Changting County

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Changting County
Tingzhou
—  County  —
Chinese transliteration(s)
 - Simplified 长汀县
 - Traditional 長汀縣
 - Pinyin Chángtīng Xiàn
Changting in Fujian
Changting in Fujian
Country China
Province Fujian
Prefecture Longyan
Area
 - Total 3,099 km² (1,196.5 sq mi)
Population
 - Total 480,000
 - Density 154.9/km² (401.2/sq mi)
Time zone China Standard (UTC+8)
Website: http://www.changting.gov.cn/

Changting County (Simplified: 长汀; Traditional: 長汀; Pinyin: Chángtīng Xiàn), also known as Tingzhou or Tingchow (汀州), is a county in western Fujian province, the People's Republic of China. With a population of 480,000 and an area of 3,099 square kilometers, Changting is the fifth largest county in Fujian province [1]. Majority of the population belongs to Hakka(客家)and speaks Hakka dialect.

Contents

[edit] History

Early History

As early as 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, there were ancient Minyue(闽越) people thrived along the Tingjiang river(汀江), which originates in the north and runs through the county toward the south and enters the South China Sea in Shantou(汕头), Guangdong(广东) province. Since early years Tingjiang river has been serving as an important water path for traveling and, more importantly, shipping of goods between coastal areas and mountainous in-lands. It was said that the early Hakka ancestors traveled from north through the same path to other parts of China and overseas, so Tingjiang river also gained its name as "Hakka's Mother River".

In year 24 of Kaiyuan, Tang Dynasty(唐朝) (736 AD), in order to better administer people migrating from north, Tingzhou(汀州) prefectural administration was set up[1]. Since then and until the end of Qing Dynasty(清朝), Tingzhou had been where Zhou(州), Jun(郡), Lu(路) and Fu(府) was located, and economic and political center of western Fujian(福建). Being the first such place set up by administration for migrants and one of the main concentration places for Hakka people, Tingzhou was also referred to as "Capital of Hakkas"(客家首府). Many Hakkas can trace their origins from Tingzhou.

Revolution Era and Beyond

Tingzhou was changed to Changting in 1913, two years after the Republic of China began. During Chinese Civil War, Changting was the economic and financial center of the Chinese Soviet Republic. Tens of thousands of people from Changting joined the Chinese Red Army but not many survived the Long March.

Since 1949, Changting has been a county under Longyan Prefecture-level city.

With the prosperity of road and railway transportation and more and more dams built along the river, Tingjiang river gradually lost its advantage as a vital transportation means. Changting, once an important concentration place for travellers and goods, became isolated by big mountains. Changting lost its place as the center of western Fujian and became one of the poorest counties in Fujian province.

Today, the situation has improved a lot with first railroad in service in 2005 and first highway in service at the end of 2007.

[edit] Geography

Changting borders Ruijin county of Jiangxi provience to the west, Ninghua to the north, Lianchen to the east, Wuping and Shanghan to the south.

Located in the end of the Wuyi Mountains(武夷山脉), Changting belongs to subtropical zone. The region enjoys abundant precipitation as warm air from sea meets cool air in the mountains, generating large amount of rainfall.

[edit] Administration

The County of Changting administers 18 township divisions.

Tingzhou(汀州), Datong(大同), Xinqiao(新桥), Zuotian(濯田), Anjie(庵杰), Cewu(策武), Hetian(河田), Gucheng(古城), Guangqian(馆前), Nanshan(南山), Sanzhou(三洲), Tiechang铁长), Tongfan(童坊), Yanggu(羊牯), Xuancheng(宣成), Hongshan(红山), Sidu(四都), Tufan(涂坊)

[edit] Famous people of Changting

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.changting.gov.cn/ViewInfo.asp?id=66

[edit] External links

Languages