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China - The Eighteen Provinces

Territory	Meaning
Eighteen Provinces
Anhui	beautiful calm
Chihli	Direct Rule
Fujian	established lucky
Gansu	sweet respectful
Guangdong	vast east
Guizhou	precious state
Hebei	north river
Henan	south river
Hubei [Zhili]	north lake
Hunan	south lake
Jiangsu	large awakening river
Jiangxi	large west river
Shaanxi	narrow west
Shanxi	west mountain
Shangdong	east mountain
Sichuan	four rivers
Yunnan	south clouds
Zhejiang	Zhe River
Three Eastern Provinces
Heilongjiang	black dragon river
Kirin [Jilin]	lucky forest
Liaoning [Shengking]	rather distant Holy Court
Other Provinces
Qinghai [Tibet]	green sea
Taiwan	terraced bay
Autonomous Regions
Nei Monggol	Inner Mongolia
Guangxi AR	vast west
Xingjiang	new frontier 1638
Ningxia	tranquil summer
Xizang [Tibet]	Western Zang

The great divisions of the Manchu Empire were five, namely China Proper, or the eighteen provinces, Manchuria, Mongolia, Turkestan, and Tibet. The provinces of China were first established as administrative divisions under the Yuan Dynasty. There were initially 10 provinces of china, which were increased to 18 by the Qing Dynasty. At present China controls a total of 22 provinces and five Autonomous Regions. China proper wass roughly the empire that existed under the Ming dynasty, which ruled iu China from AD 1368 until the Manchu conquest in AD 1644. The principal part of China was known as China proper or the 18 provinces, though in past times, this number had frequently varied. Under the Manchu, some divisions were relatively recent, for instance that of Kwantung and Kwangsi, that of Hupeh and Hunan, that of Kiangsu and Nganhwei. These six provinces formerly made but three. Kansu is a province of still more recent formation. To distinguish China Proper from the rest of the Empire, this part is commonly, and even officially, referred to by the Chinese as "The Eighteen Provinces." The country is called known as the Middle Kingdom (Chung-kwoh), this name being applied by the Chinese to the central part of their country.

The Great Wall was built to protect the Eighteen Provinces forever from invading hordes from the north, whether Mongol or Manchu. Manchuria, divided for administrative purposes into three provinces called by the Chinese "The Three Eastern Provinces," lay east of the eastern end of the Great Wall.

The Eighteen Provinces extend roughly from latitude 200 to 400 N. and from longitude 980 to 122° E., comprising the seventh and eighth hours of Zone time east of Greenwich. The western part is mountainous, filled with the spurs of the Central Asian plateau; while on the east are the great plains formed by the outfall of the Yellow River and the Yangtze; and in the south is the_small, but incredibly rich, plain of the Pearl (or West River) delta, lying around Canton.

Speaking in general, it may be said that China enjoys two quite distinct seasons: 1° That produced by the North-winds. This becomes more rigourous as one advances Northwards. The weather is generally dry when dust-storms prevail over the plains of the North. It lasts from November to April. 2° That resulting from the Southertv-winds. The chief features of this season are its excessive heat, which is moister and more unhealthy along the coasts, while in the interior, it is greater, but healthier and less depressing. Rain falls frequently during this season and rivers overflow their banks. Between these 2 Seasons are a short Spring and Autumn. The winds change their direction and the temperature is unsteady. Spring is generally ushered in by spells of increasing warmth; Autumn, on the contrary, is mild and agreeable, and lasts from the end of September till the middle of November.