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108-429: Shijiazhuang is the capital and most populous city of China's Hebei Province. A prefecture-level city about 266 kilometres (165 mi) southwest of Beijing, it administers eight districts , three county-level cities and eleven counties . At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 11,235,086, with 6,230,709 in the built-up area comprising all urban districts except Jingxing District and Zhengding County ,

216-467: A 148 kilometres (92 mi) north–south extent and a 175 kilometres (109 mi) wide from east to west. The prefecture has borders stretching 760 kilometres (472 mi) long and covers an area of 15,722 square kilometres (6,070 sq mi). Bordering prefecture-level cities in Hebei are Hengshui (E), Xingtai (S), and Baoding (N/NE). To the west lies the province of Shanxi . The city stands at

324-507: A history of over 100 years, is one of China's first modern coal mines. It remains active, with an annual production of over 20 million metric tonnes. Much of the North China Oilfied is within Hebei. There are major iron mines at Handan and Qian'an . Iron and steel manufacturing are the largest industries in Hebei. The population in Hebei is mostly Han Chinese . There are 55 ethnic minorities in Hebei, representing 4.27% of

432-407: A large city. As of the end of 2017, the urban population of Shijiazhuang exceeded 4.5 million. In just six decades, the city's population has increased by more than 20 fold. At the end of 2009, the city's total non-migrant population was 9,774,100, an increase of 109,300 over the previous year. The birth rate of the city's population is 14.65%, the death rate is 6.25%, and the natural growth rate

540-474: A nomadic people known as Dí invaded the plains of northern China and established Zhongshan in central Hebei. In the Warring States period (403–221 BC), Jin was partitioned and much of its territory in Hebei went to Zhao . The Qin dynasty unified China in 221 BC. The Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) ruled the area under two provinces, You Prefecture in the north and Ji Province in the south. At

648-411: A rare distinction of being served by both the "conventional" Beijing–Guangzhou Railway and the new Beijing–Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong High-Speed Railway . Such an arrangement is fairly uncommon on China's high-speed rail network , as typically high-speed lines are constructed to bypass city cores, where the older "conventional" train stations are. In Shijiazhuang's case, to make it possible to bring

756-511: A thick layer of smog over the region. Officials blamed the dense pollution on lack of wind, automobile exhaust emissions under low air pressure, and coal-powered district heating system in North China region. Prevailing winds blew low-hanging air masses of factory emissions (mostly SO 2 ) towards China's east coast. Shijiazhuang has direct administrative jurisdiction over: Migrants flowing in from all across China largely contributed to

864-647: Is "Yanzhao" ( 燕赵 ), which is the collective name of the Yan and Zhao states that controlled the region during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (771–221 BC). In 1421, the Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing , and the province surrounding the new capital was first called North Zhili or Zhili , meaning 'directly ruled'. When Nanjing became

972-887: Is 11.2 times the World Health Organization PM2.5 Guideline (5 μg/m: set in September, 2021). These pollution levels are estimated to reduce the Life Expectancy of an average person living in Shijiazhuang by almost 5 years. A dense wave of smog began in the Central and Eastern part of China on December 2, 2013, across a distance of around 1,200 kilometres (750 mi), including Shijiazhuang and surrounding areas. A lack of cold air flow, combined with slow-moving air masses carrying industrial emissions, collected airborne pollutants to form

1080-477: Is 36,931,232 (49.50%). The gender ratio of the total population was 102.02, decreasing by 0.82 from 2010. Religion in Hebei The dominant religions in Hebei are Chinese folk religions , Taoist traditions , and Chinese Buddhism . According to surveys conducted in 2007 and 2009, 5.52% of the population believe in and are involved in ancestor veneration , while 3.05% identify as Christian, belonging mostly to

1188-637: Is 5,075,875, accounting for 49.94% of the total population. The gender ratio of the total population is 100 women per 100.24 men. The population aged between 0 and 14 is 1,548,125, accounting for 15.23% of the total population; the population aged between 15 and 64 is 7,789,753, accounting for 76.64% of the total population; the population aged 65 and over is 825,910, accounting for 8.13% of the total population. The top 10 surnames of Shijiazhuang are: Zhang (10.27%), Wang (9.25%), Li (9.17%), Liu (6.73%), Zhao (4.28%), Yang (2.82%), Gao (2.08%), Chen (1.92%), Ma (1.77%), and Guo (1.55%). On May 6, 2011,

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1296-411: Is 8.4%. According to the sixth national census in 2010, the city's total non-migrant population stands at 10,163,788. Compared with the fifth national census a decade prior, there was an increase of 818,365 people, or an increase of 8.76%, and an average annual growth rate of 0.84%. Among them, the male population stood at 5,087,913, accounting for 50.06% of the total population; the female population

1404-479: Is Liu Heng, its name was changed to Changshan (常山). From Han (206 BC–AD 220) to Sui (581–618) times it was the site of a county seat named Shiyi. With the reorganization of local government in the early period of the Tang dynasty (618–907), Hengshan county was abolished, and it was reestablished as a prefecture. It was renamed as Zhen Prefecture due to a naming taboo with Emperor Muzong of Tang , whose personal name

1512-587: Is based on agriculture and manufacturing; it is China's premier steel producer, which has contributed to serious air pollution. "Hebei" means 'north of the river', derived from the province's location north of the Yellow River in the North China Plain . In the Yu Gong , the province is recorded as " Jizhou ", lending to its traditional abbreviation of "Ji" ( 冀 ). The province's nickname

1620-473: Is east of the Taihang Mountains , a mountain range extending over 400 km (250 mi) from north to south with an average elevation of 1,500 to 2,000 m (4,900 to 6,600 ft). The city's present name, Shijiazhuang (Chinese: 石家庄 ), first appeared during the Ming dynasty . Its literal meaning is " Shi family's village". The word Shijiazhuang was generally used after construction of

1728-635: Is said to have lived in present-day Xingtai . The mythical Battle of Zhuolu , won by the Yellow Emperor , Yan Emperor , and their Yanhuang tribes against the Chiyou -led Jiuli tribes, took place in Zhangjiakou and started the Huaxia civilization. During the Spring and Autumn period (722–476 BC), Hebei was under the rule of Yan in the north and Jin in the south. Also during this period,

1836-645: Is similar to spring in temperature and lack of rainfall. January averages −1.4 °C (29.5 °F), while July averages 27.7 °C (81.9 °F); the annual mean is 14.3 °C (57.7 °F). With the monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 38 percent in July to 56 percent in May, the city receives 2,163 hours of sunshine annually. More than half of the annual rainfall occurs in July and August alone. Extremes since 1951 have ranged from −26.5 °C (−15.7 °F) to 42.8 °C (109.0 °F). According to

1944-998: Is structured in a dual party-government system like all other governing institutions in mainland China . The Governor of Hebei is the highest-ranking official in the People's Government of Hebei. However, in the province's dual party-government governing system, the governor has less power than the Hebei Chinese Communist Party Provincial Committee Secretary ( CCP Party Chief ). Hebei has eleven prefecture-level divisions . All are prefecture-level cities : These eleven prefecture-level divisions are subdivided into 168 county-level divisions (47 districts , 21 county-level cities , 94 counties and 6 autonomous counties ). Those are, in turn, divided into 2207 township-level divisions (1 district public office , 937 towns , 979 townships , 55 ethnic townships , and 235 subdistricts ). At

2052-419: Is the main source of cotton, pears, dates and walnuts in Hebei province. In 2008, total imports reached US$ 1.393 billion, an increase of 42.1 percent over the previous year. Exports increased by 34.9 percent to US$ 5.596 billion. 2006 World Bank reported that Shijiazhuang was spending less than RMB400 per capita on education, as opposed to Beijing (RMB1,044) and Weihai (RMB1,631). The zone

2160-444: Is usually creamy white, though it is also made in other colors. Hebei cuisine is typically based on wheat, mutton, and beans. The donkey burger , originating from the cities of Baoding and Hejian , Cangzhou , is a staple in provincial cuisine and has spread into the two municipalities. Other dishes include local variants of shaobing . Beidaihe , located near Shanhaiguan, is a popular beach resort. The Ming Great Wall crosses

2268-543: The Catholic Church . As of 2010 Muslims constitute 0.82% of the population of Hebei. Although the surveys did not provide specific data for other religions, 90.61% of the population are either nonreligious or are involved in worship of nature deities , Buddhism , Confucianism , Taoism , and folk religious sects . Zailiism is a folk religious sect that originated in Hebei. Local worship of deities organized into benevolent churches in reaction to Catholicism in

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2376-616: The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences published the "2011 China Urban Competitiveness Blue Book: China Urban Competitiveness Report". In it, the happiness survey sampled 294 cities across China, arriving at the conclusion that the residents of Shijiazhuang were the happiest. This result caused strong doubts from netizens. In 2014, the GDP of Shijiazhuang reached CN¥510.02 billion (about $ 80.45 billion in USD), an increase of 12 percent over

2484-487: The First Five-Year Plan . Shijiazhuang was one of the fourteen cities selected as focus cities for development. The population more than tripled in the decade 1948–58 after Communist won the civil war. In the 1950s, the city experienced a major expansion in the textile industry, with large-scale cotton spinning, weaving, printing, and dyeing works. In addition, there are plants processing local farm produce. In

2592-629: The Hu and Xiongnu . Its capital was Handan , in modern Hebei province. Zhao was home to the administrative philosopher Shen Dao , Confucian Xun Kuang , and Gongsun Long , who is affiliated to the school of names . The Zhao clan within Jin had been accumulating power for centuries, including annexing the Baidi state of Dai in the mid-5th century BC. At the end of the Spring and Autumn period, Jin

2700-574: The Japanese Army , the Chinese Communist Party ultimately reverted the city's name back to Shijiazhuang on December 26, 1947. Since then, many terms regarding the city have been stemmed from the "zhuang" suffix, including its nickname "international village" ( 国际庄 ), and the colloquial demonym, "villagers" ( 庄里人 ). Jokingly, people also call it "Sky Home Town" or "Rocksville" from its Chinese translating into English. This area

2808-528: The Ji Lu Mandarin subdivision of Chinese. Along the western border with Shanxi , dialects are distinct enough for linguists to consider them as part of Jin , another subdivision of Chinese. In general, the dialects of Hebei are similar to the Beijing dialect , which forms the basis for Standard Chinese and the official language of the nation. However, there are also some distinct differences, such as

2916-740: The Jing-Jin-Ji megalopolis region. With a population of 130 million, it is about six times the size of the New York metropolitan area and is one of the largest megalopolis clusters in China. Beijing had also unloaded some of its non-capital functions to the province with the establishment of the Xiong'an New Area, which integrates the three municipalities. Hebei is the only province in China to contain plateaus, mountains, hills, shorelines, plains, and lakes. Most of central and southern Hebei lies within

3024-624: The Jin–Song wars . Hebei was heavily affected by the flooding of the Yellow River; between 1048 and 1128, the river ran directly through the province rather than to its south. The Mongol Yuan dynasty divided China into provinces but did not establish Hebei as a province. Instead, the area was directly administrated by the Secretariat at the capital Dadu . The Ming dynasty ruled Hebei as Beizhili, meaning Northern Directly Ruled because

3132-856: The Kuomintang , the capital was moved from Beijing to Nanjing . As a result, the province's name was changed to Hebei, reflecting the relocation of the capital and its standard provincial administration. During the World War II , Hebei was under the control of the Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China , a puppet state of Imperial Japan . The founding of the People's Republic of China saw several changes. The region around Chengde , previously part of Rehe Province (historically part of Manchuria ), and

3240-429: The North China Plain , particularly grain, tobacco, and cotton. By 1935, it had far outstripped Zhengding as an economic center. At the end of World War II the character of the city changed when it took on an administrative role as the preeminent city in western Hebei, and developed into an industrial city. Some industries, such as match manufacturing, tobacco processing, and glassmaking, had already been established before

3348-618: The North China Plain . Western Hebei rises into the Taihang Mountains (Taihang Shan), while the Yan Mountains (Yan Shan) runs through northern Hebei. Beyond the mountains are the grasslands of Inner Mongolia . The highest peak is Mount Xiaowutai in Yu County in the northwest of the province, with an altitude of 2,882 m (9,455 ft). Hebei borders the Bohai Sea on the east. The Hai River watershed covers most of

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3456-550: The Northern Qi , with its capital at Ye near modern Linzhang , Hebei. The Sui dynasty again unified China in 589. During the Tang dynasty (618–907), the area was officially called Hebei for the first time. The Great Yan State was established in Hebei from 756 to 763 during the An Lushan Rebellion . After the rebellion, Lulong Jiedushi retained its autonomy from Tang during most of the 9th century. During

3564-497: The Qin dynasty and made himself and seventeen other lords kings , appointing Zhao Xie the king of Dai. Chen Yu helped Zhao Xie reclaim the land of Zhao from Zhang Er, so Zhao Xie created Chen Yu as Prince of Dai. In 205 BC, Chen Yu's subordinate in Dai, Xia Yue ( 夏說 ), was defeated by Liu Bang 's generals Han Xin and Zhang Er. Chen Yu was defeated by Han Xin in 204 BC, and later Zhao Xie

3672-696: The Qing dynasty . Hebei has the largest Catholic population in China, with one million members and 1.5 million Catholics according to the Catholic Church. In 1900, apparition of the Virgin Mary was said have appeared in the town of Donglu in Baoding . As a result, Donglu is "one of the strongholds of the unofficial Catholic Church in China". Many Catholics in Hebei remain loyal to the Pope and reject

3780-607: The Shijiazhuang station of the Zhengtai Railway in 1907. The origin of the name is heavily disputed. One story claimed that the Wanli Emperor sent 24 officers and their families to the area, after which the group splits into two settlements consisting of 10 and 14 families. The imperial court then named the settlements "village of 10 families" ( 十家庄 ) and "village of 14 families" (十四家庄), respectively. Since

3888-580: The Western Jin dynasty , chaos ensued in the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Northern and Southern dynasties . Because of its location on the northern frontier, Hebei changed hands many times and was controlled at various times by Later Zhao , Former Yan , Former Qin , and Later Yan . The Northern Wei reunified northern China in 440 but split in 534, with Hebei coming under Eastern Wei ; then

3996-736: The leagues of Inner Mongolia. The Qing dynasty collapsed in 1912 and was replaced by the Republic of China . In a few years, China descended into a civil war, with regional warlords vying for power. Since Zhili was so close to the capital of Beijing , it was the site of the Zhiwan War , the First Zhifeng War , and the Second Zhifeng War . With the success of the Northern Expedition in 1926 and 1927 by

4104-432: The 1960s it was the site of a new chemical industry , with plants producing fertilizer and caustic soda . Shijiazhuang also became an engineering base, with a tractor-accessory plant. There are important coal deposits at Jingxing and Huailu, now named Luquan , a few miles to the west in the foothills of the Taihang Mountains , which provide fuel for a thermal-generating plant supplying power to local industries. Tianjin

4212-458: The 5th century BC. Zhao gained considerable strength from the military reforms initiated during the reign of King Wuling , but suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Qin at the Battle of Changping . Its territory included areas in the modern provinces of Inner Mongolia , Hebei , Shanxi and Shaanxi . It bordered the states of Qin, Wei, and Yan , as well as various nomadic peoples including

4320-473: The Chinese characters for ten ( 十 ; shí ) and stone ( 石 ; shí ) are homophones, it is speculated that the city name gradually evolved into its current spelling. Another explanation is that the settlement was named after the highest-ranking official amongst the groups, who was surnamed Shi . However, a county named Shiyi (Chinese: 石邑 ; lit. 'stone city'), in present-day Luquan District ,

4428-756: The Chinese defense against the Khitans for the next century because it lay within the Great Wall . During the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), the sixteen ceded prefectures continued to be an area of contention between Song China and the Liao dynasty. Later, the Southern Song dynasty abandoned all of North China , including Hebei, to the Jurchen Jin dynasty after the 1127 Jingkang Incident of

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4536-534: The Chinese states and tactics of the steppe nomads, Zhao's cavalry became a powerful force. As a result, the newly empowered Zhao were more evenly matched with their greatest threat, Qi. Zhao demonstrated its increased military prowess by conquering the state of Zhongshan in 295 BC after a protracted war and annexing territory from the neighbouring states of Wei, Yan, and Qin. During this time, Zhao cavalry also occasionally intruded into Qi during latter campaigns against Chu . Several brilliant military commanders of

4644-576: The National Environmental Analysis released by Tsinghua University and The Asian Development Bank in January 2013, Shijiazhuang was one of ten most air-polluted cities in the world. Also according to this report, 7 of 10 most air-polluted cities are in China, including Taiyuan , Beijing, Urumqi , Lanzhou , Chongqing, Jinan and Shijiazhuang. As air pollution in China is at an all-time high, several northern cities are among

4752-512: The North China Pharmaceutical Group Corporation, Shijiazhuang Pharma Group , and Shineway Pharma. The textile industry is also one of the backbones of the city's commerce. Other sectors include machinery and chemicals such as Shijiazhuang Donghua Jinlong , building materials, light industry, and electronics. With abundant agricultural resources, Shijiazhuang has 590,000 hectares of cultivated land and

4860-567: The Qin army captured him and defeated his forces at Dai. A rebel named Wu Chen , following the example of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang in Chu , proclaimed himself King of Zhao. Wu was later killed by his subordinate Li Liang ( 李良 ), Zhang Er ( 張耳 ) and Chen Yu ( 陳餘 ), former officials of Zhao, created the Zhao royal Zhao Xie ( 趙歇 ) as King of Zhao. In 206 BC, the rebel lord Xiang Yu of Chu defeated

4968-569: The Rehe Palace, this was the summer resort of the Manchu Qing dynasty emperors. The resort was built between 1703 and 1792. It consists of a palace complex and a large park with lakes, pavilions, causeways, and bridges. There are also several Tibetan Buddhist and Han Chinese temples in the surrounding area. There are Qing dynasty imperial tombs at Zunhua ( Eastern Qing Tombs ) and Yixian ( West Qing Tombs ). The Eastern Qing Tombs are

5076-587: The area contained and was directly ruled by the imperial capital in Beijing . The "Northern" designation was used because there was a southern counterpart covering present-day Jiangsu and Anhui . When the Manchu Qing dynasty came to power in 1644, they abolished the southern counterpart, and Hebei became known as Zhili or Directly Ruled. During the Qing dynasty, the northern borders of Zhili extended deep into Inner Mongolia and overlapped in jurisdiction with

5184-484: The area houses a memorial site. The 2018 Women's Bandy World Championship was held in Hebei. Sports teams based in Hebei include National Basketball League (China) , Hebei Springs Benma, and the Chinese Football Association team Hebei F.C. , Hebei Elite F.C. , and Cangzhou Mighty Lions F.C. Baoding is home to the Baoding balls , a kind of metal ball for exercise and meditation. Under

5292-507: The authority of the Catholic Patriotic Church. Four of Hebei's underground bishops have been imprisoned in recent years: Bishop Francis An Shuxin of Donglu since 1996; Bishop James Su Zhimin since October 1997; Bishop Han Dingxiang of Yongnian who died in prison in 2007, and Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo of Zhengding since late 1999. People speak dialects of Mandarin across the Hebei, with most classified as part of

5400-442: The bloodiest battle of the entire period, the Battle of Changping in 260 BC. Zhao's forces were utterly defeated by Qin. Although the forces of Wei and Chu saved Handan from a subsequent siege by the victorious Qin, Zhao would never recover from the enormous loss of troops in the battle. In 229 BC, invasions led by the Qin general Wang Jian were resisted by Li Mu and his subordinate officer Sima Shang ( 司馬尚 ) until 228 BC. Li Mu

5508-502: The bombs via taxi and stated that the bombings were an act of revenge on his relatives, who were among the tenants of the apartments. Jin and his accomplices were later executed. In December 2020, its mayor, Deng Peiran, was charged with corruption, with Ma Yujun currently serving as the acting mayor. A few weeks later, the city became a new COVID-19 hotspot: starting from the village of Xiaoguozhuang in Gaocheng District in

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5616-464: The capital as tribute. Other texts also discussed these regional differences in culture and physical environment. One such text was Wuzi (The Book of Master Wu), a military treatise of the Warring States, written in response to a request from Marquis Wu of Wei for advice on how to deal with the other states. Wu Qi , to whom work is attributed, explained that the government and nature of

5724-500: The capital of the Republic of China in 1928, the province of Zhili was abolished and given its present name of Hebei. Peking Man , an early pre-historic Homo erectus , lived on the plains of Hebei around 200,000 to 700,000 years ago. Neolithic findings at the prehistoric Beifudi site date to 7000 and 8000 BC. Many early Chinese myths are set in the province. Fuxi , one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors ,

5832-501: The city's divisions. Qiaodong District was dissolved and merged into Chang'an and Qiaoxi districts. Three county-level cities, Gaocheng , Luquan , and Luancheng , became urban districts. Shijiazhuang is located in south-central Hebei, and is part of the Bohai Economic Rim . Its administrative area ranges in latitude from 37° 27' to 38° 47' N, and the longitude 113° 30' to 115° 20' E. The prefecture-level city reaches

5940-541: The city's position as a key political center. A year later, as the result of the merger between the Bank of North China, the Bank of Beihai, and the Northwest Agricultural Bank, the People's Bank of China was established here, where it produced and released the first series of the renminbi . Meanwhile, the industrialization of the city also gathered momentum thanks to government initiatives including

6048-404: The city, Jingxing Mining District , was created on June 27, 1950. On November 7, 1952, Hengshui Prefecture, to the east, was merged into Shijiazhuang, adding six more counties. The prefecture continued to expand after Dingxian Prefecture was split and merged into Baoding and Shijiazhuang on June 18, 1954. Between March 1960 and May 1961, the prefecture and the city merged. Thereafter, however,

6156-399: The eastern part of Shijiazhuang, covers an area of 5.8 km (2.2 sq mi), and serves as the primary section of the New High-tech Industrial Development Zone. The district focuses on the establishment of new high-tech enterprises. There are plans to expand the district into an area of 9.8 km (3.8 sq mi). A railway line operated by Shijiazhuang Oil Refinery runs through

6264-451: The edge of the North China Plain , which rises to the Taihang Mountains to the west of the city, and lies south of the Hutuo River . From west to east, the topography can be summarised as moderately high mountains, then low-lying mountains, hills, basin, and finally plains. Out of the eight east–west routes across the Taihang Mountains, the fifth, the Niangzi Pass , connects the city directly with Taiyuan , Shanxi. The mountainous part of

6372-443: The end of 2017, the total population of Hebei was 75.2 million. In 2014, Hebei's gross domestic product (GDP) was 2.942 trillion yuan (US$ 479 billion). It is ranked sixth in the PRC , with its GDP per capita reaching 40,124 renminbi . As of 2011, the primary , secondary , and tertiary sectors of industry contributed 203.46 billion, 877.74 billion, and 537.66 billion RMB respectively. The registered urban unemployment rate

6480-404: The end of the Han dynasty, most of Hebei was under the control of warlords Gongsun Zan in the north and Yuan Shao further south. Yuan Shao emerged as the victor of the two, but he was defeated by Cao Cao in the Battle of Guandu in 200. Hebei came under the rule of the Kingdom of Wei , established by the descendants of Cao Cao. After the invasions of northern nomadic peoples at the end of

6588-450: The headquarters of the People's Liberation Army during the decisive stages of the Chinese Civil War between May 26, 1948, and March 23, 1949, at which point they were moved to Beijing. Today, the area is a memorial site. Since the city was pivotal to the People's Liberation Army 's victory of the Chinese Civil War , many governmental agencies have roots in Shijiazhuang. The creation of the North China People's Government in 1947 affirmed

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6696-480: The largest formula seller in China for a continuous 15-year period. Richard McGregor , author of The Party: The Secret World of China's Communist Rulers , said that Sanlu became "an invaluable asset for a city otherwise struggling to attract industry and investment on a par with China's premier metropolises." Both the dairy trade and Sanlu were affected by the 2008 Chinese milk scandal . The chairman and general manager of Sanlu, and several party officials, including

6804-402: The late Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period , Lulong was fragmented among several regimes including the short-lived Yan . It was eventually annexed in 913 by Li Cunxu , who established the Later Tang (923–936). Emperor Gaozu of the Later Jin dynasty ceded much of northern Hebei to the Khitan Liao dynasty . This territory, called the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, became a weakness in

6912-680: The most polluted cities and have some of the worst air quality in China. Reporting on China's air quality has been accompanied by what seems like a monochromatic slideshow of the country's several cities smothered in thick smog. According to a survey made by "Global voices China" in February 2013, Shijiazhuang is among China's 10 most polluted cities along with other cities including major Chinese cities like Beijing and Zhengzhou , and 6 other prefectural cities all in Hebei . These cities are all situated in traditional geographic subdivision of "Huabei (North China) Region". In 2020, annual average PM2.5 Air Pollution in Shijiazhuang stood at 56 μg/m, which

7020-453: The name Shijia. The city ended up being renamed as Shimen ( 石门 ) when it was officially incorporated on August 29, 1925, after the merger with another village, Xiumen (Chinese: 休门 ; lit. 'auspicious gate'). Despite being renamed, however, many documents and war plans from the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War still referred to the city as "Shijiazhuang" or "Shizhuang". To avoid confusion and association with

7128-431: The national Ministry of Education: Under other national agencies: Under the provincial government: There are also Tibetan Buddhist schools in the province. Zhao (state) Zhao ( traditional Chinese : 趙 ; simplified Chinese : 赵 ) was one of the seven major states during the Warring States period of ancient China. It emerged from the tripartite division of Jin , along with Han and Wei , in

7236-400: The new high-speed railway into the central city, a 5 km (3.1 mi) long railway tunnel was constructed under the city. This is the first time a high-speed railway has been run under a Chinese city. Hebei During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (771–226 BC), the region was ruled by the states of Yan and Zhao . During the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368),

7344-411: The northern part of Hebei, and its eastern end is located on the coast at Shanhaiguan (Shanhai Pass), near Qinhuangdao . Informally known as the First Pass of The World, Shanhaiguan Pass was where Ming general Wu Sangui opened the gates to Manchu forces in 1644, beginning nearly 300 years of Manchu rule. The Chengde Mountain Resort and its outlying temples are a World Heritage Site . Also known as

7452-430: The northern portion of the city, cases has been increasing rapidly since January 2, 2021. Due to its proximity with Beijing and the severity of the outbreak, harsh measures were put into place, with all 11 million residences undergoing mandatory testing, as well as school closures, banning of gatherings, and residential districts being sealed. All highways were blocked off, with rail and air links also suspended. Throughout

7560-426: The old provincial capital, contains the historic Zhili governor's residence and the former court. Xibaipo , a village about 90 km (56 mi) from Shijiazhuang in Pingshan County , was the location of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the headquarters of the People's Liberation Army during the decisive stages of the Chinese Civil War between May 26, 1948, and March 23, 1949. Today,

7668-564: The people are linked to the physical environment and territory in which they live. Of Zhao, he said: The two states of Han and Zhao train their troops rigorously but have difficulty in applying their skills to the battlefield. Han and Zhao are states of the Central Plain. Theirs are a gentle people, weary from war and experienced in arms, but have little regard for their generals. The soldiers' salaries are meager and their officers have no strong commitment to their countries. Although their troops are experienced, they cannot be expected to fight to

7776-648: The period served Zhao contemporaneously, including Lian Po , Zhao She , and Li Mu . Lian Po was instrumental in defending Zhao against Qin. Zhao She was most active in the east, leading the invasion of Yan . Li Mu defended Zhao against the Xiongnu in the Zhao–Xiongnu War and later against Qin. By the end of the Warring States period, Zhao was the only state strong enough to oppose the mighty Qin . An alliance with Wei against Qin began in 287 BC, but ended in defeat at Huayang in 273 BC. The struggle then culminated in

7884-579: The pharmaceutical industry and the petrochemical industry . By 2009, some 2,600 enterprises had settled in the zone, of which 185 were foreign-funded enterprises. Firms from Japan, the US, the Republic of Korea, Germany, Italy, Canada, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan had established themselves in the zone. The city is a center for the dairy trade, being the headquarters of the Sanlu Group . Sanlu became Shijiazhuang's largest taxpayer since it had become

7992-601: The plains area in the east and south of the city, the focus of the developments later shifted towards the mountainous districts and counties in the west, as well as along the Hutuo River in the north. In the early hours of March 16, 2001, four apartment buildings were leveled after a series of explosions rocked the city, killing 108 while injuring 38. The perpetrator was a deaf, unemployed man named Jin Ruchao who police arrested weeks later. Jin confessed that he had delivered

8100-429: The plot: on the false advice of disloyal court officials and Qin infiltrators, he ordered Li Mu's execution and relieved Sima Shang of his duties. Li Mu's replacement, Zhao Cong, was promptly defeated by Wang Jian. Qin captured King Youmiu and defeated Zhao in 228 BC. Prince Jia, half-brother of King Qian, was proclaimed King Jia at Dai and led the last Zhao forces against the Qin. This regime lasted until 222 BC, when

8208-511: The population growth of Shijiazhuang in recent times. With a population of 120,000 in 1947, Shijiazhuang became the first medium-large city captured by the Chinese Communist Party from the Kuomintang . By the time of the People's Republic of China's founding in 1949, the total urban population increased to more than 270,000 people, more than doubling in a span of two years. In 1953, when China rolled out its first five-year plan,

8316-653: The prefecture consists of parts of: The Hutuo River Basin in the east juts into: The city has a continental, monsoon -influenced semi-arid climate ( Köppen BSk / Dwa ), characterised by hot, humid summers due to the East Asian monsoon, and generally cold, windy, very dry winters that reflect the influence of the Siberian anticyclone . Spring can see sandstorms blowing in from the Mongolian steppe, accompanied by rapidly warming, but generally dry, conditions. Autumn

8424-566: The prefecture was re-established, with Hengshui Prefecture splitting away the next year. The city and its prefecture merged for good in June 1993. In the 2010s, Shijiazhuang's administrative divisions saw further changes. In 2013, the county-level city of Xinji , although still part of Shijiazhuang prefecture, is now directly administered by Hebei province . Later, the State Council of the People's Republic of China approved more adjustments to

8532-636: The previous year, and placing the city 20th in provincial capitals by GDP. Shijiazhuang has become a major industrial city in North China and is considered to be the economic center of Hebei province, along with Tangshan . The city also located in Beijing-Tianjin-Shijiazhuang Hi-Tech Industrial Belt , which is one of the main Hi-Tech Belts in China. Nicknamed the "medicine hub of China", it is home to major pharmaceutical companies and factories like

8640-481: The pronunciation of some words, made by entering tone syllables (syllables ending on a plosive ) in Middle Chinese . Traditional forms of Chinese opera in Hebei include Pingju , Hebei Bangzi (Hebei Clapper Opera), and Cangzhou Kuaiban Dagu . Pingju is especially popular because it tends to use colloquial language which is easier for audiences to understand. Originating from northeastern Hebei, Pingju

8748-819: The province's central and southern parts; the Luan River watershed covers the northeast. Excluding manmade reservoirs, the largest lake in Hebei is Baiyangdian , located in Anxin County , Baoding . Major cities in Hebei include: Shijiazhuang , Baoding , Tangshan , Qinhuangdao , Handan , and Zhangjiakou . Hebei has a monsoon -influenced humid continental climate. Its winters are cold and dry, while its summers are hot and humid. Temperatures average −16 to −3 °C (3 to 27 °F) in January and 20 to 27 °C (68 to 81 °F) in July. The annual precipitation ranges from 400 to 800 mm (16 to 31 in), concentrated heavily in summer. The politics of Hebei

8856-475: The region around Zhangjiakou , previously part of Chahar Province (historically part of Inner Mongolia ), were merged into Hebei. This extended its borders northwards beyond the Great Wall. Meanwhile, the city of Puyang was carved away, causing Hebei to lose access to the Yellow River . The city became part of the short-lived Pingyuan Province before eventually being annexed into Henan . The capital

8964-598: The region was called Zhongshu . It was called North Zhili during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), and simply Zhili during the Qing dynasty (1644–1912). The modern province of Hebei was created in 1928. Five UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be found in the province: the Great Wall of China , Chengde Mountain Resort , Grand Canal , Eastern Qing tombs , and Western Qing tombs . It is also home to five National Famous Historical and Cultural Cities : Handan , Baoding , Chengde , Zhengding and Shanhaiguan . Hebei's economy

9072-537: The resting place of 161 Qing emperors, empresses, and other members of the Qing imperial family, while the West Qing Tombs have 76 burials. Both tomb complexes are part of a World Heritage Site . The Zhaozhou , or Anji Bridge , was built by Li Chun during the Sui dynasty and is the oldest stone arch bridge in China. It is one of the most significant examples of pre-modern Chinese civil engineering . Baoding ,

9180-525: The total population of Shijiazhuang's urban area increased to 320,000. In 1960, the total population of the Shijiazhuang urban area had reached 650,000. In 1968, the city experienced a substantial increase due to it being designated the capital of Hebei to avoid chaos in Baoding amidst the Cultural Revolution. By 1980, the urban population had surpassed the one million mark, joining the ranks of

9288-420: The total population. The largest ethnic groups are Manchu (2.1 million people), Hui (600,000 people), and Mongol (180,000 people). Population totals do not include those in active service with the People's Liberation Army . In 2019, the birth rate was 10.83 births per 1,000 people, while the death rate was 6.12 deaths per 1,000 people. The male population is 37,679,003 (50.50%), the female population

9396-490: The town from a local collecting center and market into a communications center of national importance on the main route from Beijing and Tianjin to Shanxi, and later, when the railway from Taiyuan was extended to the southwest, to Shaanxi as well. The city also became the center of an extensive road network. Pre- World War II , Shijiazhuang was a large railway town as well as a commercial and collecting center for Shanxi and regions farther west and for agricultural produce of

9504-503: The twelfth largest in mainland China. Shijiazhuang experienced dramatic growth after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The population of the metropolitan area has more than quadrupled in thirty years as a result of industrialization and infrastructural developments. From 2008 to 2011, Shijiazhuang implemented a three-year plan, resulting in an increase of green areas and new buildings and roads. A railway station, airport and subway system have been opened. Shijiazhuang

9612-612: The vice-mayor in charge of food and agriculture, Zhang Fawang, were reportedly removed from office. Mayor Ji Chuntang reportedly resigned on September 17, 2008. The city is served by many expressways, including the Shitai , Beijing– Shenzhen and Taiyuan – Cangzhou Expressways. Shijiazhuang is a transportation hub at the intersection point of the Beijing– Guangzhou , Taiyuan – Dezhou , and Shuozhou – Huanghua railways. The new Shijiazhuang railway station (opened December 2012) has

9720-556: The war. By 1941, Shide railway line was constructed between Shijiazhuang and Dezhou , Shandong in the war occupied period , operated by North China Transportation Company . On November 12, 1947, the city was captured by Communist forces. Xibaipo , a village about 90 km (56 mi) from downtown Shijiazhuang, in Pingshan County was the location of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and

9828-405: The years, the city's administrative units have been shifted and adjusted multiple times. Initially, Shijiazhuang was administered under the prefecture of the same name, along with the counties of Zhengding , Pingshan , Lingshou , Jingxing , Jianping , Huailu , Jinxian , Gaocheng , Luancheng , Zhaoxian , Shulu , Yuanshi , Zanhuang , Gaoyi , and one town, Xinji . The first new district of

9936-470: The zone from north to south, so enterprises in the zone can build lines of their own. The Western District, located in the southwest of Shijiazhuang, covers an area of 8.2 km (3.2 sq mi). It focuses on small- and medium-sized technology enterprises and technology incubation. Liangcun District, which borders the Western District, covers 4 km (1.5 sq mi), and focuses on

10044-454: Was divided between three powerful ministers, one of whom was Zhao Xiangzi , patriarch of the Zhao family. In 403 BC, the Zhou king formally recognised the existence of the Zhao state along with two other states, Han and Wei. Some historians, beginning with Sima Guang , take this recognition to mark the beginning of the Warring States period. At the beginning of the Warring States period, Zhao

10152-654: Was 3.96%. Hebei's industries include textiles , coal , steel , iron , engineering, chemical production, petroleum, power, ceramics , and food. 40% of Hebei's labor force works in the agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry sectors, with the majority of production from these industries going to Beijing and Tianjin . Hebei's main agricultural products are cereal crops, including wheat , maize , millet , and sorghum . Cash crops like cotton , peanut , soybeans and sesame are also produced. Hebei has abundant natural resources. The Kailuan mine in Tangshan , with

10260-463: Was Li Heng. Zhending was a giant city in the area, now Zhengding county, where was destination of migration from Yuan dynasty people and central area of preceding Northern Song dynasty people, particularly in Kaifeng and Zhengzhou etc. Marco Polo has glanced the city and noted it in his book. The name "Shijiazhuang" was first mentioned in 1535 on a stele of a local temple. Shijiazhuang

10368-412: Was a major victory for Qi, reducing the threat to Zhao's southern border. Zhao remained relatively weak until the military reforms of King Wuling of Zhao (325–299 BC). Zhao soldiers were ordered to dress like their Hu neighbours and to replace war chariots with cavalry archers ( 胡服骑射 ; 胡服騎射 ; húfúqíshè ). This reform proved to be a brilliant and pragmatic strategy. With the advanced technology of

10476-532: Was again carved out of Hebei in 1967, remaining a separate entity today. The provincial capital was then moved to Baoding , however, the city was plunged into chaos due to the Cultural Revolution just a year later. Thus, under the direction of Mao Zedong to "prepare for war and natural disasters", Shijiazhuang became the provincial capital in 1968. Beginning in the 1990s, Shijiazhuang saw another episode of rapid growth and development. Starting from

10584-514: Was already present during the Warring States period , suggesting that the name, or its elements, have even older origins. At first, the settlement was officially known only as "Shijia", as the "zhuang" was solely used to denote the nature of the settlement being a village, instead of being part of its name. This was further evidenced on June 24, 1925, when the Republican government ordered the village to be established as an autonomous city under

10692-409: Was also moved from Baoding to the new city of Shijiazhuang , and, for a short period, to Tianjin . On July 28, 1976, Tangshan was struck by the Tangshan earthquake , the deadliest earthquake of the 20th century, killing over 240,000 people. There were a series of smaller earthquakes in the following decade. Today, Hebei, along with Beijing and Tianjin municipalities which it includes, make up

10800-559: Was briefly granted to Liu Buyi ( 劉不疑 ), son of the Emperor Hui , during Empress Dowager Lü 's reign. The territory was then passed to Liu Hong, Emperor Houshao of Han , after Buyi's death. It was then granted to Liu Chao ( 劉朝 ), another son of Emperor Hui. During the defeat of the Lü clan , Liu Chao was killed and the territory became a commandery of Zhao once again. Later, due to a naming taboo of Emperor Wen of Han , whose personal name

10908-563: Was established in March 1991 as a state-level development zone and is divided into three districts. National highways 107, 207, 307, 308 pass through the zone. It is 15 km (9.3 mi) away from Shijiazhuang railway station, 105 km (65 mi) away from Tianjin Port. Industries include pharmaceuticals, electronic information, mechanical production, automobile manufacturing, chemicals production and logistics. The Eastern District, located in

11016-537: Was identical throughout. In the Yu Gong (Tribute of Yu) chapter of the Book of Documents – probably written in the 4th century BC – China is described as divided into nine regions, each with its own distinctive peoples and products. The central theme of this section is that these nine regions are unified into one state through the travels of the eponymous sage, Yu the Great , and the sending of each region's unique goods to

11124-459: Was influenced by other forms of Chinese opera such as Beijing opera . Traditionally Pingju has a xiaosheng (young male lead), a xiaodan (young female lead), and a xiaohualian (young comic character), though it has diversified to include other roles. Quyang County , in central Hebei, is noted for Ding ware , a type of Chinese ceramics which includes various vessels such as bowls, plates, vases, and cups, as well as figurines. Ding ware

11232-580: Was killed by Han forces. Liu Bang gave the state of Zhao to Zhang Er. In 154 BC, an unrelated Zhao , led by Prince of Zhao Liu Sui ( 劉遂 ), participated in the unsuccessful Rebellion of the Seven States ( Chinese : 七國之亂 ) against the newly installed sixth emperor of the Han dynasty . Before Qin Shi Huang unified China in 221 BC, each region had its own customs and culture, although elite culture

11340-634: Was occupied by Xianyu people at beginning of Zhou dynasty ; it later belonged to the Zhongshan (中山國) and Zhao states during the pre-Qin period. In pre- Han times (i.e., before 206 BC), the site of the city of Shiyi in the state of Zhao was located in this area. After taking over Zhao , Qin Shi Huang established the Hengshan Commandery in the region. It became part of the Zhao Principality under Western Han . The land

11448-474: Was one of the finest generals of the Warring States period, and although he was unable to defeat Wang Jian (also one of the best generals of the period), Wang Jian was unable to make any headway. The invasion ended in a stalemate. The Qin emperor, Qin Shihuang , realised that he needed to get rid of Li Mu in order to conquer Zhao, and tried to sow discord among the Zhao leadership. The Zhao king Youmiu fell for

11556-490: Was one of the weaker states. Despite its extensive territory, its northern border was frequently harassed by the Eastern Hu , Forest Hu, Loufan , Xiongnu , and other northern nomadic peoples. Zhao lacked the military might of Wei or the wealth of Qi, and became a pawn in the struggle between them. This struggle came to a head in 354 BC when Wei invaded Zhao, forcing Zhao to seek help from Qi. The resulting Battle of Guiling

11664-537: Was then little more than a local market town , subordinated to the flourishing city of Zhengding a few miles to the north. The growth of Shijiazhuang into one of China's major cities began in 1905, when the Beijing– Wuhan ( Hankou ) railway reached the area, stimulating trade and encouraging local farmers to grow cash crops. Two years later the town became the junction for the new Shitai line, running from Shijiazhuang to Taiyuan , Shanxi. The connection transformed

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