Map Introduction

Commandery-level Administrative Divisions in the Guanzhong Region during the Qin Dynasty

The commandery-level administrative divisions in the Guanzhong region during the Qin Dynasty underwent an evolutionary process from initial adjustments after unification to subsequent expansions:

Initial Adjustments after Unification
Following the establishment of the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shi Huang adopted the advice of his Chancellor Li Si and abolished the feudal system inherited from the Western Zhou Dynasty. The state administration implemented a singular commandery-county system, abolishing the feudal lords and establishing commanderies and counties, dividing the empire into 36 commanderies.

Subsequent Expansions
Subsequently, the Qin expanded southward, incorporating the Nanyue territory south of the Five Ridges and establishing the three commanderies of Nanhai, Guilin, and Xiang. To the north, they acquired the lands south of the Yin Mountains and established Jiuyuan Commandery. Afterwards, they progressively delineated additional commanderies such as Donghai, Hengshan, Jibei, Jiaodong, Henei, and Hengshan. The total number of commanderies increased from the initial 36 to 48.

Special Regional Administration
The Neishi in the Guanzhong region was a centrally directly-administered district, its status equivalent to a commandery, responsible for governing the core capital area.

Map Source

The historical map of Guanzhong counties during the Qin Dynasty of China is sourced from The Historical Atlas of China, Volume 2(1)—Maps of the Qin Dynasty, published by SinoMaps Press on October 1, 1982, with Tan Qixiang as its author.

The Historical Atlas of China is an atlas focusing primarily on the historical administrative divisions and territories of China throughout its dynasties, compiled under the chief editorship of Tan Qixiang. The entire work spans from the primitive society to the end of the Qing dynasty, organized into 8 volumes and 20 sections according to historical periods, containing a total of 304 maps (not including illustrations). All maps juxtapose historical and modern geography. The compilation of this atlas began in the 1950s, it was seriously disturbed during the cultural revolution. The internal edition was published in 1975 but contained numerous errors. Publication of Volumes 1-8 occurred successively starting in 1982. The Historical Atlas of China is a rare and valuable resource for studying the historical administrative divisions of China.

Related Maps

• Historical Map of the Qin Dynasty Period in China
• Historical Map of the Commanderies in Southern Shandong during the Qin Dynasty Period in China
• Historical Map of the Commanderies in Northern Shandong during the Qin Dynasty Period in China
• Historical Map of the Commanderies South of the Huai and Han Rivers during the Qin Dynasty Period in China