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Monday, August 31, 2015
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Visit Shijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang Overview,News from Shijiazhuang
In the period of Han dynasty the district of Taihang Mountains in the west of Shijiazhuang was always one of important metallurgy bases where weapons, battle armors and implements of production were produced, so “Smelting River” was named after this; During Han and Tang dynasties Chinese Buddhism and Taoism were reviving and flourishing gradually so that the religious culture of Heng and Zhao states has left a piced of gorgeous canto in Chinese religious history. Bailin Temple in Zhao County is said to be built in East Han dynasty and is the oldest Buddhism temple in Hebei province; Anji Bridge of Zhao county which is the most resplendent historic achievement in Sui and Tang’s culture is recognized as the earliest ancestor of large open-shoulder arched stone bridges and is regarded as an world human cultural legacy; The cultural celebrities- Wei Zheng and Li Jipu were born in Shijiazhuang in Sui and Tang dynasties; The famous officials -Fu Bi, Han Qi, Ouyang Xiu, Zhen Kuo, Su Shi and so on had worked in Hebei province successively and had left their traces in Zhending state, which accelerated the economic and cultural prosperity of this region.
Shijiazuang’s architectural magnum opus in Jin and Yuan dynasties is the Bridge Palace of Fuqing Temple in Cangyan Mountain, Jingxing. The bridge and and the palace are integrated into one and flies across the deep gully just like a flying rainbow. And its design is artful and the architecture is majestic and steep, which reflect people’s lofty architectural technology and esthetic achievement at that time. In the creative filed of art there is the famous fresco of Bilu Temple of Shangjing. These frescos inherited and developed Chinese traditional skill and technology and reached a high level on composition of pictures, drawing lines, color and characters. The fruits of physical science were very plentiful then: the famous mathematician and scholar-Lizhi’s research on Tianyuan region of mathematic laid an foundation of Chinese primary algebra and marked the highest achievement of math in the world in 13th century.
In early 20th century, Pinghan railroad (Jingguang railroad now) and zhengtai railroad (Shitai railroad now) were built successively and combined with each other in Shijiazhuang. Shijiazhuang gradually developed accompaning with the building of railroads. In 1925 this city was originally called Shijiazhuang city (afterward it was once renamed as Shimen city).
On November 12th, 1947 Shijiazhuang was liberated and became one of the earliest big cities that were liberated. At that time, there was a population of 190000, 27 factories and a total industrial production value of 20 million or so. From May 1948 to March 1949 the Central Committee of the Commusnist Party of China and Chinese People’s Liberation Army Headquarters were located in Xibaipo, where Chairman Mao and the Central Committee of the Commusnist Party of China commanded the three big battles shocking the country and the whole world, and called the second plenary meeting of the seventh conference of the Communist Party of China. In 1968 the capital of Hebei province was moved to Shijiazhuang from Baoding.
The reformation and opening provide Shijiazhuang the opportunity of participating international economy’s cycle and constructing the modern metropolitan. Shijiazhuang draw’s the domestic and international extensive attention with her abundant natural and humane resources and advantageous geographic position that Beijing, Tianjing, and Bohai Sea surround Shijiazhuang. In the recent years, the infrastructure of Shijiazhuang has developed very quickly and the city’s function is gradually perfected, so that the urban roads’ network of three horizonl, six vertical, two ring roads and twelve radiations has formed now. Many unique modern buildings and resident communities have risen above the ground. The appearance of the city has made great changes.
Nowadays in Shijiazhuang tall buildings standing up likes a forest, streets are spacious, and Minxin River is surrounding the city likes a jade belt, along which 20 parks beautifully decorate the city like thousand of flowers .
The origination of the city
1、The starting point of modern urbanization—-haphazard opportunity, historic choice
According to the analysis of historic data, Shijiazhuang village was set up in the early Ming dynasty, which used to be Zhendingwei’s army base and official government. Until 27th year of Kangxi during Qing dynasty (1688), the system of army base was abolished and Shijiazhuang become a village belonging to Huailu county of Zhending state, and it is opposite to the political center - Zhendingwei beyond the Hutuo River. According to the recordation of “the county annals of Hua in Guangxu period of Qing dynasty: “Shijiazhuang is 35 miles far on the southeast of county, and has six streets, six temples and four wells”. In early 20th century the area of Shijiazhuang was no more than 0.1 square kilometers and had a population of only 600 and 200 households
In 1902 the Luhan (Jinghan) Railway, which was invested and built by France and Belgium ran through Shijiazhuang and a station was set up in Shijiazhuang called zhentou Station that was named after Zhentou town near shijiazhuang. In 1903 Zhengtai (Shitai) Railway began to be built, and in order to reduce cost and avoid building bridge over Hutuo River the start point was changed from Zhengding to ZhentouStation. Thus Shijiazhuang became the connection of the two railways because of the haphazard factor. And from then on the small village made great changes at the beginning of the century and was pushed by the railways. The center of politics, economy, military and culture move toward the south, and Shijiazhuang replaced firstly Zhending, then Baoding and became one important town of North China, which guarded the south of Yan and Jing, controlled the strategic passage of Ji and Jin and connected the central plains of Qi and Lu.
The start point of Zhengtai Railway’s moving toward south is the inducement that Shijiazhuang strode forward city from village; however, the true elementary factor is the rising and development of modern industry. Accompanying with the operation of railway, several morden industries were set up including Zhengtai Mechanical Factory (the predecessor of Shijiazhuang Vehicle Factory), Daxing Cotton Mill (Shijiazhuang Weave Stock Limited Company now), Jingxing Mine and Zhengfeng Mine, etc. In modern times large-scale industries had driven the rising and development of middle and small-scale industries. In 1920 Shicanglu open space was built on the east of the railway, and at the same time Pinghe Cotton Company and Wanhua Soap Company were rising on the east of the railway. Along with this, a lot of rural people poured into Shijiazhuang. Until 1930, only industrialists amounted to 16000, which speeded up the process of urbanization.
In early 20th century, Shijiazhuang was still a small village governed by Huailu County that was the goods distributing center connected Yan and Zhao, linked three Jins and was called prosperous dry wharf. However, along with the operation of Zhengtai Railway, the prosperous dry wharf moved towards the east gradually and finally Shijiazhuang replaced the position of Huailu. Increasingly flourishing business and service trades became another important factor of Shijiazhuang’s urbanization.
2、Autonomy of Shimen city—from a small village to a city
This policy’s implement brought on the traffic position’s change of Shijiazhuang and also became the guide factor of this new city’s growing up. On September in Guangxu 33(October in 1907) the whole railway line of Zhengtai was accomplished and opened to traffic and made the east of Shijiazhuang village became the connection of Jinghan Railway and Zhengtai Railway. With the backward highroads at thar times, the railway played an important role in goods’gathering and circulating. Thus the railway’s position promoted quickly and pushed the entire rising of industry and commerce, service and finance, and speeded up the urbanization. Until 1925 the block area of Shijiazhuang on the west of railway amounted to 1.8 square kilometers and Shijiazhuang had formed the rudiment of small town, the scale of which was as large as Huailu county and Zhengding county. At that time the organizational system of Chinese city was in the process of establishment, and with such background on 24th, June he same year the Republic of China authorized that 11 cities belonging to Zhili provinces carried out the sysrem of autonomy from 1st, july and “Shijiazhuang city” took “Shijianzhuang” as its field. But because the population of Shijiazhuang village and its surrounding industry and commerce was not more than 10000, Huailu county decided to incorporate Qiumen and Li village on the east of railway to Shijiazhuang, thus the population of the new city amounted to 33077. By the negotiation of several sides, it was named Shimen city by choosing one chsracterrespectively from the names of the two villages: Shijiazhuang and Xiumen.
On 29th, August the same year the temporary government of the Republic of China authorized by No. 12713 instruction that: “combine Shijiazhuang with Xiumen and renamed it Shimen city”. From the file of the Republic of China at that time we can see that the term “city” is similar to the small town and county, and it was not a standard concept of organizational system or one-grade district, so at that time “Shimen city” just like “Huailu city”, “Zhengding city”and “Xinji city” which were auronomous cities, was only a kind of supervisory pattern of small town.
In 1928 China began to regard “city” as a kind of administrative system. Nanjing Republic Government promulgated “the Common City Organizational law Outline” and “the Special City Organizational Law Outline”, and also regulated the qualification and the procedures of examining and approving of establishing the common city and the special city, which was a forerunner of establishing the administration in the city in China. Howerver the11 previous so-called “cities” that carried out “the city’s autonomy” of Zhili province were cancelled because they didn’t accord with the qualification obviously. Though Shimen didn’t become one organic city, its urbanization was processing. Along with industry and commerce’s continuous development, a lot of rural people poured into Shimen to enrich the industrialist, do business and service, or deal in small workshops of handicraft industry. Until 1930 the industrialist had amounted to more than 16000 people. On July 1933 the number of industrial and commercial enterprises were about 230 (including bank, private bank, industrial and commercial enterprise). Telecommication and post continuously developed as the traffic position’s promotion,. To adapt to the increasingly developing industry and commerce, the social management departments were also increasing constantly such as Shimen Local Court, Shimen Local Procuratorate and Shimen Special Public Security in politics and law, and Shijiazhuang Total Taxes Administration, Shijiazhuang Reginal Tax Collection Bureau, Shimenon Butcher Inspection Tax Bureau, the Southwest Mine Tax Bureau, Hebei 9th Tobacco and Alcohol Examination Bureu and Huailu Flower Seed Tax Bureau, etc. in the taxation. At the same time army stationed in Shimen, gendarme, official and suite of all kinds of administration of department, stratacracy, sector of tax continuously extended. On June 1937 the total population of Shimen amounted to 72100 or so. From the scale of city and traffic position, Shimen had replaced Huailu town as the place of gathering and disseminating of goods between Shanxi province and Hebei province, and had been replacing Zhengding as the center of traffic, communication, and post.
On 10th, October 1937 Japanese invaders occupied Shimen. They paid great attention to Shimen’s transportation position, so they took a series of measures to make Shimen as their military base for invading the North China.On one hand they increased the number of soldiers, extended the scale of city and enhanced the military position of the city; On the other hand they propped up the puppet regim, and on 15th, January 1938 they established puppet “Shimen Municipal Preparation Agency”. In 1939 the puppet Hebei Government Office submitted a document to the pupper North China Temporary Government Adminstrative Committee saying “the geography position of Shimen was very important, which was located in the centrum of Jinghan Railway and the start point of Zhengda Railway, products was abundant, industry and commercial gathered together, though the population was no more than 30000, the condition of politics and economy was special, please authorized to set up city.” On 7th,October the same year Wangkemin signed and issued “the Instruction of Adminstrative Committee “No.1027, Secretary” ” and authorized Shimen as a city.
In 1949 the railway from Shijiazhuang to Dezhou was accomplished and opened to traffic connecting Jinghan Railway and Jinpu Railway and the city’s traffic and economic position was further promoted. In fact when Shimen was ruled by Japan, its political, military and economic position had been far higher than Zhengding and it became the central city of this region. Howerve, because the Japan-resistant democratic regime and armed forces led by Chinese Communist Party acted in the surrounding counties such as Zhengding, Huailu and so on, and constantly attacked the puppet government, Shimen was only an important military town ruled by Japanese invader and didn’t posses the qualification as a central city on the aspects of administration, region’s management, econimic radiation and culture’s influence. On 12th, November 1947 the Chinese People’s Liberation Army took back Shimen and set up the people’s regime taking the city as the center firstly. On 26th, December the same year Shimen Municipal People’s Government issued the notice that Shimen city was renamed Shijiazhuang city. At the same time the North China People’s Government was founded, which marked that Shimen had become a politic center preliminarily. Since 1949, Shijiazhuang’s political, economic and cultural position had been further promoted and it became a special administrative area dominating 11 counties including Zhengding , Huailu and so on. From then on Shijiazhuang really became the political center and also played an increasingly important role in the economic radiation and cultural influence. Thus Shijiazhuang thoroughly replaced Zhengding and became the central city of thepresent Shijiazhuang regions.
Sitting in the central south of vast North China Plain,Shijiazhuang City is located at the longitude of 114°29′E, and the latitude of 38°04′N.With the Capital-Beijing and Port City–Tianjin in the North, and Bohai Sea and North China Oilfields in the east, and the towering Taihang Mountains and the coal bases in China–Shanxin Province in the west, Shijiazhuang City was called “the Nation Capital’s Suburbs”in the old times. Shijiazhuang City enjoyes convenient transportation conditions, called as “a gate from south to north and the throat from Hebei to Shanxi”.
Shijiazhuang is abundant in natural resources. There are more than 50 mineral resources proved up, more than 1,100 lodes. The reservest of 17 mineral resources have been proved up, scattering in 58 lodes. The resources of high quality include coal, natural gas, limestone, dolomite, quartz and white mica. Such minerals as iron, manganese, chrome, vanadium, titanium, copper, lead, and zinc spread in the regions and counties located in the east side of Taihang Mountains.18 resources of terrestrial heat have been discovered, and the total flux of hot water is 13,900 cubic meters each day, of which the underground hot water in Wentang County has a natural outcrop, and is temperature is 68 centigrade. The water quality if superior and the water is rich in niton, which has a high medical value.
Energy resources mainly include coal, terrestrial heat and natural gas. The mining area is mainly rich in quality mine that is in the last phase of exploiting now. Terrestrial heat is a developmening industry in recent years, and it has already been exploited in Pingshan county and Xinji City, moreover, Gaocheng city and Wuji county are making preparation for exploiting terrestrial heat. Metal resources mainly include gold, iron, bauxite, etc. Gold is mainly distributed over the counties of Lingshou and Pingshan, of which Shihu gold- mine located at Lingshou county is the largest joint factory in Shijiazhuang that can pick, choose, and melt gold ore, and with gold’s annual output of more than 10000 liang. Iron ore is mainly magnetite, most of which is distributed over Pingshan county and Zanhuang county. And bauxite is mainly distributed over Jingxing county.
Non-metal minerals mainly include limestone, dolomite, quartz sandstone, sillimanite, sagger, mica schist, steatite, steatite, serpentine, quartz, feldspar, diabase, granite, marble, griotte, barite, etc, among which veneer stone and limestone that is made for carbide, alkali, solvent take the important part in Hebei province, and the quality veneer stones such as Pingshanhong and Zhongguohei are very popular among the customers. Water mineral is mainly mineral water that is widely distributed over Shijiazhuang and at present there are 40 fountains of miner water and 8 exploiting factories.
In the city of Shijiazhuang there are not only historic sites including famous historical cities and commemoration places of modern revolution, but also natural landscapes such as mountain forest, lake, hot spring, etc., moreover, Shijiazhuang has the special resources of social customs, shopping, city sightseeing and so on.
The whole city now has 18 key relics under state protection and 105 key relics under province protection and 240 key relics under municipality or county protection. All kinds of cultural relics spots amount to 1200 or so. It has two national scenic spots (Cangyan Mountain, Zhangshiyan) and two provincial scenic spots (Fenglong Mountain, Tiangui Mountain). Moreover, it has one national famous historical city—Zhengding, one provincial famous historical city—Zhao county, 4 provincial vocational villages (Panlong Lake, Cangyan Mountain, Wentang, Zhangshiyan), one national forest park (Wuyuezhai), seven provincial forest park (Xiantai Mountain, Tuoliang, Nansizhang, Chizhi, Longzhou Lake, Sibaipo, etc.), and 6 national and provincial patriotism educational bases.
The City Flower of Shijiazhuang — Chinese Rose
Chinese Rose belongs to rose family, rose genus, and it is woody deciduous bush.
Chinese Rose originates from China. It is honored as “the queen of flowers” whose cultivation history is already 2000 years. It is colorful, fragrant, of various postures & strains, and it can grow in the open ground everywhere from spring to winter. Thus, it is the symbol of nicety, friendship and peace.
Chinese Rose can adapt to the environment very easily who is resistant to cold and drought, doesn’t request the soil’s quality and is easy to plant and breed. And the management technology is easy to master and spread. . In recent years the city’s Chinese Rose planting has developed greatly. By the ways of introduction, breeding and cultivation, Chinese Rose is planted to green and beautify road, park, courtyard and plaza. Thus Chinese Rose has become one of the necessary plants that greens the city of Shijiazhuang, and at the same time is the appropriate plant that is made for ikebana and bonsai.
Chinese Rose not only can please people but also is useful. Its flower, bud, leaf and root can be used as medicine, essence and spice of high quality. Moreover, Chinese Rose can represent local people’s character: strong, firm and unyielding, showing that people are striving to make the city more beautiful & great, therefore, it is honored as Shijiazhuang city flower.
The City Tree of Shijiazhuang — Chinese Scholar Tree
Chinese scholar tree belongs to pea family, scholar genus, and it is deciduous tree.
Chinese scholar tree originates from China, which has a long history of cultivation and a strong resistance, and its natural life is very long. There are amount to 71 Chinese scholar trees that are over 100 years old, of which 58 are over 500 years old and are still lush and green.
Chinese scholar tree’s trunk is straight, its crown is wide and its leaves are early to spread out and late to defoliate so that it is a good kind of shade tree and street tree. Moreover, its flowers are so fragrant that it is a good kind of bee plant.
Chinese Scholar tree is so strong that it is easy to sprout. Though it is pruned frequently and strongly, it can rebirth very soon. Moreover, it is resistant to cold, drought, barren and noxious gas: sulfur dioxide, chlorine, and hydride chloride, so it is a good kind of tree that can resist pollution, dust and noxious smoke. According to approximate statistics, the number of streets where Chinese scholar trees are planted amounts to 121, which accounts for 41.87% of all streets, so it is one of important species of street trees.
Chinese scholar tree has a high economic value: the timber is strong and tough, and can bears the wetness so it can be provided for house, furniture, ship, engraving, etc., the whole trunk can be used as medicine, flower buds can be made into yellow dyestuff, and seeds can be used to extract oil, or be made the soap.
Among the people, Chinese scholar tree is the symbol of luck, happiness and nicety, which from of old was regarded as a lucky tree and a happy tree. It can represent local people’s character: strong, firm and unyielding, showing that people are striving to make the city more beautiful & great, therefore, it is honored as Shijiazhuang city tree.
Chinese Scholar tree is so strong that it is easy to sprout. Though it is pruned frequently and strongly, it can rebirth very soon. Moreover, it is resistant to cold, drought, barren and noxious gas: sulfur dioxide, chlorine, and hydride chloride, so it is a good kind of tree that can resist pollution, dust and noxious smoke. According to approximate statistics, the number of streets where Chinese scholar trees are planted amounts to 121, which accounts for 41.87% of all streets, so it is one of important species of street trees.
Chinese scholar tree has a high economic value: the timber is strong and tough, and can bears the wetness so it can be provided for house, furniture, ship, engraving, etc., the whole trunk can be used as medicine, flower buds can be made into yellow dyestuff, and seeds can be used to extract oil, or be made the soap.
Among the people, Chinese scholar tree is the symbol of luck, happiness and nicety, which from of old was regarded as a lucky tree and a happy tree. It can represent local people’s character: strong, firm and unyielding, showing that people are striving to make the city more beautiful & great, therefore, it is honored as Shijiazhuang city tree.
Zhaozhou BridgeZhao County is a famous historical and cultural city, 45 kilometers southeast of Shijiazhuang. It had been the location of the states and governments of the past dynasties since the Warring States Period.
Therefore, there are a lot of historical relics and historical sites in the county such as the Temple of Buddhist Nunluoni in the Northern Song Dynasty, the An Ji Bridge, an enormous stone arch bridge which is the earliest and the most intact now in the world and was built more than 1400 years ago. Since the People’s Republic of China was founded the government had being repaired these historical relics successively,and now the county has become a famous scenic spot.
Zhao County (Photo credit: Shijiazhuang Government Official Website)Zhengding is one of famous old towns in the in the north of our country, 15 kilometers from the north of Shijiazhuang, and has already has a history of more than 1500 years since North Qi dynasty built Changshan county.
The long history has left numerous magnificent cultural relics and historic sites for Zhengding. And it is famous for ” three disappeared mountains, nine bridges with no water, nine floors, four towers, eight great temples and twenty-four golden steles”. There are five key relics under state protection, seven key relics under province protection and twenty-five relics under city and county protection, so it is praised as ” a great treasure-house of Chinese ancient buildings”.
At present, there are thirteen sight spots opening to the public, such as the Longxing Temple established in the sixth year of Sui dynasty, Kaiyuan Temple of Eastern Wei dynasty, Linyi Temple, Tianning Temple of Tang dynasty, Xianwen Temple of the Five dynasties, Zhaoyun Temple of Ming and Qing dynasties, the shooting bases of movie and TV play - Rongguo Mansion, Ningrong Street, the two palace in the West Journey Play, the apotheosizing Palace, the wild city, the exploration garden and the military amusement park, etc. The ancient temples and towers cooperate with the modern amusement parks to make Zhengding become the largest tourist scenic spot which is the nearest to Shijiazhuang.
Cangyan MountainCangyan Mountains lie within Jingxing county in the northwestern of Shijiazhuang in Hebei province, covering an area of 63 square kilometers, and are praised as ” wonderful and elegant to pull one mountain into one’s arm the Five Mountains, competent different mountains only dark green rock too”. The nature makes the eccentric precipices and cliffs and superior ecological environment with its superlative craftsmanship in the center land of the mountains.
Looking down at the Cangyan Mountains, two mountains stand facing each other from east to west, and one chain of mountains lie across their back from north to south, with the Fuqing temple built in the valley formed by the precipices and cliffs. The mountains are more than one thousand steep high, so that it is cold in the valley with the wind blowing; There are jagged rocks of grotesque shape at the bottom of ravines and the stream is gurgling; In the valley the trees are verdant and the green grass is luxuriant; The old sandalwoods depend on the cliff, twisting and curling like dragons; The plank road is winding, and the temple is hung up in the air; The cloud and mist are surging under the bridge hall, and the red wall shines through the green clumps.
Moreover, holding four multifarious seasons, the different mountains are graceful in spring and verdant in summer, and in the days of autumn the mountains look like being washed with the maple leave like rosy clouds, but in winter the lofty mountains are blanketed with snow.
Canyan Mountains are famous for ” three uniqueness “,”one wonder “,” 16 landscapes”, “72 sight spots” both at home and abroad. In 1988 it was praised as national-level key scenic spot, and in 1994 was authorized famous mountain of history and culture with the unique building, wondrous sandalwood, grand mountain, serene valley and elegant forest by the State Council.
Zhangshi CliffState scenic spot - Zhangshiyan Mountain with an area of 120 square kilometers, an sea level of 1700 meters and Zhangshiyan landform is located at Zanhuang county, 100 kilometers southwest of Shijiazhuang and is the central site of Forest Park of Taihang Mountain. And the largest natural echo wall in the world lies in the middle part of Zhangshiyan Mountain where it is warm in winter and cool in summer.
Zhangshi CliffThere are ranges of hills with peaks rising one upon another, overhanging cliffs, crisscross ditches and valleys, and flourishing jungles among the mountain. In spring the colorful flowers of peaches and plums are all over the mountain, in summer the whole mountain is covered by green trees with the stream murmuring, in autumn the persimmon turns red, the pear turns yellow, and the maple leaves are all over the mountain, however, in winter it is a desolate scene on all sides with withered trees and jackdaws, and the icicle is hung upside down.
Zhangshi CliffWith four distinct seasons and their respective beautiful scenes, Zhangshiyan Mountain is a natural place for sightseeing, recreation and spending the summer. The mountain adjoins Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and Beijing-Shenzhen expressway in the east, connects with Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan electric railway and Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan expressway in the north, so the traffic is very convenient. There are not only large-scale guesthouses, but also family hotels imbued with local color, and they are opening to the world with the satisfactory service.
History of Shijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang is a region where the human civilization is much earlier and its culture is very deep. At present Baifokou ashes are the earliest human ashes in the plain regions in Shijiazhuang, which have been 6000 to 7000 years old; In Xinle the ancient site - Fuxitai proves that Chinese ancestor-Fuyi lived there more than 6000 years ago; The Zhongshan Country’s culture of the Warring States is one important link of Shijiazhuang’s historic culture and is also one of the most brilliant culture in the world following the shang culture of Taixi, Gaocheng.In the period of Han dynasty the district of Taihang Mountains in the west of Shijiazhuang was always one of important metallurgy bases where weapons, battle armors and implements of production were produced, so “Smelting River” was named after this; During Han and Tang dynasties Chinese Buddhism and Taoism were reviving and flourishing gradually so that the religious culture of Heng and Zhao states has left a piced of gorgeous canto in Chinese religious history. Bailin Temple in Zhao County is said to be built in East Han dynasty and is the oldest Buddhism temple in Hebei province; Anji Bridge of Zhao county which is the most resplendent historic achievement in Sui and Tang’s culture is recognized as the earliest ancestor of large open-shoulder arched stone bridges and is regarded as an world human cultural legacy; The cultural celebrities- Wei Zheng and Li Jipu were born in Shijiazhuang in Sui and Tang dynasties; The famous officials -Fu Bi, Han Qi, Ouyang Xiu, Zhen Kuo, Su Shi and so on had worked in Hebei province successively and had left their traces in Zhending state, which accelerated the economic and cultural prosperity of this region.
Shijiazuang’s architectural magnum opus in Jin and Yuan dynasties is the Bridge Palace of Fuqing Temple in Cangyan Mountain, Jingxing. The bridge and and the palace are integrated into one and flies across the deep gully just like a flying rainbow. And its design is artful and the architecture is majestic and steep, which reflect people’s lofty architectural technology and esthetic achievement at that time. In the creative filed of art there is the famous fresco of Bilu Temple of Shangjing. These frescos inherited and developed Chinese traditional skill and technology and reached a high level on composition of pictures, drawing lines, color and characters. The fruits of physical science were very plentiful then: the famous mathematician and scholar-Lizhi’s research on Tianyuan region of mathematic laid an foundation of Chinese primary algebra and marked the highest achievement of math in the world in 13th century.
In early 20th century, Pinghan railroad (Jingguang railroad now) and zhengtai railroad (Shitai railroad now) were built successively and combined with each other in Shijiazhuang. Shijiazhuang gradually developed accompaning with the building of railroads. In 1925 this city was originally called Shijiazhuang city (afterward it was once renamed as Shimen city).
On November 12th, 1947 Shijiazhuang was liberated and became one of the earliest big cities that were liberated. At that time, there was a population of 190000, 27 factories and a total industrial production value of 20 million or so. From May 1948 to March 1949 the Central Committee of the Commusnist Party of China and Chinese People’s Liberation Army Headquarters were located in Xibaipo, where Chairman Mao and the Central Committee of the Commusnist Party of China commanded the three big battles shocking the country and the whole world, and called the second plenary meeting of the seventh conference of the Communist Party of China. In 1968 the capital of Hebei province was moved to Shijiazhuang from Baoding.
The reformation and opening provide Shijiazhuang the opportunity of participating international economy’s cycle and constructing the modern metropolitan. Shijiazhuang draw’s the domestic and international extensive attention with her abundant natural and humane resources and advantageous geographic position that Beijing, Tianjing, and Bohai Sea surround Shijiazhuang. In the recent years, the infrastructure of Shijiazhuang has developed very quickly and the city’s function is gradually perfected, so that the urban roads’ network of three horizonl, six vertical, two ring roads and twelve radiations has formed now. Many unique modern buildings and resident communities have risen above the ground. The appearance of the city has made great changes.
Nowadays in Shijiazhuang tall buildings standing up likes a forest, streets are spacious, and Minxin River is surrounding the city likes a jade belt, along which 20 parks beautifully decorate the city like thousand of flowers .
The origination of the city
1、The starting point of modern urbanization—-haphazard opportunity, historic choice
According to the analysis of historic data, Shijiazhuang village was set up in the early Ming dynasty, which used to be Zhendingwei’s army base and official government. Until 27th year of Kangxi during Qing dynasty (1688), the system of army base was abolished and Shijiazhuang become a village belonging to Huailu county of Zhending state, and it is opposite to the political center - Zhendingwei beyond the Hutuo River. According to the recordation of “the county annals of Hua in Guangxu period of Qing dynasty: “Shijiazhuang is 35 miles far on the southeast of county, and has six streets, six temples and four wells”. In early 20th century the area of Shijiazhuang was no more than 0.1 square kilometers and had a population of only 600 and 200 households
In 1902 the Luhan (Jinghan) Railway, which was invested and built by France and Belgium ran through Shijiazhuang and a station was set up in Shijiazhuang called zhentou Station that was named after Zhentou town near shijiazhuang. In 1903 Zhengtai (Shitai) Railway began to be built, and in order to reduce cost and avoid building bridge over Hutuo River the start point was changed from Zhengding to ZhentouStation. Thus Shijiazhuang became the connection of the two railways because of the haphazard factor. And from then on the small village made great changes at the beginning of the century and was pushed by the railways. The center of politics, economy, military and culture move toward the south, and Shijiazhuang replaced firstly Zhending, then Baoding and became one important town of North China, which guarded the south of Yan and Jing, controlled the strategic passage of Ji and Jin and connected the central plains of Qi and Lu.
The start point of Zhengtai Railway’s moving toward south is the inducement that Shijiazhuang strode forward city from village; however, the true elementary factor is the rising and development of modern industry. Accompanying with the operation of railway, several morden industries were set up including Zhengtai Mechanical Factory (the predecessor of Shijiazhuang Vehicle Factory), Daxing Cotton Mill (Shijiazhuang Weave Stock Limited Company now), Jingxing Mine and Zhengfeng Mine, etc. In modern times large-scale industries had driven the rising and development of middle and small-scale industries. In 1920 Shicanglu open space was built on the east of the railway, and at the same time Pinghe Cotton Company and Wanhua Soap Company were rising on the east of the railway. Along with this, a lot of rural people poured into Shijiazhuang. Until 1930, only industrialists amounted to 16000, which speeded up the process of urbanization.
In early 20th century, Shijiazhuang was still a small village governed by Huailu County that was the goods distributing center connected Yan and Zhao, linked three Jins and was called prosperous dry wharf. However, along with the operation of Zhengtai Railway, the prosperous dry wharf moved towards the east gradually and finally Shijiazhuang replaced the position of Huailu. Increasingly flourishing business and service trades became another important factor of Shijiazhuang’s urbanization.
2、Autonomy of Shimen city—from a small village to a city
This policy’s implement brought on the traffic position’s change of Shijiazhuang and also became the guide factor of this new city’s growing up. On September in Guangxu 33(October in 1907) the whole railway line of Zhengtai was accomplished and opened to traffic and made the east of Shijiazhuang village became the connection of Jinghan Railway and Zhengtai Railway. With the backward highroads at thar times, the railway played an important role in goods’gathering and circulating. Thus the railway’s position promoted quickly and pushed the entire rising of industry and commerce, service and finance, and speeded up the urbanization. Until 1925 the block area of Shijiazhuang on the west of railway amounted to 1.8 square kilometers and Shijiazhuang had formed the rudiment of small town, the scale of which was as large as Huailu county and Zhengding county. At that time the organizational system of Chinese city was in the process of establishment, and with such background on 24th, June he same year the Republic of China authorized that 11 cities belonging to Zhili provinces carried out the sysrem of autonomy from 1st, july and “Shijiazhuang city” took “Shijianzhuang” as its field. But because the population of Shijiazhuang village and its surrounding industry and commerce was not more than 10000, Huailu county decided to incorporate Qiumen and Li village on the east of railway to Shijiazhuang, thus the population of the new city amounted to 33077. By the negotiation of several sides, it was named Shimen city by choosing one chsracterrespectively from the names of the two villages: Shijiazhuang and Xiumen.
On 29th, August the same year the temporary government of the Republic of China authorized by No. 12713 instruction that: “combine Shijiazhuang with Xiumen and renamed it Shimen city”. From the file of the Republic of China at that time we can see that the term “city” is similar to the small town and county, and it was not a standard concept of organizational system or one-grade district, so at that time “Shimen city” just like “Huailu city”, “Zhengding city”and “Xinji city” which were auronomous cities, was only a kind of supervisory pattern of small town.
In 1928 China began to regard “city” as a kind of administrative system. Nanjing Republic Government promulgated “the Common City Organizational law Outline” and “the Special City Organizational Law Outline”, and also regulated the qualification and the procedures of examining and approving of establishing the common city and the special city, which was a forerunner of establishing the administration in the city in China. Howerver the11 previous so-called “cities” that carried out “the city’s autonomy” of Zhili province were cancelled because they didn’t accord with the qualification obviously. Though Shimen didn’t become one organic city, its urbanization was processing. Along with industry and commerce’s continuous development, a lot of rural people poured into Shimen to enrich the industrialist, do business and service, or deal in small workshops of handicraft industry. Until 1930 the industrialist had amounted to more than 16000 people. On July 1933 the number of industrial and commercial enterprises were about 230 (including bank, private bank, industrial and commercial enterprise). Telecommication and post continuously developed as the traffic position’s promotion,. To adapt to the increasingly developing industry and commerce, the social management departments were also increasing constantly such as Shimen Local Court, Shimen Local Procuratorate and Shimen Special Public Security in politics and law, and Shijiazhuang Total Taxes Administration, Shijiazhuang Reginal Tax Collection Bureau, Shimenon Butcher Inspection Tax Bureau, the Southwest Mine Tax Bureau, Hebei 9th Tobacco and Alcohol Examination Bureu and Huailu Flower Seed Tax Bureau, etc. in the taxation. At the same time army stationed in Shimen, gendarme, official and suite of all kinds of administration of department, stratacracy, sector of tax continuously extended. On June 1937 the total population of Shimen amounted to 72100 or so. From the scale of city and traffic position, Shimen had replaced Huailu town as the place of gathering and disseminating of goods between Shanxi province and Hebei province, and had been replacing Zhengding as the center of traffic, communication, and post.
On 10th, October 1937 Japanese invaders occupied Shimen. They paid great attention to Shimen’s transportation position, so they took a series of measures to make Shimen as their military base for invading the North China.On one hand they increased the number of soldiers, extended the scale of city and enhanced the military position of the city; On the other hand they propped up the puppet regim, and on 15th, January 1938 they established puppet “Shimen Municipal Preparation Agency”. In 1939 the puppet Hebei Government Office submitted a document to the pupper North China Temporary Government Adminstrative Committee saying “the geography position of Shimen was very important, which was located in the centrum of Jinghan Railway and the start point of Zhengda Railway, products was abundant, industry and commercial gathered together, though the population was no more than 30000, the condition of politics and economy was special, please authorized to set up city.” On 7th,October the same year Wangkemin signed and issued “the Instruction of Adminstrative Committee “No.1027, Secretary” ” and authorized Shimen as a city.
In 1949 the railway from Shijiazhuang to Dezhou was accomplished and opened to traffic connecting Jinghan Railway and Jinpu Railway and the city’s traffic and economic position was further promoted. In fact when Shimen was ruled by Japan, its political, military and economic position had been far higher than Zhengding and it became the central city of this region. Howerve, because the Japan-resistant democratic regime and armed forces led by Chinese Communist Party acted in the surrounding counties such as Zhengding, Huailu and so on, and constantly attacked the puppet government, Shimen was only an important military town ruled by Japanese invader and didn’t posses the qualification as a central city on the aspects of administration, region’s management, econimic radiation and culture’s influence. On 12th, November 1947 the Chinese People’s Liberation Army took back Shimen and set up the people’s regime taking the city as the center firstly. On 26th, December the same year Shimen Municipal People’s Government issued the notice that Shimen city was renamed Shijiazhuang city. At the same time the North China People’s Government was founded, which marked that Shimen had become a politic center preliminarily. Since 1949, Shijiazhuang’s political, economic and cultural position had been further promoted and it became a special administrative area dominating 11 counties including Zhengding , Huailu and so on. From then on Shijiazhuang really became the political center and also played an increasingly important role in the economic radiation and cultural influence. Thus Shijiazhuang thoroughly replaced Zhengding and became the central city of thepresent Shijiazhuang regions.
Geographic location
Sitting in the central south of vast North China Plain,Shijiazhuang City is located at the longitude of 114°29′E, and the latitude of 38°04′N.With the Capital-Beijing and Port City–Tianjin in the North, and Bohai Sea and North China Oilfields in the east, and the towering Taihang Mountains and the coal bases in China–Shanxin Province in the west, Shijiazhuang City was called “the Nation Capital’s Suburbs”in the old times. Shijiazhuang City enjoyes convenient transportation conditions, called as “a gate from south to north and the throat from Hebei to Shanxi”.
City natural resources
Shijiazhuang is abundant in natural resources. There are more than 50 mineral resources proved up, more than 1,100 lodes. The reservest of 17 mineral resources have been proved up, scattering in 58 lodes. The resources of high quality include coal, natural gas, limestone, dolomite, quartz and white mica. Such minerals as iron, manganese, chrome, vanadium, titanium, copper, lead, and zinc spread in the regions and counties located in the east side of Taihang Mountains.18 resources of terrestrial heat have been discovered, and the total flux of hot water is 13,900 cubic meters each day, of which the underground hot water in Wentang County has a natural outcrop, and is temperature is 68 centigrade. The water quality if superior and the water is rich in niton, which has a high medical value.
Energy resources mainly include coal, terrestrial heat and natural gas. The mining area is mainly rich in quality mine that is in the last phase of exploiting now. Terrestrial heat is a developmening industry in recent years, and it has already been exploited in Pingshan county and Xinji City, moreover, Gaocheng city and Wuji county are making preparation for exploiting terrestrial heat. Metal resources mainly include gold, iron, bauxite, etc. Gold is mainly distributed over the counties of Lingshou and Pingshan, of which Shihu gold- mine located at Lingshou county is the largest joint factory in Shijiazhuang that can pick, choose, and melt gold ore, and with gold’s annual output of more than 10000 liang. Iron ore is mainly magnetite, most of which is distributed over Pingshan county and Zanhuang county. And bauxite is mainly distributed over Jingxing county.
Non-metal minerals mainly include limestone, dolomite, quartz sandstone, sillimanite, sagger, mica schist, steatite, steatite, serpentine, quartz, feldspar, diabase, granite, marble, griotte, barite, etc, among which veneer stone and limestone that is made for carbide, alkali, solvent take the important part in Hebei province, and the quality veneer stones such as Pingshanhong and Zhongguohei are very popular among the customers. Water mineral is mainly mineral water that is widely distributed over Shijiazhuang and at present there are 40 fountains of miner water and 8 exploiting factories.
Climate overview of Shijiazhuang
Enveloped in the temperature continental monsoon climate, it’s clearly distinguished between seasons with yearly average temperature of 14.2 centigrade, the coldest month of the year (January) at –2.9 centigrade, compared with the warmest (July) at 26.5 centigrade. The average precipitation is 570mm, sunshine hours more than 2200 and frost-free period more than 240 days.Shijiazhuang scenic spots
In the city of Shijiazhuang there are not only historic sites including famous historical cities and commemoration places of modern revolution, but also natural landscapes such as mountain forest, lake, hot spring, etc., moreover, Shijiazhuang has the special resources of social customs, shopping, city sightseeing and so on.
The whole city now has 18 key relics under state protection and 105 key relics under province protection and 240 key relics under municipality or county protection. All kinds of cultural relics spots amount to 1200 or so. It has two national scenic spots (Cangyan Mountain, Zhangshiyan) and two provincial scenic spots (Fenglong Mountain, Tiangui Mountain). Moreover, it has one national famous historical city—Zhengding, one provincial famous historical city—Zhao county, 4 provincial vocational villages (Panlong Lake, Cangyan Mountain, Wentang, Zhangshiyan), one national forest park (Wuyuezhai), seven provincial forest park (Xiantai Mountain, Tuoliang, Nansizhang, Chizhi, Longzhou Lake, Sibaipo, etc.), and 6 national and provincial patriotism educational bases.
City Symbols of Shijiazhuang
The City Flower of Shijiazhuang — Chinese Rose
Chinese Rose originates from China. It is honored as “the queen of flowers” whose cultivation history is already 2000 years. It is colorful, fragrant, of various postures & strains, and it can grow in the open ground everywhere from spring to winter. Thus, it is the symbol of nicety, friendship and peace.
Chinese Rose can adapt to the environment very easily who is resistant to cold and drought, doesn’t request the soil’s quality and is easy to plant and breed. And the management technology is easy to master and spread. . In recent years the city’s Chinese Rose planting has developed greatly. By the ways of introduction, breeding and cultivation, Chinese Rose is planted to green and beautify road, park, courtyard and plaza. Thus Chinese Rose has become one of the necessary plants that greens the city of Shijiazhuang, and at the same time is the appropriate plant that is made for ikebana and bonsai.
Chinese Rose not only can please people but also is useful. Its flower, bud, leaf and root can be used as medicine, essence and spice of high quality. Moreover, Chinese Rose can represent local people’s character: strong, firm and unyielding, showing that people are striving to make the city more beautiful & great, therefore, it is honored as Shijiazhuang city flower.
Chinese scholar tree belongs to pea family, scholar genus, and it is deciduous tree.
Chinese scholar tree originates from China, which has a long history of cultivation and a strong resistance, and its natural life is very long. There are amount to 71 Chinese scholar trees that are over 100 years old, of which 58 are over 500 years old and are still lush and green.
Chinese scholar tree’s trunk is straight, its crown is wide and its leaves are early to spread out and late to defoliate so that it is a good kind of shade tree and street tree. Moreover, its flowers are so fragrant that it is a good kind of bee plant.
Chinese Scholar tree is so strong that it is easy to sprout. Though it is pruned frequently and strongly, it can rebirth very soon. Moreover, it is resistant to cold, drought, barren and noxious gas: sulfur dioxide, chlorine, and hydride chloride, so it is a good kind of tree that can resist pollution, dust and noxious smoke. According to approximate statistics, the number of streets where Chinese scholar trees are planted amounts to 121, which accounts for 41.87% of all streets, so it is one of important species of street trees.
Chinese scholar tree has a high economic value: the timber is strong and tough, and can bears the wetness so it can be provided for house, furniture, ship, engraving, etc., the whole trunk can be used as medicine, flower buds can be made into yellow dyestuff, and seeds can be used to extract oil, or be made the soap.
Among the people, Chinese scholar tree is the symbol of luck, happiness and nicety, which from of old was regarded as a lucky tree and a happy tree. It can represent local people’s character: strong, firm and unyielding, showing that people are striving to make the city more beautiful & great, therefore, it is honored as Shijiazhuang city tree.
Chinese Scholar tree is so strong that it is easy to sprout. Though it is pruned frequently and strongly, it can rebirth very soon. Moreover, it is resistant to cold, drought, barren and noxious gas: sulfur dioxide, chlorine, and hydride chloride, so it is a good kind of tree that can resist pollution, dust and noxious smoke. According to approximate statistics, the number of streets where Chinese scholar trees are planted amounts to 121, which accounts for 41.87% of all streets, so it is one of important species of street trees.
Chinese scholar tree has a high economic value: the timber is strong and tough, and can bears the wetness so it can be provided for house, furniture, ship, engraving, etc., the whole trunk can be used as medicine, flower buds can be made into yellow dyestuff, and seeds can be used to extract oil, or be made the soap.
Among the people, Chinese scholar tree is the symbol of luck, happiness and nicety, which from of old was regarded as a lucky tree and a happy tree. It can represent local people’s character: strong, firm and unyielding, showing that people are striving to make the city more beautiful & great, therefore, it is honored as Shijiazhuang city tree.
Photo: Zhaozhou Bridge
Zhaozhou Bridge
Therefore, there are a lot of historical relics and historical sites in the county such as the Temple of Buddhist Nunluoni in the Northern Song Dynasty, the An Ji Bridge, an enormous stone arch bridge which is the earliest and the most intact now in the world and was built more than 1400 years ago. Since the People’s Republic of China was founded the government had being repaired these historical relics successively,and now the county has become a famous scenic spot.
Photo: Zhengding
Zhao County (Photo credit: Shijiazhuang Government Official Website)
The long history has left numerous magnificent cultural relics and historic sites for Zhengding. And it is famous for ” three disappeared mountains, nine bridges with no water, nine floors, four towers, eight great temples and twenty-four golden steles”. There are five key relics under state protection, seven key relics under province protection and twenty-five relics under city and county protection, so it is praised as ” a great treasure-house of Chinese ancient buildings”.
At present, there are thirteen sight spots opening to the public, such as the Longxing Temple established in the sixth year of Sui dynasty, Kaiyuan Temple of Eastern Wei dynasty, Linyi Temple, Tianning Temple of Tang dynasty, Xianwen Temple of the Five dynasties, Zhaoyun Temple of Ming and Qing dynasties, the shooting bases of movie and TV play - Rongguo Mansion, Ningrong Street, the two palace in the West Journey Play, the apotheosizing Palace, the wild city, the exploration garden and the military amusement park, etc. The ancient temples and towers cooperate with the modern amusement parks to make Zhengding become the largest tourist scenic spot which is the nearest to Shijiazhuang.
Photo: Cangyan Mountain
Cangyan Mountain
Looking down at the Cangyan Mountains, two mountains stand facing each other from east to west, and one chain of mountains lie across their back from north to south, with the Fuqing temple built in the valley formed by the precipices and cliffs. The mountains are more than one thousand steep high, so that it is cold in the valley with the wind blowing; There are jagged rocks of grotesque shape at the bottom of ravines and the stream is gurgling; In the valley the trees are verdant and the green grass is luxuriant; The old sandalwoods depend on the cliff, twisting and curling like dragons; The plank road is winding, and the temple is hung up in the air; The cloud and mist are surging under the bridge hall, and the red wall shines through the green clumps.
Moreover, holding four multifarious seasons, the different mountains are graceful in spring and verdant in summer, and in the days of autumn the mountains look like being washed with the maple leave like rosy clouds, but in winter the lofty mountains are blanketed with snow.
Canyan Mountains are famous for ” three uniqueness “,”one wonder “,” 16 landscapes”, “72 sight spots” both at home and abroad. In 1988 it was praised as national-level key scenic spot, and in 1994 was authorized famous mountain of history and culture with the unique building, wondrous sandalwood, grand mountain, serene valley and elegant forest by the State Council.
Photo: Zhangshi Cliff
Zhangshi Cliff
Zhangshi Cliff
Zhangshi Cliff
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