In 155 BC, the territory was granted to Liu Pengzu (劉彭祖), son of the Emperor Jing, as the Principality of Guangchuan (廣川國).
[1] In 37 BC, the territory was granted to Liu Xing (劉興), son of the reigning Emperor Yuan, whose descendants held the fief until Wang Mang's usurpation.
In 72 AD, it was granted to Liu Dang (劉黨), son of the reigning Emperor Ming as the Principality of Lecheng (樂成國).
[3] In 2 AD, it administered 17 counties, namely Xindu (信都), Li (歷), Fuliu (扶柳), Piyang (辟陽), Nangong (南宮), Xiabo (下博), Wuyi (武邑), Guanjin (觀津), Gaodi (高隄), Guangchuan (廣川), Lexiang (樂鄉), Pingdi (平隄), Tao (桃), Xiliang (西梁), Changcheng (昌成), Dongchang (東昌) and Xiu (脩).
In 742 AD, the prefecture had 9 counties: Xindu, Nangong, Tangyang (堂陽), Zaoqiang (棗強), Wuyi (武邑), Hengshui (衡水), Fucheng (阜城), Tiao (蓚) and Wuqiang (武強).