Pre-Qin dynasty historical texts such as the Yu Gong or Tribute of Yu chapter of the Book of History, Erya, Rites of Zhou and Lüshi Chunqiu all refer to the Nine Provinces. Yuzhou appears in all of these texts even though different names are provided for the Nine Provinces. The Rites of Zhoustates that Yuzhou was Henan Province, while the Lüshi Chunqiu records: "Yuzhou was between the Yellow and Han rivers. That was where Zhou was located."
In 106 BC during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Han dynasty, China was divided into thirteen administrative divisions, each governed by an Inspector. Yuzhou was one of the thirteen. The areas it governed included: north of the Huai River, east of the Ru River basin, and Feng and Pei counties in Jiangsu. However Yuzhou did not have a provincial capital and was only an administrative division in name. period . In 188 during the reign of Emperor Ling of the Eastern Han dynasty, Yuzhou's capital was established in Qiao County. The area under Yuzhou's jurisdiction included parts of eastern Henan, western Anhui. It was in charge of two commanderies - Yingchuan and Runan - and four states - Liang, Pei, Chen and Lu.
During the Three Kingdoms period, Yuzhou was in the state of Cao Wei and its capital was designated in Ancheng County. Under its jurisdiction were nine commanderies - Yingchuan, Chen, Lu, Runan, Qiao, Yiyang, Yang'an, Xiangcheng and Ruyin - and two states - Liang and Pei.
During the Western Jin dynasty, Yuzhou's capital was in Chen County, and it governed ten commanderies and states. Its capital constantly changed during the Eastern Jin dynasty and its boundaries were not fixed. Yuzhou controlled the Huai River delta and parts of Anhui and Jiangsu along the Yangtze River when its land area was greatest during Eastern Jin. In 329 Yuzhou's capital was set up in Wuyang County. After 338 the capital kept changing, and its locations included: Zhucheng ; Wuhu ; Niuzhu ; Liyang ; Matou ; Qiao ; Gushu. From 416 onwards its capital was in Shouchun. During the Sixteen Kingdoms period, Yuzhou was under Later Zhao, and its capital was moved to Xuchang County. The Former Qin kingdom later renamed it Dongyuzhou and designated its capital in Luoyang County.
During the Southern and Northern dynasties period, China was further divided into many administrative divisions so the land area in each division was reduced. Yuzhou fell under the control of several dynasties and experienced a series of renaming and changes to its capital.
The Liu Song dynasty established a Nanyuzhou with its capital in Gure.
The Southern Qi set up another Yuzhou in addition to Nanyuzhou, with the former's capital in Shouchun.
In 500 Yuzhou fell under Northern Wei control and was renamed Yangzhou. It was later renamed to Luozhou, and Sizhou was renamed Yuzhou, with the latter's capital in Shangcai County.
In 506 the Liang dynasty set up Yuzhou's capital in Hefei. In 526 it was renamed Nanyuzhou. Towards the end of the Liang dynasty its capital was moved to Huaining. In 550 it was renamed to Jinzhou with its capital in Nanchang. In 557 it was renamed Jiangzhou.
In 550 Yuzhou came under Eastern Wei and was renamed back to Yangzhou.
In 573 Yuzhou came under the Chen dynasty and was renamed back to Yuzhou.
In 579 Northern Zhou renamed Yuzhou to Yangzhou, and later to Shuzhou and Zhenzhou.
Sui and Tang dynasties
During the early Daye era of the Sui dynasty, Yuzhou was renamed Caizhou and its capital designated in Luoyang. In 607 it was renamed to Henan Commandery. Yuzhou was restored in the early Tang dynasty and its capital set up in Ruyang County. In 742 it was renamed Runan Commandery, and in 758 it was renamed back to Yuzhou. Around 762 and 763 it was renamed to Caizhou again.
During the Khitan-led Liao dynasty, Yuzhou was under the control of the Prince of Chen lineage. It was established as a military division of the capital Shangjing. Its capital was near northwest of present-day Jarud Banner, Inner Mongolia.
Jin dynasty
Yuzhou was abolished during the Jurchen-ruled Jin dynasty.
