Taiyuan
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| Taiyuan | |
| — Prefecture-level city — | |
| Chinese transliteration(s) | |
| - Chinese | 太原 |
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| - Pinyin | Tàiyuán |
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| Nickname: Bingzhou(并州); Jinyang(晋阳); Dragon City(龙城) | |
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | China |
| Province | Shanxi |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Zhang Bingsheng (张兵生) |
| Area | |
| - Total | 6,956 km² (2,685.7 sq mi) |
| Population (2004) | |
| - Total | 3,413,800 |
| - Density | 490.8/km² (1,271.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | China Standard (UTC+8) |
| Area code(s) | 351 |
| GDP | ¥ 101.338 billion (2006) |
| GDP per capita | ¥ 27,994 (2006) |
| Major Nationalities | Han |
| County-level divisions | 10 |
| Township-level divisions | 83 |
| Website: http://www.taiyuan.gov.cn | |
Taiyuan (Chinese: 太原; pinyin: Tàiyuán; Wade-Giles: T'ai-yüan lit. "Great Plains") is a prefecture-level city and capital of Shanxi province, China. The city has an elevation of about 800 meters.
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[edit] Geography
Taiyuan is one of the great industrial cities of China and lies on the Fen River in the north of its fertile upper basin. It commands the north-south route through Shanxi, as well as important natural lines of communication through the mountains to Hebei province in the east and—via Fenyang — to northern Shaanxi province in the west.
The city had been deliberately flooded several times: 453 BC, 969 AD, and was destroyed by war in 1125 AD.
[edit] History
Taiyuan is an ancient capital, constructed by Zhaojianzi (趙簡子/赵简子) in ca. 500 BC, named Jinyang (晉陽/晋阳). It was renamed Taiyuan in the Qin Dynasty. Several Emperors came from this city, therefore the other name of the city is "Dragon City". The most famous emperor is Li Shiming during Tang Dynasty. Many ancient Chinese poets were also from Taiyuan. In Tang Dynasty, Taiyuan was a secondary capital of China and a cultural center. The oldest existing building in the city is the Temple of Goddess (聖母殿/圣母殿) inside the Jin Ci Complex; it was originally built in 1023 AD and reconstructed in 1102 AD.
The city was originally the site of Jinyang, a strategic center for the ancient state of Zhao. After the Qin conquest of Zhao in 221 BC, it became the seat of the commandery (district under the control of a commander) of Taiyuan, which continued during the Han dynasty (206 BC–AD 220) and after. In the Later Han period, it became capital of the province (zhou) of Bing.
In the 6th century it was for a time a secondary capital of the Eastern Wei and Northern Qi states, growing into a large city and also becoming a center of Buddhism. A new city was built in 562 AD, which was later linked to the old city during the Tang Dynasty (733 AD). From that time until the middle of the Tang dynasty (618–907), the construction of the cave temples at Tianlong Mountain, southwest of the city, continued. The dynastic founder of the Tang began his conquest of the empire with Taiyuan as a base and using the support of its local aristocracy. It was periodically designated as the Tang's northern capital and grew into a heavily fortified military base.
The old city was at Taiyuanzhen, a few miles east of the modern city. After the Song conquest in 960, a new city was set up on the banks of the Fen in 982. The city became a superior prefecture in 1059 and administrative capital of Hedong (northern Shanxi) in 1107. It retained this function, with various changes in its name and status, down to the end of the Mongol period (1368). At the beginning of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), it was renamed Taiyuan Fu (fu meaning "chief town") and retained this name until 1912. During Ming Dynasty, the city wall was reconstructed in 1568 AD. Under the Ming dynasty and in the Qing period (1644–1911), it was capital of Shanxi. Under the republic (established in 1911), its name was changed to Yangqu, a name it retained until 1947.
In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, there was a massacre of seventy seven unarmed Western missionaries who were exectued in front of the provincial governor. An incident which became known as the Taiyuan Massacre. In 1907 the importance of Taiyuan was increased by the construction of a rail link to Shijiazhuang, in Hebei, on the Beijing to Wuhan trunk line. Soon thereafter Taiyuan suffered a serious economic crisis. In the 19th century the merchants and local banks of Shanxi had been of national importance, but the rise of modern banks led to the rapid decline of this system—with disastrous effects upon Shanxi and its capital.
After 1911 Shanxi remained under a powerful warlord, Yen Hsi-shan, who retained control from 1913 to 1948. Taiyuan consequently flourished as the center of his comparatively progressive province and experienced extensive industrial development. It was also linked by rail both to the far southwest of Shanxi and to Datong in the north.
After the Japanese invasion in 1937, Taiyuan's industries developed still further. In 1945 the Japanese army in Shanxi surrendered to Yen Hsi-shan and continued to fight for him until 1948. Eventually, the Chinese Communist armies captured Taiyuan, but only after a destructive battle.
Since 1949 Taiyuan has developed a large industrial base with heavy industry (notably iron and steel) of prime importance; local coal production is considerable. Taiyuan is also an engineering center, produces cement, and has a large chemical-industrial complex. It is also a center of education and research, particularly in technology and applied science.
[edit] Economy
The GDP per capita was 27,994 yuan (US$4,000) in 2006, ranked no. 171 among 659 Chinese cities. In 2006, Taiyuan's nominal GDP was 101.338 billion yuan, a growth of 14.7% from the previous year. Taiyuan's primary, secondary, and tertiary industries were worth 2 billion yuan, 43.07 billion yuan, and 44.48 billion yuan respectively. There are several big companies in City of Taiyuan, such as Taiyuan Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) which is the biggest stainless steel producing plant in Asia. Also, the Shanxi Heavy Machinery Factory and Fenxi Machinery Factory are the major manufacturers for Chinese Army and Navy, which produce submarine missiles. Largest local bank is ICBC( Industrial and Commercial Bank of China)
Taiyuan is the biggest coal mining center in China.
[edit] Transportation
The Fen River flows across the city from north to south, dividing the city into two parts: Qiaoxi (West of the Bridge) and Qiaodong (East of the Bridge). As of 2007, there are five bridges across the Fen River within the city limit: the Shengli Bridge (1970), the Yifen Bridge (1990), the Yingze Bridge (1954), the Nanneihuan Bridge (1988), and the Changfeng Bridge(2001). About ten kilometers to the north of the Shengli Bridge, there is the Chaicun Bridge. Two more bridges are being planned: Beizhonghuan Bridge and Nanzhonghuan Bridge. The major airport is Taiyuan Wusu Airport.
[edit] Sport
The city was home of the Chinese Football Association Jia League's Shanxi Aosen Luhu club for the 2006 season. It is also the home of the Shanxi Zhongyu (Chinese Basketball Association) since 2006.
May 2008 the UCI World BMXRACING Championships is held in Taiyuan.
[edit] Food
Taiyuan's local specialties include:
Wheat-made Food: Liang Fen, Mian Pi
Noodle: Dalu Mian, Dao Xiao Mian (Knife Cut Noodle), La Mian (Dragging Noodle), Mao Er Duo( Cat Ear Noodle), Xi Hong Shi Chao Ji Dan Mian(Tomato and Fried Eggs Noodle)
Soup: Tou Nao ("Brain" Soup), Yang Za Ge
[edit] Tourism
Tourist attractions in and around Taiyuan include [1]:
- Liu Xiang Lane(ancient Chinese houses)
- Chongshan Monastery
- Jinci Temple
- Twin Pagoda Temple
- Shuanglin Monastery
- Longtan Park
- Yinze Park
Also, Taiyuan is known for its Liuxiang shopping district and the construction of parks and recreational areas on both sides of the Fen River that are specifically praised by the UN Environmental Programme for their role in the improvement in the environmental condition of Taiyuan. Taiyuan's environmental improvement project is being copied in many other Chinese cities and urban areas around the world.
[edit] Education
[edit] Major schools
- Shanxi Experimental Secondary School（山西省实验中学）
- Jiefanglu Elementary School
[edit] Colleges and universities
- Shanxi Agricultural University (山西农业大学)
- Shanxi College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (山西中医学院)
- Shanxi Medical University (山西医科大学)
- Shanxi Teachers University also called Shanxi Normal University (山西师范大学)
- Shanxi University (山西大学)
- Shanxi University of Finance and Economics (山西财经大学)
- Taiyuan Normal University (太原师范学院)
- Taiyuan University of Science and Technology (太原科技大学)
- Taiyuan University of Technology (太原理工大学)
- North University of China (中北大学)
[edit] Sister cities
Taiyuan is twinned with:
- Chemnitz (Germany)
- Himeji (Hyōgo, Japan)
- Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
- Nashville (Tennessee, United States)
- Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
[edit] See also
- Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center is one of China's few stations for rocket launch.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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