Some Han Chinese Ming loyalists refused to use Zhongguo to refer to areas outside the borders of the Ming Empire such as outer Mongolia, in effect refusing to acknowledge the Qing state.
Nogle han-kinesiske Ming-loyalister nægtede at bruge "Zhongguo" for at henvise til områder uden for grænserne for Ming-imperiet så som Ydre Mongoliet, det vil sige, at de i realiteten nægtede at anerkende Qing-imperiet.