Former capitals of Chinese provinces explained

This is a list of the current and former capitals of the subdivisions of China. The history of China and its administrative divisions is long and convoluted; hence, this article will cover only capitals after the completion of the Mongol conquest of China in 1279, because the modern province (Chinese: shěng Chinese: {{linktext|省) was first created during the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. Years may not line up perfectly during periods of turmoil (e.g. at the end of each dynasty).

The list includes current and former provinces, as well as other first-level administrative units that have been used over the course of China's recent history, such as autonomous regions, military command zones during the Qing dynasty, and so forth. Unless otherwise specified, a given administrative unit can be assumed to be a province with its present name. Historical names of provinces and entities that are not provinces will be specified as they arise.

Excluded from the list:

units below the first level;
Direct-controlled municipalities of China and special administrative regions;
subnational entities of short-lived regimes, such as the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the Chinese Soviet Republic, Manchukuo, Mengjiang, Wang Jingwei Government, etc. This is because their provinces were usually transitory in existence and tended to be smaller than usual.

Many of the capitals given in this chart have had multiple historical names during different dynasties. In some cases, different names were used concurrently for the same city. This chart gives only the modern names for the sake of simplicity.

For the sake of simplicity, the chart will not attempt to be exhaustive in its descriptions of border changes.

National entities since 1279:

Year	1271–1368	1368–1644	1644–1912	1912–1949	1949–present
Government	Yuan dynasty	Ming dynasty	Qing dynasty

List of capitals:

Province (or equivalent)	Capital	When	Remarks
Anhui	During the Yuan dynasty, modern Anhui was split between the Secretariat (Chinese: 中書省) of the central government, the province of Jianghuai, and (from 1291) the province of Henanjiangbei.
	N/A	1366–1644	As part of Zhili up to 1421; as part of Nanzhili after 1421. Administered directly by the central government, instead of a province.
	N/A	1645–1661	Part of Jiangnan Province, formed out of former Nanzhili in 1645. Split into Jiangsu and Anhui in 1661.
		1661–1760	Nanjing is now the capital of neighbouring Jiangsu province.
		1760–1853
		1853–1862	During the Taiping Rebellion.
		1862–1946
		1946–1949
	Hefei (north)	1949–1952	As North Anhui and South Anhui administrative regions.
	Wuhu (south)	1949–1952	As North Anhui and South Anhui administrative regions.
		1952–present
Fujian		1278–1299	Between 1278 and 1299, separate provinces in the Fujian area were repeatedly split out and remerged back into Jiangzhe Province.
	N/A	1299–1356	Part of Jiangzhe Province until Fujian Province was split out of it.
		1356–1938
		1938–1945	During the Second Sino-Japanese War
		1945–present	In 1949, the PRC created the "Fujian Provincial People's Government". The ROC's "Fujian Provincial Government" moved to Kinmen.
	Kinmen (ROC)	1949–1956	After the ROC's relocation to Taiwan.
	Hsintien (ROC)	1956–1996	In Taiwan Province, ROC enforced military governance in Kinmen and Matsu
	Kinmen (ROC)	1996–2018	Demilitarized
		2019–present	Fujian Provincial Government defunct
Gansu		1286–1368
	N/A	1368–1667	Part of Shaanxi Province.
		1667–present	Gansu was called Gongchang 1667–1670.
Guangdong	Before 1369, modern Guangdong was split between the provinces of Jiangxi, Huguang, and (from 1364) Guangxi.
Guangdong		1369–present	Included modern Hainan until 1988.
Guangxi	Mostly found within Huguang Province before 1364.
		1364–1912	Included parts of modern Guangdong until 1369.
		1912–1936
		1936–1950
		1950–present	Guangxi Province became Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in 1958.
Guizhou	Mostly found within the provinces of Huguang, Sichuan, and Yunnan before 1413.
Guizhou		1413–present
Hainan	Part of Huguang before 1364; part of Guangxi from 1364 to 1369; part of Guangdong after 1369.
	N/A	1369–1988	Part of Guangdong Province.
		1988–present
Hebei	Administered by the Secretariat (Chinese: 中書省) of the central government before 1368. Briefly split between Henan and Shandong provinces, 1368–1369.
		1369–1421	As Beiping Province.
	N/A	1421–1669	As Beizhili up to 1645; as Zhili after 1645. Administered directly by the central government, instead of a province.
		1669–1902	As "Zhili". Converted into a province in 1911 as "Zhili Province"
		1902–1928
		1928–1930
		1930–1935
		1935–1958
		1958–1966
		1966–1968
		1968–present
Heilongjiang	N/A	1264–1368	Part of Liaoyang Province. "Liaoyang" was the final name of the province after several changes between 1264 and 1287.
	Mongols, Manchus, and Ming China military garrisons in the area during the Ming dynasty.
		1683–1690	Area of control of the General of Heilongjiang. Became Heilongjiang Province in 1907.
		1690–1699
		1699–1907
		1907–1931
	N/A	1931–1945	Part of Manchukuo.
		1945–1949	As Heilongjiang Province (northwestern part of modern Heilongjiang)
			As Hejiang Province (northeastern part of modern Heilongjiang)
			As Nenjiang Province (southwestern part of modern Heilongjiang)
			As Songjiang Province (southeastern part of modern Heilongjiang)
		1949–1954	As Heilongjiang Province (western part of modern Heilongjiang)
		1949–1954	As Songjiang Province (eastern part of modern Heilongjiang)
		1954–present	New Heilongjiang formed from Songjiang + old Heilongjiang in 1954
Henan	Administered by the Secretariat (Chinese: 中書省) of the central government for the most part before 1291.
		1291–1954	Initially as Henanjiangbei Province, which included parts of modern Jiangsu, Anhui, and Hubei provinces. Given approximately modern borders and modern name in 1368.
		1954–present
Hubei	During the Yuan dynasty, modern Hubei was split between the provinces of Huguang, (from 1291) Henanjiangbei, and Sichuan.
	N/A	1277–1664	Part of Huguang Province.
		1664–1927
		1927–present	Wuhan is the amalgamation of Wuchang, Hankou, and Hanyang.
Hunan	N/A	1277–1664	Part of Huguang Province.
Hunan		1664–present
Inner Mongolia	See the history section of Inner Mongolia for the administrative entities of that region before 1947.
		1947–1950	As Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
		1950–present	As Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Jiangsu	Before 1356, modern Jiangsu was split between the Secretariat (Chinese: 中書省) of the central government, the province of Jianghuai (from 1289), Jiangzhe (from 1291), the province of Henanjiangbei, and (from 1354) the province of Huainanjiangbei.
	N/A	1366–1644	As part of Zhili up to 1421; as part of Nanzhili after 1421. Administered directly by the central government, instead of a province.
	N/A	1645–1661	Part of Jiangnan Province, formed out of former Nanzhili in 1645. Split into Jiangsu and Anhui in 1661.
		1661–1912?
		1912?–1928
		1928–1949
	Yangzhou (north)	1949–1952	As North Jiangsu and South Jiangsu administrative regions.
	Wuxi (south)	1949–1952	As North Jiangsu and South Jiangsu administrative regions.
		1952–present
Jiangxi		1277–present	Included parts of modern Guangdong until 1369.
	Gan County (ROC)	1949	The communists captured Nanchang on May 22, establishing the "Jiangxi Provincial People's Government". Government moved to Gan County
	Taichung (ROC)	1949	Provincial seat moved to Taichung City in Taiwan Province after Gan County was captured.
		1949–present	Jiangxi Provincial Government defunct
Jilin	N/A	1264–1368	Part of Liaoyang Province. "Liaoyang" was the final name of the province after several changes between 1264 and 1287.
	Mongols, Manchus, and Ming China military garrisons in the area during the Ming dynasty.
		1662–1757	Area of control of the General of Ningguta (up to 1757) or the General of Jilin (from 1757). Became Jilin Province in 1907.
		1757–1907
		1907–1931
	N/A	1931–1945	Part of Manchukuo.
		1945–1954
		1954–present
Liaoning	N/A	1264–1368	Part of Liaoyang Province. "Liaoyang" was the final name of the province after several changes between 1264 and 1287.
	Partially under Shandong province during the Ming dynasty, until Manchu conquest c. 1618.
		1662–1907	Area of control of the General of Shengjing. Became Fengtian Province in 1907.
		1907–1931	Fengtian Province from 1907 to 1929; Liaoning Province from 1929 onwards.
	N/A	1931–1945	Part of Manchukuo.
		1945–1949	As Liaoning Province (central part of modern Liaoning)
			As Andong Province (eastern part of modern Liaoning; southern part of modern Jilin)
			As Liaobei Province (northern part of modern Liaoning; western part of modern Jilin)
		1949–1954	As Liaoxi Province (western part of modern Liaoning)
		1949–1954	As Liaodong Province (eastern part of modern Liaoning; southern part of modern Jilin). Dandong was then known as "Andong"
		1954–present
Ningxia	Mostly part of Gansu Province (up to c. 1370); part of Shaanxi Province (up to 1667); part of Gansu Province (1667 onwards)
		1928–1954	Ningxia Province split out of Gansu in 1928.
	N/A	1954–1958	Part of Gansu Province.
		1958–present	Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region split out of Gansu in 1958.
Qinghai	Historically Oyirad Mongols in the north, Amdo and Kham Tibetans in the south. Overseen by commissioner stationed at Xining (then part of Gansu Province) during Qing dynasty, early Republic of China (up to 1928).See History section of Qinghai.
Qinghai		1928–present
align=center	Shaanxi		1286–present	From 1260 to 1286, Shaanxi Province (and in some cases, a combined Shaanxi-Sichuan Province) was established and disbanded several times. Included modern Gansu and Ningxia until 1667.
Shandong	Administered by the Secretariat (Chinese: 中書省) of the central government before c. 1357.
		1357?–1377?
		1377–present
Shanxi	Administered by the Secretariat (Chinese: 中書省) of the central government before 1368.
Shanxi		1369–present
Sichuan		1286–1287	From 1260 to 1286, Sichuan Province (and in some cases, a combined Shaanxi-Sichuan Province) was established and disbanded several times.
		1287–1289
		1289–1646
		1646–1665
		1665–1949
	Nanchong (north)	1949–1952	As North Sichuan, South Sichuan, East Sichuan and West Sichuan administrative regions.
	Luzhou (south)
	Chongqing (east)
	Chengdu (west)
		1952–present
Taiwan	Formosan people lived in the area before 1624; European colonization from 1624 to 1661; Kingdom of Tungning from 1661 to 1683. See History of Taiwan.
	N/A	1683–1887	Part of Fujian Province.
		1887–1894	Planned, around today's Taichung
		1887–1895 1945–1956	De facto until 1894; official after 1894
		1956–2018	In Nantou City
		2018–present	Taiwan Provincial Government defunct
Tibet	Part of Yuan dynasty up to fourteenth century; struggle between Sakyapa, Kagyüpa, later Gelukpa schools of Tibetan Buddhism up to seventeenth century, when Gelukpa became dominant.
Tibet		(1720s)–present	The Dalai Lamas (Gelukpa school) ruled over Ü-Tsang (or more) from Lhasa from 1642 onwards. Qing China began to assert control over Tibet in the 1720s until its fall in 1912; from 1912 to 1951, Tibet was self-ruling but was recognized internationally as a part of China. Planning Committee for Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) from 1955 to 1965; TAR established in 1965.
Xinjiang	Ruled by Chagatai Khanate from thirteenth to fifteenth century; fragmented until eighteenth century when Qing China conquered the region. See History section of Xinjiang.
		1762–1888	General of Ili, based in Yining, held administrative powers until 1888; central control lapsed during Yakub Beg's revolt from 1865, until his forces were defeated in 1881.
		1884–present	Xinjiang Province until 1955; Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region from 1955.
		1949–1992	After the ROC relocated to Taiwan. Government abolished in 1992.
align=center	Yunnan		1275–present	Included parts of morden Sichuan and Guizhou until Ming dynasty.
Zhejiang	N/A	1289–1367	Part of Jiangzhe Province.
Zhejiang		1367–present
Chahar	See Inner Mongolia for history before 1914.
		1914–1937	Chahar Special Administrative Region until 1928; province from 1928.
	N/A	1937–1945	Part of Mengjiang.
		1945–1952	Disbanded in 1952, distributed into Hebei Province, Shanxi Province.
align=center	Huainanjiangbei		1354–1364?	Established out of Henanjiangbei; disappeared with end of Yuan dynasty (c. 1368). Found mainly in modern Jiangsu province.
Huguang		1277–1281
Huguang		1281–1664	Included modern Guangxi, Hainan, and parts modern Guangdong until 1364, included parts of modern Guizhou until 1413. Split into Hubei and Hunan provinces in 1664
align=center	Jiangnan		1645–1661	Converted from the directly administered Nanzhili region in 1645; split into Jiangsu and Anhui provinces in 1661. See also remarks at Jiangsu and Anhui entries.
align=center	Jiangzhe		1289–1367?	A province was established in the region in 1276; its seat was moved around and it was renamed several times, until settling upon Jiangzhe Province with seat at Hangzhou in 1289. Split into Zhejiang and Fujian Provinces by Ming dynasty.
align=center	Jiaodong		1364–1368?	Established in the Shandong Peninsula; does not appear to have outlasted the end of the Yuan dynasty.
align=center	Liaoyang		1264–1368?	"Liaoyang" was the final name of the province after several changes between 1264 and 1287. Lasted until the end of Yuan dynasty (c. 1368); found today mostly in Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang.
align=center	Pingyuan		1949–1952	Split out of Hebei, Shandong, and Henan provinces in 1949; distributed into Henan and Shandong provinces in 1952.
Rehe	See Inner Mongolia for history before 1914.
		1914–1933	Rehe Special Administrative Region until 1928; province from 1928.
	N/A	1933–1945	Part of Manchukuo.
		1945–1955	Disbanded in 1955, different parts were merged into Hebei Province, Liaoning Province, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Suiyuan	See Inner Mongolia for history before 1914.
		1914–1937	Suiyuan Special Administrative Region until 1928; province from 1928.
	N/A	1937–1945	Part of Mengjiang.
		1945–1954	Merged into Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in 1954.
Xikang		1914–1950	Chuanbian Special Region created in 1914, from western Sichuan and territory formerly ruled from Lhasa; it is roughly equivalent to southern Kham and southern Amdo. Converted into Xikang Province (established in 1939); merged into Sichuan province in 1955. See also remarks at entries for Tibet and Sichuan.
Xikang		1950–1955
align=center	Xing'an		1945–1947?	After the end of Manchukuo at the end of World War II, Xing'an Province was created from the northwestern part of Manchuria, which was administered by Heilongjiang province before the war. The region was superseded by Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
align=center	Zhili Beizhili; Nanzhili	Regions directly administered by the central government, not part of any province. "Zhili" (modern Jiangsu and Anhui) from 1366 to 1421; "Beizhili" (modern Hebei) and "Nanzhili" (modern Jiangsu, Anhui) from 1421 to 1645; "Zhili" (modern Hebei) from 1645 to 1669. Name kept for "Zhili Province" (modern Hebei) from 1669 to 1927. See also remarks at Hebei, Jiangsu, and Anhui entries.

Former capitals of Chinese provinces explained

See also