People's Square (Ürümqi)
Encyclopedia
People's Square of Ürümqi is a large public square located around the major intersections of Central Business District
of Ürümqi
, the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China
. Located in Tianshan District
, it is a primary tourist destination in the city and is also used to hold large events and serves as a general place of daily amusement for local residents.
, the original site was a lotus pool. In 1934, it was a property land of the supervision administration office of ROC
government. The area was named "Peace Square" in 1946 when the then Xinjiang provincial government peacefully negotiated with the revolutionary governments of Ili
, Tacheng
and Altay
; and the name was changed into "People's Square" in 1950.
On May 19, 1989, unrest took place on the square, where thousands of rioters smashed windows, overthrew cars and attacked staff of the CPC office, against the building of CPC committee of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
In 1995, the provincial CPC committee and the government rebuilt the Square, with a monument set on the central ground.
On June 17, 2008, the People’s Square is the site of departure for the sacred flame during the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay
in Urumqi.
On July 5, 2009, mass protests by Uyghur
against the Shaoguan incident
took place as the onset of the later severe rioting that killed at least 197 people.
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Ürümqi
Ürümqi
Ürümqi , formerly Tihwa , is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, in the northwest of the country....
, the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. Located in Tianshan District
Tianshan District
Tianshan District is a district within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and is under the administrative jurisdiction of the Ürümqi City. It contains an area of 171 km2. According to the 2002 census, it has a population of 450,000....
, it is a primary tourist destination in the city and is also used to hold large events and serves as a general place of daily amusement for local residents.
History
During the Qing DynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, the original site was a lotus pool. In 1934, it was a property land of the supervision administration office of ROC
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
government. The area was named "Peace Square" in 1946 when the then Xinjiang provincial government peacefully negotiated with the revolutionary governments of Ili
Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture
Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture , in northernmost Xinjiang, is the only Kazakh autonomous prefecture of the People's Republic of China.-Geography and coordinates:The following figures excludes both Tacheng Prefecture and Altay Prefecture....
, Tacheng
Tacheng
-References:* Khālidī, Qurbanʻali, Allen J. Frank, and Mirkasym Abdulakhatovich Usmanov. An Islamic Biographical Dictionary of the Eastern Kazakh Steppe, 1770-1912. Brill's Inner Asian library, v. 12. Leiden: Brill, 2004....
and Altay
Altay Prefecture
Altay Prefecture is located in northern Xinjiang, China. It has an area of 118,015 km² and a population of 561,667 . It is a part of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture...
; and the name was changed into "People's Square" in 1950.
On May 19, 1989, unrest took place on the square, where thousands of rioters smashed windows, overthrew cars and attacked staff of the CPC office, against the building of CPC committee of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
In 1995, the provincial CPC committee and the government rebuilt the Square, with a monument set on the central ground.
On June 17, 2008, the People’s Square is the site of departure for the sacred flame during the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay
2008 Summer Olympics torch relay
The 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay was run from March 24 until August 8, 2008, prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics, with the theme of "one world, one dream". Plans for the relay were announced on April 26, 2007, in Beijing, China...
in Urumqi.
On July 5, 2009, mass protests by Uyghur
Uyghur people
The Uyghur are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
against the Shaoguan incident
Shaoguan incident
The Shaoguan incident was a civil disturbance which took place overnight on 25/26 June 2009 in Guangdong province, China. A violent dispute erupted between migrant Uyghurs and Han workers at a toy factory in Shaoguan as a result of allegations of the sexual assault of a Han female...
took place as the onset of the later severe rioting that killed at least 197 people.
Landmarks
- Monument to the People’s Liberation Army’s March into Xinjiang (中国人民解放军进军新疆纪念碑) is 32.6-meter tall, on the center-south of the Square, set in 1995.
Surroundings
- The General Office of the CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Committee ( abbr.: CPC Committee of the Autonomous Region; Chinese abbr.: 自治区党委), a symbolic building, is located opposite to the Square on the north
- Hoi Tak Hotel is a 32-storey five-star hotel on the west side of the Square
See also
- ÜrümqiÜrümqiÜrümqi , formerly Tihwa , is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, in the northwest of the country....
- Nanhu Square
- Xinjiang International Grand BazaarGrand Bazaar (Ürümqi)The Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar , also known as International Grand Bazaar Xinjiang, is an Islamic bazaar in Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China. It is the largest bazaar in the world by scale, combining Islamic culture, architecture, ethnic commerce, tourism and entertainment...