Liuzhou
Encyclopedia
History
Liuzhou has a history of more than 2,100 years. The city was founded in 111 B.C. when it was known as Tanzhong.In 742 A.D. it became known as Longcheng , after the Long River
Long River (Guangxi)
The Long River is a river system in northern Guangxi Province, China. It is a part of the larger Pearl River system by way of the Liu, Qian, Xun, and Xi Rivers. Its true source is near Dushan, Guizhou, where it is known as the Dagou He...
, before finally changing to Liuzhou ("Liu Prefecture") after the Liu River
Liu River
The Liu River is a tributary within the Pearl River system in Guangxi, China. It is formed by the confluence of the Rong and Long rivers in Fengshan. It flows south through Liuzhou and is joined by the Luoqing Jiang to the south. It meets the larger Hongshui He east of Laibin where it becomes...
in 1736. The most famous historic figure is Liu Zongyuan
Liu Zongyuan
Liu Zongyuan , courtesy name Zihou , was a Chinese writer who lived in Chang'an during the Tang Dynasty. Liu was born in present-day Yongji, Shanxi, along with Han Yu, he was a founder of the Classical Prose Movement...
(773-819), who was a poet and politician 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...
and who died in Liuzhou. He is commemorated by a park in the city.
It was formerly known as Liuchow and was the site of Liuchow Airfield, used by Nationalist Chinese and American Army Air Forces in 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...
. It was captured by the Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
army on 7 November 1944 during the Battle of Guilin–Liuzhou and recaptured by Nationalist Chinese forces on 30 June 1945 prior to the Second Guangxi Campaign
Second Guangxi Campaign
In 1945, China from April to August 2, 3 front in Guangxi province, launched a counter offensive to retake the last major Japanese stronghold in South China and the Second Guangxi Campaign started...
.
Administrative divisions
- Liucheng CountyLiucheng CountyLiucheng County is a county under the jurisdiction of Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. It covers a land area of 2,124 sq...
- Liujiang CountyLiujiang CountyLiujiang County is a county under the jurisdiction of Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. It covers a land area of 2504 sq. kilometers and had a population of 540,000.-Administrative divisions:Liucheng consists of 11 towns....
- Luzhai CountyLuzhai CountyLuzhai County is a county of Guangxi, China. It is under the administration of Liuzhou city....
- Rong'an CountyRong'an CountyRong'an County is a county of Guangxi, China. It is under the administration of Liuzhou city....
- Rongshui County
- Sanjiang County
Economy
Liuzhou is the second largest city in Guangxi and is the region's industrial center. According to statistics issued by the Liuzhou government in 2004, the city’s GDP was 40.4 billion yuan.Tourism
As with much of Guangxi, the landscape around Liuzhou is a mix of rolling hills, mountain peaks, caves and karstKARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
scenery. It is an ideal base for exploring the minority villages in the area.
Transport
- Liuzhou AirportLiuzhou AirportLiuzhou Bailian Airport is a dual-use military and civil airport serving the city of Liuzhou in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.-Airlines and destinations:-See also:*List of airports in the People's Republic of China...
provides flights to major cities in China. - Liuzhou has extensive rail connections with the rest of China. Hunan-Guangxi Railway (HengyangHengyangHengyang is the second largest city of China's Hunan Province. It straddles the Xiang River about 160 km south of Changsha.-History:Its former name was Hengzhou . This was the capital of a prefecture in the Tang Dynasty's Jiangnan and West Jiangnan circuits...
- PingxiangPingxiang, GuangxiPingxiang is a county-level city in the municipal region of Chongzuo in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.-Situation:The city covers an area of 650 km²...
, a.k.a. Xiang-Gui Line), Jiaozuo-Liuzhou Railway (JiaozuoJiaozuoJiaozuo is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the south, Xinxiang to the east, Jiyuan to the west, Luoyang to the southwest, and the province of Shanxi...
- ZhichengZhichengZhicheng is a Chinese city in the province of Hubei. As of 2005, it had a population of 159,000....
- Liuzhou, a.k.a. Jiao-Liu Line) Railway and Guizhou-Guangxi Railway (GuiyangGuiyangGuiyang is the capital of Guizhou province of Southwest China. It is located in the centre of the province, situated on the east of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, and on the north bank of the Nanming River, a branch of the Wu River. The city has an elevation of about 1,100 meters...
- Liuzhou, a.k.a. Qian-Gui Line) make Liuzhou the center of freight transportation in Guangxi. - China National Highway 209China National Highway 209China National Highway 209 runs from Huhhot, Inner Mongolia to Beihai, Guangxi province. It is3,435 kilometres in length and runs south from Huhhot towards Shanxi province, Henan province, Hubei province, Hunan province, and ends in Guangxi province.Despite the "National Highway" designation, G209...
Military
Liuzhou is headquarters of the 41st Group Army41st Army (People's Republic of China)
The 41st Group Army is one of two Group Armies assigned to the Guangzhou Military Region....
of the People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
, one of the two group armies that comprise the Guangzhou Military Region responsible for the defense of China's southern coast and its border with Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
.
Quotes
Liuzhou appears in the Chinese saying- Born in SuzhouSuzhouSuzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
, live in HangzhouHangzhouHangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
, eat in GuangzhouGuangzhouGuangzhou , 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...
, die in Liuzhou
because, in the past, the city was known for its coffins, made from firwood, camphor wood, and sandalwood, which are said to preserve the body after death. 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...
's "Cantonese" cuisine is famous worldwide, and Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
is known for its prosperity and the beauty of its location. Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
is reputed to have the most beautiful people in China, so the line is sometimes given as "Marry in Suzhou...".
Today many tourists buy miniature coffins, about 3 to 30 cm long, as souvenirs or good luck charms. The coffins are usually inscribed 升官发财 (shēng guān fā cái) which means 'win promotion and get rich". The second and fourth characters are homophones of 棺材 (guān cái) meaning 'coffin'.
Some miniature coffins are used as caskets to hold the ashes of ancestors.
People
- Liuzhou was the home of Li NingLi NingLi Ning is a well-known Chinese gymnast and entrepreneur. He was born in an ethnic Zhuang family.-Gymnastics career:...
(born 1963), gymnastGymnastGymnasts are people who participate in the sports of either artistic gymnastics, trampolining, or rhythmic gymnastics.See gymnasium for the origin of the word gymnast from gymnastikos.-Female artistic:Australia...
and entrepreneur who lit the Olympic torch in Beijing in 2008. - Chinese gymnast, Jiang Yuyuan was also born in Liuzhou.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Liuzhou is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Muntinlupa, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, USA Passau
Passau
Passau is a town in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or "City of Three Rivers," because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...