Taizhou, Jiangsu
Encyclopedia
Taizhou is a prefecture-level city
in central Jiangsu
province of eastern China
. Situated on the north bank of the Yangtze River
, it borders Nantong
to the east, Yancheng
to the north and Yangzhou
to the west.
The 2010 census counted its population at 4,618,558 of whom 571,516 live in the urbanized areas in two urban districts, (Hailing and Gaogang). Two county-level cities have urbanized areas with more than 1 million inhabitants, Xinghua
with 1,428,790 inhabitants and Taixing
with 1,179,904 inhabitants. These are two of the most important county-level cities in China.
Taizhou is the hometown of the current CPC General Secretary and Chinese President Hu Jintao
.
of Taizhou administers 6 county-level divisions, including 2 districts and 4 county-level cities
.
These are further divided into 105 township-level divisions, including 91 towns, 8 townships and 6 subdistrict
s.
Neighbouring Areas: Yangzhou
to the west, Nantong
to the east, and Yancheng
to the north.
) and Guangling (Yangzhou
), Lanling (Changzhou
). During the Southern Tang
Dynasty it was named "Taizhou Prefecture", which means 'Peaceful country and lucky citizens' a name it has kept for 2100 years.
Taizhou became independent of its larger neighbour Yangzhou
in the 10th century AD. Under the Ming dynasty
(1368–1644), the salt trade was centered here, and like Yangzhou, Taizhou was the home of many wealthy salt merchants. In 1952, the construction of a new canal and ship locks linked Taizhou with the Yangzi River.
With a history of over 2100 years, Taizhou has enjoyed the reputation of being the "Ancient County of the Han and Tang Dynasties and the Famous District Alongside the Coast of the Yellow Sea". Through the ages, it has seen gatherings of many talented people and famous merchants. Taizhou has always been a political, economic, cultural and transportation center in Central Jiangsu
Province. The hometown of great artistic Masters like Shi Nai'an, Zheng Banqiao, and Mei Lanfang
, etc., Taizhou is also the birth place of the Navy of Chinese People's Liberation Army. Taizhou is now one of the famous historical and cultural cities of Jiangsu
Province.
Having a favorable geographical location, rich resources and solid economic foundation, Taizhou was approved by the State's Council to be one of the open coastal cities. In the past 20 years, the economic growth has remained stable with an average annual growth rate exceeding 10%. It is one of the central cities inside the Yangtse River Delta with its developed industry, convenient transportation and prosperous commerce. In 2009, the GDP reached RMB 165.1 billion yuan, the GDP per capita RMB 35,498 yuan, the fiscal revenue RMB 34.4 billion yuan, the total amount of bank deposits RMB 188.5 billion yuan. Five county-level cities or districts are ranked among the "China's Top 100 Counties with Greatest Comprehensive Power". It boasts numbers of large-sized enterprises or groups, such as Chunlan Group Corp
.
Taizhou was among the first few cities in Jiangsu to be recognized as having a famous cultural history. In 1990, Heheng
village in Jiangyan
County was awarded Global 500 Roll of Honor by the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) because of its success in protecting the environment while increasing the grain yield and its wide use of marsh biogas
ponds.
, USA Williamsport, Pennsylvania
, USA Latrobe, Victoria
, Australia
Eumseong County
, Republic of Korea Kotka
, Finland
Lower Hutt
, New Zealand
Barrie, Ontario
, Canada
goes from west to east.
The routes to get to Taizhou includes:
Qintong Boat Festival is held in Qingming
(around April 4–6) every year. During the festival boats from nearby villages and towns converge on Xique Lake for a few days of rejoicing. Theatrical performances, dragon and lion dances, and other folk dances are staged right on board the boats.
The lake located in Qingtong town, 15 km north of Jiangyan city. The water comes from the Nanhu (南湖), Xique (喜鹊湖), and Beihu (北湖) rivers. It is part of Qintong Swamp.
Biggest reserve outside of Dafeng.
Prefecture-level city
A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...
in central Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
province of eastern China
East China
East China is a geographical and a loosely-defined cultural region that covers the eastern coastal area of China.Although an intangible and loosely defined concept, for administrative and governmental purposes, the region is defined by the government of the People's Republic of China to include...
. Situated on the north bank of the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
, it borders Nantong
Nantong
Nantong is a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. Located on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, near the river mouth, Nantong is a vital river port bordering Yancheng to the north, Taizhou to the west, Suzhou and Shanghai to the south across the river, and...
to the east, Yancheng
Yancheng
Yancheng is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. The city with the largest jurisdiction area in Jiangsu, Yancheng borders Lianyungang to the north, Huai'an to the west, Yangzhou and Taizhou to the southwest, Nantong to the south, and looks out to...
to the north and Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
to the west.
The 2010 census counted its population at 4,618,558 of whom 571,516 live in the urbanized areas in two urban districts, (Hailing and Gaogang). Two county-level cities have urbanized areas with more than 1 million inhabitants, Xinghua
Xinghua
This article is about the city. For other uses, see Xinghua.Xinghua City is a county-level city in Taizhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China...
with 1,428,790 inhabitants and Taixing
Taixing
Taixing is a county-level city in the municipal region of Taizhou, Jiangsu. It is located in the Yangtze River Delta. It is a newly developed coastal industrial city. The area of Taxing is 1253 square kilometres and the population is 1.29 million....
with 1,179,904 inhabitants. These are two of the most important county-level cities in China.
Taizhou is the hometown of the current CPC General Secretary and Chinese President Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...
.
Administration
The prefecture-level cityPrefecture-level city
A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...
of Taizhou administers 6 county-level divisions, including 2 districts and 4 county-level cities
County-level city
A county-level city is a county-level administrative division of mainland China. County-level cities are usually governed by prefecture-level divisions, but a few are governed directly by province-level divisions....
.
- Hailing DistrictHailing DistrictHailing District is a district of Jiangsu, China. It is under the administration of Taizhou city.-References:*...
(海陵区) - Gaogang DistrictGaogang DistrictGaogang District is a district of Jiangsu, China. It is under the administration of Taizhou city.-References:*...
(高港区) - JiangyanJiangyanJiangyan is a city in the prefecture of Taizhou in Jiangsu province, China. Jiangyan is most famous for being the birthplace of the current General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, President of the People's Republic of China, Hu Jintao....
City (姜堰市) - JingjiangJingjiangJingjiang is a county-level city in China's Jiangsu province. It is located on the northern bank of the Yangtze river. Originally belonging to Yangzhou city, Jingjiang was transferred to Taizhou city in 1996...
City (靖江市) - TaixingTaixingTaixing is a county-level city in the municipal region of Taizhou, Jiangsu. It is located in the Yangtze River Delta. It is a newly developed coastal industrial city. The area of Taxing is 1253 square kilometres and the population is 1.29 million....
City (泰兴市) - Xinghua City (兴化市)
These are further divided into 105 township-level divisions, including 91 towns, 8 townships and 6 subdistrict
Subdistrict
Subdistrict is a low level administrative division of a country. In Thailand it may refer to the King Amphoe or to the Tambon. In England and Wales it was part of a Registration district....
s.
Geography and climate
Taizhou lies at the confluence of the Yangtze River and the Jinghang Canal (Grand Canal of China), in the mid south of Jiangsu Province, the north bank of lower reaches of the Yangtze river, the south end of Jianghuai Plain. Its latitude ranges from about 32° 02′ —— 33°11′ N, and longitude 119° 38′ —— 120° 32′ E, with a total area of 5793 sqkm.Neighbouring Areas: Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
to the west, Nantong
Nantong
Nantong is a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. Located on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, near the river mouth, Nantong is a vital river port bordering Yancheng to the north, Taizhou to the west, Suzhou and Shanghai to the south across the river, and...
to the east, and Yancheng
Yancheng
Yancheng is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. The city with the largest jurisdiction area in Jiangsu, Yancheng borders Lianyungang to the north, Huai'an to the west, Yangzhou and Taizhou to the southwest, Nantong to the south, and looks out to...
to the north.
History
Taizhou City has a long history. Known as "Hǎiyáng" (海阳/海陽) in the Chunqiu Period, it was later called "Hǎilíng" (海陵) during the Western Han Dynasty. It became Hailing County in 117 B.C. and was famous during the Eastern Jin Dynasty on a par with Jinling (NanjingNanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
) and Guangling (Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
), Lanling (Changzhou
Changzhou
Changzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It was previously known as Yanling, Lanling, Jinling, and Wujin. Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Zhenjiang to the...
). During the Southern Tang
Southern Tang
Southern Tang was one of the Ten Kingdoms in south-central China created following the Tang Dynasty from 937-975. Southern Tang replaced the Wu Kingdom when Li Bian deposed the emperor Yang Pu....
Dynasty it was named "Taizhou Prefecture", which means 'Peaceful country and lucky citizens' a name it has kept for 2100 years.
Taizhou became independent of its larger neighbour Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
in the 10th century AD. Under the Ming dynasty
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...
(1368–1644), the salt trade was centered here, and like Yangzhou, Taizhou was the home of many wealthy salt merchants. In 1952, the construction of a new canal and ship locks linked Taizhou with the Yangzi River.
With a history of over 2100 years, Taizhou has enjoyed the reputation of being the "Ancient County of the Han and Tang Dynasties and the Famous District Alongside the Coast of the Yellow Sea". Through the ages, it has seen gatherings of many talented people and famous merchants. Taizhou has always been a political, economic, cultural and transportation center in Central Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
Province. The hometown of great artistic Masters like Shi Nai'an, Zheng Banqiao, and Mei Lanfang
Méi Lánfang
Mei Lanfang was one of the most famous Beijing opera artists in modern history, exclusively known for his qingyi roles, a type of dan role. Méi Lánfāng is his stage name, and in Chinese it is generally considered a feminine name. His real name was Méi Lán...
, etc., Taizhou is also the birth place of the Navy of Chinese People's Liberation Army. Taizhou is now one of the famous historical and cultural cities of Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
Province.
Economy
Taizhou is a center for flour mills, textile works, fishing net manufacturing, and other industries based on local agriculture.Having a favorable geographical location, rich resources and solid economic foundation, Taizhou was approved by the State's Council to be one of the open coastal cities. In the past 20 years, the economic growth has remained stable with an average annual growth rate exceeding 10%. It is one of the central cities inside the Yangtse River Delta with its developed industry, convenient transportation and prosperous commerce. In 2009, the GDP reached RMB 165.1 billion yuan, the GDP per capita RMB 35,498 yuan, the fiscal revenue RMB 34.4 billion yuan, the total amount of bank deposits RMB 188.5 billion yuan. Five county-level cities or districts are ranked among the "China's Top 100 Counties with Greatest Comprehensive Power". It boasts numbers of large-sized enterprises or groups, such as Chunlan Group Corp
Chunlan Group Corp
Chunlan Group Corp is a Chinese corporation with its headquarters at Taizhou, Jiangsu.The founder, Tao Jianxing, took over the management of Taizhou Cooling Equipment Factory in 1985, which gradually expanded in the air conditioner market...
.
Taizhou was among the first few cities in Jiangsu to be recognized as having a famous cultural history. In 1990, Heheng
Heheng
Heheng is a village in Jiangyan city, China. It was awarded Global 500 Roll of Honour by the United Nations Environment Programme in 1990 because of its success in protecting the environment while increasing the grain yield, and its wide use of marsh biogas ponds.-External...
village in Jiangyan
Jiangyan
Jiangyan is a city in the prefecture of Taizhou in Jiangsu province, China. Jiangyan is most famous for being the birthplace of the current General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, President of the People's Republic of China, Hu Jintao....
County was awarded Global 500 Roll of Honor by the United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its...
(UNEP) because of its success in protecting the environment while increasing the grain yield and its wide use of marsh biogas
Biogas
Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the biological breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Organic waste such as dead plant and animal material, animal dung, and kitchen waste can be converted into a gaseous fuel called biogas...
ponds.
Sister cities
Taizhou has seven sister cities: Newport News, VirginiaNewport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
, USA Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
, USA Latrobe, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
Eumseong County
Eumseong County
Eumseong County is a county in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea.It is the birthplace of UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon....
, Republic of Korea Kotka
Kotka
Kotka is a town and municipality of Finland. Its former name is Rochensalm.Kotka is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland at the mouth of Kymi River and it is part of the Kymenlaakso region in southern Finland. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water....
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Barrie, Ontario
Barrie, Ontario
Barrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, approximately 90 km north of Toronto. Although located in Simcoe County, the city is politically independent...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Transportation
The Nanjing-Jinjiang-Yancheng Highway passes through from south to north and National Highway 328China National Highway 328
China National Highway 328 runs from Nanjing to Hai'an in Jiangsu. It is 300 kilometres in length and runs east from Nanjing, going through Liuhe Town and Yangzhou.-Route and distance:...
goes from west to east.
The routes to get to Taizhou includes:
- Take buses from ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
or NanjingNanjing' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
through National Highway 328China National Highway 328China National Highway 328 runs from Nanjing to Hai'an in Jiangsu. It is 300 kilometres in length and runs east from Nanjing, going through Liuhe Town and Yangzhou.-Route and distance:...
or Nanjing-Jinjiang-Yancheng Highway. - Take trains from BeijingBeijingBeijing , 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...
through Xinyi-Changxing RailwayXinyi-Changxing RailwayXinyi-Changxing Railway or Xinchang Railway , also known as the Xinchang Line , is a single-track railroad in eastern China between the cities of Xinyi, Jiangsu Province and Changxing County in Zhejiang Province. It runs north-south through the entire length of Jiangsu Province and northern tip of...
(新长铁路) or NanjingNanjing' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
through Nanjing-Qidong RailwayNanjing-Qidong RailwayNanjing-Qidong Railway , also known as the Ningqi Railway, is a railway in Jiangsu Province of China between the cities of Nanjing and Nantong. Its name is derived from Ning the shorthand name for Nanjing and Qidong, a district of Nantong. It is 268.3 km in length and runs along the...
(宁启铁路).
Companies headquartered in Taizhou
- Chunlan Group Corp
- Linghai Motocyle Corp
- Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group
Tourism
- Gardens and Parks
- Qintong Boat FestivalQintong Boat FestivalQintong Boat Festival is an annual event in Jiangyan, Jiangsu, China.It has a long history since Ming Dynasty, and it is becoming an important tourist destination in the whole eastern China with the highlight of the Dragon Boat Racing. Qintong Boat Festival is held in Qingming every year...
, Jiangyan (溱潼会船节)
- Qintong Boat Festival
Qintong Boat Festival is held in Qingming
Qingming
Traditional East Asian lunisolar calendars divide a year into 24 solar terms . Qīngmíng or Chīngmíng or Seimei is the 5th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 15° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 30°...
(around April 4–6) every year. During the festival boats from nearby villages and towns converge on Xique Lake for a few days of rejoicing. Theatrical performances, dragon and lion dances, and other folk dances are staged right on board the boats.
-
- Xique Lake, Jiangyan (喜鹊湖)
The lake located in Qingtong town, 15 km north of Jiangyan city. The water comes from the Nanhu (南湖), Xique (喜鹊湖), and Beihu (北湖) rivers. It is part of Qintong Swamp.
-
- Père David's DeerPère David's DeerPère David's Deer, Elaphurus davidianus, also known as the Milu , is a species of deer known only in captivity. It prefers marshland, and is believed to be native to the subtropics of China. It grazes on a mixture of grass and water plants. It is the only extant member of the genus Elaphurus...
Reserve, Jiangyan (麋鹿故乡园)
- Père David's Deer
Biggest reserve outside of Dafeng.
-
- Taizhou Park
- Heheng Agricultural Tour, Shengao, Jiangyan
- Museum
- Navy Birthplace Museum
- Hu Jintao Birthplace Museum, Jiangyan
Colleges and schools
- Jiangsu Taizhou Zhongxue (江苏省泰州中学)
- Jiangsu Jiangyan Zhongxue (江苏省姜堰中学)
- Jiangsu Taixing Zhongxue (江苏省泰兴中学)
- Xinghua Middle SchoolXinghua Middle SchoolXinghua middle school in Jiangsu provinceis a four-star level high school with a long history which had cultivated a large number of outstanding students.- Introduction :...
(江苏省兴化中学)
External links
- Government website of Taizhou (available in Chinese and English)
- Official Travel and Tourism Website for Taizhou (available in English)
- Taizhou comprehensive guide with open directory (Jiangsu.NET)
- Qintong Boat Festival