As India has had a fragmented polity for millennia until the last couple of centuries, the names of provinces in India have cultural connotations
E.g. Tamil Nad, Odisha, Gurjara-Rashtra
In China, province names are purely geographic
Let's take a look at China's political map
E.g. Tamil Nad, Odisha, Gurjara-Rashtra
In China, province names are purely geographic
Let's take a look at China's political map
The key to understanding Chinese province names is to be familiar with a few words
Bei - North
Nan - South
Xi - West
Dong - East
Shan - Mountain
Jiang - Territory
Xin - New
Guang - Large territory
Jing - Capital city
Qualifier : Some of these words may have multiple meanings
Bei - North
Nan - South
Xi - West
Dong - East
Shan - Mountain
Jiang - Territory
Xin - New
Guang - Large territory
Jing - Capital city
Qualifier : Some of these words may have multiple meanings
Now let's start with the major provinces of China -
He-Bei : North of Yellow river (Hwang He)
He-nan : South of Yellow river
Hu-Bei : North of the Hu Lake
Hu-Nan : South of the Lake
Bei-Jing : Northern Capital
Nan-Jing : Southern Capital (this is a city not a province)
He-Bei : North of Yellow river (Hwang He)
He-nan : South of Yellow river
Hu-Bei : North of the Hu Lake
Hu-Nan : South of the Lake
Bei-Jing : Northern Capital
Nan-Jing : Southern Capital (this is a city not a province)
Shan-Dong : East of the Mountain (Tai-hang range)
Shan-xi : West of the Mountain
Shaan-xi : West of the "Shan-pass"
Jiangsu : Concatenation of the first part of the names of its two major cities Jiangning and Suzhou
Jiangning here is the old name of the city Nanjing
Shan-xi : West of the Mountain
Shaan-xi : West of the "Shan-pass"
Jiangsu : Concatenation of the first part of the names of its two major cities Jiangning and Suzhou
Jiangning here is the old name of the city Nanjing
The vast territory to the West Xinjiang : Basically means "New territories" - not a part of Chinese civilization originally
Now in the South
Guangdong : Eastern "large territory"
Guangxi : Western territory
Now in the South
Guangdong : Eastern "large territory"
Guangxi : Western territory
The southernmost island territory is "Hai-nan" -
Southern ocean territory
As Hai means "ocean", nan is south
Southern ocean territory
As Hai means "ocean", nan is south
Tibet is known as "Xizang" in Chinese which translates to -
"Western Zang"
Where Zang is a reference to Tibetan territories
"Western Zang"
Where Zang is a reference to Tibetan territories
Gansu is the compound of names Ganzhou and Suzhou
Traditionally known as "Longxi" - West of "Long" mountain
Traditionally known as "Longxi" - West of "Long" mountain
We've covered nearly all provinces
It's interesting that all provinces are named on a geographic basis.
There is no "cultural" basis for any of these names.
Sharp contrast to India!
It's interesting that all provinces are named on a geographic basis.
There is no "cultural" basis for any of these names.
Sharp contrast to India!
Two older threads on China -
1. On Chinese population skew
2. On Chinese cities
1. On Chinese population skew
2. On Chinese cities
