Hebei Explained

Hebei
Native Name:Chinese: 河北
Settlement Type:Province
Translit Lang1:Name
Translit Lang1 Info:Chinese: 河北省
Mapsize:275px
Coordinates:39.3°N 116.7°W
Named For:Yellow River
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:China
Seat Type:Capital and largest city
Seat:Shijiazhuang
Parts Type:Divisions
Parts Style:para
P1:11 prefectures
P2:121 Counties
P3:2207 Townships
Government Type:Province
Governing Body:Hebei Provincial People's Congress
Leader Title:CCP Secretary
Leader Name:Ni Yuefeng
Leader Title1:Congress chairman
Leader Name1:Ni Yuefeng
Leader Title2:Governor
Leader Name2:Wang Zhengpu
Leader Title3:CPPCC chairman
Leader Name3:Zhang Guohua
Area Total Km2:188800
Area Rank:12th
Elevation Max M:2882
Elevation Max Point:Mount Xiaowutai[1]
Population Footnotes:[2]
Population Total:74,610,235
Population As Of:2020
Population Rank:6th
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Density Rank:11th
Demographics Type1:Demographics
Demographics1 Title1:Ethnic composition
Demographics1 Title2:Languages and dialects
Demographics1 Info2:Jilu Mandarin, Beijing Mandarin, Jin
Demographics Type2:GDP [3]
Demographics2 Title1:Total
Demographics2 Info1:CN¥ 4,394 billion (12th)
US$ 624 billion
Demographics2 Title2:Per capita
Demographics2 Info2:CN¥ 59,332 (26th)
US$ 8,420
Iso Code:CN-HE
Blank Info Sec2: 0.738[4]
· 20th
Official Name:Province of Hebei
Pic:Hebei (Chinese characters).svg
Piccap:"Hebei" in Chinese characters
Picupright:0.45
L:North of the Yellow River
P:Héběi
Tp:Hé-běi
Gr:Herbeei
Bpmf:ㄏㄜˊ   ㄅㄟˇ
Psp:Hopeh
J:ho4 bak1
Y:Hòh-bāk
Wuu:Ghupoh
Poj:Hô-pak
H:Hò-pet
Xej:حَ‌بُوِ شْ
Also Known As:Abbreviation
P2:
Tp2:
Gr2:Jih
Bpmf2:ㄐㄧˋ
J2:kei3
Y2:Kei
Tl2:
Altname3:Zhili Province
S3:直隶省
L3:Directly ruled
P3:Zhílì Shěng
Tp3:Jhíh-lì Shěng
Bpmf3:ㄓˊ ㄌㄧˋ ㄕㄥˇ

Hebei is a province in North China. Hebei is China's sixth most-populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, and 0.3% Mongol. Varieties of Chinese spoken include Jilu Mandarin, the Beijing dialect of Mandarin, and Jin Chinese.

Hebei borders the provinces of Shanxi to the west, Henan to the south, Shandong to the southeast, Liaoning to the northeast, and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the north. Hebei province additionally borders the direct-administered municipalities of Beijing and Tianjin, whose territory it entirely surrounds on land. Its economy is based on agriculture and manufacturing. The province is China's premier steel producer, although the steel industry creates serious air pollution.[5] [6] [7]

Five UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be found in the province: the Great Wall of China, Chengde Mountain Resort, Grand Canal, Eastern Qing tombs, and Western Qing tombs. It is also home to five National Famous Historical and Cultural Cities: Handan, Baoding, Chengde, Zhengding and Shanhaiguan.

During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (771–226 BC), the region was ruled by the states of Yan and Zhao. During the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), the region was called Zhongshu. It was called North Zhili during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), and simply Zhili during the Qing dynasty (1644–1912). The modern province of Hebei was created in 1928.

Etymology

"Hebei" means 'north of the river', derived from the province's location north of the Yellow River in the North China Plain.[8] [9] [10] [11] In the Yu Gong, the province is recorded as "Jizhou", lending to its traditional abbreviation of "Ji" .

The province's nickname is "Yanzhao", which is the collective name of the Yan and Zhao states that controlled the region during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (771–221 BC).[12] In 1421, the Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing, and the province surrounding the new capital was first called North Zhili or Zhili, meaning 'directly ruled'.[13] [14] When Nanjing became the capital of the Republic of China in 1928, the province of Zhili was abolished and given its present name of Hebei.[15]

History

Pre and early history

Peking man, an early pre-historic Homo erectus, lived on the plains of Hebei around 200,000 to 700,000 years ago. Neolithic findings at the prehistoric Beifudi site date to 7000 and 8000 BC.[16]

Many early Chinese myths are set in the province. Fuxi, one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, is said to have lived in present-day Xingtai.[17] The mythical Battle of Zhuolu, won by the Yellow Emperor, Yan Emperor, and their Yanhuang tribes against the Chiyou-led Jiuli tribes, took place in Zhangjiakou and started the Huaxia civilization.

During the Spring and Autumn period (722–476 BC), Hebei was under the rule of Yan in the north and Jin in the south. Also during this period, a nomadic people known as invaded the plains of northern China and established Zhongshan in central Hebei. In the Warring States period (403–221 BC), Jin was partitioned and much of its territory in Hebei went to Zhao.

Qin and Han dynasties

The Qin dynasty unified China in 221 BC. The Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) ruled the area under two provinces, You Prefecture in the north and Ji Province in the south. At the end of the Han dynasty, most of Hebei was under the control of warlords Gongsun Zan in the north and Yuan Shao further south. Yuan Shao emerged as the victor of the two, but he was defeated by Cao Cao in the Battle of Guandu in 200. Hebei came under the rule of the Kingdom of Wei, established by the descendants of Cao Cao.

Jin through the Three Kingdoms

After the invasions of northern nomadic peoples at the end of the Western Jin dynasty, chaos ensued in the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Northern and Southern dynasties. Because of its location on the northern frontier, Hebei changed hands many times and was controlled at various times by Later Zhao, Former Yan, Former Qin, and Later Yan. The Northern Wei reunified northern China in 440 but split in 534, with Hebei coming under Eastern Wei; then the Northern Qi, with its capital at Ye near modern Linzhang, Hebei. The Sui dynasty again unified China in 589.

Tang and Five dynasties

During the Tang dynasty (618–907), the area was officially called Hebei for the first time. The Great Yan State was established in Hebei from 756 to 763 during the An Lushan Rebellion. After the rebellion, Lulong Jiedushi retained its autonomy from Tang during most of the 9th century. During the late Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Lulong was fragmented among several regimes including the short-lived Yan. It was eventually annexed in 913 by Li Cunxu, who established the Later Tang (923–936). Emperor Gaozu of the Later Jin dynasty ceded much of northern Hebei to the Khitan Liao dynasty. This territory, called the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, became a weakness in the Chinese defense against the Khitans for the next century because it lay within the Great Wall.

Song through Yuan dynasties

During the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), the sixteen ceded prefectures continued to be an area of contention between Song China and the Liao dynasty. Later, the Southern Song dynasty abandoned all of North China, including Hebei, to the Jurchen Jin dynasty after the 1127 Jingkang Incident of the Jin–Song wars. Hebei was heavily affected by the flooding of the Yellow River; between 1048 and 1128, the river ran directly through the province rather than to its south.[18]

The Mongol Yuan dynasty divided China into provinces but did not establish Hebei as a province. Instead, the area was directly administrated by the Secretariat at the capital Dadu.

Ming and Qing dynasties

The Ming dynasty ruled Hebei as Beizhili, meaning Northern Directly Ruled because the area contained and was directly ruled by the imperial capital in Beijing. The "Northern" designation was used because there was a southern counterpart covering present-day Jiangsu and Anhui. When the Manchu Qing dynasty came to power in 1644, they abolished the southern counterpart, and Hebei became known as Zhili or Directly Ruled. During the Qing dynasty, the northern borders of Zhili extended deep into Inner Mongolia and overlapped in jurisdiction with the leagues of Inner Mongolia.

Republic of China

The Qing dynasty collapsed in 1912 and was replaced by the Republic of China. In a few years, China descended into a civil war, with regional warlords vying for power. Since Zhili was so close to the capital of Beijing, it was the site of the Zhiwan War, the First Zhifeng War, and the Second Zhifeng War. With the success of the Northern Expedition in 1926 and 1927 by the Kuomintang, the capital was moved from Beijing to Nanjing. As a result, the province's name was changed to Hebei, reflecting the relocation of the capital and its standard provincial administration.

During the World War II, Hebei was under the control of the Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China, a puppet state of Imperial Japan.

People's Republic of China

The founding of the People's Republic of China saw several changes. The region around Chengde, previously part of Rehe Province (historically part of Manchuria), and the region around Zhangjiakou, previously part of Chahar Province (historically part of Inner Mongolia), were merged into Hebei. This extended its borders northwards beyond the Great Wall. Meanwhile, the city of Puyang was carved away, causing Hebei to lose access to the Yellow River. The city became part of the short-lived Pingyuan Province before eventually being annexed into Henan.[19]

The capital was also moved from Baoding to the new city of Shijiazhuang, and, for a short period, to Tianjin. On July 28, 1976, Tangshan was struck by the Tangshan earthquake, the deadliest earthquake of the 20th century, killing over 240,000 people. There were a series of smaller earthquakes in the following decade.

Today, Hebei, along with Beijing and Tianjin municipalities which it includes, make up the Jing-Jin-Ji megalopolis region. With a population of 130 million, it is about six times the size of the New York metropolitan area and is one of the largest megalopolis clusters in China.[20] Beijing had also unloaded some of its non-capital functions to the province with the establishment of the Xiong'an New Area, which integrates the three municipalities.[21]

Geography

Hebei is the only province in China to contain plateaus, mountains, hills, shorelines, plains, and lakes.[22] Most of central and southern Hebei lies within the North China Plain. Western Hebei rises into the Taihang Mountains (Taihang Shan), while the Yan Mountains (Yan Shan) runs through northern Hebei. Beyond the mountains are the grasslands of Inner Mongolia. The highest peak is Mount Xiaowutai in Yu County in the northwest of the province, with an altitude of 2882m (9,455feet).

Hebei borders the Bohai Sea on the east. The Hai River watershed covers most of the province's central and southern parts; the Luan River watershed covers the northeast. Excluding manmade reservoirs, the largest lake in Hebei is Baiyangdian, located in Anxin County, Baoding.

Major cities in Hebei include: Shijiazhuang, Baoding, Tangshan, Qinhuangdao, Handan, and Zhangjiakou.

Hebei has a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate. Its winters are cold and dry, while its summers are hot and humid. Temperatures average NaN°CNaN°C in January and 20°C27°C in July. The annual precipitation ranges from 400to, concentrated heavily in summer.

Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected locations in Hebei Province, China[23] [24] [25] [26]
CityJuly (°C)July (°F)January (°C)January (°F)
31.7/22.6 89.1/72.7 2.5/–7.7 36.5/18.1
28.1/21.7 82.6/71.1 0.1/–8.8 32.2/16.2
30.2/21.7 86.4/71.1 0.9/–10.2 33.6/13.6
29.4/18.7 84.9/65.7 2.2/–12.9 36.0/8.8

Government

See main article: Politics of Hebei and List of provincial leaders of the People's Republic of China. The politics of Hebei is structured in a dual party-government system like all other governing institutions in mainland China. The Governor of Hebei is the highest-ranking official in the People's Government of Hebei. However, in the province's dual party-government governing system, the governor has less power than the Hebei Chinese Communist Party Provincial Committee Secretary (CCP Party Chief).

Administrative divisions

See main article: List of administrative divisions of Hebei and List of township-level divisions of Hebei. Hebei has eleven prefecture-level divisions. All are prefecture-level cities:

Administrative divisions of Hebei
Division code[27] DivisionArea in km2[28] Population 2010[29] SeatDivisions[30]
DistrictsCountiesAut. countiesCL cities
130000 Hebei Province187,700 71,854,202 Shijiazhuang city 49 91 6 21
130100 Shijiazhuang city15,848 9,547,869 8 11 3
130200 Tangshan city14,334.59 7,577,284 7 4 3
130300 Qinhuangdao city7791.57 2,987,605 4 2 1
130400 Handan city12,066 9,174,679 6 11 1
130500 Xingtai city12,433 7,104,114 4 12 2
130600 Baoding city22,185 10,029,197 5 15 4
130700 Zhangjiakou city36,861.55 4,345,491 6 10
130800 Chengde city39512.98 3,473,197 3 4 3 1
130900 Cangzhou city14,305.28 7,134,053 2 9 1 4
131000 Langfang city6,417.29 4,358,839 2 5 1 2
131100 Hengshui city8,836.90 4,340,773 2 8 1

These eleven prefecture-level divisions are subdivided into 168 county-level divisions (47 districts, 21 county-level cities, 94 counties and 6 autonomous counties). Those are, in turn, divided into 2207 township-level divisions (1 district public office, 937 towns, 979 townships, 55 ethnic townships, and 235 subdistricts). At the end of 2017, the total population of Hebei was 75.2 million.[31]

Urban areas

Population by urban areas of prefecture & county cities
Cities 2020 Urban area[32] 2010 Urban area[33] 2020 City proper
1Shijiazhuang4,805,0792,770,34411,235,086
2Tangshan2,667,6032,128,1917,717,983
3Handan2,280,7551,316,6749,413,990
4Baoding2,167,6071,038,19511,544,036
5Xingtai1,371,150668,7657,111,106
6Qinhuangdao1,320,988967,8773,136,879
7Zhangjiakou1,185,494924,6284,118,908
8Langfang768,439530,8405,464,087
9Sanhe760,107386,902
10Cangzhou727,879499,4117,300,783
11Xiong'an717,120
12Hengshui707,905389,4474,212,933
13Dingzhou577,440482,121
14Chengde548,329540,3903,354,444
15Qian'an466,210308,849
16Renqiu458,878430,896
17Bazhou455,923291,710
18Wu'an453,442293,151
19Zhuozhou395,792260,493
20Zunhua392,821299,759
21Xinji368,208236,658
22Huanghua313,530296,978
23Gaobeidian309,413274,853
24Hejian296,820243,458
25Xinle281,458194,480
26Luanzhou278,807
27Shahe265,977218,958
28Botou264,187258,203
29Jinzhou238,153160,284
30Pingquan228,261
31Shenzhou197,414207,945
32Anguo189,925135,524
33Nangong183,450188,260
Gaocheng286,136
Luquan175,602
Jizhou165,363

Notes

Economy

In 2014, Hebei's gross domestic product (GDP) was 2.942 trillion yuan (US$479 billion).[34] It is ranked sixth in the PRC, with its GDP per capita reaching 40,124 renminbi. As of 2011, the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors of industry contributed 203.46 billion, 877.74 billion, and 537.66 billion RMB respectively. The registered urban unemployment rate was 3.96%.

Hebei's industries include textiles, coal, steel, iron, engineering, chemical production, petroleum, power, ceramics, and food. 40% of Hebei's labor force works in the agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry sectors, with the majority of production from these industries going to Beijing and Tianjin. Hebei's main agricultural products are cereal crops, including wheat, maize, millet, and sorghum. Cash crops like cotton, peanut, soybeans and sesame are also produced.

Hebei has abundant natural resources. The Kailuan mine in Tangshan, with a history of over 100 years, is one of China's first modern coal mines. It remains active, with an annual production of over 20 million metric tonnes. Much of the North China Oilfied is within Hebei. There are major iron mines at Handan and Qian'an. Iron and steel manufacturing are the largest industries in Hebei.

Economic and technological development zones

Demographics

The population in Hebei is mostly Han Chinese. There are 55 ethnic minorities in Hebei, representing 4.27% of the total population. The largest ethnic groups are Manchu (2.1 million people), Hui (600,000 people), and Mongol (180,000 people).[35] Population totals do not include those in active service with the People's Liberation Army.[36]

Notes and References

  1. Liu . Yanlin . zh:太行山把最高的山脊留在了河北 . Chinese National Geography . 2015 . 2 . http://www.dili360.com/cng/article/p54ed2aee95d2c70.htm . 20 May 2018 . zh-Hans . Chinese: 小五台山是太行山主脉上的最高峰,同时也是河北省的最高峰 .
  2. Web site: 11 May 2021 . Communiqué of the Seventh National Population Census (No. 3) . 11 May 2021 . .
  3. Web site: National Data. China NBS. March 2024. June 22, 2024.
    see also Web site: zh: 2023年河北省国民经济和社会发展统计公报. hebei.gov.cn. March 1, 2024. June 22, 2024.
  4. Web site: Sub-national HDI – Subnational HDI – Global Data Lab . globaldatalab.org . 2020-04-17 .
  5. Web site: 河北概况 . 河北省人民政府 . 2020-01-23 . 2020-08-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200813033334/http://www.hebei.gov.cn/hebei/14462058/14462085/14471224/index.html.
  6. Web site: 河北省工业经济概况 . 河北省工业和信息化厅 . 2020-01-23 . 2020-01-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200121091327/http://gxt.hebei.gov.cn/hbgyhxxht/xxgk6/hbsgyjjgk82/index.html .
  7. Web site: 河北钢铁工业概况 . 中国铁合金网 . 2020-01-23 . 2020-02-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200218064916/http://www.ferro-alloys.cn/News/Details/275284 .
  8. Web site: 我国各省份名称的由来 . 腾讯网 . 2021-01-10.
  9. http://www.people.com.cn/GB/shenghuo/1090/2435218.html Origin of the Names of China's Provinces
  10. Origin of the Names of China's Provinces, People's Daily Online.
  11. Web site: Yellow bridge Chinese Dictionary . 15 April 2016 . Yellow Bridge.
  12. Web site: 河北省古称"燕赵之地",为什么现在的简称却是"冀"呢? . Sohu. 2021-01-10.
  13. Chih-Li . 6 . 133.
  14. Web site: Yongle Emperor . World History Encyclopedia. 2021-01-10.
  15. Web site: 直隶省的称呼延续了几百年,1928年,为何被改成了河北省?. 快资讯 . 2021-01-10.
  16. Web site: New Archaeological Discoveries and Researches in 2004 – The Fourth Archaeology Forum of CASS. Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. 2007-09-18. 2011-05-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20110512174808/http://www.kaogu.cn/en/detail.asp?ProductID=982. dead.
  17. Web site: 河北 – 中华名胜. 内地(祖国大陆)高校面向港澳台招生信息网. 2021-01-10.
  18. Book: Zhang, Ling. The River, the Plain, and the State: An Environmental Drama in Northern Song China, 1048-1128. Cambridge University Press. 2016. 9781107155985. Cambridge. 1–4. English.
  19. Web site: 濮阳地区一直属于河北省,1952年,为何划归给了河南省?. Sohu. 2021-01-10.
  20. News: In China, a Supercity Rises Around Beijing . . Ian . Johnson . July 19, 2015 .
  21. News: Xiong'an New Area: President Xi's Dream City . China Briefing . Frank . Wong . March 16, 2019 . April 2, 2020 . August 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220802060649/https://www.china-briefing.com/news/xiongan-new-area-beijing-tianjin-hebei/ . dead .
  22. Web site: 全国唯一兼有高原、山地、丘陵、海滨、湖泊的省份 . Sohu. 2021-01-10.
  23. Web site: Climate for Baoding. Weather China. 10 June 2017.
  24. Web site: Climate for Qinhuangdao. Weather China. 10 June 2017.
  25. Web site: Climate for Tangshan. Weather China. 10 June 2017.
  26. Web site: Climate for Zhangjiakou. Weather China. 10 June 2017.
  27. Web site: zh-hans . http://files2.mca.gov.cn/cws/201502/20150225163817214.html . zh:中华人民共和国县以上行政区划代码 . Ministry of Civil Affairs.
  28. Book: zh-hans. Shenzhen Bureau of Statistics. . zh:《深圳统计年鉴2014》. http://www.sztj.gov.cn/nj2014/indexce.htm. 2015-05-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184740/http://www.sztj.gov.cn/nj2014/indexce.htm. 2015-05-12. dead.
  29. Book: Census Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. Population and Employment Statistics Division of the National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China . zh:中国2010人口普查分乡、镇、街道资料. 2012. . Beijing. 978-7-5037-6660-2. 1.
  30. Book: zh-hans . . zh:《中国民政统计年鉴2014》 . August 2014 . . 978-7-5037-7130-9.
  31. Web site: 中国统计年鉴—2018 . 2022-11-21 . www.stats.gov.cn.
  32. Book: 国务院人口普查办公室、国家统计局人口和社会科技统计司编 . 2022 . zh:中国2020年人口普查分县资料 . Beijing . . 978-7-5037-9772-9.
  33. Book: 国务院人口普查办公室、国家统计局人口和社会科技统计司编 . 2012 . zh:中国2010年人口普查分县资料 . Beijing . . 978-7-5037-6659-6.
  34. Web site: China's Provincial GDP Figures in 2011 – China Briefing News. 27 January 2012.
  35. Web site: http://info.hebei.gov.cn/hbszfxxgk/329988/330059/3736560/index.html . zh:河北省少数民族及宗教概况 . Hebei People's Government . 2014-08-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170419145310/http://info.hebei.gov.cn/hbszfxxgk/329988/330059/3736560/index.html . 2017-04-19 . dead .
  36. Web site: 分省年度数据. . 2021-07-10.
  37. Web site: 河北省第七次全国人口普查公报(第三号). Hebei Provincial Bureau of Statistics. 2021-07-10.
  38. Min Junqing. The Present Situation and Characteristics of Contemporary Islam in China. JISMOR, 8. 2010 Islam by province, page 29. Data from: Yang Zongde, Study on Current Muslim Population in China, Jinan Muslim, 2, 2010.
  39. Web site: http://www.chinacath.org/news/china/2010-09-15/8534.html . zh:河北地下教会主教成为爱国会成员 . chinacath.org . 2010-09-15 . 2014-08-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140903142132/http://www.chinacath.org/news/china/2010-09-15/8534.html . 2014-09-03 . dead .
  40. Web site: zh:天主教 . http://www.hebmzt.gov.cn/tabid/73/InfoID/1240/frtid/84/Default.aspx . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170922194128/http://www.hebmzt.gov.cn/tabid/73/InfoID/1240/frtid/84/Default.aspx . 2017-09-22 . 2014-08-26 . hebmzt.gov.cn.
  41. http://www.refworld.org/pdfid/50f946dd2.pdf Country Advice China
  42. http://www.prayforchina.com/province/Hebei.htm Hebei
  43. Web site: 评剧、河北梆子. 中华传统文化数字资源库系统. 2021-01-10.
  44. http://qq.ip138.com/train/hebei/ List of train stations in Hebei
  45. News: Moore . Malcolm . September 9, 2011 . China to build world's biggest airport . The Daily Telegraph .
  46. News: Xue . Li . 19 July 2010 . zh:杂项专家夏更起:全国有十几家拍卖公司足矣(图) . zh-hans . Beijing Business Daily . http://news.xinmin.cn/rollnews/2010/07/19/5843103.html . 1 January 2011.
  47. Web site: http://www.he.xinhuanet.com/zhuanti/2006-04/13/content_6734329.htm . zh:河北省地级市及部分县级市缔结国际友好城市列表 . Xinhua Hebei . 2006-04-13 . zh-cn . 2020-02-06 . 2015-09-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924025612/http://www.he.xinhuanet.com/zhuanti/2006-04/13/content_6734329.htm . dead .
  48. {{Source: Department of Population, Social, Science, and Technology Statistics of the National Bureau of Statistics of China and Department of Economic Development of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, eds. Tabulation on Nationalities of 2000 Population Census of China. 2 vols. Beijing: Nationalities Publishing House (Chinese: 民族出版社), 2003. }}
    Ethnic groups in Hebei, 2000 census
    Population Percentage
    63,781,603 95.65%
    2,118,711 3.18%
    542,639 0.78%
    169,887 0.26%
    20,832 0.031%
    In 2019, the birth rate was 10.83 births per 1,000 people, while the death rate was 6.12 deaths per 1,000 people.[36] The male population is 37,679,003 (50.50%), the female population is 36,931,232 (49.50%). The gender ratio of the total population was 102.02, decreasing by 0.82 from 2010.[37]

    Religion

    The dominant religions in Hebei are Chinese folk religions, Taoist traditions, and Chinese Buddhism. According to surveys conducted in 2007 and 2009, 5.52% of the population believe in and are involved in ancestor veneration, while 3.05% identify as Christian, belonging mostly to the Catholic Church. As of 2010 Muslims constitute 0.82% of the population of Hebei.[38]

    Although the surveys did not provide specific data for other religions, 90.61% of the population are either nonreligious or are involved in worship of nature deities, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and folk religious sects. Zailiism is a folk religious sect that originated in Hebei. Local worship of deities organized into benevolent churches in reaction to Catholicism in the Qing dynasty.

    Hebei has the largest Catholic population in China, with one million members and 1.5 million Catholics according to the Catholic Church.[39] [40] In 1900, apparition of the Virgin Mary was said have appeared in the town of Donglu in Baoding. As a result, Donglu is "one of the strongholds of the unofficial Catholic Church in China".[41] Many Catholics in Hebei remain loyal to the Pope and reject the authority of the Catholic Patriotic Church. Four of Hebei's underground bishops have been imprisoned in recent years: Bishop Francis An Shuxin of Donglu since 1996; Bishop James Su Zhimin since October 1997; Bishop Han Dingxiang of Yongnian who died in prison in 2007, and Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo of Zhengding since late 1999.[42]

    Culture

    Language

    People speak dialects of Mandarin across the Hebei, with most classified as part of the Ji Lu Mandarin subdivision of Chinese. Along the western border with Shanxi, dialects are distinct enough for linguists to consider them as part of Jin, another subdivision of Chinese. In general, the dialects of Hebei are similar to the Beijing dialect, which forms the basis for Standard Chinese and the official language of the nation. However, there are also some distinct differences, such as the pronunciation of some words, made by entering tone syllables (syllables ending on a plosive) in Middle Chinese.

    Arts

    Traditional forms of Chinese opera in Hebei include Pingju, Hebei Bangzi (Hebei Clapper Opera), and Cangzhou Kuaiban Dagu. Pingju is especially popular because it tends to use colloquial language which is easier for audiences to understand. Originating from northeastern Hebei, Pingju was influenced by other forms of Chinese opera such as Beijing opera. Traditionally Pingju has a xiaosheng (young male lead), a xiaodan (young female lead), and a xiaohualian (young comic character), though it has diversified to include other roles.[43]

    Quyang County, in central Hebei, is noted for Ding ware, a type of Chinese ceramics which includes various vessels such as bowls, plates, vases, and cups, as well as figurines. Ding ware is usually creamy white, though it is also made in other colors.

    Cuisine

    Hebei cuisine is typically based on wheat, mutton, and beans. The donkey burger, originating from the cities of Baoding and Hejian, Cangzhou, is a staple in provincial cuisine and has spread into the two municipalities. Other dishes include local variants of shaobing.

    Entertainment

    Beidaihe, located near Shanhaiguan, is a popular beach resort.

    Architectural and cultural sites

    The Ming Great Wall crosses the northern part of Hebei, and its eastern end is located on the coast at Shanhaiguan (Shanhai Pass), near Qinhuangdao. Informally known as the First Pass of The World, Shanhaiguan Pass was where Ming general Wu Sangui opened the gates to Manchu forces in 1644, beginning nearly 300 years of Manchu rule.

    The Chengde Mountain Resort and its outlying temples are a World Heritage Site. Also known as the Rehe Palace, this was the summer resort of the Manchu Qing dynasty emperors. The resort was built between 1703 and 1792. It consists of a palace complex and a large park with lakes, pavilions, causeways, and bridges. There are also several Tibetan Buddhist and Han Chinese temples in the surrounding area.

    There are Qing dynasty imperial tombs at Zunhua (Eastern Qing Tombs) and Yixian (West Qing Tombs). The Eastern Qing Tombs are the resting place of 161 Qing emperors, empresses, and other members of the Qing imperial family, while the West Qing Tombs have 76 burials. Both tomb complexes are part of a World Heritage Site.

    The Zhaozhou, or Anji Bridge, was built by Li Chun during the Sui dynasty and is the oldest stone arch bridge in China. It is one of the most significant examples of pre-modern Chinese civil engineering. Baoding, the old provincial capital, contains the historic Zhili governor's residence and the former court.

    Xibaipo, a village about 90km (60miles) from Shijiazhuang in Pingshan County, was the location of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party 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. Today, the area houses a memorial site.

    Sports

    The 2018 Women's Bandy World Championship was held in Hebei. Sports teams based in Hebei include National Basketball League (China), Hebei Springs Benma, and the Chinese Football Association team Hebei F.C., Hebei Elite F.C., and Cangzhou Mighty Lions F.C. Baoding is home to the Baoding balls, a kind of metal ball for exercise and meditation.

    Education

    See also: List of universities and colleges in Hebei. Under the national Ministry of Education:

    Under other national agencies:

    Under the provincial government:

    There are also Tibetan Buddhist schools in the province.

    Infrastructure

    Transportation

    Intracity Rail

    The Shijiazhuang Metro is the only operational rapid transit system in Hebei. Xiong'an Rail Transit is a planned metro system in Xiong'an.

    Intercity Rail

    As of early 2013, railway schedule systems listed 160 passenger train stations within the province.[44] Because Hebei surrounds Beijing and Tianjin, all the important railway lines from these cities pass through Hebei. The Beijing–Guangzhou railway is one of the most important. It passes through many major cities, including Baoding, Shijiazhuang, Xingtai and Handan on its way south to Henan. Other important railways include the Beijing–Kowloon railway, Beijing–Shanghai railway, Beijing–Harbin railway, Beijing–Chengde railway, Beijing–Tongliao railway, Beijing–Baotou railway and Fengtai–Shacheng railway. High-speed rail lines crossing the province include the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway, Beijing–Guangzhou high-speed railway, and Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan high-speed railway.

    During the Eleventh Five-Year Plan, Beijing and Hebei collaborated on a new passenger railway. The RMB 82.6 billion network will add 844km (524miles) to the system. Current railway systems for Hebei are also being upgraded and will soon be able to travel at speeds of between NaNkm (-2,147,483,648miles) per hour.

    Highways and primary routes

    The recent expressway boom in China included Hebei. There are expressways to every prefecture-level city in Hebei, totaling approximately 2000km (1,000miles). The total length of highways within Hebei is around 40000km (20,000miles).

    Air transit

    Shijiazhuang's Zhengding Airport is the province's center for air transportation, with domestic and international flights. Parts of Hebei are served by the Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing.[45]

    Ocean transit

    There are several ports along the Bohai Sea, including Huanghua, Jingtang, and Qinhuangdao. Qinhuangdao is the second busiest port in China and has a capacity of over 100 million tons.

    Media

    Hebei is served by the province-wide Hebei Television, abbreviated HEBTV. Shijiazhuang Radio & Television is a regional network that covers the provincial capital. Hebei is also served by three major newspapers: Hebei Daily, Yanzhao Metropolis Daily, and Yanzhao Evening News. Hebei Daily Newspaper Group publishes all three newspapers.

    Notable people

    Sister subdivisions

    Hebei is a sister district with the following country states, districts, and other subdivisions:[47]

    See also

    References

    Sources

    External links