View source for Prefecture (China)

{{Short description|Second-level administrative divisions of China}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name               = Prefecture<br>{{nobold|{{lang-zh|s=地区|labels=no}}}}<br>{{lang-zh|p=Dìqū|labels=no}}
| alt_name           = 
| map                = [[File:China prefectures (PRC claim).svg|330px]]
| category           = Second level [[administrative division]] of a [[unitary state]]
| territory          = [[China]]
| start_date         =
| current_number     = 7 prefectures
| number_date        =
| population_range   = 95,465 ([[Ngari Prefecture|Ngari]]) – 3,979,362 ([[Kaxgar]])
| area_range         =  {{Convert|46755|sqkm|abbr=on}} ([[Daxing'anling Prefecture|Daxing'anling]]) – {{Convert|304683 |sqkm|abbr=on}} ([[Ngari Prefecture|Ngari]])
| government         = Various, [[Government of China|Central Government]]
| subdivision        = [[Counties of China|Counties]]
}}
{{Infobox Chinese|order=st
|title=Prefecture
|t=地區|s=地区|p=Dìqū|bp=Tē-khu|buc=dê-kṳ̆
|tib=ས་ཁུལ།|wylie=sa khul|zwpy=sakü
|zha=Dagih
|mong={{MongolUnicode|ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠷᠢᠭ}}|monr=toɣoriɣ|mon=дугарг
|hangul=지구|rr=jigu|mr=chigu
|uig=ۋىلايەت|uly=wilayét|usy=вилайәт
|lang1=Kazakh|lang1_content={{lang|kk-Arab|ايماق}}<Br>{{lang|kk|аймақ}}<br>{{Transliteration|kk|aimaq}}
|lang2=Kyrgyz|lang2_content={{lang|ky-Arab|ايماق}}<Br>{{lang|ky|аймак}}<br>{{Transliteration|ky|ajmaq}}
|vie=Địa khu
|mnc=ᡳ ᠪᠠ|mnc_v=i'ba}}
{{Administrative levels and divisions of China sidebar}}

'''Prefectures''' are one of four types of [[Prefecture-level divisions of China|prefecture-level divisions]] in [[China]], the second-level [[Administrative divisions of China|administrative division]] in the country. While at one time{{When|date=June 2024}} prefectures were the most common prefecture-level division, they are in the process of being abolished{{When|date=June 2024}} and only seven formally-designated prefectures remain.

The term "prefecture" is also used as a translation of three unrelated types of administrative divisions that were historically in use in China: the ''xian'', the ''zhou'', and the ''fu''.

==Modern prefectures==
Prefectures are administrative subdivisions of [[Province (China)|provincial-level divisions]]. The constitution of the People's Republic of China does not endorse any prefecture-level division, except for autonomous prefectures. Prefectures and leagues are not at all mentioned; provinces are explicitly stated to be divided directly into counties.

The administrative commission ({{lang-zh|s=行政公署 |p=xíngzhèng gōngshǔ}}) is an administrative branch office with the rank of a national ministerial department ({{lang-zh|s=司级|links=no|labels=no}}) and dispatched by the higher-level provincial government. The leader of the prefecture government, titled as prefectural administrative commissioner ({{lang-zh|s=行政公署专员|p=xíngzhèng gōngshǔ zhūanyūan|links=no|labels=no}}), is appointed by the provincial government. Instead of local [[System of people's congress|people's congresses]], the prefecture's working commission of the standing committee of the provincial people's congress is dispatched and supervises the prefecture governments but can not elect or dismiss prefecture governments.<ref name="law1">"The standing committee of the people’s congress of a province and autonomous region may set up administrative offices in the prefectures under its jurisdiction." from Item 2, Article 53, Organic Law of the Local People’s Congresses and Local People’s Governments of the People’s Republic of China (2004 Revision)</ref>  The prefecture's working committee of the provincial committee of the [[Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference]] (CPCC) is a part of the prefecture's committee of the CPPCC. This means that the prefecture's working committee of the CPPCC is a branch of the provincial committee of the CPPCC, not an individual society entity. The same is valid for provincial CPPCCs, which are formally sections of the national CPPCC.

The term "prefecture" derives from the former [[Circuit (country subdivision)|circuit]], which was a level between provinces and the counties during the [[Qing dynasty]]. In 1928, the government of the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] abolished circuits and provinces began to administer counties directly; however, this reform was soon found unfeasible because some provinces had hundreds of counties. Consequently, in 1932, provinces were again subdivided into several prefectures, and regional administrative offices were set up.

===List of prefectures===
{| class="wikitable sortable" align="center"
! Name
! Chinese
! [[Provinces of China|Provincial-level region]]
! Population ([[Sixth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China|2010]])
! Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
! Prefecture seat
|-
|[[Daxing'anling Prefecture]]
|{{lang|zh-hans|大兴安岭地区}}
|[[Heilongjiang]]
|style="text-align: right;"|511,564
|style="text-align: right;"|46,755
|[[Jiagedaqi District]] {{small|(''de facto'')}}; [[Mohe, Heilongjiang|Mohe]] city {{small|(''de jure'')}}
|-
|[[Ngari Prefecture]]
|{{lang|zh-hans|阿里地区}}
|[[Tibet Autonomous Region|Tibet]]
|style="text-align: right;"|95,465
|style="text-align: right;"|304,683
|[[Shiquanhe|Sênggêzangbo]] town, [[Gar County]]
|-
|[[Altay Prefecture]]
|{{lang|zh-hans|阿勒泰地区}}
|[[Xinjiang]]
|style="text-align: right;"|603,280
|style="text-align: right;"|117,988
|[[Altay City|Altay]] city
|-
|[[Tacheng Prefecture]]
|{{lang|zh-hans|塔城地区}}
|[[Xinjiang]]
|style="text-align: right;"|1,219,212
|style="text-align: right;"|94,891
|[[Tacheng]] city
|-
|[[Kashgar Prefecture]]
|{{lang|zh-hans|喀什地区}}
|[[Xinjiang]]
|style="text-align: right;"|3,979,362
|style="text-align: right;"|112,058
|[[Kashgar]] city
|-
|[[Aksu Prefecture]]
|{{lang|zh-hans|阿克苏地区}}
|[[Xinjiang]]
|style="text-align: right;"|2,370,887
|style="text-align: right;"|128,099
|[[Aksu, Xinjiang|Aksu]] city
|----------
|[[Hotan Prefecture]] 
|{{lang|zh-hans|和田地区}}
|[[Xinjiang]]
|style="text-align: right;"|2,014,365
|style="text-align: right;"|248,946
|[[Hotan]] city
|}

==Historical prefectures==
In general, the word "prefecture" is applied to ''xian'' for the period before the [[Sui dynasty|Sui]] and [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] dynasties; for the period after, ''xian'' are called "districts" or "counties", while "prefectures" refer to ''zhou'' and ''fu''.

===''Xian''===
{{See also|Counties of the People's Republic of China}}
''Xian'' ({{lang|zh-hans|{{linktext|县}}}}/{{lang|zh-hant|{{linktext|縣}}}}) were first established during the [[Warring States period]], and have existed continuously ever since. Today, they continue to form an important part of the political divisions of China.

''Xian'' has been translated using several [[English language]] terms. In the context of ancient history, "district" and "prefecture" are the most commonly used terms, while "county" is generally used for more contemporary contexts.

===''Zhou''===
{{Main|Zhou (country subdivision)}}

''Zhou'' ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|州}}}}) were first established during the [[Han dynasty]], and were abolished only with the establishment of the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]].

''Zhou'' is generally translated as "province" or "region" for the period before the [[Sui dynasty]], and "prefecture" for the period from the Sui dynasty onwards.

The [[People's Republic of China]] has revived the word ''zhou'' as part of the term "zizhizhou" ({{lang|zh|自治州}}), which is translated as "autonomous prefectures", as described above.

===''Fu''===
{{main|Fu (administrative division)|List of fu prefectures of China}}

''Fu'' ({{linktext|lang=zh|府}}) were first established during the Tang dynasty, and were also abolished with the establishment of the Republic of China.

During the Tang and [[Song dynasty|Song]] dynasties, the term was mainly applied to prefectures with major urban centers. For this period, it is often translated as "urban prefecture" or "superior prefecture". Later, however, most first-level prefectures under provinces would become known as ''fu''.

==See also==
* [[Administrative divisions of China]]
* [[Prefecture-level divisions of China]]
:* [[Prefecture-level city]]
:* [[Leagues in China]]
:* [[Autonomous prefecture]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Articles on second-level administrative divisions of Asian countries}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Prefecture-level divisions of the People's Republic of China| ]]
[[Category:Administrative divisions of China]]
[[Category:Prefectures|China]]
[[Category:Second-level administrative divisions by country|Prefectures, China]]