The Systems of Countrysides were Administrative Division or Geographical Concept in Qing Dynasty——An Analysis Based on Nanbu County of Sichuan Province

Originated from the monarch Yao and Shun,the systems of countryside started in Xia and Shang dynasities,formed in the Western Zhou,and became full-fledged in Qing dynasty while they were transformed to the modern systems.Scholars have a long-term debate about whether the township of Qing dynasty is administrative division or geographic concept.All researches on Nanbu county prove that in the late Ming dynasty and most of time of the Qing dynasty,the systems of countrysides became a geographical unit between geographical concept and administrative division.At the time of the new deal of the late Qing dynasty,they became formal administrative districts and institutions.Therefore,it is simplisticly understanding and even misunderstanding if we just think that the systems of countrysides in Qing dynasty is not an administrative district or it is a geographic concept.