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The term district, in the context of China, is used to refer to several unrelated political divisions in both ancient and modern China.

In the modern context, districts (simplified Chinese: 区; traditional Chinese: 區; Hanyu Pinyin: qū; Tongyong Pinyin: cyu) refer to two types of divisions in the People's Republic of China: city districts and the soon-to-be-phased-out county districts (also known as district public offices). Districts can also refer to a type of division in the Republic of China on Taiwan.

However, if the word "district" is encountered in the context of ancient Chinese history, then it is a translation for xian, another type of administrative division in China.

People's Republic of China

City districts

A city district (市辖区, pinyin: shìxiáqū, lit. a city-governed district) is a subdivision of a municipality or a prefecture-level city. The rank of a district derives from the rank of its city. Districts of a municipality are prefecture-level; districts of a sub-provincial city are sub-prefecture-level; and districts of a prefecture-level city are county-level.

Before the 1980s, cities in the People's Republic of China were administrative divisions containing mostly urban, built-up areas, with very little farmland, except for the immediate suburbs in order to ensure a large supply of food or raw materials. As a result, districts were also mostly urban or suburban in nature.

After the 1980s, prefectures began to be replaced with prefecture-level cities. From then on, "cities" in mainland China became just like any other administrative division, containing urban areas, towns, villages, and farmland. These cities are subdivided into districts, counties, autonomous counties, and county-level cities. At the same time, counties and county-level cities began to be replaced with districts, especially after 1990. From then onwards, districts were no longer just urban entities — some districts today are just like counties, with towns and townships under them governing rural areas.

County-controlled districts

A county district, also known as a district public office (区公所), was once an important subdivision of a county all over China from 1950s to 1990s. It was common for there to be about 5 to 10 districts in a county, then about 3 to 5 towns and townships in a district. After the 1990s, county districts began to be phased out, and their role was taken over by larger towns and townships created by merging smaller ones.

At the end of 2011, there are just 2 county-controlled districts left in China, one in Hebei and one in Xinjiang.

See Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China for how these two types of districts fit into the general administrative hierarchy of mainland China.

Republic of China

In the Republic of China (ROC, "Taiwan"), districts are the only subdivision of municipalities and provincial cities.

Ancient sense

If the word "district" is encountered in the context of ancient Chinese history, then the word is a translation for xian, another type of administrative division in China.

Xian has been translated using several English language terms. In the context of ancient history, "district" and "prefecture" are commonly used, while "county" is used for more contemporary contexts.

See Counties of the People's Republic of China for more information on the xian of China.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Administrative levels and divisions of the People's Republic of China (sidebar)}}
-The term '''district''', in the context of '''[[China]]''', is used to refer to several unrelated political divisions in both [[Chinese history|ancient]] and [[China|modern China]].
+The term '''district''', in the context of '''[[China]]''', is used to refer to several unrelated political divisions in both [[History of China|ancient]] and [[China|modern China]].
-In the modern context, '''districts''' ({{zh|t=區|s=区|hp=qū|tp=cyu}}) refer to two types of divisions in the [[People's Republic of China]]: city districts and the soon-to-be-phased-out [[County (People's Republic of China)|county]] districts (also known as '''district public offices'''). Districts can also refer to a type of division in the [[Republic of China]] on [[Taiwan]].
+In the modern context, '''districts''' ({{zh|t=區|s=区|hp=qū|tp=cyu}}) refer to two types of divisions in the [[China|People's Republic of China]]: city districts and the soon-to-be-phased-out [[Counties of the People's Republic of China|county]] districts (also known as '''district public offices'''). Districts can also refer to a type of division in the [[Taiwan|Republic of China]] on [[Taiwan]].
-However, if the word "district" is encountered in the context of ancient [[Chinese history]], then it is a translation for ''[[History of the administrative divisions of China|xian]]'', another type of administrative division in China.
+However, if the word "district" is encountered in the context of ancient [[History of China|Chinese history]], then it is a translation for ''[[History of the administrative divisions of China|xian]]'', another type of administrative division in [[China]].
-==People's Republic of China==
+== People's Republic of China ==
-===City districts===
+=== City districts ===
 {{main|Districts of the People's Republic of China}}
 A city district (市辖区,  [[pinyin]]: shìxiáqū, lit. a city-governed district) is a subdivision of a [[Municipality of China|municipality]] or a [[prefecture-level city]]. The rank of a district derives from the rank of its city.  Districts of a municipality are [[Prefecture (China)|prefecture-level]]; districts of a [[sub-provincial city]] are sub-prefecture-level; and districts of a prefecture-level city are [[County (People's Republic of China)|county-level]].
 Before the 1980s, cities in the [[People's Republic of China]] were administrative divisions containing mostly urban, built-up areas, with very little farmland, except for the immediate [[suburb]]s in order to ensure a large supply of food or raw materials. As a result, districts were also mostly urban or suburban in nature.
-After the 1980s, [[Prefecture (China)|prefecture]]s began to be replaced with [[prefecture-level cities]]. From then on, "cities" in mainland China became just like any other administrative division, containing urban areas, towns, villages, and farmland. These cities are subdivided into districts, [[county|counties]], [[Autonomous county|autonomous counties]], and [[county-level cities]]. At the same time, [[counties]] and [[county-level cities]] began to be replaced with districts, especially after 1990. From then onwards, districts were no longer just urban entities &mdash; some districts today are just like counties, with [[town]]s and [[Townships of the People's Republic of China|townships]] under them governing rural areas.
+After the 1980s, [[Prefecture (China)|prefectures]] began to be replaced with [[prefecture-level cities]]. From then on, "cities" in mainland China became just like any other administrative division, containing urban areas, towns, villages, and farmland. These cities are subdivided into districts, [[county|counties]], [[Autonomous county|autonomous counties]], and [[county-level cities]]. At the same time, [[counties]] and [[county-level cities]] began to be replaced with districts, especially after 1990. From then onwards, districts were no longer just urban entities &mdash; some districts today are just like counties, with [[town]]s and [[Townships of the People's Republic of China|townships]] under them governing rural areas.
-===County-controlled districts===
+=== County-controlled districts ===
 {{main|County-controlled districts of the People's Republic of China}}
 A county district, also known as a '''district public office''' (区公所), was once an important subdivision of a [[county]] all over China from 1950s to 1990s. It was common for there to be about 5 to 10 districts in a county, then about 3 to 5 towns and townships in a district. After the 1990s, county districts began to be phased out, and their role was taken over by larger [[town]]s and [[Townships of the People's Republic of China|townships]] created by merging smaller ones.
@@ Line 24: / Line 26: @@
 See '''[[Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China]]''' for how these two types of districts fit into the general administrative hierarchy of mainland China.
-==Republic of China==
+== Republic of China ==
 {{main|District (ROC)}}
 In the [[Republic of China|Republic of China (ROC, "Taiwan")]], districts are the only subdivision of [[municipalities]] and [[Provincial city (Republic of China)|provincial cities]].
-==Ancient sense==
+== Ancient sense ==
 {{See also|Counties of the People's Republic of China#History}}
 If the word "district" is encountered in the context of ancient [[Chinese history]], then the word is a translation for ''xian'', another type of administrative division in China.
@@ Line 36: / Line 40: @@
 See '''[[Counties of the People's Republic of China]]''' for more information on the ''xian'' of China.
-==See also==
+== See also ==
-*[[District]]
+* [[District]]
 [[Category:Districts of China| ]]