Xuzhou

Xuzhou
—  Prefecture-level city  —
Chinese transcription(s)
- Chinese	徐州
- Pinyin	Xúzhōu
Xuzhou is highlighted on this map
Xuzhou Location in China
Coordinates: 34°16′N 117°10′E / 34.267°N 117.167°E / 34.267; 117.167
Country	China
Province	Jiangsu
Government
- Mayor	Cao Xinping (曹新平)
Area
- Prefecture-level city	11,258 km2 (4,346.7 sq mi)
Population (2007)
- Prefecture-level city	9,409,500
- Urban	1,829,300
Time zone	China Standard (UTC+8)
Postal code	221000(Urban center), 221000, 221000, 221000(Other areas)
Area code(s)	516
GDP	¥200.7 billion (2008)
GDP per capita	¥23,069 (2008)
Major Nationalities	Han
County-level divisions	11
Township-level divisions	157
License Plate Prefix	苏C
Website	http://www.xz.gov.cn/

Xuzhou (Chinese: 徐州; pinyin: Xúzhōu; Postal Map Spelling: Hsuchow), known as Pengcheng (Chinese: 彭城; pinyin: PéngChéng) in ancient times, is the fourth largest prefecture-level city in Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. It is known for its convenient location as a transportation hub in northern Jiangsu, as it has expressways and railway links connecting directly to the provinces of Henan and Shandong, the neighbouring city of Lianyungang, as well as the economic hub Shanghai.

Administration

The prefecture-level city of Xuzhou administers eleven county-level divisions, including five districts, two county-level cities and four counties.

• Yunlong District (云龙区)
• Gulou District (鼓楼区)
• Jiuli District (九里区)
• Jiawang District (贾汪区)
• Quanshan District (泉山区)
• Pizhou City (邳州市)
• Xinyi City (新沂市)
• Tongshan County (铜山县)
• Suining County (睢宁县)
• Pei County (沛县)
• Feng County (丰县)

These are further divided into 157 township-level divisions.

Geography and climate

Xuzhou is located in the southeast of North China Plain. The area of Xuzhou usually experiences short springs and autumns, and the summers are very long and sun scorching hot, with relatively cold winters, and there is a lower than average level of precipitation.

Education

Universities and colleges

• China University of Mining & Technology (中国矿业大学)
• Xuzhou Normal University (徐州师范大学)
• Xuzhou Medical College (徐州医学院)
• Xuzhou Institute of Technology(徐州工程学院)

Schools

• Xuzhou No.1 Middle School (徐州市第一中学)
• Xuzhou No.3 Middle School (徐州市第三中学)
• Xuzhou No.5 Middle School (徐州市第五中学)

History

Chinese civilians, massacred by the Imperial Japanese Army, at ditch in Xuzhou during the Second Sino-Japanese War ^[1]

In the Xia and Shang Dynasties, Xuzhou was in the land inhabited by the Dongyi or Huaiyi peoples who constantly warred with the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Xuzhou was a collection of small farming/fishing villages and towns, part of the border region between the Chu (state), Wu (state) and Qi (state). It was originally a capital of the Dongyi State of Xu but was exterminated by the the State of Wu in 512 BC. In turn, Wu was conquered by the State of Yue a few decades later. Chu gradually expanded its influence around Xuzhou after absorbing the nearby State of Cai in 447 BC and the conquest of the State of Yue in 334 BC. By the Warring States Period, it was firmly in cultural and administrative sphere of Chu. Liu Bang was born in one of Xuzhou's counties, Pei County. The Xuzhou region was called Huaiyang during the Zhou Dynasty since the Huai River crosses the area. The state of Chu moved to this area after the Qin army captured the old capital, Ying, in modern Jingzhou, Hubei.

At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, Xuzhou became part of the Kingdom of Chu, a principality ruled by relatives of the royal Liu family. Initially, Liu Bang allowed his relatives to rule parts of the country since they were assumed to be the most trustworthy. However, the Kingdom of Chu under third generation ruler Liu Wu rebelled against the central authority during the Rebellion of the Seven Princes and was defeated. His tomb was recently excavated near Xuzhou.

After the Yellow River started to change course in the Song Dynasty, when heavy silting at the Yellow River mouth forced the river to channel its flow to the lower Huai River tributary, the region has since become barren due to persistent flooding, nutrient depletion and salination of the once fertile soil.The area was the site of the final critical battle in the Chinese Civil War, the Huaihai Campaign in 1948-49.

The disastrous capitulation of Chiang Kai-shek at Xuzhou (Hsüchow) led eventually to the fall of Nanking.

Cuisine

Xuzhou cuisine is closely related to Shandong cuisine's Jinan-style. Xuzhou's most well known foods include bǎzi ròu (pork belly, and other items stewed in a thick broth), sha tang (饣它汤), and various dog meat dishes.

Scenic spots

Tourist attractions in Xuzhou include Cloud Dragon Mountain (Yúnlóng Shān) and the nearby Cloud Dragon Lake (Yúnlóng Hú).

Transport

Xuzhou Airport serves the area with scheduled passenger flights to major airports in China including Beijing and Shanghai.

Sister Cities

• Saint-Etienne, France (March 27, 1984)
• Handa, Japan (May 27, 1993)
• Newark, New Jersey, U.S. (April 21, 1993)
• Leoben, Austria (August 29, 1994)
• Bochum, Germany (September 16, 1994)
• Greater Dandenong, Australia (September 12, 1996)
• Osasco, Brazil
• Trumbull, Connecticut, USA
• Kirovograd, Ukraine (August 31, 1996)
• Ryazan, Russia (May 3, 1998)
• Erfurt, Germany (November 26, 2005)
• Lanciano, Italy (August 27, 2006)

See also

• Battle of Xuzhou
• List of cities in the People's Republic of China by population
• Xuzhou dialect

References

External links

• Government website of Xuzhou (in Simplified Chinese)
• Xuzhou city guide with open directory (Jiangsu.NET)

v • d • e Jiangsu Province History  · Politics  · Economy  · Cuisine Sub-provincial cities Nanjing Prefecture-level cities Changzhou · Huai'an · Lianyungang · Nantong · Suqian · Suzhou · Taizhou · Wuxi · Xuzhou · Yancheng · Yangzhou · Zhenjiang List of Jiangsu County-level divisions