Macheng

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Macheng (Chinese: 麻城) is a county-level city in Huanggang, Hubei, China.

Macheng abuts the south side of the Dabie Mountains in northeastern Hubei. The city covers about 3,600 square kilometers, and includes some 700 villages and small towns. Total population was 1.2 million at the last census.

1 History
2 Economy
3 Transportation
4 References

[edit] History

Macheng has a long history, dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period as part of the Chu empire, and was the site of the famous Wu Chu battle (around 506 BC). It was named Macheng in 598 AD.

In 1927, a major peasant revolt erupted in Macheng, creating a strong base for the ensuing Communist revolution in 1949. More than 100,000 people joined Mao’s Red Army under local Generals, Wang Shusheng and Chen Zaidao.

[edit] Economy

Macheng is rich in resources, with about one million mu (670 km²) under agricultural cultivation. Forests cover about three million mu (2,000 km²), and water covers about 450,000 mu (300 km²).

The main mineral reserves are basalt, marble, and silicon, with large deposits of jade, gold, silver, and copper, among others. The main plant crops are Chinese chestnuts, chrysanthemums, and persimmon fruit. The area is also famous for mulberry bushes and related silkworm production.

[edit] Transportation

The main Beijing-Jiulong (“Jing-Jiu”) railway line,which connects Beijing and Hongkong, passes through the county.

[edit] References

Macheng Government Website (Chinese)
Willam T. Rowe, Crimson Rain: Seven Centuries of Violence in a Chinese County (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2007), ISBN 0-8047-5496-9