lands outside Chinese civilization; uncivilized lands
Historical term used in pre-modern East Asian contexts to refer to regions beyond the sphere of Chinese cultural influence, often with a derogatory nuance.
See also: 化外
In ancient China, surrounding regions were sometimes called lands outside civilization.
From 化外 (kegai, 'outside civilization') + の (possessive particle) + 地 (chi, 'land'). The term reflects a Sino-centric worldview in historical East Asia.