Shijiazhuang 石家庄
—  Prefecture-level city  —
石家庄市
Clockwise from top: Shijiazhuang skyline, Hebei Art Center, Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport, and Martyrs' Memorial
Location of Shijiazhuang City in Hebei and the PRC
Shijiazhuang Location in China
Coordinates: 38°04′N 114°29′E / 38.067°N 114.483°E / 38.067; 114.483
Country	People's Republic of China
Province	Hebei
City seat	Chang'an
Government
• Party Secretary	Sun Ruibin (孙瑞彬)
• Mayor	Ai Wenli (艾文礼)
Area
• Prefecture-level city	15,722 km2 (6,070 sq mi)
• Urban	399.3 km2 (154.2 sq mi)
• Metro	1,917.3 km2 (740.3 sq mi)
Elevation	83 m (272 ft)
Population (2010)
• Prefecture-level city	10,163,788
• Density	650/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
• Urban	2,604,930
• Urban density	6,500/km2 (17,000/sq mi)
• Metro	3,833,606
• Metro density	2,000/km2 (5,200/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC + 8, H (UTC+8)
Postal code	050000
License Plate Prefix	冀A
City Flower	Rosa Chinensis
City Tree	Styphnolobium
Website	www.sjz.gov.cn

Shijiazhuang (Chinese: 石家庄; pinyin: Shíjiāzhuāng) is the capital and largest city of North China's Hebei province. Administratively a prefecture-level city, it is about 280 kilometres (170 mi) south of Beijing. Shijiazhuang Prefecture contains the 5 districts of Shijiazhuang urban area, the Jingxing Mining District, five county-level cities, and twelve counties.

At the 2010 census, it has a total population of 10,163,788, with 2,604,930 in the urban area in 2010 and 3,833,606 in its built up area (metro) made of 5 urban districts plus Luquan city, Zhengding and Luancheng counties. Gaocheng county is about to be part of Shijiazhuang built up area while its urbanisation is still growing.

Shijiazhuang is a newly industrialised city. It experienced dramatic growth after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The population of the metropolitan area has more than quadrupled in only 30 years. It is a central hub of transportation routes. The city is home to a large garrison of military troops ready to protect Beijing if required. It has a number of PLA colleges and universities.

History[link]

In pre-Han times (i.e., before 206 BC) it was the site of the city of Shiyi in the state of Zhao, and, from Han (206 BC–AD 220) to Sui (581–618) times, it was the site of a county town with the same name. With the reorganization of local government in the early period of the Tang dynasty (618–907), the county was abolished. Shijiazhuang then became little more than a local market town, subordinated to the flourishing city of Zhengding (modern Zhengding) a few miles to the north.

The growth of Shijiazhuang into one of China's major cities began in 1905, when the Beijing–Wuhan (Hankou) railway reached the area, stimulating much new trade and encouraging local farmers to grow cash crops. Two years later the town became the junction for the new Shitai line, running from Shijiazhuang to Taiyuan in central Shanxi province. This connection immediately transformed the town from a local collecting centre and market into a communications centre of national importance on the main route from Beijing and Tianjin to Shanxi and later, when the railway from Taiyuan was extended to the southwest to Shaanxi province as well. The city also became the centre of an extensive road network.

During the pre-World War II period, Shijiazhuang was a large railway town as well as a commercial and collecting centre for Shanxi and the regions farther west and for the agricultural produce of the North China Plain, particularly for grain, tobacco, and cotton. By 1935, it had far outstripped Zhengding as an economic centre. At the end of World War II, the character of the city changed once again. Not only did it assume an administrative role as the preeminent city in western Hebei but it also developed into an industrial city. Some industry, such as match manufacturing, tobacco processing, and glassmaking, had already been established before the war.

Until 1948, the city was instead known as Shímén (石門), and then it was renamed to Shijiazhuang.

Xibaipo, a village about 90 km from Shijiazhuang, in Pingshan County was the location of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the headquarters of the People's Liberation Army during the decisive stages of the Chinese Civil War between May 26, 1948 and March 23, 1949, at which point they were moved to Beijing. Today, the area houses a memorial site.^[1]

Only after 1949, however, did the planned industrialisation of the city gather momentum. Its population more than tripled in the decade 1948–58. In the 1950s, the city experienced a major expansion in the textile industry, with large-scale cotton spinning, weaving, printing, and dyeing works. In addition, there are various plants processing local farm produce. In the 1960s, it was also the site of a new chemical industry, with plants producing fertilizer and caustic soda. Shijiazhuang also became an engineering base, with a tractor-accessory plant. There are important coal deposits at Jingxing and Huailu, now named Luquan, a few miles to the west in the foothills of the Taihang Mountains, which provide fuel for a thermal-generating plant supplying power to local industries. The city's role as a transport centre has been supplemented by the construction of an airport handling regular domestic flights.

In 1967, Tianjin was for the last time carved out of Hebei province, and thus the provincial capital was moved to Baoding. Yet was quite chaotic in the midst of the Cultural Revolution, and under the direction of Mao Zedong, in 1968, to "prepare for war and natural disasters", Shijiazhuang became the provincial capital and remains so today.

Geography[link]

Shijiazhuang is located in south-central Hebei, and is part of the Bohai Economic Rim. The latitude of the prefecture ranges from 37° 27' to 38° 47' N, the longitude 113° 30' to 115° 20' E. At its greatest, the prefecture is 148 kilometres (92 mi) long from south to north and 175 kilometres (109 mi) wide from east to west. The prefecture has borders stretching 760 kilometres (472 mi) long and covers an area of 15,722 square kilometres (6,070 sq mi). Bordering prefectures within Hebei are Hengshui (E), Xingtai (S), and Baoding (N/NE). To the west lies Shanxi Province.

The city stands at the edge of the North China Plain, which rises to the Taihang Mountains to the west of the city, and lies south of the Hutuo River (滹沱河). From west to east, the topography can be summarised as moderately-high mountains, then low-lying mountains, hills, basin, and finally plains. Out of the eight east-west routes across the Taihang Mountains, the fifth, the Niangzi Pass, connects the city directly with Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi.

Climate[link]

The city has a continental, monsoon-influenced semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk), characterised by hot, humid summers due to the East Asian monsoon, and generally cold, windy, very dry winters that reflect the influence of the vast Siberian anticyclone. Spring can bear witness to sandstorms blowing in from the Mongolian steppe, accompanied by rapidly warming, but generally dry, conditions. Autumn is similar to spring in temperature and lack of rainfall. January averages −2.3 °C (27.9 °F), while July averages 26.8 °C (80.2 °F); the annual mean is 13.4 °C (56.1 °F). More than half of the annual rainfall occurs in July and August alone.

Administration divisions[link]

Shijiazhuang has direct administrative jurisdiction over:

Map	#	Name	Hanzi	Hanyu Pinyin	Population (2010)	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
	City proper
	1	Chang'an District	长安区	Cháng'ān Qū	479,801	110	4,362
	2	Qiaodong District	桥东区	Qiáodōng Qū	410,116	43	9,538
	3	Qiaoxi District	桥西区	Qiáoxī Qū	596,164	53	11,248
	4	Xinhua District	新华区	Xīnhuá Qū	625,119	92	6,795
	5	Yuhua District	裕华区	Yùhuá Qū	493,730	101	4,888
	Suburban and Satellite cities and districts
	6	Jingxing Mining District	井陉矿区	Jǐngxíng Kuàngqū	95,170	56	1,699
	7	Xinji City	辛集市	Xīnjí Shì	615,919	951	648
	8	Gaocheng City	藁城市	Gàochéng Shì	775,110	836	927
	9	Jinzhou City	晋州市	Jìnzhōu Shì	537,679	619	868
	10	Xinle City	新乐市	Xīnlè Shì	487,652	625	780
	11	Luquan City	鹿泉市	Lùquán Shì	432,936	603	718
	Rural
	12	Jingxing County	井陉县	Jǐngxíng Xiàn	309,882	1,381	224
	13	Zhengding County	正定县	Zhèngdìng Xiàn	466,807	568	822
	14	Luancheng County	栾城县	Luánchéng Xiàn	328,933	347	948
	15	Xingtang County	行唐县	Xíngtáng Xiàn	406,353	1,025	396
	16	Lingshou County	灵寿县	Língshòu Xiàn	333,558	1,546	216
	17	Gaoyi County	高邑县	Gāoyì Xiàn	186,478	222	840
	18	Shenze County	深泽县	Shēnzé Xiàn	250,264	296	845
	19	Zanhuang County	赞皇县	Zànhuáng Xiàn	244,799	1,210	202
	20	Wuji County	无极县	Wújí Xiàn	502,662	524	959
	21	Pingshan County	平山县	Píngshān Xiàn	433,429	2,951	147
	22	Yuanshi County	元氏县	Yuánshì Xiàn	418,466	849	493
	23	Zhao County	赵县	Zhào Xiàn	571,077	714	800

Economy[link]

Far view of Shijiazhuang

In 2011, the GDP of Shijiazhuang reached RMB 408.7 billion, an increase of 12 percent over the previous year.

Salaries continue to experience relatively rapid growth as well. The city continues to strive to create an economic atmosphere encouraging investment and growth. Total fixed investment reached RMB 172.7 billion.

Shijiazhuang has become a major industrial city in North China and is considered to be the economic center of Hebei province. The city is the largest base for the pharmaceutical industry and is also one of the most important textile industry bases. Other main sectors include machinery and chemicals, building materials, light industry and electronics. With abundant agricultural resources, Shijiazhuang has 590,000 hectares of cultivated land and is the main source of high quality cotton, pears, dates and walnuts in Hebei province.

In 2008, total imports reached US$1.393 billion, an increase of 42.1 percent over the previous year. Exports increased by 34.9 percent to US$5.596 billion.

The Shijiazhuang municipal government reports that higher education and vocational education continue to experience rapid development, while compulsory education has experienced an increase in quality. A 2006 World Bank reports that Shijiazhuang spends less than RMB400 per capita on education, as opposed to Beijing (RMB1,044) and Weihai (RMB1,631).^[3]

Development Zones[link]

• Shijiazhuang High-Tech Industrial Development Zone

The zone was established in March 1991 as a State-level development zone and is divided into three districts. Several National Highways like 107, 207, 307, 308 pass through the zone, and it is 15 km away from Shijiazhuang Railway Station, 105 km away from Tianjin Port. The zone has comprehensive infrastructure and industries encouraged include pharmaceuticals, electronic information, mechanical production, automobile manufacturing, chemicals production and logistics.^[4]

The Eastern District, located in the eastern part of Shijiazhuang, covers an area of 5.8 square kilometers, and serves as the primary section of the New High-tech Industrial Development Zone. The district focuses on the establishment of new high-tech enterprises. There are plans to expand the district into an area of 9.8 square kilometers. A special railway line operated by Shijiazhuang Oil Refinery runs through the zone from north to south, making it easy for enterprises in the zone to build lines of their own if necessary.

The Western District, located in the southwest of Shijiazhuang, covers an area of 8.2 square kilometers. It focuses on small- and medium-sized technology enterprises and technology incubation. Liangcun District, which borders the Western District, covers four square kilometers, and focuses on the pharmaceutical industry and the petrochemical industry. All three districts are subject to the same policies and regulations.

Since their/its foundation, 2,560 enterprises have settled in the zone, of which 185 are foreign-funded enterprises. At present, firms from Japan, the US, the Republic of Korea, Germany, Italy, Canada, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan have all established themselves in the zone.^[3]

Dairy centre[link]

The city is an important centre for the dairy trade, being the headquarters of the Sanlu Group. Both were rocked by the 2008 Chinese milk scandal. Chairman and General Manager of Sanlu, and several party officials, including vice mayor in charge of food and agriculture, Zhang Fawang, were reportedly removed from office.^[5][6][7] Mayor Ji Chuntang reportedly resigned on 17 September;^[8]

Since Sanlu, the region's largest purchaser of milk, was ordered to halt production, farmers in Hebei are suffering hardship because of the lack of purchasers for their milk. Many are said to be contemplating selling their cows into a buyerless market.^[9]

Transportation[link]

Shijiazhuang Airport

Infrastructure[link]

In 2001, the city received approval from the World Bank for a US$100 million loan for the Shijiazhuang Urban Transport Project, which was designed to foster the development of an efficient and environmentally sustainable urban transport system while providing a wider set of travel choices for users. The project is scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2008, with a total estimated cost of US$266 million. Major elements of the project include the upgrading of 25 kilometers of peripheral roads linking the city to the surrounding provincial highways, the upgrading and construction of 52 kilometers of urban major arterial roads, and the construction of six multi-level interchanges, two major rail overpasses, and 21 pedestrian crossing facilities.

Rail and roads[link]

Shijiazhuang is a transportation hub: it is at the intersection point of the Beijing-Guangzhou, Taiyuan-Dezhou, and Shuozhou-Huanghua railroads and many expressways, including the Beijing-Shenzhen and Taiyuan-Cangzhou Expressways.

Airport[link]

The Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport is the province’s center of air transportation. It is located about 30 kilometers northeast of the city and can accommodate all types of medium and large-sized aircraft. Presently there are 32 domestic routes arriving at and departing from Shijiazhuang, including destinations such as Shanghai, Shenzhen, Dalian, Hong Kong, and other medium and large cities. In addition, the airport services 12 international destinations including four routes to Russia. The airport is currently being expanded and will be capable of being an alternate airport to Beijing Capital International Airport.^[3]

Military[link]

Shijiazhuang is headquarters of the 27th Group Army of the People's Liberation Army, one of the three group armies that comprise the Beijing Military Region responsible for defending China's capital.

Culture[link]

Hebei Art Center

As a young industrial city, Shijiazhuang city proper is generally considered to have relatively few sights of historical or cultural interest. Exceptions are:

• Martyrs' Memorial (Chinese: 烈士陵园; pinyin: Lièshì Língyuán, 38°2′36.15″N 114°27′32.79″E / 38.043375°N 114.4591083°E / 38.043375; 114.4591083) dedicated to Norman Bethune, Eric Liddell, and Dwarkanath Kotnis
• Hebei Museum (Chinese: 河北省博物馆; pinyin: Hébĕi Shĕng Bówùguǎn, 38°2′31.71″N 114°30′58.96″E / 38.0421417°N 114.5163778°E / 38.0421417; 114.5163778)

However, several sites of historical and cultural significance are located in the surrounding area, including:

• Longxing Monastery in Zhengding, 15 kilometers to the north
• Mount Cangyan, 50 km to the southwest
• Zhaozhou Bridge, 40 km to the southeast
• Bailin (Cypress Grove) Temple (Chinese: 柏林禅寺; pinyin: Bǎilín Chán Sì; literally "Cypress Forest Zen Temple", 37°44′48.58″N 114°46′42.46″E / 37.7468278°N 114.7784611°E / 37.7468278; 114.7784611), 40 km to the southeast, known as one the ten most renowned Buddhist temples in China.

Music[link]

Shijiazhuang is also famous for its rock cultures. Several underground rock bands are active in this city, mostly performing in pubs. Two nationwide rock magazines, SoRock (我爱摇滚乐) and XMusic (通俗歌曲) are based in Shijiazhuang and act as major platforms promoting rock music in China.

Health[link]

Hospitals[link]

• The First Hospital of Shijiazhuang City^[3]

• Bethune International Peace Hospital

Education[link]

Universities and colleges[link]

International relations[link]

Twin towns — sister cities[link]

Shijiazhuang is twinned with:

Poplar trees along a road

• Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
• Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
• Bielsko-Biala, Poland
• Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea
• Soria, Castilla y León, Spain
• Falkenberg, Sweden
• Des Moines, Iowa, United States
• Edison, New Jersey, United States
• Nagykanizsa, Hungary
• Corby, United Kingdom

Shijiazhuang also has a Sister City Agreement:

• Bankstown, New South Wales, Australia

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Shijiazhuang

• Shijiazhuang official government website
• Shijiazhuang Urban Network - Shijiazhuang, Hebei's portal
• Shijiazhuang Daily News
• Shijiazhuang blog

v t e Provincial capitals of the People's Republic of China Changchun, Jilin Changsha, Hunan Chengdu, Sichuan Fuzhou, Fujian Guangzhou, Guangdong Guiyang, Guizhou Haikou, Hainan Hangzhou, Zhejiang Harbin, Heilongjiang Hefei, Anhui Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Jinan, Shandong Kunming, Yunnan Lanzhou, Gansu Lhasa, Tibet Nanchang, Jiangxi Nanjing, Jiangsu Nanning, Guangxi Shenyang, Liaoning Shijiazhuang, Hebei Taiyuan, Shanxi Ürümqi, Xinjiang Wuhan, Hubei Xi'an, Shaanxi Xining, Qinghai Yinchuan, Ningxia Zhengzhou, Henan

Coordinates: 38°02′37″N 114°29′54″E / 38.04361°N 114.49833°E / 38.04361; 114.49833