Editing Prefecture (section)

====The ancient sense====
;Xian ({{lang|zh|縣}})
{{Main|County (Taiwan)#History}}
When used in the context of [[Chinese history]], especially China before the [[Tang dynasty]], the word "prefecture" is used to translate ''xian'' ({{lang|zh|縣}}). This unit of administration is translated as "county" when used in a contemporary context, because of the increase of the number of "xian" and the decrease of  their sizes over time in the Chinese history.

;Zhou ({{lang|zh|州}}) or Fu ({{lang|zh|府}}) 
{{Main|Zhou (country subdivision)}}
In the context of Chinese history during or after the [[Tang dynasty]], the word "prefecture" is used to translate ''zhou'' (Wade–Giles ''chou'' ({{lang|zh|州}}), another ancient unit of administration in China, equivalent to the modern ''province''.