page_title: Administration of territory in dynastic China
section_title: Qin dynasty (221–206 BC)
hierarchical_section_title: Administration of territory in dynastic China / Qin dynasty (221–206 BC)
caption_attribution_description: English: Map of Qin Dynasty and its administrative divisions
context_page_description: The administration of territory in dynastic China is the history of practices involved in governing the land from the Qin dynasty to the Qing dynasty.
context_section_description: After the state of Qin conquered China in 221 BC, the "First Emperor of Qin", Qin Shi Huang, divided the Qin dynasty into 36, and then ultimately, 40 commanderies, which were divided into counties, which were further divided into townships (xiang). The imperial capital was excluded from the normal administrative units and was administered by a Chamberlain (neishi). Administrative control of a commandery was divided between a Governor (shou), who handled general administration, and a Defender (wei), who supervised military garrisons. Counties were administered by a Magistrate (ling). Control of a township was divided between an Elder (sanlao), the moral authority, a Husbander (sefu), who handled fiscal affairs, and a Patroller (youjiao), who kept the local peace. Below townships were even smaller divisions of a thousand households, which constituted a neighborhood (ting), and a hundred households, which constituted a village (li).
  There was no formal system of recruitment for personnel during Qin times. All appointments down to the county level were based on recommendation and decided by the Grand Chancellor and emperor. Tenures were indefinite. Officials could obtain titles graded from 20 to 1 for meritorious service, but such titles were not hereditary, and did not confer a fief to the holder.
caption: Borders of the commanderies of the Qin Empire.
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