三不管

First attested in 1927 in Lao She’s novel.

勇敢的鄉親，天津三不管見！ [MSC, trad.]

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勇敢的乡亲，天津三不管见！ [MSC, simp.]

From: 1927, 老舍,《趙子曰》(Chapter Five)

Yǒnggǎn de xiāngqīn, Tiānjīn sānbùguǎn jiàn! [Pinyin]

My brave fellow, see you in Sanbuguan!

That is originally a proper noun referring to Nanshi, Tianjin, which was an area between the Chinese-administered zone, the French concession, and the Japanese concession.

Alternatively, referring to the status of Kowloon Walled City beyond jurisdictions (1900–1993) involving the British, Chinese, and Hong Kong governments, of which early attestations, if any, are to be found.

三不管

1. (often attributive) to be not managed, controlled, supervised or administered by any party (of an area, matter, event, etc., where the number of parties involved is usually three)

   三不管地帶／三不管地带  ―  sānbùguǎn dìdài  ―  ungoverned area

   北三縣飛地的身份直接導致它成了處北京不想管、天津不想要、河北想管也管不到的三不管地域 [MSC, trad.]
   北三县飞地的身份直接导致它成了处北京不想管、天津不想要、河北想管也管不到的三不管地域 [MSC, simp.]

   Běisānxiàn fēidì de shēnfèn zhíjiē dǎozhì tā chéng le chù Běijīng bùxiǎng guǎn, Tiānjīn bùxiǎng yào, Héběi xiǎng guǎn yě guǎn bù dào de sānbùguǎn dìyù [Pinyin]

   The status of being an enclave in-between has caused the Three Northern Counties, i.e. Sanhe, Dachang, and Xianghe to be a district not administered directly by either Beijing, Tianjin, or Hebei.

• 羅竹風 [Luo, Zhufeng], editor (1986–1994), “三不管”, in 漢語大詞典 [Hanyu Da Cidian] (in Chinese), 1st edition, Shanghai: Shanghai Lexicographical Publishing House, →ISBN