“五溪蛮”一词,最早见于《后汉书》的马援和南蛮诸传。至于其活动的范围,李贤在《后汉书·马援传》中注曰:“郦元注水经云:武陵有五溪,谓雄溪、?溪、酉溪、(氵舞)溪、辰溪,悉是蛮夷所居,故谓五溪蛮,皆盘瓠之子孙也……在今辰州界”。据考,此五溪,“有出于酉阳石堤蛮界,流经辰州府城西为北江者,名酉溪;有出于铜仁蛮界,流经麻阳县城南为 The word “Wu Xi Man” is the earliest found in the “Later Han” Ma and Nan Man Zhuang Biography. As for the scope of its activities, Li Xian in the “Post-Han Ma Yu Chuan” note in the note: “Qi Yuan water injection by the cloud: Wuling there are five streams, that male, river, unitary brook, , Which is barbarian home, so that Wuxi Man, are the children of Pan-yi also ... ... Chenzhou circles in this. ” According to test, the five streams, "there out of Youyang stone embankment barbarians, flows through the west of the city of Chenzhou for the North River, the name of Creek; out of Tongren Mansi sector, flows through the city of Mayang