The name Meizhou comes from the Mei River and plum blossom (mei). Meizhou was established as a prefecture named Jingzhou in the Southern Han (917-971). It was changed into Meizhou in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) and Jiaying Prefecture in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). After several subsequent shifts of jurisdiction, it became Meizhou City in 1988. Now Meizhou is a famous historical and cultural city.