This map, created by Zhaoxu Sui in 2022, shows all territories controlled by China at some point in history.
Throughout history, the current territory of China has been ruled by different dynasties, which were not always unified and did not always have the same territory. Therefore, China, in the historical sense, is a territory that can vary depending on what we take as a reference.
On this map, Zhaoxu Sui takes as his reference point the year 1750 BC, when the Xia dynasty, which is often considered to be the first Chinese dynasty. From that point onwards, the author counts the number of years that each territory has been under the control of a Chinese dynasty. The different colours denote the number of years:
- Dark reds, over 2,500 years old.
- Light reds, between 1,500 and 2,500 years old.
- Oranges, between 500 and 1,500 years old.
- Yellow, less than 500 years old.
The author has chosen to exclude certain regimes which, in his view, cannot be considered Chinese mandates, such as the Mongol Empire, Nanyue, and Goguryeo.
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