Historical time zones of China

The time zones of China refer to the time zone divisions used in China between 1918 and 1949. The first time zone plan was proposed by the Central Observatory (now Beijing Ancient Observatory) of the Beiyang government in Peking (Beijing) in 1918. The proposal divided the country into five time zones: Kunlun (UTC+05:30), Sinkiang-Tibet (UTC+06:00), Kansu-Szechwan (UTC+07:00), Chungyuan (UTC+08:00) and Changpai (UTC+08:30). These time zones were ratified in 1939 by the Nationalist government in the Standard Time Conference, hosted by the Ministry of Interior of Executive Yuan. Because of the Second Sino-Japanese War, it was also stated that Kansu-Szechwan time shall be the sole national time during the war time. After the war in 1945, these five times zones were implemented national widely. In 1949, after the Chinese Civil War, the Central People's Government abolished the five time zones and announced to use a single time zone UTC+08:00 named Beijing Time (北京时间). The term Chungyuan Standard Time (中原標準時間) was still used by the Nationalist government on Taiwan until the early 2000s.

Overview of the time zones

Times zones of China from 1918 to 1949 (incl. claimed territories)
Color
Time offset UTC+05:30UTC+06:00UTC+07:00UTC+08:00UTC+08:30
Name KunlunSinkiang-TibetKansu-SzechwanChungyuanChangpai
Chinese 崑崙時區新藏時區隴蜀時區中原時區長白時區
Pinyin Kūnlún ShíqūXīn-Zàng ShíqūLǒng-Shǔ ShíqūZhōngyuán ShíqūChángbái Shíqū
Name origin Kunlun MountainsXinjiang and TibetGansu and SichuanThe Central PlainChangbai Mountains
Ref. longitude 82°30′E90°E105°E120°E127°30′E
Approx. present
day tz database
CN Asia/KashgarCN Asia/Urumqi
MN Asia/Hovd
CN Asia/Chongqing
MN Asia/Ulaanbaatar
CN Asia/Shanghai
HK Asia/Hong_Kong
MC Asia/Macau
MN Asia/Choibalsan
TW Asia/Taipei
CN Asia/Harbin

Time zones and administrative divisions

Time zoneHistorical administrative divisions (as of 1945–49)Present administrative divisions
Kunlun
崑崙時區
(UTC+05:30)
  • Western part of Sinkiang
  • Western part of Tibet Area
Sinkiang-Tibet
新藏時區
(UTC+06:00)
  • Eastern part of Sinkiang
  • Eastern part of Tibet Area
  • Western part of Sikang
  • Western part of Tsinghai
  • Western part of Mongolia Area (until 1946)
Kansu-Szechwan
隴蜀時區
(UTC+07:00)
  • Kansu
  • Kwangsi
  • Kweichow
  • Ningsia
  • Shensi
  • Suiyuan
  • Szechwan
  • Yunnan
  • Eastern part of Sikang
  • Eastern part of Tsinghai
  • Central part of Mongolia Area (until 1946)
Chungyuan
中原時區
(UTC+08:00)
  • Anhwei
  • Chahar
  • Chekiang
  • Fukien
  • Honan
  • Hopeh
  • Hsingan
  • Hunan
  • Hupeh
  • Jehol
  • Kiangsi
  • Kiangsu
  • Kwangtung
  • Liaoning
  • Liaopeh
  • Shansi
  • Shantung
  • Taiwan (after 1945)
  • Eastern part of the Mongolia Area (until 1946)
  • Hainan Special Administrative Region (split from Kwangtung in 1949)
Changpai
長白時區
(UTC+08:30)
  • Antung
  • Heilungkiang
  • Hokiang
  • Kirin
  • Nunkiang
  • Sungkiang

See also

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