Xuchang
Encyclopedia
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city
in central Henan
province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou
to the northwest, Kaifeng
to the northeast, Zhoukou
to the east, Luohe
to the southeast, and Pingdingshan
to the southwest.
Its population is 4,307,199 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,139,644 live in the built up area (Weidu district and Xuchang
county)
of Xuchang administers 1 district, 2 county-level cities
and 3 counties.
. In ancient times, the city occupied a strategic location in central China.
Xuchang served as the warlord Cao Cao
's de facto capital during the Three Kingdoms Period. After finding the Han Dynasty
capital Luoyang
ravaged by war, Cao moved the imperial court and the emperor to what is now Xuchang in 196
.
In 220, Cao Cao's son and successor Cao Pi
officially declared the city as the capital of the newly-established state of Wei. The city was renamed "Xuchang", meaning "Xu Rising". The Wei emperors held court at Xuchang until the capital was moved to Luoyang in the 220s.
Xuchang has a monsoon
-influenced humid subtropical climate
(Köppen
Cwa), with four distinct seasons. Winters are cool and dry, summers hot and humid, spring begins early and is warm, and autumn is mild and provides a reasonable transition. Rain mainly falls from May to September, as more than 70% of the annual precipitation occurs then. The city has an annual mean temperature of at 14.5 °C (58.1 °F), and its highest average monthly temperature is 27.1 °C (80.8 °F) in July and the lowest is 0.7 °C (33.3 °F) in January. Just over 700 millimetres (27.6 in) of precipitation falls each year, and there is on average 217 frost-free days and 2280 hours of sunshine per year.
industry. However, due to economic reasons many farmers have chosen not to plant tobacco anymore.
The city is also famous for its man-made human hair exports.
government in Ethiopia
signed an agreement with Henan Province to establish a sister city
program with Ambo
.
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 Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou , is the capital and largest city of Henan province in north-central China. A prefecture-level city, it also serves as the political, economic, technological, and educational centre of the province, as well as a major transportation hub for Central China...
to the northwest, Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
to the northeast, Zhoukou
Zhoukou
Zhoukou is a prefecture-level city in eastern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders Zhumadian to the southeast, Xuchang and Luohe to the west, Kaifeng to the northwest, Shangqiu to the northeast, and the province of Anhui on all other sides....
to the east, Luohe
Luohe
Luohe is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province, People's Republic of China. It is surrounded by the cities of Xuchang, Zhoukou, Zhumadian and Pingdingshan on its north, east, south and west respectively.-Administration:...
to the southeast, and Pingdingshan
Pingdingshan
Pingdingshan , also known as the Eagle City, with approximately 5.2 million inhabitants is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province, People's Republic of China.-Geography:...
to the southwest.
Its population is 4,307,199 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,139,644 live in the built up area (Weidu district and Xuchang
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
county)
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 Xuchang administers 1 district, 2 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....
and 3 counties.
- Weidu DistrictWeidu DistrictWeidu District is a district of Henan, China. It is under the administration of Xuchang city....
(魏都区) - Yuzhou City (禹州市)
- ChanggeChanggeChangge is a city of Xuchang, Henan Province, China. In the Han Dynasty, it was known as Changshe -External links:*...
City (长葛市) - Xuchang CountyXuchang CountyXuchang County is a county of Henan, China. It is under the administration of Xuchang city....
(许昌县) - Yanling County (鄢陵县)
- Xiangcheng CountyXiangcheng County, HenanXiangcheng County, Henan is a county of Henan, China. It is under the administration of Xuchang city....
(襄城县)
History
According to tradition, the city was named after Xu, an ancient state led by tribal leader Xuyou during the Spring and Autumn Period of the Zhou DynastyZhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
. In ancient times, the city occupied a strategic location in central China.
Xuchang served as the warlord Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
's de facto capital during the Three Kingdoms Period. After finding the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
capital Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
ravaged by war, Cao moved the imperial court and the emperor to what is now Xuchang in 196
196
Year 196 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Dexter and Messalla...
.
In 220, Cao Cao's son and successor Cao Pi
Cao Pi
Cao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
officially declared the city as the capital of the newly-established state of Wei. The city was renamed "Xuchang", meaning "Xu Rising". The Wei emperors held court at Xuchang until the capital was moved to Luoyang in the 220s.
Geography and climate
Xuchang ranges in latitude from 33° 16' to 34° 24' N and in longitude from 113° 03' to 114° 190' E.Xuchang has a monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
-influenced humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cwa), with four distinct seasons. Winters are cool and dry, summers hot and humid, spring begins early and is warm, and autumn is mild and provides a reasonable transition. Rain mainly falls from May to September, as more than 70% of the annual precipitation occurs then. The city has an annual mean temperature of at 14.5 °C (58.1 °F), and its highest average monthly temperature is 27.1 °C (80.8 °F) in July and the lowest is 0.7 °C (33.3 °F) in January. Just over 700 millimetres (27.6 in) of precipitation falls each year, and there is on average 217 frost-free days and 2280 hours of sunshine per year.
Agriculture and industry
Xuchang is an important center of the Chinese tobaccoTobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
industry. However, due to economic reasons many farmers have chosen not to plant tobacco anymore.
The city is also famous for its man-made human hair exports.
Sister city
On 18 December 2006, the Oromia RegionOromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
government in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
signed an agreement with Henan Province to establish a sister city
Town 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 :...
program with Ambo
Ambo, Ethiopia
Ambo is a spa town in central Ethiopia. Located in the Mirab Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region, west of Addis Ababa, this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 2101 meters...
.
External links
- Government website of Xuchang (in Simplified Chinese)