In the teaching of basic geography in primary and secondary schools, the concept of "quartering" is generally based in the northern region. Therefore, the northern region refers to the northern part of the eastern monsoon region of China, mainly referring to the north of the Qinling-Huaihe line, the east of Daxinganling and Wushaoling, and the east of Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea. Including Heilongjiang, most of Jilin, most of Liaoning, southeastern Gansu, south-central Ningxia, north-central Shaanxi, most of Shanxi, north-central Henan, most of Hebei, eastern Inner Mongolia, northern Jiangsu, northern Anhui and Shandong. Because of the popularity of basic education, this statement is widely circulated, and this entry is mainly based on this concept.

Broadly speaking, "northern region" should include the northwest region and the northern region under "stationing". In addition to the above areas, it also includes most of Xinjiang, north-central Gansu, most of Inner Mongolia, northern Ningxia, northwestern Shaanxi and northern Hebei.

Under the administrative division, the "northern region" is quite different from the above-mentioned natural division. It mainly includes: Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang.