History of the administrative divisions of China (1912–49)

For other uses, see History of the administrative divisions of China.

Map of the Republic of China in 1926

The history of the administrative divisions of China between 1912 and 1949 refers to the administrative divisions under the Republic of China government control.

Beiyang Government (1912–28)

Main article: Beiyang Government

The Beiyang Government streamlined the system used in Qing Dynasty down to three levels:

Provinces (省, shěng)
Circuits (道, dào)
Counties (縣, xiàn)

The Beiyang Government set up four more provinces out of Inner Mongolia and the surrounding areas (Chahar, Jehol, Ningsia, Suiyuan) and two others out of parts of historical Tibet (Sikang out of Kham and Tsinghai 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.

Administrative divisions of the Republic of China (1912–1928)
Division name			Abbreviation		Capital name			Note
Postal	Chinese	Pinyin	Chinese	Pinyin	Postal	Chinese	Pinyin	Note
Provinces (省 Shěng)
Anhwei	安徽	Ānhuī	皖	Wǎn	Anking	安慶	Ānqìng
Chekiang	浙江	Zhèjiāng	浙	Zhè	Hangchow	杭州	Hángzhōu
Chihli	直隸	Zhílì	直	Zhí	Tientsin	天津	Tiānjīn	1914 area around Peking (Beijing) split into Shuntien Prefecture
Fengtien	奉天	Fèngtiān	奉	Fèng	Mukden	瀋陽	Shěnyáng
Fukien	福建	Fújiàn	閩	Mǐn	Foochow	福州	Fúzhōu
Heilungkiang	黑龍江	Hēilóngjiāng	黑	Hēi	Tsitsihar	齊齊哈爾	Qíqíhāěr	1914 Hulunbuir Region split, 1920 merged back.
Honan	河南	Hénán	豫	Yù	Kaifeng	開封	Kāifēng
Hunan	湖南	Húnán	湘	Xiāng	Changsha	長沙	Chángshā
Hupeh	湖北	Húběi	鄂	È	Wuchang	武昌	Wǔchāng
Kansu	甘肅	Gānsù	隴	Lǒng	Lanchow	蘭州	Lánzhōu
Kiangsi	江西	Jiāngxī	贛	Gàn	Nanchang	南昌	Nánchāng
Kiangsu	江蘇	Jiāngsū	蘇	Sū	Nanking	南京	Nánjīng	1912 area around Nanking (Nanjing) shortly split to a prefecture
Kirin	吉林	Jílín	吉	Jí	Kirin	吉林	Jílín
Kwangsi	廣西	Guǎngxī	桂	Guì	Nanning	南寧	Nánníng
Kwangtung	廣東	Guǎngdōng	粵	Yuè	Canton	廣州	Guǎngzhōu
Kweichow	貴州	Guìzhōu	黔	Qián	Kweiyang	貴陽	Guìyáng
Shansi	山西	Shānxī	奉	Jìn	Taiyuan	太原	Tàiyuán
Shantung	山東	Shāndōng	魯	Lǔ	Tsinan	濟南	Jǐnán
Shensi	陝西	Shǎnxī	陝	Shǎn	Sian	西安	Xī'ān
Sinkiang	新疆	Xīnjiāng	新	Xīn	Tihwa	迪化	Díhuà	Tihwa was renamed Ürümqi (烏魯木齊) after 1949
Szechwan	四川	Sìchuān	蜀	Shǔ	Chengtu	成都	Chéngdū
Yunnan	雲南	Yúnnán	滇	Diān	Kunming	昆明	Kūnmíng
Areas (地方 Dìfāng)
Capital	京兆	Jīngzhào	京	Jīng				About the place of modern Municipality of Beijing
Inner Mongolia	內蒙古	Nèiménggǔ	內蒙	Nèiméng				Inner Mongolia was divided into several Mongolian leagues and banners. There was no obvious capital. Split into Chahar, Jehol, Suiyuan in 1913-14.
Outer Mongolia	外蒙古	Wàiménggǔ	外蒙	Wàiméng	Kulun	庫倫	Kùlún	Kulun was renamed Ulaan Bator after the independence of Mongolia
Tibet	西藏	Xīzàng	藏	Zàng	Lhasa	拉薩	Lāsà
Tsinghai	青海	Qīnghǎi	青	Qīng	Sining	西寧	Xïníng
Regions (區域 Qūyù)
Altay	阿爾泰	Ā'ěrtài	阿爾泰	Āěrtài	Altay	承化寺	Chénghuàsì	1920 abolished → Sinkiang The Chinese name of the capital 承化寺 was changed to Ālètài (阿勒泰) after 1949.
Hulunbuir	呼倫貝爾	Hūlúnbèi'ěr	呼倫貝爾	Hūlúnbèi'ěr	Hailar	海拉爾	Hǎilā'ěr	1915 created, 1920 abolished → Heilungkiang
Tarbaghatay	塔爾巴哈臺	Tǎ'ěrbāhātái	塔城	Tǎchéng	Tacheng	塔城	Tǎchéng	1912 created, 1916 abolished → Sinkiang
Prefectures (府 Fǔ)
Nanking	南京	Nánjīng	寧	Níng				January 1912 created, February 1912 abolished → Kiangsu
Shuntien	順天	Shùntiān	京	Jīng				May 1914 created from Chihli, renamed Capital Area in October
Special Administrative Regions (特別區 Tèbiéqū)
Chahar	察哈爾	Cháhāěr	察	Chá	Changyuan	張垣	Zhāngyuán	1914 created from Inner Mongolia Changyuan was renamed Zhangjiakou (張家口) after 1949.
Chwanpien	川邊	Chuānbiān	川邊	Chuānbiān	Kangting	康定	Kāngdìng	1925 renamed to Sikang
Jehol	熱河	Rèhé	熱	Rè	Chengteh	承德	Chéngdé	1914 created from Inner Mongolia
Sikang	承德	Xīkāng	康	Kāng	Kangting	康定	Kāngdìng	1925 renamed from Chwanpien
Suiyuan	綏遠	Suīyuǎn	綏	Suī	Kweisui	歸綏	Gūisūi	1913 created from Inner Mongolia Kweisui was renamed Hohhot (呼和浩特) after 1949
Tungsheng	東省	Dōngshěng	東省	Dōngshěng	Harbin	哈爾濱	Hā'ěrbīn	Land along the Chinese Eastern Railway, spanned from Manzhouli through Harbin to Suifenhe.
Commercial Region (商埠 Shāngbù)
Kiao-ao	膠澳	Jiāo'ào	膠	Jiāo	Tsingtao	青島	Qīngdǎo	Formerly Japanese and German concession. 1925 abolished → Shantung
Sunghu	淞滬	Sōnghù	滬	Hù	Shanghai	上海	Sànghǎi	Status in dispute. Division established by the Zhili clique leader Sun Chuanfang, was not recognized by the central government.

Nationalist Government (1928–49)

Map of the Republic of China in 1936

Map of administrative divisions and claims by the Republic of China between 1949 and 2005.

Map of the Republic of China in 1945

The Nationalist Government also began setting up municipalities, cities directly administered by the central government. More levels began to be added below the county, townships for instance. Circuits were then abolished in 1928 as being superfluous. However, this reform was soon found to be unfeasible since the average province now had 50+ counties and some more than a hundred. As a result, some provinces were later subdivided into several prefectures.

Provinces (省, shěng)
- Administrative superintendent district (行政督察區, xíngzhèng dūcháqū)
Counties (縣, xiàn)

The creation of the puppet state Manchukuo by the Empire of Japan in the 1930s deprived China of 4 provinces in the northeast (Fengtien, Heilungkiang, Jehol, Kirin). After the defeat of Japan in 1945, Manchuria was reincorporated into China as 9 provinces and 3 municipalities. The Republic of China also annexed Taiwan and the Pescadores and organized into Taiwan Province. By this time there was a total of thirty-five provinces, twelve municipalities (院轄市, yuànxiáshì), one special administrative region (特別行政區, tèbié xíngzhèngqǖ), and two regions (地方, difāng) as first-level divisions under the Republic of China.

Administrative divisions of the Republic of China (1928–1949)
Division name			Abbreviation		Capital name			Note
Postal	Chinese	Pinyin	Chinese	Pinyin	Postal	Chinese	Pinyin	Note
Provinces (省 Shěng)
Antung	安東	Āndōng	安	Ān	Tunghwa	通化	Tōnghuà	1947 created from Manchukuo (originally part of Liaoning)
Anhwei	安徽	Ānhuī	皖	Wǎn	Hofei	合肥	Héféi
Chahar	察哈爾	Cháhāěr	察	Chá	Changyuan	張垣	Zhāngyuán	1928 reformed from a special administrative region Changyuan was renamed Zhangjiakou (張家口) after 1949.
Chekiang	浙江	Zhèjiāng	浙	Zhè	Hangchow	杭州	Hángzhōu
Fukien	福建	Fújiàn	閩	Mǐn	Foochow	福州	Fúzhōu
Heilungkiang	黑龍江	Hēilóngjiāng	黑	Hēi	Peian	北安	Běi'ān	1945 recreated from Manchukuo
Hokiang	合江	Héjiāng	合	Hé	Chiamussu	佳木斯	Jiāmùsī	1947 created from Manchukuo (originally part of Kirin)
Honan	河南	Hénán	豫	Yù	Kaifeng	開封	Kāifēng
Hopeh	河北	Héběi	冀	Jì	Tsingyuan	清苑	Qīngyuàn	1928 renamed from Chihli Tsingyuan was renamed to Baoding (保定) after 1949
Hunan	湖南	Húnán	湘	Xiāng	Changsha	長沙	Chángshā
Hupeh	湖北	Húběi	鄂	È	Wuchang	武昌	Wǔchāng
Hsingan	興安	Xīng'ān	合	Xīng	Hailar	海拉爾	Jiāmùsī	1947 created from Manchukuo (originally part of Heilungkiang) Hailar was renamed to Hulunbuir (呼倫貝爾) after 1949
Jehol	熱河	Rèhé	熱	Rè	Chengteh	承德	Chéngdé	1928 reformed from a special administrative region, 1945 recreated from Manchukuo
Kansu	甘肅	Gānsù	隴	Lǒng	Lanchow	蘭州	Lánzhōu
Kiangsi	江西	Jiāngxī	贛	Gàn	Nanchang	南昌	Nánchāng
Kiangsu	江蘇	Jiāngsū	蘇	Sū	Chingkiang	鎮江	Zhènjiāng
Kirin	吉林	Jílín	吉	Jí	Kirin	吉林	Jílín	1945 recreated from Manchukuo
Kwangsi	廣西	Guǎngxī	桂	Guì	Nanning	南寧	Nánníng
Kwangtung	廣東	Guǎngdōng	粵	Yuè	Canton	廣州	Guǎngzhōu
Kweichow	貴州	Guìzhōu	黔	Qián	Kweiyang	貴陽	Guìyáng
Liaoning	遼寧	Liáoníng	遼	Liáo	Mukden	瀋陽	Shěnyáng	1929 renamed from Fengtien, 1945 recreated from Manchukuo
Liaopeh	遼北	Liáoběi	洮	Táo	Liaoyuan	遼源	Liáoyuán	1947 created from Manchukuo (originally part of Liaoning)
Ningsia	寧夏	Níngxià	寧	Níng	Yinchwan	銀川	Yínchuān	1928 created from Kansu
Nunkiang	嫩江	Nènjiāng	嫩	Nèn	Tsitsihar	齊齊哈爾	Qíqíhāěr	1947 created from Manchukuo (originally part of Heilungkiang)
Shansi	山西	Shānxī	奉	Jìn	Taiyuan	太原	Tàiyuán
Shantung	山東	Shāndōng	魯	Lǔ	Tsinan	濟南	Jǐnán
Shensi	陝西	Shǎnxī	陝	Shǎn	Sian	西安	Xī'ān
Sikang	承德	Xīkāng	康	Kāng	Kangting	康定	Kāngdìng	1928 reformed from a special administrative region
Sinkiang	新疆	Xīnjiāng	新	Xīn	Tihwa	迪化	Díhuà	Tihwa was renamed Ürümqi (烏魯木齊) after 1949
Suiyuan	綏遠	Suīyuǎn	綏	Suī	Kweisui	歸綏	Gūisūi	1928 reformed from a special administrative region Kweisui was renamed Hohhot (呼和浩特) after 1949
Sungkiang	松江	Sōngjiāng	松	Sōng	Mutankiang	牡丹江	Mǔdānjiāng	1947 created from Manchukuo (originally part of Kirin)
Szechwan	四川	Sìchuān	蜀	Shǔ	Chengtu	成都	Chéngdū
Taiwan	臺灣	Táiwān	臺	Tái	Taipei	臺北	Táiběi	1945 annexed from Japan
Tsinghai	青海	Qīnghǎi	青	Qīng	Sining	西寧	Xīníng	1928 reformed from an area
Yunnan	雲南	Yúnnán	滇	Diān	Kunming	昆明	Kūnmíng
Special Administrative Regions (特別行政區 Tèbiéxíngzhèngqū)
Hainan	海南	Hǎinán	瓊	Qióng	Haikow	海口	Hǎikǒu	1931 Kiung-ai (瓊崖) was planned to create, 1949 created from Kwangtung
Tungsheng	東省	Dōngshěng	東省	Dōngshěng	Harbin	哈爾濱	Hā'ěrbīn	1932 abolished by Manchukuo
Weihai	威海	Wēihāi	威海	Wēihāi	Weihai	威海	Wēihāi	1930 acquired from the United Kingdom, 1945 abolished → Shantung
Areas (地方 Dìfāng)
Mongolia	蒙古	Ménggǔ	蒙	Méng	Kulun	庫倫	Kùlún	Kulun was renamed Ulaan Bator after the independence of Mongolia in 1946
Tibet	西藏	Xīzàng	藏	Zàng	Lhasa	拉薩	Lāsà
Special municipalities (直轄市 Zhíxiáshì)
Canton	廣州	Guǎngzhōu	穗	Suì	Jan 1930 created from Kwangtung, Jun merged back. 1947 recreated
Chungking	重慶	Chóngqìng	渝	Yú	1927 created from Szechwan
Dairen	大連	Dàlián	連	Lián	1947 created from Manchukuo (originally part of Liaoning)
Hankow	漢口	Hànkǒu	漢	Hàn	1927 created Wuhan from Hupeh, 1929 renamed to Hankow, 1931 merged back, 1947 recreated
Harbin	哈爾濱	Hā'ěrbīn	哈	Hā	1947 created from Manchukuo (originally part of Heilungkiang)
Mukden	瀋陽	Shěnyáng	瀋	Shěn	1947 created from Manchukuo (originally part of Liaoning)
Nanking	南京	Nánjīng	京	Jīng	1927 created from Kiangsu
Peiping	北平	Běipíng	平	Píng	1928 created from Hopeh, Jun 1930 merged back, Dec 1930 recreated. 1949 renamed back to Peking (北京)
Shanghai	上海	Shànghǎi	滬	Hù	1927 reform Sunghu commercial region to a municipality, created from Kiangsu
Sian	西安	Xī'ān	安	Ān	1933 planned to create Siking (西京), 1947 created from Shensi
Tientsin	天津	Tiānjīn	津	Jīn	1928 created from Hopeh, 1930 merged back. 1935 recreated
Tsingtao	青島	Qīngdǎo	青	Qīng	1929 created from Shantung.

Administrative divisions published after 1949 to 2005

Map comparing political divisions as drawn by the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China.

After the loss of the mainland to the Communist Party of China in the Chinese Civil War and its retreat to Taiwan in 1949, the Nationalist Party continued to regard the Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of China. The jurisdiction of the Republic was restricted to Taiwan, the Pescadores, and a few islands off Fujian, but the Republic of China has never retracted its claim to mainland China or Mongolia. Accordingly, the official first-order divisions of Republic of China remain the historical divisions of China immediately prior to the loss of mainland China and maps of China and the world published in Taiwan sometimes show provincial and national boundaries as they were in 1949, ignoring changes made by the Communist government and including Mongolia, northern Burma (northern Kachin state), and Tannu Uriankhai as part of the Republic. Maps and list of administrative divisions covering above places were published until 2005.

In 2005, the nominal political divisions of the Republic were 35 provinces, 1 special administrative region, 2 regions, 14 special municipalities (adding Taipei and Kaohsiung to the original list), 14 leagues, and 4 special banners. For second-order divisions, under provinces and special administrative regions, there are counties, province-controlled cities (56), bureaus (34) and management bureaus (7). Under provincial-level municipalities there are districts, and under leagues there are banners (127).

Provinces (省, shěng) and Special municipalities (直轄市, zhíxiáshì)
Counties (縣, xiàn) and Cities (市, shì)

Changes made to Province-level divisions of the Republic of China between 1949 and 2005
Name	Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Abbreviation	Capital	Capital in Chinese	Notes
Provinces
Fujian	福建	Fújiàn	閩 mǐn	Jincheng Township	金城鎮	The capital of Fukien Province was moved to Xindian in 1956, and moved to Jincheng Township, Kinmen since 1996.
Taiwan	臺灣	Táiwān	臺 tái	Zhongxing New Village	中興新村	The capital of Taiwan Province was moved to Zhongxing Village in Nantou County from Taipei in the 1960s.
Kiangsu	江蘇	Jiāngsū	蘇 sū	Shengsi County	嵊泗縣	The government of Kiangsu Province was moved to Shengsi County in 1949. In 1950 the county was conquered by the PLA and the Kiangsu Provincial Government was abolished soon after.
Chekiang	浙江	Zhèjiāng	浙 zhè	Taiwan Province	臺灣省	The government of Chekiang Province in Ganlan Township of Dinghai County was abolished in 1950. In 1951, the provincial government was re-established on the Tachen Islands of Wenling County, later to be moved to Taiwan Province in 1953. After the loss of the Yijiangshan Islands during the Battle of Yijiangshan Islands in 1955, the provincial government was abolished.
Szechwan	四川	Sìchuān	蜀 shǔ	Xichang County	西昌縣	After the loss of its capital of Chengdu in December 1949, the Provincial Government was moved to Xichang County of Xikang Province and remained there until its abolishment in 1950.
Sikang	西康	Xīkāng	康 kāng	Xichang County	西昌縣	The government of Xikang Province was re-established in Xichang County in Dec. 1949. In 1950, Xichang was taken over by the PLA.
Kwangtung	廣東	Guǎngdōng	粵 yuè	Haikou City	海口市	The government of Kwangtung Province was moved to Haikou City of Hainan in 1949 after the loss of its capital Guangdong. After the loss of Hainan in 1950, the government was subsequently abolished.
Yunnan	雲南	Yúnnán	滇 diān	Bangkok	曼谷	The government of Yunnan was moved to Bangkok in 1950 and abolished in 1951.
Sinkiang	新疆	Xīnjiāng	新 xīn	Dihua City	迪化市	Provincial Government of Sinkiang was abolished in 1992.
Special Administrative Regions
Hainan	海南	Hǎinán	瓊 qióng	Haikow City	海口市	Government abolished in 1950.
Special Municipalities						The Chinese name 院轄市 Yuànxiáshì was changed to 直轄市 Zhíxiáshì in 1994.
Kaohsiung	高雄	Gāoxióng	高 gāo	Lingya District	苓雅區	Kaohsiung was elevated in 1979.
Taipei	臺北	Táiběi	北 běi	Xinyi District	信義區	Taipei was elevated in 1967.

References

External links

Summary of terms
Historical map scans - maps of various sheng, dao, fu, ting, and xian of the late Qing era.
The province in history by John Fitzgerald

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