Historical charity geography aims at a study of charity organizations and deeds in historical periods in terms of histogeography, and is also a leading branch of histosocial geography. This paper makes a preliminary theoretical summary of the object, contents and means of study of historical charity geography, intended to help to deepen studies in this area and further perfect the framework of histosocial geography studies. It believes that charity organizations in historical periods are the major objects of historical charity geography study, while histogeographical basis, timespace distribution and spatial operative pattern of rise and growth of charity organizations, and charity organizations and their activities and interaction in regional society are the main contents of its study.

historical charity geography; histosocial geography; histogeography