Chapter 2 The Great Wall at Badaling, Changping, Beijing 1Prepared with assitance by Luc Guo

Chapter 2

The Great Wall at Badaling, Changping, Beijing

1Prepared with assitance by Luc Guo

2. Spatial and Administrative Divisions

2.1 Administrative divisions

2.2 Great regions

2.3 Geographical belts

2.4 Southern and northern parts

2.5 Ethno-culture areas

2Prepared with assistance by Luc Guo

Keywords:

• spatial administration,

• provincial economy,

• administrative division,

• great region,

• Eastern/Central/Western belt,

• coastal/inland area,

• Northern/Southern part,

• culture area

Prepared with assitance by Luc Guo 3

2.1 Administrative divisions

2.1.1 Historical evolution

2.1.2 China’s administrative hierarchy

2.1.3 Large versus small administrations

2.1.4 How many provinces should be there in China?

4Prepared with assistance by Luc Guo

Names of provincial divisions

• jun in the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC), • junguo in the Western Han dynasty (206 BC–

AD 25), • zhou in the Eastern Han (AD 25–220) and the

Wei (AD 220–265), the Jin (AD 266–420) and the North and South (AD 420–589) dynasties,

• dao in the Tang dynasty (AD 618–907), • lu in the North and South Song (AD 960–1279)

and the Jin (AD 1115–1235) dynasties, • zhongshu-xingsheng in the Yuan dynasty (AD

1279–1368), • xingsheng in the Ming (AD 1368–1644) and the

Qing (AD 1644–1911) dynasties.


Provincial level

Prefectural level County levelTownship level

Village level

Autonomous Region (zìzhì qū)

Sub-provincial-level autonomous prefecture (fu shengji zizhi zhou); Prefectural-level city (diji shi); Autonomous prefecture (zihi zhou); Prefecture (diqu); Leagues (meng)

District (shixia qu); County-level city (xianji shi); County (xian); Autonomous county (zizhi xian); Banner (qi); Autonomous banner (zizhi zi)

Sub-district (jiedao); Town (zhen); Township (xiang); Ethnic Township (minzu xiang); Sub-county District (xianxia qu); Sumu; Ethnic Sumu (minzu sumu)

Neighborhood committee (jumin weiyuan hui); Community (shequ); Village (cun); Gacha

Province (shěng)

Sub-provincial-level City (fu shengji shi); Prefectural-level city (diji shi); Autonomous prefecture (zizhi zhou); Prefecture (diqu)

District (shixia qu); Ethnic district (minzu qu); Special district (tequ); County-level city (xianji shi); County (xian); Autonomous county (zizhi xian)

Sub-prefectural-level city (fu diji shi); Administrative office (fu diji banshichu); Forestry district (linqu)

Municipality (zhíxiá shì)

Sub-provincial-level new area (fu shengji shixia qu); Prefectural-level district (diji shixia qu); County (xian)

Notes: (1) “Sub-provincial-level” (fu shengji) administrative divisions are included in the “Prefectural level” administrative divisions. (2) Hong Kong and Macau are not included.

Table 2.1 Names of various hierarchies of administrative divisions in China


Provincial administration

Political formPopulation

(million persons)

Land Area (000 km2)

Capital cityOfficial websitea

Anhui S (sheng) 59.5 130.0 Hefei ah.gov.cnBeijing ZXS (zhixiashi) 19.6 16.8 Beijing beijing.gov.cnChongqing ZXS 28.8 82.4 Chongqing cq.gov.cnFujian S 36.9 120.0 Fuzhou fj.gov.cnGansu S 25.6 390.0 Lanzhou gs.gov.cnGuangdong S 104.3 180.0 Guangzhou gd.gov.cnGuangxi ZZQ (zizhiqu) 46.0 230.0 Liuzhou gx.gov.cnGuizhou S 34.7 170.0 Guiyang gz.gov.cnHainan S 8.7 34.0 Haikou hainan.gov.cnHebei S 71.9 190.0 Shijiazhuang hebei.gov.cnHeilongjiang S 38.3 460.0 Harbin hlj.gov.cnHenan S 94.0 160.0 Zhengzhou henan.gov.cnHubei S 57.2 180.0 Wuhan hubei.gov.cnHunan S 65.7 210.0 Changsha hunan.gov.cnInner Mongolia

ZZQ 24.7 1100 Huhehaot nmg.gov.cn

Table 2.2 Status of China’s current provincial administrations


(See next page)

Provincial administration

Political form

Population (million persons)

Land Area (000 km2)

Capital cityOfficial websitea

Jiangsu S 78.7 100.0 Nanjing jiangsu.gov.cnJiangxi S 44.6 160.0 Nanchang jiangxi.gov.cnJilin S 27.5 180.0 Changchun jl.gov.cnLiaoning S 43.7 150.0 Shenyang ln.gov.cnNingxia ZZQ 6.3 66.0 Yinchuan nx.gov.cnQinghai S 5.6 720.0 Xi’ning qh.gov.cnShaanxi S 37.3 190.0 Xi’an shaanxi.gov.cnShandong S 95.8 150.0 Ji’nan sd.gov.cnShanghai ZXS 23.0 5.8 Shanghai shanghai.gov.cnShanxi S 35.7 150.0 Taiyuan shanxi.gov.cnSichuan S 80.4 477.6 Chengdu sc.gov.cnTianjin ZXS 12.9 11.0 Tianjin tj.gov.cnTibet ZZQ 3.0 1200.0 Lasha xizhang.gov.cnXinjiang ZZQ 21.8 1600.0 Wurumuqi xinjiang.gov.cnYunnan S 46.0 380.0 Kunming yn.gov.cnZhejiang S 54.4 100.0 Hanzhou zj.gov.cn

Table 2.2 (Cont’d)


Sources of benefits for large administrations:

• The large administrations can make relatively efficient use of their fixed cost and hence gain considerable advantages over small administrations.

• Marketing in a larger economy has many benefits, but the main economies of scale from marketing include the bulk purchases and distribution potentialities.


Size of admin. 0 S*

Benefit

Cost

Figure 2.1 The optimum size (S*) of administrative divisions


2.2 Great regions


2.2.2 Statistical and economic regions


The six great regions:• Huabei (North) region (including Beijing, Tianjin,

Hebei, Shanxi, and Inner Mongolia).• Dongbei (Northeast) region (including Liaoning, Jilin,

and Heilongjiang).• Huadong (East) region (including Shanghai, Jiangsu,

Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, and Shandong).• Zhongnan (Central South) region (including Henan,

Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan).• Xi’nan (Southwest) region (including Sichuan,

Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan, and).• Xibei (Northwest) region (including Shaanxi, Gansu,

Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang).


Figure 2.2 The six great regions


China’s three major economic engines:

• The Bohai Sea rim (BSR) area (including Beijing, Tianjin, the coastal Hebei, and the peninsulas of Shandong and Liaodong),

• The Pearl river delta (PRD) area (including Guangdong, and northern Hainan, Hong Kong and Macau), and

• The Yangtze river delta (YRD) area (including Shanghai, Zhejiang, and southern Jiangsu).


Bohai sea rimPearl river delta

Yangtze river delta

Provinces included

Beijing, Tianjin, coastal Hebei, peninsulas of Shandong and Liaodong

Guangdong, and N. Hainan, Hong Kong, Macau

Shanghai, Zhejiang, S. Jiangsu

Climate zone Semi-arid Tropical Semi-tropical

Ethnic minorities

Hui, Manchu Yao, Zhuang Hui, She

Oral language

MandarinCantonese (Yue)

Wu

Food-style Shandong (Lu)Cantonese (Yue)

Jiangsu (Su)

Table 2.3 China’s three economic engines (areas)


2.3 Geographical belts

2.3.1 Coastal and inland areas

2.3.2 Eastern, central and western belts


China’s geographical belts:

• Eastern belt (including Liaoning, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, and Guangxi, with 13.5 percent of the land area).

• Central belt (including Shanxi, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Inner Mongolia, with 29.8 percent of the land area).

• Western belt (including Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Tibet, Ningxia, and Xinjiang, with 56.7 percent of the land area).


Figure 2.3 The coastal/inland areas and the Eastern/Central/Western belts


2.4 Southern and northern parts

2.4.1 Natural and social contexts

2.4.2 Criteria for the bi-national division


Figure 2.4 The Northern and Southern parts


Northern and Southern China:• Northern part (including Beijing, Tianjin,

Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Shandong, and Henan, with 59.8 percent of the land area).

• Southern belt (including Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan, Tibet, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan, with 40.2 percent of the land area).


2.5 Ethno-culture areas


2.5.2 Organization


Figure 2.5 The ethno-culture areas


Five autonomous regions:

• Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region • Inner Mongolia autonomous region • Ningxia Hui autonomous region • Tibet autonomous region • Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region


30 autonomous prefectures (APs) in nine provincial administrations:

1. Gansu province: Gannan Tibetan AP; Linxia Hui AP. 2. Guizou province: Qiandongnan Miao-Dong AP; Qiannan

Buyi-Miao AP; Qianxi‘nan Buyi-Miao AP. 3. Hubei province: Enshi Tujia-Miao AP. 4. Hunan province: Xiangxi Tujia-Miao AP. 5. Jilin province: Yanbian Korean AP. 6. Qinghai province: Yushu Tibetan AP; Hainan Tibetan AP;

Huangnan Tibetan AP; Haibei Tibetan AP; Guoluo Tibetan AP; Haixi Mongolian-Tibetan AP.

7. Sichuan province: Ganzi Tibetan AP; Liangshan Yi AP; A‘ba Tibetan-Qiang AP.

8. Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region: Bayin‘guole Mongolian AP; Bo‘ertala Mongolian AP; Kezilesu Kirgiz AP; Changji Hui AP; Yili Kazak AP.

9. Yunnan province: Xishuangbanna Dai AP; Dehong Dai-Jingpo AP; Nujiang Lisu; Dali Bai AP; Diqing Tibetan AP; Honghe Hani-Yi AP; Wenshan Zhuang-Miao AP; Chuxiong Yi AP.


Case study 2

Who owns Lake Weishan?


The full version of this research is available at: http://www.elsevierdirect.com/companions/9780123978264

http://www.elsevierdirect.com/companions/9780123978264


Figure 2.6 The differently defined borders between Shandong and Jiangsu provinces


Chapter conclusion:

The Chinese economy is one of the most complicated and diversified spatial systems to be found anywhere in the world. The only feasible approach one can adopt is, therefore, to divide it into smaller geographic elements through which one can gain a better insight into the spatial mechanisms and regional characteristics. It is common for the spatial division of the Chinese economy to differ, depending on the analytical purposes.


Suggested reading

Alesina, A., E. Spolaore, and R. Wacziarg (2000). “Economic integration and political disintegration,” American Economic Review, Volume 90, pp. 1276–96.

Bolton, P., and E. Spolaore (1996). “ Economic Theories of Integration and Break-up of Nations,” European Economic Review, Volume 81, pp. 697-705.

Bolton, P., and G. Roland (1997). “The Breakup of Nations: A Political Economy Analysis,” The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Volume 112, pp. 1057-89.


(For news and information about China’s provincial and local administrations, please visit the official websites of the 31 provincial governments, shown in the last column in Table 2.2).

Suggested readingChung, J.H. and T-C Lam (eds., 2010). China’s Local

Administration: Traditions and Changes in the Sub-national Hierarchy, London and New York: Routledge.

Friedman, D. (1977). “A Theory of the Size and Shape of Nations,” Journal of Political Economy, Volume 85(1), pp. 59-77.

Gordon, Roger H. and Wei Li (2011). “Provincial and Local Governments in China: Fiscal Institutions and Government Behavior,” NBER Working Paper No. 16694, January.

Goyal, S. and K. Staal (2003). “The political economy of regionalism,” European Economic Review, Volume 48, pp. 563-93.

Guo, Rongxing (2012). “Interprovincial Border Disputes: The Case of Lake Weishan,” Journal of Contemporary China, Volume 21, Issue 57, June, pp. 1-20.


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Chapter 2 The Great Wall at Badaling, Changping, Beijing 1Prepared with assitance by Luc Guo