The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) initially held scattered fragments of mainland China at the start of the Chinese Civil War. By the establishment of the People's Republic of China in October 1949, the CCP controlled the majority of mainland China, forcing the Republic of China government to retreat to Taiwan.

Founding The Government of China made the following changes: China was divided into 6 greater administrative areas (大行政区 dà xíngzhèngqū) that came above provinces. Manchuria was reorganized completely. Inner Mongolia was formed out of parts of Manchuria as the first autonomous region. The short-lived province Pingyuan was set up. Jiangsu was temporarily divided into two administrative regions: Subei and Sunan. Anhui was temporarily divided into two administrative regions: Wanbei and Wannan. Sichuan was temporarily divided into four administrative regions: Chuandong, Chuannan, Chuanxi and Chuanbei.

1950s In 1952, the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui and Sichuan were restored. Pingyuan and Chahar were split into their surrounding provinces. Nanjing, the old capital of the Republic of China, was deprived of its 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 Songjiang, Suiyuan and Ningxia disappeared into Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia and Gansu, respectively.

The greater administrative area level was abolished in 1954. After they were abolished, various government statistics and documents continued to use them as a matter of convenience.

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. During the Great Leap Forward, townships were abolished and people's communes were introduced.

1960s and 1970s In 1965 Tibet Autonomous Region was established out of the formerly self-governing Tibet Area, as well as the Qamdo Territory. In 1967 Tianjin was split back out as a municipality. In 1969, as part of the Cultural Revolution, Inner Mongolia was truncated; Hulunbuir was ceded to Heilongjiang, Jirim to Jilin, Juuuda to Liaoning, and the Alxa League split between Ejin Banner going to Gansu and the Alashan Region to Ningxia. This was reversed in 1979.

1980s, 1990s and 2000s 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. People's communes ceased to exist due to the 1982 constitution and were replaced by townships. Hainan and some other islands were split out of Guangdong and set up as a Hainan 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 was a campaign to abolish district public offices as a level. By 2004 very few remained.

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

List of all provincial-level divisions since 1949

+Administrative divisions of ChinaGreater Administrative AreasName SimplifiedHanzi TraditionalHanzi Pinyin Translation Capital SimplifiedHanzi TraditionalHanzi NotesHuabei华北華北Huáběi"North China"Beijing北京北京1949–1954Dongbei东北東北Dōngběi"Northeast"Shenyang沈阳瀋陽1949–1954Huadong华东華東Huádōng"East China"Shanghai上海上海1949–1954Zhongnan中南中南Zhōngnán"South Central"Wuhan武汉武漢1949–1954Xibei西北西北Xīběi"Northwest"Xi'an西安西安1949–1954Xinan西南西南Xīnán"Southwest"Chongqing重庆重慶1949–1954Name SimplifiedHanzi TraditionalHanzi Pinyin Abbreviation Capital SimplifiedHanzi TraditionalHanzi GAA Note ProvincesAndong安东安東Āndōng安 ānTonghua通化通化Dongbei1949 abolished → Liaodong, JilinAnhui安徽安徽Ānhuī皖 wǎnHefei合肥合肥Dongbei1949 abolished → Wanbei, Wannan; 1952 revertedChahar察哈尔察哈爾Cháhā'ěr察 cháZhangjiakou张家口張家口Huabei1952 abolished → Inner Mongolia, HebeiFujian福建福建Fújiàn闽 mǐnFuzhou福州福州HuadongThe majority of Fujian is controlled by the PRC, while the ROC still retains control of Kinmen, Wuqiu and Matsu Islands under its Fujian ProvinceGansu甘肃甘肅Gānsù甘 gānLanzhou兰州蘭州Xibei 1958 Ningxia split into its own autonomous regionGuangdong广东廣東Guǎngdōng粤 yuèGuangzhou广州廣州Zhongnan1952 & 1965 Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Beihai → Guangxi; 1955 reverted1988 Hainan split into its own provinceGuangxi广西廣西Guǎngxī桂 guìNanning南宁南寧Zhongnan1958 province → autonomous regionGuizhou贵州貴州Guìzhōu黔 qiánGuiyang贵阳貴陽XinanHainan海南海南Hǎinán琼 qióngHaikou海口海口ZhongnanHebei河北河北Héběi冀 jìBaoding (49–54; 67–68)Tianjin (54–67)Shijiazhuang (present)保定天津石家庄保定天津石家莊Huabei1967 Tianjin split into its own municipalityHejiang合江合江Héjiāng合 héJiamusi佳木斯佳木斯Dongbei1949 abolished → HeilongjiangHeilongjiang黑龙江黑龍江Hēilóngjiāng黑 hēiQiqihar (49–54)Harbin (present)齐齐哈尔哈尔滨齊齊哈爾哈爾濱Dongbei1952 part of Xing'an split into Inner MongoliaHenan河南河南Hénán豫 yùKaifeng (49–54)Zhengzhou (present)开封郑州開封鄭州ZhongnanHubei湖北湖北Húběi鄂 èWuhan武汉武漢ZhongnanHunan湖南湖南Húnán湘 xiāngChangsha长沙長沙ZhongnanJiangsu江苏江蘇Jiāngsū苏 sūNanjing南京南京Huadong1949 abolished → Subei, Sunan; 1952 revertedJiangxi江西江西Jiāngxī赣 gànNanchang南昌南昌HuadongJilin吉林吉林Jílín吉 jíJilin (49–54)Changchun (present)吉林长春吉林長春Dongbei1952 north part split into Inner MongoliaLiaobei辽北遼北Liáoběi洮 táoLiaoyuan辽源遼源Dongbei1949 abolished → Jilin, LiaoningLiaodong辽东遼東Liáodōng关 guānDandong丹东丹東Dongbei1954 abolished → LiaoningLiaoning辽宁遼寧Liáoníng辽 liáoShenyang沈阳瀋陽Dongbei1949 abolished → Liaodong, Liaoxi; 1954 reverted1952 north part split into Inner MongoliaLiaoxi辽西遼西Liáoxī辽 liáoJinzhou锦州錦州Dongbei1954 abolished → LiaoningNenjiang嫩江嫩江Nènjiāng嫩 nènQiqihar齐齐哈尔齊齊哈爾Dongbei1949 abolished → HeilongjiangNingxia宁夏寧夏Níngxià宁 níngYinchuan银川銀川Xibei1954 province → GansuMudanjiang牡丹江牡丹江Mǔdānjiāng丹 dānMudanjiang牡丹江牡丹江Dongbei1949 abolished → HeilongjiangPingyuan平原平原Píngyuán平 píngXinxiang新乡新鄉Zhongnan1952 abolished → Henan, ShandongQinghai青海青海Qīnghǎi青 qīngXining西宁西寧XibeiRehe热河热河Rèhé热 rèChengde承德承德Dongbei1955 abolished → Inner Mongolia, & LiaoningSichuan四川四川Sìchuān川 chuānChengdu成都成都Xinan1949 abolished → Chuanbei, Chuandong, Chuannan, Chuanxi; 1952 reverted1997 Chongqing split into its own municipalityShaanxi陕西陕西Shǎnxī陕 shǎnXi'an西安西安XibeiShandong山东山東Shāndōng鲁 lǔJinan济南濟南HuadongShanxi山西山西Shānxī晋 jìnTaiyuan太原太原HuabeiSongjiang松江松江Sōngjiāng松 sōngHarbin哈尔滨哈爾濱Dongbei1954 abolished → HeilongjiangSuiyuan绥远綏遠Suíyuǎn绥 suíHohhot呼和浩特呼和浩特Huabei1954 abolished → Inner MongoliaTaiwan台湾臺灣Táiwān台 táiTaipei台北臺北Huadongclaimed since 1949 the founding of the PRC; it has not been governed by the PRC since its foundingXikang西康西康Xīkāng康 kāngKangding (49–50)Ya'an (50–55)康定雅安康定雅安Xinan1955 abolished → Sichuan & QamdoXing'an兴安興安Xīkāng兴 xīngHulunbuir呼伦贝尔呼倫貝爾Dongbei1949 abolished → HeilongjiangXinjiang新疆新疆Xīnjiāng疆 jiāngÜrümqi乌鲁木齐烏魯木齊Xibei1955 province → autonomous regionYunnan云南雲南Yúnnán滇 diānKunming昆明昆明XinanZhejiang浙江浙江Zhèjiāng浙 zhèHangzhou杭州杭州HuadongAutonomous RegionsAlxa Khoshut Banner → Alxa阿拉善和硕特旗→阿拉善阿拉善和碩特旗→阿拉善Ālāshàn阿 āBayanhot巴彥浩特巴彥浩特Huabei1954 merge into Inner MongoliaEjin额济纳額濟納Éjìnà额 éDalainhob达拉呼布達拉呼布Huabei1954 merge into Inner MongoliaGuangxi广西廣西Guǎngxī桂 guìNanning南宁南寧Zhongnan1958 province → autonomous regionInner Mongolia内蒙古內蒙古Nèi Měnggǔ蒙 měngUlaanhot (47–50)Hohhot (present)乌兰浩特呼和浩特烏蘭浩特呼和浩特Huabei1947 created; 1969 truncated → Liaoning, Heilongjiang,Jilin, Gansu, Ningxia; 1979 revertedNingxia宁夏寧夏Níngxià宁 níngYinchuan银川銀川Xibei1958 special region → autonomous regionTibet西藏西藏Xīzàng藏 zàngLhasa拉萨拉薩Xinan1965 region → autonomous regionXinjiang新疆新疆Xīnjiāng疆 jiāngÜrümqi乌鲁木齐烏魯木齊Xibei1955 province → autonomous regionMunicipalitiesAnshan鞍山鞍山Ānshān鞍 ānTiedong District铁东区鐵東區Dongbei1954 abolished → LiaoningBeijing北京北京Běijīng京 jīngDongcheng District东城区東城區HuabeiBenxi本溪本溪Běnxī本 běnPingshan District平山区平山區Dongbei1954 abolished → LiaoningChangchun长春長春Chángchūn春 chūnNanguan District南关区南關區Dongbei1953 created; 1954 abolished → JilinChongqing重庆重慶Chóngqìng渝 yúYuzhong District渝中区渝中區Xinan1954 abolished → Sichuan; 1997 revertedDalian → Lüda大连→旅大大連→旅大Dàlián连 liánXigang District西岗区西崗區Dongbei1949 abolished → Luda, 1950 reverted, 1954 abolished → LiaoningFushun抚顺撫順Fǔshùn抚 fǔShuncheng District顺城区順城區Dongbei1954 abolished → LiaoningHarbin哈尔滨哈爾濱Hārbīn哈 hāNangang District南岗区南崗區Dongbei1953 created, 1954 abolished → HeilongjiangGuangzhou广州廣州Guǎngzhōu穗 suìYuexiu District越秀区越秀區Zhongnan1954 abolished → GuangdongNanjing南京南京Nánjīng宁 níngXuanwu District宣武区宣武區Huadong 1952 abolished → JiangsuShanghai上海上海Shànghǎi沪 hùHuangpu District黄浦区黃浦區HuadongShenyang沈阳瀋陽Shěnyáng沈 shěnShenhe District沈河区瀋河區Dongbei1954 abolished → LiaoningTianjin天津天津Tiānjīn津 jīnHeping District和平区和平區Huabei1954 abolished → Hebei, 1967 revertedHankou → Wuhan汉口→武汉漢口→武漢Wǔhàn汉 hànJiang'an District江岸区江岸區Zhongnan1949 abolished → HubeiXi'an西安西安Xī'ān镐 hàoWeiyang District未央区未央區Xibei1954 abolished → ShaanxiSpecial Administrative RegionsHainan海南海南Hǎinán琼 qióngHaikou海口海口Zhongnan1949 abolished → GuangdongHong Kong香港香港Xiānggǎng港 gǎngHong Kong香港香港Zhongnan1997 created (Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong)Macau澳门澳門Àomén澳 àoMacau澳门澳門Zhongnan1999 created (Transfer of sovereignty over Macau)Administrative TerritoriesChuanbei川北川北Chuānběi充 chōngNanchong南充南充Xinan1950 created; 1952 abolished → SichuanChuandong川东川東Chuāndōng渝 yúChongqing重庆重慶Xinan1950 created; 1952 abolished → SichuanChuannan川南川南Chuānnán泸 lúLuzhou泸州瀘州Xinan1950 created; 1952 abolished → SichuanChuanxi川西川西Chuānxī蓉 róngChengdu成都成都Xinan1950 created; 1952 abolished → SichuanSubei苏北蘇北Sūběi扬 yángYangzhou扬州揚州Huadong1949 created; 1952 abolished → JiangsuSunan苏南蘇南Sūnán锡 xīWuxi无锡無錫Huadong1949 created; 1952 abolished → JiangsuWanbei皖北皖北Wǎnběi合 héHefei合肥合肥Huadong1949 created; 1952 abolished → AnhuiWannan皖南皖南Wǎnnán芜 wúWuhu芜湖蕪湖Huadong1949 created; 1952 abolished → AnhuiLüda旅大旅大Lǚdà旅 LǚDalian大连大連Dongbei1949 created; 1950 abolished → DalianRegionsTibet西藏西藏Xīzàng藏 zàngLhasa拉萨拉薩Xinan1965 region → autonomous regionTerritoriesQamdo昌都昌都Chāngdū昌 chāngQamdo昌都昌都Xinan1965 merge into Tibet

See also Administrative divisions of China

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