Zhaoqing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Administration Type | Prefecture-level city |
| City Seat | Duanzhou District |
| Area | 22,322 km² |
| Population | 3,910,000 (2002) |
| GDP - Total - Per Capita |
¥ ¥ |
| Major Nationalities | Han |
| County-level divisions | 8 |
| Township-level divisions | |
| CPC Committee Secretary | |
| Mayor | |
| Area code | 758 |
| Postal Code | 526000 |
| License Plate Prefix | 粤H |
Zhaoqing (肇庆) is a prefecture-level city of Guangdong province in southern China.
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[edit] Administration
Zhaoqing has jurisdiction over 2 districts, 4 counties and 2 cities:
- Deqing County
- Dinghu District
- Duanzhou District
- Fengkai County
- Gaoyao City
- Guangning County
- Huaiji County
- Sihui City
[edit] Geography
Zhaoqing is located 110 km northwest of Guangzhou, in the west Pearl River Delta. It lies on the north shores of the Xijiang River, which is flows from west to east, and opposite of Gaoyao. A plain area lies to the south and west of Zhaoqing, with mountains to the east and north.
The city lies in a south subtropical monsoon climatic zone. The yearly average temperature is 21.9 °C, and annual precipitation is 1605 mm.
[edit] History and Name
The date of Zhaoqing's founding is uncertain, but it existed as early as the Qin (221-206 B.C.) and Han (206 B.C. - 220 C.E.) Dynasties, when it was known as Gaoyao (高要). In the Sui Dynasty (581-618 C.E.), Zhaoqing became known as Duanzhou (端州) and served as an important administrative region and military base.
In C.E. 1118, Northern Song Dynasty Emperor Huizong bestowed its current name upon the city. "Zhaoqing" means "beginning of auspiciousness".
The first evidence of westerners in Zhaoqing appears to have occurred in the late sixteenth century with the arrival of the Italian Jesuit priest Matteo Ricci in 1583. Ricci moved to the city after receiving an invitation from the governor of Zhaoqing at the time, Wang P'an, who had heard of Ricci's skill as a mathematician/cartographer. Ricci stayed there from 1583-1589 before having to leave after a new viceroy decided to expel them. It was in Zhaoqing that Ricci drew up the first ever map of the world in Chinese in 1584.
There is now a memorial plaque in Zhaoqing to commemorate his six-year stay there as well as a building set up as a 'Ricci Memorial Centre' although the building itself does not date back to the time of the priest as it was built in the 1860s.
[edit] Economy
[edit] Primary Industries
The rich local resources within the mountain region include coal, limestone, copper, lead, zinc, granite, gold, sulfur, gypsum and other minerals.
For agriculture sector, the fertile plain yields paddy rice, sugar cane, aquatic products, fruits, rosin, casia bark. Horticulture possesses a large sector in farming industries. poultry and animal husbandry are associated to agriculture and seek to modern development and management.
The forest in mountain region is a rich source for herbal medicine in southern China, and other materials like rosin and casia bark from different forest plants.
[edit] Secondary Industries
Food and beverages, building materials, electronics, micro bioengineering, chemicals, equipments and machinery, textile and garments are the pillar industries. Duanzhou, Gaoyao and Sihui area being developed as the export-oriented industrial bases. Yunfu is a major area for the production of sulphur and iron.
To facilitate industrial development in Zhaoqing, the local government has made great efforts in establishing various industrial zones / parks in the city. The largest one is the Guangdong Zhaoqing High-tech Industrial Development Zone, with an area of 109km², that consists of two industrial parks, Sanrong Industrial Park and Dawang Industrial Park, of areas 9km² and 100km² respectively. Dawang is facilitated as an export processing and trade zone.
[edit] The 10 Projects
The Zhaoqing local government attracts capital investment by promoting the city to private and foreign investors, and by developing industrial parks in modern standard. Making the best use of its natural environment, Zhaoqing aims to become a garden city, ecological city and modernized large city in China.
In five year's time (2003-2007), the city government will implement 10 big projects:
- Expansion of urban proper towards the east and the south with the best urban planning, construction, and management.
- Developing the eastern and southern industrial areas to become a modern manufacturing base of the world.
- Promoting economic development in the hilly areas and counties and upgrade their industrial zones.
- Construction of an industrial corridor of science, technology, education and culture to nurture knowledge economy, through developing technology park and university park, and inter-university cooperation
- Increasing capital investment for infrastructure construction.
- Promoting the reform and development of state owned enterprises.
- Developing tourism spots and industry.
- Construction of an "education city" and a "cultural city" to enhance the quality of human resources.
- Construction of "digital Zhaoqing".
- Enhancing environmental protection.
[edit] Highlights
- Limestone peaks at Seven Star Crags
- Dinghu Mountain
- Song Township city walls, over 800 years old
- Chongxi Pagoda
- Tower for Reviewing the River
- Baogong Memorial Temple
[edit] Education
The city government of Zhaoqing is currently seeking to improve its higher education system and preserve cultural resources.
[edit] Colleges and universities
- Zhaoqing University
[edit] Transportation
Zhaoqing is served by railways and highways. Direct train and bus services connect it to Guangzhou, Hong Kong and other cities in Guangdong. Major roadways include Interstates 321 and 324 and the Guang-Zhao and Guang-Wu Expressways. The Sanmao Railway also runs through Zhaoqing.
Within the city, the primary form of public transportation are the 21 public bus routes. Bus rides cost 1.2 yuan per person within the city, 3.6 yuan per person for destinations outside the city limits (on the 3, 5 and 21 buses). Taxis are also available. During the day, the base price for a taxi ride is four or five yuan (depending on taxi company), with a charge of 1.6 yuan per kilometer. Charges increase to a base price of five yuan and 2.2 yuan per kilometer after dark. Price-per-trip can also sometimes be negotiated with drivers.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- http://www.zhaoqing.gov.cn/english/ (Zhaoqing Government website)
- Zhaoqing University website (has both Chinese and English)
- The Zhaoqing Ricci center
- Matteo Ricci and his contributions to science in China
Prefecture-level divisions of Guangdong
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| List of Guangdong County-level divisions |
