakenly called Damo Mountain.) Name, stationed in Changshou (originally called Changshoufan).