摘要： 至少自西周开始，历史中国就已疆域辽阔，也因此逐步演化出维系和拓展大国治理的中央与地方关系。分封诸侯的西周封建制，可谓构建大国最早的制度努力，也为秦汉以后历代王朝的郡县制变革设定了基本原则并奠定了基础。为防止国家分裂，加强中央集权，历史中国长期坚持的另一基本制度，是在行政区划上高度关注各地的自然地理。这一制度有着浓厚的地缘政治考量。在中原农耕区域与周边游牧民族既冲突又融合的历史进程中，历代王朝还采取了各种措施，并逐渐形成和建立了一些促成民族融合的重要制度。从大历史的视角来看，这构成了另一种形式的中央与地方关系。

关键词: 古代中国, 大国宪制, 中央与地方关系, 地缘政治, 统一的多民族国家

Abstract: China has long been a territorially large country,and historically evolved institutions of constitutional importance governing the relationship between central and local governments.The feudalism of Zhou dynasty was the earliest institutional effort,which paved the way for the transformation into a highly centralized system for the next 2000 and more years.Another key institutional practice was the geopolitical concerns and sensitivity in administrative division of the terrain so as to prevent risks of political separation.Finally,dynasties adopted series of measures and developed an institutional framework for farmers of central China to compete with nomads,and effectively promoted national integration in a broad historical perspective.

Key words: Ancient China, Constitution of Large Country, Relationship between Central and Local Governments, Geopolitical Concerns, Unified Multiethnic Country