“In the mountainous districts of Kwangsí, Yunnan, Kweichau, and Sz’chuen, and in some other places, there are districts called _tu sz’_. Among these, the same distinctions of _fu_, _chau_, and _hien_ exist, together with the minor division _sz’_. The magistrates of these departments and districts are hereditary in their succession, being the only hereditary local officers acknowledged by the supreme government.
“There is a larger division than any of the above, but as it does not prevail universally, it was not mentioned in the first instance. It is called _tau_, a _course_ or _circuit_, and comprises two or more departments of a province, whether _fu_, or independent _ting_ or _chau_. These circuits are subject to the government of officers called _tau-tai_ or intendants of circuit, who often combine with political and judicial powers a military authority and various duties relating to the territory or to the revenue.”[28]
The eighteen provinces received their present boundaries and divisions in the reign of Kienlung; and the little advance which has been made abroad in the geography of China is shown by the fact, that although these divisions were established a hundred years ago, the old demarkations, existing at the time of the survey in 1710, are still found in many modern European geographies and maps. The following table shows their present divisions and government. The three columns under the head of _Departments_ contain the _fu_, _chihlí ting_, and _chihlí chau_, all of which are properly prefectures; the three columns under the head of _Districts_ contain the _ting_, _chau_, and _hien_.
~TOPOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS OF CHINA PROPER.~
--------------------+--------+-----------------+-----------------+ |AREA IN | DEPARTMENTS. | DISTRICTS. | PROVINCES. |ENGLISH +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |SQ. MLS.| Fu. |Ting.|Chau.|Ting.|Chau.|Hien.| --------------------+--------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ NORTHERN PROVINCES. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Chihlí | 58,949 | 11 | .. | 6 | 3 | 17 | 124 | | | | | | | | | Shantung | 65,104 | 10 | .. | 2 | .. | 9 | 96 | Shansí | 55,268 | 9 | .. | 10 | 3 | 6 | 85 | Honan | 65,104 | 9 | .. | 4 | .. | 6 | 97 | | | | | | | | | EASTERN PROVINCES. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Kiangsu } | 92,961 | { 8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 62 | Nganhwui } | | { 8 | .. | 5 | .. | 4 | 50 | Kiangsí | 72,176 | 13 | .. | 1 | 2 | 1 | 75 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Chehkiang | 39,150 | 11 | .. | .. | 1 | 1 | 76 | Fuhkien | 53,480 | 10 | .. | 2 | 3 | .. | 62 | | | | | | | | | CENTRAL PROVINCES. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Hupeh } |144,770 | { 10 | .. | 1 | .. | 7 | 60 | Hunan } | | { 9 | 3 | 4 | .. | 3 | 64 | | | | | | | | | SOUTHERN PROVINCES. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Kwangtung | 79,456 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 79 | | | | | | | | | Kwangsí | 78,250 | 11 | .. | 1 | 3 | 16 | 47 | | | | | | | | | Yunnan |107,969 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 27 | 39 | Kweichau | 64,554 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 34 | | | | | | | | | WESTERN PROVINCES. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Shensí } |154,008 | { 7 | .. | 5 | 5 | 5 | 73 | Kansuh } | | { 9 | .. | 6 | 7 | 7 | 51 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Sz’chuen |166,800 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 111 | --------------------+--------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+