Editing Shenzhen (section)

=== Prehistory to Ming era ===
[[File:南头古城南门2022.jpg|thumb|right|[[Nantou (historic town)|Nantou Historic Town]]]]
The oldest evidence of humans in the area on which Shenzhen was established dates back during the mid-[[Neolithic]] period.<ref name="szmc" /><ref name="ShenzhenEveningNews-2018">{{Cite web|url=http://finance.sina.com.cn/roll/20151030/071423628612.shtml|script-title=zh:深圳的前身并不是"小渔村"|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017203406/http://finance.sina.com.cn/roll/20151030/071423628612.shtml|archive-date=17 October 2018|url-status=live|access-date=17 October 2018}}</ref> Humans have inhabited the area throughout the past 6,700 years. Historic counties were first established in the area 1,700 years ago. The historic towns of [[Nantou (historic town)|Nantou]] and [[Dapeng New District|Dapeng]], were built on the area that is now Shenzhen over 600 years ago.<ref name="szmc3">{{cite news|url=http://www.sz.gov.cn/cn/zjsz/gl/201608/t20160826_5230558.htm|script-title=zh:深圳概貌 |date=2016-08-26 |publisher=Shenzhen People's Government |access-date=2016-10-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170302141305/http://www.sz.gov.cn/cn/zjsz/gl/201608/t20160826_5230558.htm|archive-date=2017-03-02|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Hakka people]] also have a history in Shenzhen since 300 years ago when they first immigrated.

In 214 BC, when Emperor [[Qin Shi Huang]] unified China under the [[Qin dynasty]], the area was submitted to the jurisdiction of the established [[Nanhai Commandery]], one of the three [[commandery (China)|commanderies]] that were set up in [[Lingnan]], and was assimilated into [[Zhongyuan]] culture.<ref name="szmc2" /> In 331 AD, the [[Jin dynasty (266–420)|Eastern Jin]] administration split up Nanhai and established a new {{interlanguage link|Dongguan Commandery|zh|東官郡}} (东官郡).<ref name="ShenzhenHistory2">[http://english.sz.gov.cn/gi/200708/t20070822_229175.htm Brief History of Shenzhen] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080416045925/http://english.sz.gov.cn/gi/200708/t20070822_229175.htm|date=April 16, 2008}}, Shenzhen Government official website.</ref> The seat of both the commandery and Bao'an County, one of its six counties, was located around the modern town of Nantou. In 590, the [[Sui dynasty|Sui]] administration merged the region back into Nanhai. In 757, the [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] administration renamed the county Dongguan, and moved its seat to what is now [[Dongguan]] city, although a military garrison remained.<ref name="szmc2" />

During the 12th century, [[Nantou (historic town)|Nantou]] and the surrounding area became an important trade hub for salt and spices in the [[South China Sea]].<ref name="szmc2" /><ref name="autogenerated1">Rule, Ted and Karen, "Shenzhen, the Book", Hong Kong 2014</ref> The area then became known for producing pearls during the 13th century. In the 1362 era, Chinese sailors of a fleet would go to a [[Mazu]] temple in [[Chiwan]] (in present-day [[Nanshan District, Shenzhen|Nanshan District]]) to pray as they go to [[Nanyang (region)|Nanyang]] ([[Southeast Asia]]). The [[Battle of Tunmen]], when the Ming won a naval battle against invading [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]], was fought south of Nantou.<ref>{{Citation|  last=Wills| first=John E.| title=China and Maritime Europe, 1500–1800: Trade, Settlement, Diplomacy, and Missions| year=2011| publisher=Cambridge University Press| page=28}}</ref>