Shaoxing

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绍兴市
Shàoxīng Shì
Shaoxing is highlighted on this map
Administration Type Prefecture-level city
Area (Land) 8,256 km²
Population 4,347,200 (2004)
GDP ¥35,753 per capita (2004)
Major Nationalities Han
County-level divisions 6
Township-level divisions
Mayor Zhang Jinru (张金如)
Area code 575
License Plate Prefix 浙D
City flower Orchid

Shaoxing (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Shàoxīng; Wade-Giles: Shao-hsing) is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. Lying on the south bank of the Qiantang River mouth, it borders Ningbo to the east, Taizhou to the southeast, Jinhua to the southwest, and Hangzhou to the west.

Contents

[edit] Administration

The prefecture-level city of Shaoxing administers 1 district, 3 county-level cities and 2 counties.

  • Yuecheng District (越城区)
  • Shangyu City (上虞市)
  • Shengzhou City (嵊州市)
  • Zhuji City (诸暨市)
  • Shaoxing County (绍兴县)
  • Xinchang County (新昌县)

[edit] History

Modern-day Shaoxing sits on the site of the capital of the Spring and Autumn Period Kingdom of Yue. Around the sixth century BC, Yue had a sinicised ruling elite which fought a number of wars against its northern archrival Kingdom of Wu.

Shaoxing became a subprefecture during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Under the Republic of China, it became a county. And under the People's Republic of China, it became a city.

[edit] Geography and climate

East Lake, Shaoxing's traditional scenic area
East Lake, Shaoxing's traditional scenic area


[edit] Notable people

  • Cai Yuanpei, educator
  • Ma Yinchu,educator(Shengzhou City)
  • Liu Wenxi,painter(Shengzhou City)
  • Shen Hang,industrial designer,sculptor,painter(Shengzhou City)
  • Chen Yi, politician of Dongpu Town (東浦鎮), Shaoxing County
  • Lu Xun (aka Zhou Shuren), writer
  • Zhou Zuoren, writer and brother of Lu Xun
  • Qiu Jin, female revolutionary
  • Xishi, beauty (Zhuji City)
  • Xu Wei, painter
  • Zhou Enlai, Communist party leader
  • Wang Xizhi, calligrapher

[edit] Tourism

A boat on one of Shaoxing's waterways, near the city center
A boat on one of Shaoxing's waterways, near the city center
  • Lu Xun's residence is preserved near the middle of the city, and has become a tourist destination.
  • East Lake (东湖) is a traditional scenic area just out of town.
  • Shaoxing has the Tomb of Yu the Great (大禹陵).

[edit] Miscellaneous

  • The Chinese rice wine (黃酒) is also known as Shaoxing Wine (紹興酒) or simply Shao Wine (紹酒). The brewery takes the natural process with the "pure" water of Jianhu-Mirror Lake. It has a unique flavour and a reputation throughout the nation and internationally. It is used both as a liquor and in cooking, and as a solvent for Chinese herbal medicated ointment.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


Prefecture-level divisions of Zhejiang
Sub-provincial cities: Hangzhou | Ningbo
Prefecture-level cities: Huzhou | Jiaxing | Jinhua | Lishui

Quzhou | Shaoxing | Taizhou | Wenzhou | Zhoushan

List of Zhejiang County-level divisions


Coordinates: 30°00′N 120°35′E