County gazetteers are specialized books documenting the history, geography, customs, notable figures, culture/education, and natural products of individual counties.
Known as microcosms of regional history, county gazetteers reflect historical evolution and cultural characteristics across different areas. Generally, their contents cover the following aspects:
- Geographical Information of the County (县的地理信息), including natural environments, ethnic composition, and economic conditions;
- Historical Background (历史背景), encompassing historical relics, geographic advantages, population, grain production, administration/civil affairs, cultural education, and commerce;
- Historical Development (历史发展), illustrating local historical activities and developmental trajectories;
- Popular Culture (流行文化), featuring folk literature, legends, and traditional arts;
- Market Culture (市场文化), reflecting regional economic development and social civilization levels;
- Local Customs (当地风俗习惯), showcasing cultural traditions and folk practices.
CnOpenData has compiled over 6,000 PDF volumes of county gazetteers from Chinese regions to support relevant academic research.
Time Coverage
Kangxi-Qianlong periods (Qing Dynasty), Republican Era, and modern times (limited)
Coverage Regions
Sample Data
Note: This dataset comprises complete PDF documents. The table below previews filenames only. Please download sample documents at the bottom of this page.
Related Literature
- Wang Danli and Lu Ming, 2020: "Rural Public Goods Provision: Complementary Mechanisms of Society and Government," Economic Research Journal Vol.9.
- Feng Chen, Chen Shu, and Bai Caiquan, 2019: "Historical Roots of Long-term Human Capital Accumulation: Institutional Divergence, Confucian Cultural Diffusion, and State Capacity Building," Economic Research Journal Vol.5.
- Sui Fumin, 2018: "Market Development, Non-agricultural Employment, and Peasant Household Choices: Evidence from 1930s-1940s Rural Baoding," Economic Research Journal Vol.7.
- Li Nan and Lin Youhong, 2016: "Governance Transformation and Economic Development: Historical Evidence from 'Tusi Reform' in Southwest China during the Qing Dynasty," Economic Research Journal Vol.7.
Data Update Frequency
No updates