History of the administrative divisions of China before 1912

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Philg88 (talk | contribs) at 07:20, 12 November 2010 (→‎Provinces under the Han Dynasty: add link - remove hanzi for linked articles as per WP:MOS-ZH). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The history of the administrative divisions of China is quite complex. Across history, what is called 'China' has taken many shapes, and many political organizations. For various reasons, both the borders and names of political divisions have changed -- sometimes to follow topography, sometimes to weaken former states by dividing them, and sometimes to realize a philosophical or historical ideal. For recent times, the number of recorded tiny changes is quite large; by contrast, the lack of clear, trustworthy data for ancient times forces historians and geographers to draw approximate borders for respective divisions. But thanks to imperial records and geographic descriptions, political divisions may often be re=drawn with some precision. Natural changes, such as changes in a river's course (known for the Huang He, but also occurring for others), or loss of data, still make this issue difficult for ancient times. Template:Chinesetext

Summary

Hierarchy of administrative division in China
Dynasty Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Qin Commandery (郡; 郡; jùn) County (縣; 县; xiàn)    
Han Province (州; 州; zhōu) Commandery (郡; 郡; jùn) County (縣; 县; xiàn)  
Jin Province (州; 州; zhōu) Commandery (郡; 郡; jùn) County (縣; 县; xiàn)  
Sui Prefecture (州; 州; zhōu) County (縣; 县; xiàn)    
Tang Circuit (道; 道; dào) Prefecture (州; 州; zhōu) Larger (府; 府; fǔ) County (縣; 县; xiàn)  
Song Circuit (路; 路; lù) Prefecture (州; 州; zhōu) Larger (府; 府; fǔ) Military (軍; 軍; jūn) County (縣; 县; xiàn)  
Yuan Province (省; shěng) Circuit (道; 道; dào) Prefecture (州; 州; zhōu) Larger (府; 府; fǔ) County (縣; 县; xiàn)
Ming Province (省; shěng) Circuit (道; 道; dào) Prefecture (州; 州; zhōu) Larger (府; 府; fǔ) County (縣; 县; xiàn)
Qing Province (省; shěng) Circuit (道; 道; dào) Prefecture (州; 州; zhōu) County (縣; 县; xiàn)

There is also a nearly exhaustive list of all subnational entities (cities excepted) and their capitals since 1279 at List of current and former capitals of subnational entities of China.

Ancient times

Before the establishment of the Qin Dynasty, China was ruled by a network of kings, nobles, and tribes. There was no unified system of administrative divisions. According to ancient texts, China in the Xia and Zhou dynasties consisted of nine zhou, but various texts differ as to the names and even functions of these zhous.

During the Zhou dynasty, the nation was nominally ruled overall by the "Son of Heaven". In reality, however, the country was divided into competing states, each with a hereditary head, variously styled "prince", "duke", or "king". The rivalry of these groups culminated in the Warring States Period, and the state of Qin eventually emerged dominant.

Provinces under the Qin Dynasty

After the state of Qin managed to subdue the rest of China under a unified Qin Dynasty in 221 BC, it was determined not to allow China to fall back into disunity. It therefore designed, based upon existing systems, the first administrative hierarchy in China, with just two levels:

All of China was divided into commanderies and counties, which were centrally ruled and tightly controlled. Nevertheless this failed to prevent the collapse of the Qin Dynasty in 206 BC.

Provinces under the Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty that followed inherited the system, but initially added a top level of states or kingdoms (王国), each of which was headed by a hereditary prince. However, with increasing concerns about the powers of these princes, this quasi-federal structure was gradually abolished, with states replaced with provinces (州). After the Rebellion of the Seven States the system was standardised to be:

Throughout the Han Dynasty, the Three Kingdoms Period and the Western Jin Dynasty, this system remained intact.

Provinces under Western Jin

"Provinces" (Zhou) of China under the early Western Jin Dynasty 265–420 CE
Name Traditional
Chinese		 Pinyin Capital Approximant extent in terms of modern locations
Ancient name Modern location
Bingzhou¹ 幷州 Bīngzhōu Jinyang southwest of Taiyuan Shanxi
Guangzhou 廣州 Guǎngzhōu Panyu Guangzhou Guangdong, eastern Guangxi
Jiaozhou¹ 交州 Jiāozhōu Longbian East of Hanoi northern Vietnam
Jingzhou¹ 荆州 Jīngzhōu Jiangling Hubei, Hunan
Jizhou¹ 冀州 Jìzhōu Xindu Jixian, Hebei southern Hebei
Liangzhou¹ 涼州 Liángzhōu Guzang Wuwei western Gansu
Hanzhong 梁州 Liángzhōu Nanzheng Hanzhong southern Shaanxi, eastern Sichuan, Chongqing
Ningzhou 寧州 Níngzhōu Dianchi southeast of Kunming Yunnan
Pingzhou 平州 Píngzhōu Xiangping Liaoyang Liaoning, northern Korea
Qingzhou¹ 青州 Qīngzhōu Linzi east of Zibo eastern Shandong
Qinzhou 秦州 Qínzhōu Jixian east of Gangu southern Gansu
Sizhou 司州 Sīzhōu Luoyang central Henan, southern Shanxi
Xuzhou¹ 徐州 Xúzhōu Pengcheng Xuzhou northern Jiangsu
Yangzhou¹ 揚州 Yángzhōu Jianye Nanjing southern Jiangsu, southern Anhui, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shanghai
Yanzhou¹ 兗州 Yǎnzhōu Linqiu northwest of Yuncheng County western Shandong
Yizhou¹ 益州 Yìzhōu Chengdu central Sichuan, Guizhou
Yongzhou¹ 雍州 Yōngzhōu Chang'an northwest of Xi'an central Shaanxi
Youzhou¹ 幽州 Yōuzhōu Zhuoxian northern Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin
Yuzhou¹ 豫州 Yùzhōu Chenxian Huaiyang southern Henan, northern Anhui

Note 1: One of the original 14 zhou of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Since then, Ping was split out of You, Qin out of Liang (凉), Liang(梁) and Ning out of Yi, and Guang out of Jiao. Si was never part of any other zhou until its creation; before then it was overseen by an official called the Sili Xiaowei (司隷校尉) with capacities similar to a governor of a zhou. Also, Jiaozhou was founded as a zhou-equivalent called Jiaozhi (交趾), and among the original 14 zhou was a zhou-equivalent called Shuofang (朔方) in what is now northern Shaanxi; it was later merged into Bing.

This changed, however, with the invasion of tribes from the north, who disrupted the unity of China and set up a variety of governments.

Provinces under Sui Dynasty

Sui China and Sui provinces by 610ca., visible in dark brown.
There are 9 first-level area.

By the time unity was finally reestablished by the Sui Dynasty, the provinces had been divided and redivided so many times by different governments that they were almost the same size as commanderies, rendering either one of the two tiers completely superfluous. As such, the Sui Dynasty merged these two levels together. This new merged level is translated as "prefectures" into English. In Chinese this name was changed between zhou and jun (the two merged levels) several times before being finally settled on zhou.

The Sui dynasty restored 9 Zhou, based on the Jiuzhou traditional division system, a concept apocryphally originates from the Tribute of Yu (Yu Gong), a chapter of the Classic of Documents (Shujing), which describes the extent of Yu's domain inherited by the Xia dynasty[1]

Under the Sui, there were 9 provinces (Zhou), 190 prefectures, 1.225 counties, and about 9 millions registered households, counting for round 50 million people[2]

Hence, we had

  • LV1: Zhou (9 州 zhōu, prefectures), subdivised into...
  • LV2: Counties(xian)
"Provinces" (Zhou) of China under the Sui Dynasty
Name Traditional
Chinese		 Pinyin Capital Approximant extent in terms of modern locations
Ancient name Modern location
Yongzhou¹ 雍州 Yōngzhōu ? ? ?
Jizhou¹ 冀州 Jìzhōu ? ? ?
Yanzhou¹ 兗州 Yǎnzhōu ? ? ?
Qingzhou¹ 青州 Qīngzhōu ? ? ?
Yuzhou¹ 豫州 Yùzhōu ? ? ?
Xuzhou¹ 徐州 Xúzhōu ? ? ?
Liangzhou 梁州 Liángzhōu ? ? ?
Jingzhou¹ 荆州 Jīngzhōu ? ? ?
Yangzhou¹ 揚州 Yángzhōu ? ? ?

Provinces under the Tang Dynasty

Tang China and Tang provinces by 742, visible in dark brown.
Note: Jingji = Region of Chang'an ; Duji = Region of Luoyang.

The Emperor Taizong of Tang (r. 626-649) set up 10 circuits in 627 as an additional level of administration on top. In 639, there were 10 provinces[3], 43 military general gouvernments (Dudu fu), and 358 préfectures (Zhou).[4] The provinces were originally meant to be purely geographic and not administrative (some being enormous), the prefecture being the true, human-manageable, administrative division. Emperor Xuanzong added five circuits in (or until) 733, bringing the number up to 15 circuits.

The Tang Dynasty also created jiedushi, who were military governors governing frontier areas susceptible to foreign attack. The Jiedushi system was eventually generalized to other parts of the country as well, and in effect merged with the circuits. The Jiedushi slowly strengthened their own power in their respective circuits or area, these would become a source of rebellion and warlordism, that tore the country apart provoking the fall of the Tang empire and starting the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. The Song Dynasty that emerged out of this crisis abolished jiedushi, and named its first-level division lu, which is also translated as "circuits":

Hence, under Tang dynasty we had :

  • LV1: Circuits (道 dào, 10 from Taizong to Xuanzong, 15 since Xuanzong), subdivised into...
  • LV2: Prefectures (larger: 府 fǔ; regular: 州 zhōu), themselves subdivised into...
  • LV3: Counties (縣/县 xiàn) (also translated as "districts")
Circuits of China under the middle Tang Dynasty
Name Traditional
Chinese		 Pinyin Capital Approximate extent in terms of modern locations
Ancient name Modern location
Duji* 都畿 Dūjī Henan Fu Luoyang Luoyang and environs
Guannei 關內 Guānnèi Jingzhao Fu Xi'an northern Shaanxi, central Inner Mongolia, Ningxia
Hebei 河北 Héběi Weizhou Wei County, Hebei Hebei
Hedong 河東 Hédōng Puzhou Puzhou, Yongji, Shanxi Shanxi
Henan 河南 Hénán Bianzhou Kaifeng Henan, Shandong, northern Jiangsu, northern Anhui
Huainan 淮南 Huáinán Yangzhou central Jiangsu, central Anhui
Jiannan 劍南 Jiànnán Yizhou Chengdu central Sichuan, central Yunnan
Jiangnan 江南 Jiāngnán Jiangnanxi + Jiangnandong (see map)
Jiangnanxi** 江南西 Jiāngnánxī Hongzhou Nanchang Jiangxi, Hunan, southern Anhui, southern Hubei
Jiangnandong** 江南東 Jiāngnándōng Suzhou southern Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shanghai
Jingji* 京畿 Jīngjī Jingzhao Fu Xi'an Xi'an and environs
Lingnan 嶺南 Lǐngnán Guangzhou Guangdong, eastern Guangxi, northern Vietnam
Longyou 隴右 Lǒngyou Shanzhou Ledu County, Qinghai Gansu
Qianzhong* 黔中 Qiánzhōng Qianzhou Pengshui Guizhou, western Hunan
Shannan 山南 Shānnán Shannanxi + Shannandong (see map)
Shannanxi** 山南西 Shānnánxī Liangzhou Hanzhong southern Shanxi, eastern Sichuan, Chongqing
Shannandong** 山南東 Shānnándōng Xiangzhou Xiangfan southern Henan, Hubei

* Circuits established under Xuanzong, as opposed to Taizong's original ten circuits.

** Circuits established under Xuanzong by dividing Taizong's Jiangnan and Shannan circuits into an eastern and a western circuit.

Provinces under the Song Dynasty

The Song Dynasty that emerged out of this crisis abolished jiedushi, and named its first-level division lu, which is also translated as "circuits":

Hence, we had :

  • LV1: Circuits (路 lù)
  • LV2: Prefectures (larger: 府 fǔ; regular: 州 zhōu; military: 軍 jūn)
  • LV3: Counties (縣 xiàn) (also translated as "districts")
Circuits of China under the Northern Song Dynasty
Name Traditional
Chinese		 Pinyin Capital Approximant extent in terms of modern locations
Ancient name Modern location
Chengdufu 成都府 Chéngdūfǔ Chengdu central Sichuan
Fujian 福建 Fújiàn Fuzhou Fujian
Guangnandong 廣南東 Guǎngnándōng Guangzhou eastern Guangdong
Guangnanxi 廣南西 Guǎngnánxī Guizhou Guilin western Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan
Hebeidong 河北東 Héběidōng Beijing Daming County, Hebei eastern Hebei
Hebeixi 河北西 Héběixī Zhending Zhengding County, Hebei western Hebei
Hedong 河東 Hédōng Taiyuan Shanxi
Huainandong 淮南東 Huáinándōng Yangzhou central Jiangsu
Huainanxi 淮南西 Huáinánxī Shouzhou Fengtai County, Anhui central Anhui
Jiangnandong 江南東 Jiāngnándōng Jiangning Fu Nanjing southern Anhui
Jiangnanxi 江南西 Jiāngnánxī Hongzhou Nanchang Jiangxi
Jingdongdong 京東東 Jīngdōngdōng Qingzhou Qingzhou, Shandong eastern Shandong
Jingdongxi 京東西 Jīngdōngxī Nanjing south of Shangqiu, Henan western Shandong
Jinghubei 荊湖北 Jīnghúběi Jiangling Hubei, western Hunan
Jinghunan 荊湖南 Jīnghúnán Tanzhou Changsha Hunan
Jingji 京畿 Jīngjī Chenliu Chenliu, Kaifeng, Henan Kaifeng and environs
Jingxibei 京西北 Jīngxīběi Xijing Luoyang central Henan
Jingxinan 京西南 Jīngxīnán Xiangzhou Xiangfan southern Henan, northern Hubei
Kuizhou 夔州 Kuízhōu Kuizhou Fengjie County, Chongqing Chongqing, eastern Sichuan, Guizhou
Liangzhe 兩浙 Liǎngzhè Hangzhou Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, Shanghai
Lizhou 利州 Lìzhōu Xingyuan Hanzhong northern Sichuan, southern Shaanxi
Qinfeng 秦鳳 Qínfèng Qinzhou Tianshui southern Gansu
Yongxingjun 永興軍 Yǒngxīngjūn Jingzhao Xi'an Shaanxi
Zizhou 梓州 Zǐzhōu Zizhou Santai County, Sichuan central southern Sichuan

Provinces under the Jin and Southern Song Dynasties

The Jurchens invaded China proper in the 12th century. In 1142, peace was formalized between the Jurchen Jin Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty, which was forced to cede all of North China to the Jurchens.

By the beginning of the 13th century, the Jurchens had moved their capital to Zhongdu (modern Beijing) and had adopted Chinese administrative structures. The Song Dynasty also maintained the same structure over the southern half of China that they continued to govern.

Circuits of China under the late Jurchen Jin Dynasty and Southern Song Dynasty
Name Traditional
Chinese		 Pinyin Capital Approximant extent in terms of modern locations
Ancient name Modern location
Jin Dynasty (North)
Beijing 北京 Běijīng Beijing Nincheng County, Inner Mongolia eastern Manchuria
Damingfu 大名府 Dàmíngfǔ Daming Fu Daming County, Hebei border of Henan, Hebei, Shandong
Dongjing 東京 Dōngjīng Dongjing Liaoyang Liaoning
Fengxiang 鳳翔 Fèngxiáng Fengxiang Fu Fengxiang County, Shaanxi western Shaanxi, eastern Gansu
Fuyan 鄜延 Fūyán Yan'an northern Shaanxi
Hebeidong 河北東 Héběidōng Hejian Hejian, Hebei eastern Hebei
Hebeixi 河北西 Héběixī Zhending Zhengding County, Hebei western Hebei
Hedongbei 河東北 Hédōngběi Taiyuan northern Shanxi
Hedongnan 河東南 Hédōngnán Pingyang Linfen southern Shanxi
Jingzhaofu 京兆府 Jīngzhàofǔ Jingzhao Fu Xi'an central Shaanxi
Lintao 臨洮 Líntáo Lintao Lintao County, Gansu southern Gansu
Nanjing 南京 Nánjīng Nanjing Kaifeng Henan, northern Anhui
Qingyuan 慶原 Qìngyuán Qingyang eastern Gansu
Shandongdong 山東東 Shāndōngdōng Yidu Fu Qingzhou, Shandong eastern Shandong
Shandongxi 山東西 Shāndōngxī Dongping Fu Dongping County, Shandong western Shandong
Shangjing 上京 Shàngjīng Shangjing Acheng, Heilongjiang northern Manchuria
Xianping 咸平 Xiánpíng Xianping Fu Kaiyuan, Liaoning northern Liaoning
Xijing 西京 Xījīng Xijing Datong northern Shanxi, central Inner Mongolia
Zhongdu 中都 Zhōngdū Zhongdu Beijing northern Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin
Song Dynasty (South)
Chengdufu 成都府 Chéngdūfǔ Chengdu central Sichuan
Fujian 福建 Fújiàn Fuzhou Fujian
Guangnandong 廣南東 Guǎngnándōng Guangzhou eastern Guangdong
Guangnanxi 廣南西 Guǎngnánxī Jingjiang Fu Guilin western Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan
Huainandong 淮南東 Huáinándōng Yangzhou central Jiangsu
Huainanxi 淮南西 Huáinánxī Luzhou Hefei central Anhui
Jiangnandong 江南東 Jiāngnándōng Jiangning Fu Nanjing southern Anhui
Jiangnanxi 江南西 Jiāngnánxī Longxing Fu Nanchang Jiangxi
Jinghubei 荊湖北 Jīnghúběi Jiangling Hubei, western Hunan
Jinghunan 荊湖南 Jīnghúnán Tanzhou Changsha Hunan
Jingxinan 京西南 Jīngxīnán Xiangyang Fu Xiangfan southern Henan, northern Hubei
Kuizhou 夔州 Kuízhōu Kuizhou Fengjie County, Chongqing Chongqing, eastern Sichuan, Guizhou
Liangzhedong 兩浙東 Liǎngzhèdōng Shaoxing central and southern Zhejiang
Liangzhexi 兩浙西 Liǎngzhèxī Hangzhou northern Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, Shanghai
Lizhoudong 利州東 Lìzhōudōng Xingyuan Hanzhong northern Sichuan, southern Shaanxi
Lizhouxi 利州西 Lìzhōuxī Mianzhou Lueyang, Shaanxi northern Sichuan, southern Gansu
Tongchuanfu 潼川府 Tóngchuānfǔ Luzhou central southern Sichuan

Provinces under the Yuan Dynasty

The Mongols, who succeeded in subjugating all of China under the Yuan Dynasty in 1279, introduced the precursors to the modern provinces as a new level at the top:

  • LV1: Provinces (行中書省 xíngzhōngshūshěng)
  • LV2: Circuits (道 dào)
  • LV3: Prefectures (larger: 府 fǔ; regular: 州 zhōu)
  • LV4: Counties (縣 xiàn) (also translated as "districts")
Provinces of China under the Mongol Yuan Dynasty
Name Traditional
Chinese		 Pinyin Capital Approximant extent in terms of modern locations
Ancient name Modern location
Gansu 甘肅 Gānsù Ganzhou Zhangye Gansu, Ningxia
Huguang 湖廣 Huguǎng Wuchang Hunan, western Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan
Henanjiangbei 河南江北 Hénánjiāngběi Bianliang Kaifeng Henan, northern Hubei, northern Jiangsu, northern Anhui
Jiangxi 江西 Jiāngxī Longxing Nanchang Jiangxi, eastern Guangdong
Jiangzhe 江浙 Jiāngzhè Hangzhou Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, southern Anhui, Fujian
Liaoyang 遼陽 Liáoyáng Liaoyang Manchuria
Lingbei 嶺北 Lǐngběi Helin Kharkhorin (Karakorum) Mongolia, northern Inner Mongolia
Shaanxi 陝西 Shǎnxi Fengyuan Xi'an Shaanxi
Sichuan 四川 Sìchuān Chengdu eastern and central Sichuan
Yunnan 雲南 Yúnnán Zhongqing Kunming Yunnan

The area around the capital, corresponding to modern Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, central Inner Mongolia, Beijing, and Tianjin, was called the Central Region (腹裏) and not put into any province, but was directly controlled by the Secretariat (中書省).

Provinces under the Ming and Qing Dynasties

1820's China and its provinces, near its greatest extent.

The Ming Dynasty continued with this system, and had provinces that were almost exactly the same as those in modern China proper. The differences were: Huguang had not yet been split into Hubei and Hunan; Gansu and Ningxia were still part of Shaanxi; Anhui and Jiangsu were together as Nanzhili; and portions of what are today the provinces of Hebei, Liaoning, and Henan were part of the province of Beizhili. (PRC-established Hainan and Chongqing were of course part of their original provinces at this time.) This makes for a total of 15 provinces.

In 1644, China fell to the Manchus, who established the Qing Dynasty, the last ruling dynasty of China. The Qing government applied the following system over China proper:

The Qing split Shaanxi into Shaanxi and Gansu, Huguang into Hubei and Hunan, and Nanzhili into Jiangsu and Anhui. Hebei was now called Zhili rather than Beizhili. These provinces are now nearly identical to modern ones. Collectively they are called the "eighteen provinces", a concept that endured for several centuries as synonymous to China proper.

This system applied only to China proper, with the rest of the empire under differently systems. Manchuria, Xinjiang, and Outer Mongolia were ruled by military generals, while Inner Mongolia was organized under leagues. The Qing court put Amdo under their direct control and organized it as Qinghai, and also sent imperial commissioners to Tibet (Ü-Tsang and western Kham, approximately the area of present-day Tibet Autonomous Region) to oversee its affairs.

In the late 19th century, Xinjiang and Taiwan were both set up as provinces. However, Taiwan was forced to cede to Imperial Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895. Near the end of the dynasty, Manchuria was also reorganized into 3 more provinces (Fengtian, Jilin, Heilongjiang), bringing the total number of provinces to 22.

Republic of China

Main article: Administrative divisions of the Republic of China
Map of administrative divisions and claims by the Republic of China. Maps of the official borders of the Republic of China include mainland China and Mongolia

The Republic of China streamlined the system down to three levels:

Circuits were abolished in 1928 as being superfluous. However, this reform was soon found unfeasible since an average province had 50+ counties and some provinces had more than 100 counties. As a result, some provinces were later subdivided into several prefectures.

The Republic of China set up 4 more provinces out of Inner Mongolia and surrounding areas (Ningxia, Suiyuan, Chahar, Jehol) and 2 more provinces out of parts of historical Tibet (Xikang, out of Kham, and Qinghai, out of Amdo; Ü-Tsang was the Dalai Lama's realm at this time and not part of any province), bringing the total number of provinces up to 28. The Republic of China also began the setting up of municipalities, or cities directly administered by the central government. Circuits were soon abolished, and more levels began to be added below the county: townships, for instance.

The creation of the puppet state of Manchukuo by Japan in the 1930s deprived China of 4 provinces in the northeast (Fengtian, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Jehol). After the defeat of Japan in 1945, Manchuria was reincorporated into China as 9 provinces. Taiwan and the Pescadores was also returned to China and was organized into Taiwan Province. By this time there was a total of 12 municipalities under the Republic of China.

After the Republic of China lost mainland China in 1949, its jurisdiction was restricted to only Taiwan, the Pescadores, and a few offshore islands of Fujian province. Since then two more municipalities have been set up in Taiwan. In the meantime, the Republic of China has not recognized any of the changes made to the administrative structure of the mainland, and has never retracted its claim to mainland China and Outer Mongolia. The official maps produced in Taiwan still show the 1949 border along with changes made to Taiwan post-1949.

All in all, the Republic of China officially claims a total of 35 provinces, 14 municipalities, 1 special administrative region and 2 regions in all of China. However, these claims are no longer actively pursued and the provincial administrations of Taiwan and Fukien provinces have been largely streamlined in favor of lower levels, namely counties and provincial cities. (See Administrative divisions of the Republic of China)

Province-level divisions of China as claimed by the Republic of China[5]
Name Old Name (Postal) Chinese (T) Pinyin Abbreviation Capital
Provinces (省 Shěng)
Andong Antung 安東 Āndōng 安 ān Tunghwa (Tonghua)
Anhui Anhwei 安徽 Ānhuī 皖 wǎn Hofei (Hefei)
Chahar Chahar 察哈爾 Chahā'ěr 察 cha Changyuan (Zhangjiakou)
Fujian Fukien 福建 Fujian 閩 mǐn Foochow (Fuzhou)
Gansu Kansu 甘肅 Gānsu 甘 gān or 隴 lǒng Lanchow (Lanzhou)
Guangdong Kwangtung 廣東 Guǎngdōng 粵 yue Canton (Guangzhou)
Guangxi Kwangsi 廣西 Guǎngxī 桂 gui Kweilin (Guilin)
Guizhou Kweichow 貴州 Guizhōu 黔 qian or 貴 gui Kweiyang (Guiyang)
Hebei Hopeh 河北 Heběi 冀 ji Tsingyuan (Baoding)
Heilongjiang Heilungkiang 黑龍江 Hēilongjiāng 黑 hēi Peian (Bei'an)
Hejiang Hokiang 合江 Hejiāng 合 he Chiamussu (Jiamusi)
Henan Honan 河南 Henan 豫 yu Kaifeng (Kaifeng)
Hubei Hupeh 湖北 Huběi 鄂 e Wuchang (Wuchang)
Hunan Hunan 湖南 Hunan 湘 xiāng Changsha (Changsha)
Jiangsu Kiangsu 江蘇 Jiāngsū 蘇 sū Chingkiang (Zhenjiang)
Jiangxi Kiangsi 江西 Jiāngxī 贛 gan Nanchang (Nanchang)
Jilin Kirin 吉林 Jilin 吉 ji Kirin (Jilin)
Liaobei Liaopeh 遼北 Liaoběi 洮 tao Liaoyuan (Liaoyuan)
Liaoning Liaoning 遼寧 Liaoning 遼 liao Shenyang (Shenyang)
Ningxia Ningsia 寧夏 Ningxia 寧 ning Yinchuan (Yinchuan)
Nenjiang Nunkiang 嫩江 Nenjiāng 嫩 nen Tsitsihar (Qiqihar)
Qinghai Tsinghai 青海 Qīnghǎi 青 qīng Sining (Xining)
Rehe Rehe(Jehol) 熱河 Rehe 熱 re Chengteh (Chengde)
Shaanxi Shensi 陝西 Shǎnxī 陝 shǎn or 秦 qin Sian (Xi'an)
Shandong Shantung 山東 Shāndōng 魯 lǔ Tsinan (Jinan)
Shanxi Shansi 山西 Shānxī 晉 jin Taiyuan (Taiyuan)
Sichuan Szechwan 四川 Sichuān 川 chuān or 蜀 shǔ Chengtu (Chengdu)
Songjiang Sungkiang 松江 Sōngjiāng 松 sōng Mutankiang (Mudanjiang)
Suiyuan Suiyuan 綏遠 Suiyuǎn 綏 sui Kweisui (Hohhot)
Taiwan Taiwan 臺灣 Taiwān 臺 tai Jhongsing Village1
Xikang Sikang 西康 Xīkāng 康 kāng Kangting (Kangding)
Xing'an Hsingan 興安 Xīng'ān 興 xīng Hailar (Hulunbuir)
Xinjiang Sinkiang 新疆 Xīnjiāng 新 xīn or 疆 jiāng Tihwa (Urumqi)
Yunnan Yunnan 雲南 Yunnan 滇 diān or 雲 yun Kunming (Kunming)
Zhejiang Chekiang 浙江 Zhejiāng 浙 zhe Hangchow (Hangzhou)
Special administrative region (特別行政區 Tebie Xingzhengqǖ)
Hainan Hainan 海南 Hǎinan 瓊 qiong Haikow (Haikou)
Regions (地方 Difāng)
Outer Mongolia Mongolia Area 蒙古 Měnggǔ 蒙 měng Kulun (Ulaanbaatar)
Tibet Tibet Area 西藏 Xīzang 藏 zang Lhasa
Municipalities (直轄市 Zhixiashi)
Beiping (Beijing) Peiping(Peiking) 北平 Běiping 平 ping (Xicheng District)
Chongqing Chungking 重慶 Chongqing 渝 yu (Yuzhong District)
Dalian Dairen 大連 Dalian 連 lian (Xigang District)
Guangzhou Kwangchow(Canton) 廣州 Guǎngzhōu 穗 sui (Yuexiu District)
Hankou (Wuhan) Hankow 漢口 Hankǒu 漢 han (Jiang'an District)
Harbin Harbin 哈爾濱 Hā'ěrbīn 哈 hā (Nangang District)
Kaohsiung2 Kaohsiung 高雄 Gāoxiong 高 gāo (Lingya District)
Nanjing Nanking 南京 Nanjīng 京 jīng (Xuanwu District)
Qingdao Tsingtao 青島 Qīngdǎo 青 qīng (Shinan District)
Shanghai Shanghai 上海 Shanghǎi 滬 hu (Huangpu District)
Shenyang Shenyang 瀋陽 Shěnyang 瀋 shěn (Shenhe District)
Taipei2 Taipei 臺北 Taiběi 北 běi (Xinyi District)
Tianjin Tientsin 天津 Tiānjīn 津 jīn (Heping District)
Xi'an Sian 西安 Xī'ān 鎬 hao (Weiyang District)
  1. The capital of Taiwan Province was moved to Jhongsing Village from Taipei in the 1960s.
  2. Taipei Kaohsiung were elevated in 1967 and 1979, respectively, after the ROC government had moved to Taipei in 1949.
  3. Taichung, Tainan, and Xinbei will be elevated on 25 December 2010 since last reform.

People's Republic of China

Map comparing administrative divisions as drawn by the PRC and ROC.

The communist forces initially held parts of Manchuria and northern China at the start of the Chinese civil war. By late 1949, they controlled the majority of mainland China, forcing the Republic of China government to relocate to Taiwan.

The People's Republic made the following changes:

The general situation as of 1951 was as follows:

Province-level divisions of China of the People's Republic of China, 1951
Name Traditional
Chinese		 Pinyin Abbreviation Capital Greater administrative area
Provinces
Chahar 察哈爾 Cháhā'ěr 察 chá Zhangjiakou North
Fujian 福建 Fújiàn 閩 mǐn Fuzhou East
Gansu 甘肅 Gānsù 甘 gān or 隴 lǒng Lanzhou Northwest
Guangdong 廣東 Guǎngdōng 粵 yuè Guangzhou Central & South
Guangxi 廣西 Guǎngxī 桂 guì Nanning Central & South
Guizhou 貴州 Guìzhōu 黔 qián or 貴 guì Guiyang Southwest
Hebei 河北 Héběi 冀 jì Baoding North
Heilongjiang 黑龍江 Hēilóngjiāng 黑 hēi Qiqihar Northeast
Henan 河南 Hénán 豫 yù Kaifeng Central & South
Hubei 湖北 Húběi 鄂 è Wuhan Central & South
Hunan 湖南 Húnán 湘 xiāng Changsha Central & South
Jiangxi 江西 Jiāngxī 贛 gàn Nanchang East
Jilin 吉林 Jílín 吉 jí Jilin Northeast
Liaodong 遼東 Liáodōng Andong (Dandong) Northeast
Liaoxi 遼西 Liáoxī Jinzhou Northeast
Ningxia 寧夏 Níngxià 寧 níng Yinchuan Northwest
Pingyuan 平原 Píngyuán Xinxiang North
Qinghai 青海 Qīnghǎi 青 qīng Xining Northwest
Rehe 熱河 Rèhé 熱 rè Chengde Northeast
Shaanxi 陝西 Shǎnxī 陝 shǎn or 秦 qín Xi'an Northwest
Shandong 山東 Shāndōng 魯 lǔ Jinan East
Shanxi 山西 Shānxī 晉 jìn Taiyuan North
Songjiang 松江 Sōngjiāng Harbin Northeast
Suiyuan 綏遠 Suíyuǎn 綏 suí Guisui (Hohhot) North
Xikang 西康 Xīkāng 康 kāng Ya'an Southwest
Xinjiang 新疆 Xīnjiāng 疆 jiāng Urumqi Northwest
Yunnan 雲南 Yúnnán 滇 diān or 雲 yún Kunming Southwest
Zhejiang 浙江 Zhèjiāng 浙 zhè Hangzhou East
Administrative territories (行署區 Xíngshǔqū)
Chuanbei 川北 Chuānběi Nanchong Southwest
Chuandong 川東 Chuāndōng Chongqing Southwest
Chuannan 川南 Chuānnán Luzhou Southwest
Chuanxi 川西 Chuānxī Chengdu Southwest
Subei 蘇北 Sūběi Yangzhou East
Sunan 蘇南 Sūnán Wuxi East
Wanbei 皖北 Wǎnběi Hefei East
Wannan 皖南 Wǎnnán Wuhu East
Autonomous region
Inner Mongolia 内蒙古 Nèi Měnggǔ Guisui (Hohhot) none
Region (地方 Dìfāng)
Tibet 西藏 Xīzàng 藏 zàng Lhasa Southwest
Territory (地區 Dìqū)
Qamdo 昌都 Chāngdū 昌 chāng Qamdo Southwest
Municipalities
Anshan 鞍山 Ānshān Northeast
Beijing 北京 Běijīng 京 jīng North
Benxi 本溪 Běnxī Northeast
Chongqing 重慶 Chóngqìng 渝 yú Southwest
Dalian 大連 Dàlián Northeast
Fushun 撫順 Fǔshùn Northeast
Guangzhou 廣州 Guǎngzhōu 穗 suì Central & South
Nanjing 南京 Nánjīng East
Shanghai 上海 Shànghǎi 滬 hù East
Shenyang 瀋陽 Shěnyáng 瀋 shěn Northeast
Tianjin 天津 Tiānjīn 津 jīn North
Wuhan 武漢 Wǔhàn Central & South
Xi'an 西安 Xī'ān Northwest

Compare with the actual provinces of mainland China at Political divisions of China#Province.

Levels:

1950s

In 1952 the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui and Sichuan were restored. Pingyuan and Chahar were split into their surrounding provinces. Nanjing, old capital of the Republic of China, was deprived of municipality status and annexed by Jiangsu province. In 1953 Changchun and Harbin were elevated to municipality status.

In 1954 a massive campaign to cut the number of provincial-level divisions was initiated. Of the 14 municipalities existing in 1953, 11 were annexed by nearby provinces, with only Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin remaining. The province of Liaoning was formed out of the merger of Liaodong and Liaoxi, while Suiyuan and Ningxia disappeared into Inner Mongolia and Gansu.

The greater administrative area level was abolished in 1954.

The process continued in 1955 with Rehe being split among Hebei, Liaoning and Inner Mongolia, and Xikang disappearing into Sichuan. In that same year Xinjiang became the second autonomous region of China, and plans for a third, Tibet Autonomous Region, were initiated. Qamdo territory was put under the planned Tibet Autonomous Region.

In 1957 two more autonomous regions were added, Ningxia (split back out of Gansu) and Guangxi (which was previously a province). In 1958 Tianjin was annexed by Hebei, leaving only two municipalities, Beijing and Shanghai.

1960s and 1970s

In 1965 Tibet Autonomous Region was established out of the formerly self-governing Tibet region, plus Qamdo territory. In 1967 Tianjin was split back out as a municipality.

1980s and 1990s

Starting in the 1980s, prefecture-level cities and county-level cities began to appear in very large numbers, usually by replacing entire prefectures and counties. Hainan was split out of Guangdong and set up as a province in 1988.

In 1997 Chongqing became the fourth municipality of China. In that same year Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule and became the first special administrative region. Macau became the second in 1999.

In the 1990s, there has been a campaign to abolish district public offices as a level. By 2004 very few remain.

In the meantime, most prefectures have become prefecture-level cities.

Levels:

See also

References

  1. ^ What were the ancient 9 provinces ? on www.chinahistoryforum.com
  2. ^ Twitchett 1979, vol.3, p.128
  3. ^ Twitchett 1979, vol.3, p.205
  4. ^ Twitchett 1979, vol.3, p.203
  5. ^ National Institute for Compilation and Translation of the Republic of China (Taiwan): Geograpy Textbook for Junior High School Volume 1 (1993 version): Lesson 10: pages 47 to 49

Sources

  • Twitchett, D. (1979), Cambridge History of China, Sui and T'ang China 589-906, Part I, vol. vol.3, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-21446-7 {{citation}}: |volume= has extra text (help)

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_administrative_divisions_of_China_before_1912&oldid=396276403"