But from the administrative area, Nanhai refers to Nanhai County, which governs Panyu (now the old city of Guangzhou).

As the organizational name of administrative divisions, Nanhai began in the thirty-third year of Qin Shihuang (2 14 BC). In the twenty-sixth year of Qin Shihuang (22 1 BC), the six countries were pacified, the world was unified, the county system was implemented, and 36 counties (counties below the county) ruled the country; In thirty-three years, Lingnan was pacified, and Guilin, Xiang Jun and Nanhai were added. The number of counties under the jurisdiction of Nanhai County is not recorded in the history books. The Dictionary of Ancient and Modern Geographical Names in China is marked with the words Nanhai County: "Guangdong's old Guangzhou, Shaozhou, Huizhou, Zhaoqing, Nanxiong and Gaozhou are in the north, Guangxi's old Pingle is in the east, and Wuzhou is in the southeast." According to the records of the pre-Han history, Nanhai County governs Panyu, Boluo, Suzhong (the county seat is 60 kilometers northwest of Qingyuan), Longchuan, Sihui and Jieyang, while in the pre-Han history, 7 counties of Zengcheng County were separated from Panyu.

Nanhai County, the administrative division name from Qin Dynasty to Tang Dynasty, is located in the urban area of Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province.

After the Qin Dynasty pacified Lingnan, Guilin, Xiang Jun and Nanhai were established. Nanhai County governs four counties (Panyu, Sihui, Boluo and Longchuan) and six other counties (Panyu, Sihui, Boluo, Longchuan, Lijiang and Jieyang). The county seat is located in Panyu (now Guangzhou), and now the main areas are Guangdong, Hainan and southeastern Guangxi.

In the sixth year of Emperor Gaozu Ding Yuan (BC 1 1 1), he pacified South Vietnam, divided the three counties of Lingnan into nine counties (Nanhai, Cangwu, Yulin, Hepu, Jiaodi, Jiuzhen, Rinan, Zhu Ya and Yueer), and established the Jiaodi secretariat. Nanhai county governs Panyu county, Panyu, Suzhong, Boluo, Longchuan, Sihui and Jieyang.

In the first year of the Western Han Dynasty (8 BC), He Sui was changed to Jiaozhou, and Nanhai County was transferred to Jiaozhou.

In the fifth year of Sun Wu's Huang Wu (AD 226), Jiaozhou was divided into Jiaozhou and Guangzhou, and Nanhai County was transferred to Guangzhou, but it was soon abolished. In the seventh year of Yong 'an (AD 264), Guangzhou was restored.

Panyu, the administrative center of Nanhai County, is called Panyu, but its geographical location is not Panyu, but Guangzhou today.