Historical time zones of China
Encyclopedia
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
in Peking (now romanised as Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
) divided the country into five time zones, namely Kunlun Time Zone (GMT+5.5
UTC+5:30
UTC+05:30 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +05:30. This time is used in:-See also:*Indian Standard Time*Madras Time*Sri Lanka Time*Bangladesh*Nepal...
), Sinkiang-Tibet Time Zone (GMT+6
UTC+6
UTC+06 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +06:00. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Bangladesh - previously used this as standard time and UTC+07:00 as daylight saving time*Bhutan...
), Kansu-Szechuan Time Zone (GMT+7
UTC+7
UTC+07:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +07:00. In ISO 8601 the associated time would be written as .Also known as Indochina Time , it is used in:-As standard time :*Australia...
), Chungyuan Standard Time Zone (GMT+8
UTC+8
UTC+08:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +08:00. In ISO 8601 the associated time would be written as .With an estimated population of 1.53 billion living within the time zone, roughly 22.5% of the world population, it is the most populous time zone in world, as well as a possible...
), and Changpai Time Zone (GMT+8.5
UTC+8:30
UTC+08:30 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +08:30.UTC+08:30 was used for Changpai Time Zone.UTC+08:30 was Standard Time of South Korea from 1954 to 1961....
). These time zones were ratified in 1939 in the standard time conference of the Ministry of Interior of the Executive Yuan
Executive Yuan
The Executive Yuan is the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China , commonly known as "Taiwan".-Organization and structure:...
.
These time zones were no longer in effective use after 1949, in the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
was established on mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. The new government had its own policies regarding time zones.
Kunlun
The Kunlun Time Zone was assigned to the area around the Kunlun mountain rangesKunlun Mountains
The Kunlun Mountains are one of the longest mountain chains in Asia, extending more than 3,000 km. In the broadest sense, it forms the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau south of the Tarim Basin and the Gansu Corridor and continues east south of the Wei River to end at the North China Plain.The...
in the far west of China, based on the time on the longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
82°30′E. Administrative divisions within this time zone were:
- western part of the Sinkiang Province (now Xinjiang Autonomous RegionXinjiangXinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
of the People's Republic of China (PRC)People's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
) - western part the Tibet Region (now part of the Tibet Autonomous RegionTibet Autonomous RegionThe Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....
of the PRC) - PamirPamir MountainsThe Pamir Mountains are a mountain range in Central Asia formed by the junction or knot of the Himalayas, Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges. They are among the world’s highest mountains and since Victorian times they have been known as the "Roof of the World" a probable...
highlands, claimed by China but effectively a part of Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and now a part of TajikistanTajikistanTajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
Sinkiang-Tibet
The Sinkiang-Tibet Time Zone was named after the administrative divisions of Sinkiang and Tibet, which had the majority of their land lying in this time zone. The time zone also covered the western halves of their neighbouring administrative divisions. The time in this time zone was based on that on the longitude 90°E. Administrative divisions within this time zone included:- eastern part of the Sinkiang Province (now Xinjiang Autonomous Region of the PRC)
- eastern part of the Tibet Region (now part of the Tibet Autonomous Region of the PRC)
- western part of Tsinghai Province (now transliterated as Qinghai ProvinceQinghaiQinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
by the PRC) - western part of Sikang Province (now part of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Sichuan ProvinceSichuan' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
of the PRC) - the western part of the Mongolia RegionOuter MongoliaOuter Mongolia was a territory of the Qing Dynasty = the Manchu Empire. Its area was roughly equivalent to that of the modern state of Mongolia, which is sometimes informally called "Outer Mongolia" today...
(now the independent state of MongoliaMongoliaMongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
). - the two Soviet (now Russian) republics of TuvaTuvaThe Tyva Republic , or Tuva , is a federal subject of Russia . It lies in the geographical center of Asia, in southern Siberia. The republic borders with the Altai Republic, the Republic of Khakassia, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Irkutsk Oblast, and the Republic of Buryatia in Russia and with Mongolia to the...
and Gorno-Altay
Kansu-Szechuan
The Kansu-Szechuan Time Zone covered the mid-western part of China, based on the longitude 105°E. Administrative divisions within this time zone were:- Kansu Province (now transliterated as Gansu ProvinceGansu' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
by the PRC) - Szechuan Province (now part of the Sichuan ProvinceSichuan' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
of the PRC) - Ningsia Province (now the Ningxia Autonomous RegionNingxiaNingxia, formerly transliterated as Ningsia, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Located in Northwest China, on the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River flows through this vast area of land. The Great Wall of China runs along its northeastern boundary...
of the PRC) - Suiyuan Province (now part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous RegionInner MongoliaInner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
of the PRC) - Shensi Province (now transliterated as Shaanxi ProvinceShaanxi' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
by the PRC) - Kweichow Province (now transliterated as Guizhou ProvinceGuizhou' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country. Its provincial capital city is Guiyang.- History :...
by the PRC) - Kwangsi Province (now transliterated as Guangxi ProvinceGuangxiGuangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
by the PRC) - Yunnan Province
- eastern half of the Tsinghai Province
- eastern half of the Sikang Province
- central part of the Mongolia Region
Chungyuan
The Chungyuan Standard Time Zone , or Central Standard Time Zone, covered the densely populated area of the ROCRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
, including the then capital Nanking
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
. As political and social environments have been changing, the term "Chungyuan Standard Time" is now rarely in use in Taiwan, while National Standard Time
Time in Taiwan
The official time of the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, is defined by an UTC offset of +08:00. It is known as National Standard Time...
becomes the alternative. The time in this time zone was, however, based on the longitude 120°E. Administrative divisions in this time zone were:
- Hsingan Province (now part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the PRC)
- Liaopeh Province (now part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the PRC)
- ChaharChahar (province)Chahar , also known as Chaha'er, Chakhar, or Qahar, was a province of China in existence from 1912 to 1936, mostly covering territory in what is part of eastern Inner Mongolia. It was named after the Chahar Mongolians....
Province (now part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region) - Hopeh Province (now transliterated as Hebei ProvinceHebei' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
by the PRC) - JeholJeholJehol could mean either a province or a city:* Jehol Province, former province in northeastern China* Chengde, the capital of above provinceNamed after the province:* Jehol Biota* Jeholodens* Jeholopterus* Jeholornis* Jeholosaurus...
Province (now part of the Hebei Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the PRC) - Liaoning ProvinceLiaoning' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
- Shantung Province (now transliterated as Shandong ProvinceShandong' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
by the PRC) - Shansi Province (now transliterated as Shanxi ProvinceShanxi' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
by the PRC) - Anhwei Province (now transliterated as Anhui ProvinceAnhuiAnhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
by the PRC) - Kiangsu Province (now transliterated as Jiangsu ProvinceJiangsu' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
by the PRC) - Chekiang Province (now transliterated as Zhejiang ProvinceZhejiangZhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
by the PRC) - Hupeh Province (now transliterated as Hubei ProvinceHubei' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
by the PRC) - Hunan ProvinceHunan' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
- Kiangsi Province (now transliterated as Jiangxi ProvinceJiangxi' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
by the PRC) - Fukien Province (now transliterated as Fujian ProvinceFujian' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
by the PRC) - Kwangtung Province (now transliterated as Guangdong ProvinceGuangdongGuangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
by the PRC)- Hainan Special Administrative District (now Hainan ProvinceHainanHainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
of the PRC)
- Hainan Special Administrative District (now Hainan Province
- Taiwan Province (disputed, see political status of TaiwanPolitical status of TaiwanThe controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu should remain effectively independent as territory of the Republic of China , become unified with the territories now governed by the People's Republic of China , or formally declare...
) - eastern part of the Mongolia Region
Changpai
The Changpai Time Zone covered Northeast ChinaManchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
. Named after the Changpai mountain range
Changbai Mountains
The Changbai Mountain Range or Jangbaek Mountain Range are a mountain range on the border between China and North Korea...
on the border between China and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, it was based on that on the longitude 127°30′E. Administrative divisions within this time zone included:
- Heilungkiang Province (now part of the Heilongjiang Province of the PRC)
- Hokiang Province (now part of the Heilongjiang Province of the PRC)
- Kirin Province (now part of the Jilin Province of the PRC)
- Nunkiang Province (now part of the Jilin Province of the PRC)
- Sungkiang Province (now part of the Jilin Province the PRC)
- Antung Province (now part of the Liaoning Province of the PRC)