I´d argue you can divide China up to the 20th century, really. In a different fashion though as you later on(ideological more than ethnical or religious/philosophical reasons)
To divide China is to create bloodshed, and in vast amounts.
Not particularly different than IOTL, not more than every dynastical change creates. The fact most changes are caused by famines, peasants uprisings and all out fighting for a decade or so is not going to be that different from what Europe suffered.
Very possible, especially noting the N/S Dynasties. You'd need to avoid sinicization, as well as the drive to unite China. Hence, why I'd argue that it's easiest to permanently (Assuming no world government) divide China through a POD in the Zhou dynasty, where the seeds for an imperial China was sowed.
Why? Why do you need to avoid sinicization? You had half of Europe latinized, didn´t change much.
Permanently, no, but extended periods, sure. It happened during the Warring States, Three Kingdoms Era and the Jin-Song period. Problem with that is that, as others pointed out, the idea of the Mandate of Heaven as a unifying force for China is already too strong by the Han Dynasty. All you can do is maintain an equilibrium of rival dynasties (or rival states for Post 1900s) by then.
The idea of Roman Empire existed in Europe as well, didn´t help. I´d guess the idea of the Caliph as well, but I could be totally wrong there.
Anyways, does the geography affect the power balance in OTL China which makes large, centralized states ultra-plausible?
Only to a certain extent, the North Chinese plain contains a lot of the demographic force that makes usually the controller of it the controller of the rest.
Very interesting map, actually might deserve a thread of its own.
Thanks, in a way the entire thread was around the creation of it.
