Hengyang
Encyclopedia
Hengyang is the second largest city of China
's Hunan
Province. It straddles the Xiang River
about 160 km south of Changsha.
Héngzhōu). This was the capital of a prefecture in the Tang Dynasty
's Jiangnan and West Jiangnan
circuits. Li Jingxuan
was banished to superintendence of Hengzhou after feigning an illness and attempting to usurp control of the legislative bureau at Chang'an
against the Gaozong Emperor's wishes in AD 680. Following the AD 705 coup that removed the Empress Wu Zetian
from power, her ally Li Jiongxiu
was also briefly demoted to superintendence of this province. During the reign of Emperor Muzong
, the chancellor Linghu Chu
was also demoted to this province for his underlings' alleged corruption.
In the 750s, the superintendent of Hengzhou Chen Xi'ang not only ruled his own region but also used his private army to dominate his nominal superior, the military governor Zhang Weiyi headquartered in Jing Prefecture (modern Jingzhou
). Upon Zhang's replacement by the former chancellor Lü Yin
in 760, however, Chen was placated and then killed in a surprise attack.
During the reign of the Tang emperor Xizong, Zhou Yue
overthrew first the prefect of Hengzhou Xu Hao in 881 and then the agent of the rebel Qin Zongquan in the capital of the Qinhua Circuit
at Tan Prefecture (modern Changsha) in 886. Xizong confirmed Zhou Yue in all his posts, renaming his circuit Wu'an
. Xizong's brother then gave him additional authority over West Lingnan Circuit
(modern Guangxi
). Shortly after, in 893, Deng Chune and Lei Man
attacked and killed him.
Other superintendents included Qi Ying
and Xiao Ye
.
After initially falling to agrarian rebels under Yang Shiyuan, Hengzhou was recovered by the lord of Wu'an Ma Yin
and formed part of his power base during the collapse of the Tang. He initially supported the Later Liang
, then declared himself king in his own right during the 5 Dynasties and 10 Kingdoms Period.
During the Revolt of the Three Feudatories
, Wu Sangui
declared himself Emperor of the Great Zhou
and established an imperial court at Hengzhou in 1678 before dying of illness later that year. His grandson Wu Shifan then retreated to Yunnan
, and the Ming recovered Hengzhou the next year.
In the 19th century, Hengzhou was known in English as Hengchow. A Roman Catholic diocese of Hengzhou was established, although periodically supressed. This was suffragan to the Archbishop of Changhsha following its elevation in 1946.
city and the leading transportation centre of Hunan
, linking water, rail
, and highway routes. Manufactures include chemicals
, agricultural and mining
equipment, textiles, paper
, and processed foods. Lead
, zinc
, coal
, and tin
mines are nearby.
that used to rest here while flying south for the winter), Hengyang has been the birthplace of many historical figures, such the revolutionist Luo Ronghuan
and a noted Ming
scholar Wang Fuzhi
. The city was badly damaged during World War II
and few historical buildings survive in diverse stage of reconstruction, including Shigu Academy, Dragon Tower, Confucian School on the Dongzhou Island and Laiyan Pagoda. Mount Heng
, one of the Five Sacred Mountains, lies 45 kilometres north from the city proper.
to Zhuhai
) and Heng-Kun Highway (Hengyang to Kunming
) intersect here.
State way 107 (to Beijing, to Guangzhou
)and 322 (to Kunming
) pass the downtown of the city.
Two bus terminals locate in the city. One is Hengyang Western Terminal which locates in the downtown and operates provincial lines and intra-metro lines in northern and western directions. Another is LingHu Terminal which operates lines of southern and eastern directions and locates on the edge of the city.
Hengyang is an important transportation hub in southern China. Two main railway lines intersect at Hengyang, One is Jing Guang line (from Beijing to Guangzhou) and Xiang Gui line (from Hengyang to Nanning
). Hengyang railway station is one of the ten largest train stations in China and is recognized as one of the extra-premium level stations.
More than 100 trains pass by and stop at Hengyang Raiway Station, making it one of the busiest stations all over the country and connecting it to most cities of China.
To reach the station, people can take city bus line 1, K1, 7, 16, 18, 25, 24, 27, 36, 37, K38.
The city's new Hengyang East Railway Station
is served by the Wuhan–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway
.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
's Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
Province. It straddles the Xiang River
Xiang River
The Xiang River , in older transliterations as the Siang River or Hsiang River, is a river in southern China...
about 160 km south of Changsha.
History
Its former name was Hengzhou ' onMouseout='HidePop("14785")' href="/topics/Pinyin">pPinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
Héngzhōu). This was the capital of a prefecture in the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
's Jiangnan and West Jiangnan
Jiangnanxidao
Jiangnanxidao was a southern province of Tang Empire. It corresponds to part of present-day Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Anhui...
circuits. Li Jingxuan
Li Jingxuan
Li Jingxuan , formally Duke Wenxian of Zhao , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. He was famed for his knack of organizing the civil service system efficiently, but his downfall began in 678, when he, over his objection,...
was banished to superintendence of Hengzhou after feigning an illness and attempting to usurp control of the legislative bureau at Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
against the Gaozong Emperor's wishes in AD 680. Following the AD 705 coup that removed the Empress Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
from power, her ally Li Jiongxiu
Li Jiongxiu
Li Jiongxiu , courtesy name Maozhi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as chancellor during Wu Zetian's reign.- Background :...
was also briefly demoted to superintendence of this province. During the reign of Emperor Muzong
Emperor Muzong of Tang
Emperor Muzong of Tang , personal name Li Heng , né Li You , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 821 to 824. Emperor Muzong was the son of Emperor Xianzong...
, the chancellor Linghu Chu
Linghu Chu
Linghu Chu , courtesy name Keshi , formally Duke Wen of Pengyang , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xianzong and Emperor Xianzong's son Emperor Muzong.- Background :Linghu Chu was born in 766, during the reign of Emperor...
was also demoted to this province for his underlings' alleged corruption.
In the 750s, the superintendent of Hengzhou Chen Xi'ang not only ruled his own region but also used his private army to dominate his nominal superior, the military governor Zhang Weiyi headquartered in Jing Prefecture (modern Jingzhou
Jingzhou
Jingzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. The city is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.Its population is 5,691,707 at the 2010 census whom 1,154,086 in the built up area made of 3 urban districts.-Geography:Jingzhou occupies an area of...
). Upon Zhang's replacement by the former chancellor Lü Yin
Lü Yin
Lü Yin , formally Count Su of Xuchang , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Suzong...
in 760, however, Chen was placated and then killed in a surprise attack.
During the reign of the Tang emperor Xizong, Zhou Yue
Zhou Yue
Zhou Yue , courtesy name Junzhao , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Wu'an Circuit from 886 to 893.- Background and takeover of Heng Prefecture :...
overthrew first the prefect of Hengzhou Xu Hao in 881 and then the agent of the rebel Qin Zongquan in the capital of the Qinhua Circuit
Qinhua Circuit
Qinhua Circuit was a military governor–level circuit of China during the Tang Dynasty. Its capital was Tanzhou .-History:Qinhua Circuit was a promotion of the earlier Hunan Circuit for Min Xu...
at Tan Prefecture (modern Changsha) in 886. Xizong confirmed Zhou Yue in all his posts, renaming his circuit Wu'an
Wu'an Circuit
Wu'an Circuit was a circuit of China during the Tang dynasty.It was formed by the expansion and renaming of the Qinhua Circuit.-See also:* Tang dynasty* History of the administrative subdivisions of China...
. Xizong's brother then gave him additional authority over West Lingnan Circuit
West Lingnan Circuit
West Lingnan Circuit was a circuit of China during the Tang Dynasty.-See also:* Lingnan Circuit* Tang dynasty* History of the administrative divisions of China...
(modern Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
). Shortly after, in 893, Deng Chune and Lei Man
Lei Man
Lei Man , courtesy name Bingren , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who seized control of Lang Prefecture in 881 and controlled it and the surrounding region to accommodate him, who was made military governor until his death in 901...
attacked and killed him.
Other superintendents included Qi Ying
Qi Ying
Qi Ying , formally Baron Zhong of Hejian , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong.- Background :...
and Xiao Ye
Xiao Ye
Xiao Ye , courtesy name Qizhi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xuānzong and Emperor Xuānzong's son Emperor Yizong.- Background and early career :...
.
After initially falling to agrarian rebels under Yang Shiyuan, Hengzhou was recovered by the lord of Wu'an Ma Yin
Ma Yin
Ma Yin , courtesy name Batu , formally King Wumu of Chu , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who became the first ruler of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Chu and the only one who carried the title of "king." He initially took control of the Changsha region in...
and formed part of his power base during the collapse of the Tang. He initially supported the Later Liang
Later Liang Dynasty
The Later Liang was one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. It was founded by Zhu Wen, posthumously known as Taizu of Later Liang, after he forced the last emperor of the Tang dynasty to abdicate in his favour...
, then declared himself king in his own right during the 5 Dynasties and 10 Kingdoms Period.
During the Revolt of the Three Feudatories
Revolt of the Three Feudatories
The Revolt of the Three Feudatories was a rebellion in the Qing Dynasty during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor. The revolt was led by the three lords of the fiefdoms in Yunnan, Guangdong and Fujian provinces against the Qing central government....
, Wu Sangui
Wu Sangui
Wu Sangui was a Ming Chinese general who was instrumental in the succession of rule to the Qing Dynasty in 1644...
declared himself Emperor of the Great Zhou
Great Zhou Dynasty
The Great Zhou Dynasty or Kingdom of Great Zhou may refer to one of two dynasties:* The short-lived 14th-century Kingdom of Dazhou established by the Red Turban rebel Zhang Shicheng* The short-lived 17th-century dynasty established by Wu Sangui...
and established an imperial court at Hengzhou in 1678 before dying of illness later that year. His grandson Wu Shifan then retreated to Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
, and the Ming recovered Hengzhou the next year.
In the 19th century, Hengzhou was known in English as Hengchow. A Roman Catholic diocese of Hengzhou was established, although periodically supressed. This was suffragan to the Archbishop of Changhsha following its elevation in 1946.
Economy
Hengyang has an area of 15,279 km² and a population of 7,141,162. There are 886,424 people in the built-up area of 522 km² in the 4 central urban districts. Hengyang is a busy and growing industrialIndustry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
city and the leading transportation centre of Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
, linking water, rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
, and highway routes. Manufactures include chemicals
Chemical industry
The chemical industry comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. Central to the modern world economy, it converts raw materials into more than 70,000 different products.-Products:...
, agricultural and mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
equipment, textiles, paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
, and processed foods. Lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
, zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
, coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, and tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
mines are nearby.
Tourism
Known as the 'Bright Pearl in Southern China' and as 'Wild Goose City' (the latter because of wild geeseGoose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
that used to rest here while flying south for the winter), Hengyang has been the birthplace of many historical figures, such the revolutionist Luo Ronghuan
Luo Ronghuan
Luo Ronghuan was a Chinese communist military leader.-Biography:Luo was born in a village in Hengshan County, Hunan Province. He joined the Chinese Communist Youth League in April 1927 and the Chinese Communist Party later that year...
and a noted Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
scholar Wang Fuzhi
Wang Fuzhi
Wang Fuzhi , 1619–1692) courtesy name Ernong , pseudonym Chuanshan , was a Chinese philosopher of the late Ming, early Qing dynasties.-Life:...
. The city was badly damaged during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and few historical buildings survive in diverse stage of reconstruction, including Shigu Academy, Dragon Tower, Confucian School on the Dongzhou Island and Laiyan Pagoda. Mount Heng
Mount Heng (Hunan)
Mount Heng , also known as Nan Yue , is located in Hunan Province, People's Republic of China and is one of the Five Sacred Mountains of Taoism in China. Heng Shan is a mountain range long with 72 peaks and lies at 27.254798°N and 112.655743°E...
, one of the Five Sacred Mountains, lies 45 kilometres north from the city proper.
Climate
Administrative divisions
The city is divided into the old and new districts. The latter offer citizens and businesses the chance to move from the bleak and polluted city centre to newly-constructed housing estates.- Yanfeng DistrictYanfeng DistrictYanfeng District is a district of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Hengyang city.-References:*...
(雁峰区) - Zhuhui DistrictZhuhui DistrictZhuhui District is a district of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Hengyang city.-References:*...
(珠晖区) - Shigu DistrictShigu DistrictShigu District is a district of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Hengyang city.-References:*...
(石鼓区) - Zhengxiang DistrictZhengxiang DistrictZhengxiang District is a district of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Hengyang city.-References:*...
(蒸湘区) - Nanyue DistrictNanyue DistrictNanyue District is a district of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Hengyang city.-References:*...
(南岳区) - ChangningChangning, HunanChangning, Hunan is a city district of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Hengyang city.-References:*...
City (常宁市) - LeiyangLeiyangLeiyang is a county-level city in Hengyang, Hunan in China. It has over 1.3 million inhabitants. Cai Lun, the traditionally credited inventor of paper, was born and lived in Leiyang...
City (耒阳市) - Hengyang CountyHengyang CountyHengyang County is a county of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Hengyang city.-References:*...
(衡阳县) - Hengnan CountyHengnan CountyHengnan County is a county of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Hengyang city.-References:*...
(衡南县) - Hengshan CountyHengshan County, HunanHengshan County is a county of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Hengyang city.-References:*...
(衡山县) - Hengdong CountyHengdong CountyHengdong County is a county of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Hengyang city.-References:*...
(衡东县) - Qidong CountyQidong County, HunanQidong County is a county of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Hengyang city.-References:*...
(祁东县)
Transportation
Hengyang is one of the 45 highway hubs in China. Jing-Zhu Highway (BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
to Zhuhai
Zhuhai
Zhuhai is a prefecture-level city on the southern coast of Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macau to the south. Zhuhai was one of the original Special Economic Zones...
) and Heng-Kun Highway (Hengyang to Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
) intersect here.
State way 107 (to Beijing, to Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
)and 322 (to Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
) pass the downtown of the city.
Two bus terminals locate in the city. One is Hengyang Western Terminal which locates in the downtown and operates provincial lines and intra-metro lines in northern and western directions. Another is LingHu Terminal which operates lines of southern and eastern directions and locates on the edge of the city.
Hengyang is an important transportation hub in southern China. Two main railway lines intersect at Hengyang, One is Jing Guang line (from Beijing to Guangzhou) and Xiang Gui line (from Hengyang to Nanning
Nanning
Nanning is the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. It is known as the "Green City" because of its abundance of lush tropical foliage.-History:...
). Hengyang railway station is one of the ten largest train stations in China and is recognized as one of the extra-premium level stations.
More than 100 trains pass by and stop at Hengyang Raiway Station, making it one of the busiest stations all over the country and connecting it to most cities of China.
To reach the station, people can take city bus line 1, K1, 7, 16, 18, 25, 24, 27, 36, 37, K38.
The city's new Hengyang East Railway Station
Hengyang East Railway Station
The Hengyang East Railway Station is a railway station located in Hengyang, Hunan Province, China....
is served by the Wuhan–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway
Wuhan–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway
The Wuguang High-Speed Railway , short for Beijing–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, Wuhan–Guangzhou Section, is a high-speed rail line, operated by China Railway High-speed , connecting Wuhan and Guangzhou , in the People's Republic of China...
.