Yichang Explained

Yichang
Other Name:Ichang
Native Name:宜昌市
Native Name Lang:zh
Settlement Type:Prefecture-level city
Mapsize:280px
Pushpin Map:China Hubei#China
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of the city in Hubei##Location of the city in China
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:People's Republic of China
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Hubei
Seat Type:Municipal seat
Seat:Xiling District
Leader Name1:Huang Chuping
Leader Title2:Mayor
Leader Name2:Ma Xuming
Area Total Km2:21338
Area Metro Km2:4192
Area Urban Km2:4234.3
Elevation M:58
Elevation Ft:191
Elevation Max M:2427
Elevation Min M:35
Population As Of:2020 census
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:4017607
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Metro:1536012
Population Density Metro Km2:auto
Population Urban:1604740
Population Density Urban Km2:auto
Demographics Type2:GDP[2]
Demographics2 Info1:CN¥ 338.2 billion
US$ 54.3 billion
Demographics2 Title2:Per capita
Demographics2 Info2:CN¥ 82,360
US$ 13,223
Timezone:China Standard
Utc Offset:+8
Coor Pinpoint:Yichang municipal government
Coordinates:30.692°N 111.287°W
Postal Code Type:Postal codes
Postal Code:443000
Area Code:0717
Iso Code:CN-HB-05
Blank Name:Licence plate prefixes
Blank Info:Chinese: 鄂E
Pic:YiChang name.svg
Piccap:"Yichang", as written in Chinese
Picsize:121px
W:I2-ch'ang1
P:Yíchāng
Psp:Ichang

Yichang, alternatively romanized as Ichang, is a prefecture-level city located in western Hubei province, China. Yichang had a population of 3.92 million people at the 2022 census,[3] making it the third most populous city in Hubei.[4] The city is famous for the Three Gorges, the Three Gorges Dam and the Gezhouba Dam, all three of which are located in Yiling District, one of the city's districts.[5] [6]

History

In ancient times Yichang was known as Yiling. In 278 BC, during the Warring States period, the Qin general Bai Qi set fire to Yiling.[7] In 222 AD, Yichang was also the site of the Battle of Yiling during the Three Kingdoms Period.[8]

Under the Qing Guangxu Emperor, Yichang was opened to foreign commerce as a trading port after the Qing and Great Britain agreed to the Chefoo Convention, which was signed by Sir Thomas Wade and Li Hongzhang in Chefoo on 21 August 1876.[9] The imperial government set up a navigation company there and began building facilities. Since 1949, more than 50 wharves, with a total combined length of over 15km (09miles), have been constructed at the port.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Yichang was a primary supply depot for the defending Chinese army. In October 1938, as the Japanese moved up the Yangtze River towards the strategic city of Chongqing, it became clear that Yichang needed to be evacuated. In 40 days, under the direction of businessman Lu Zuofu, more than 100,000 tons of equipment and 30,000 personnel were transported upstream by steamship or by porters pulling smaller vessels through the Three Gorges rapids to Chongqing.[10] [11]

In 1940, the Battle of Zaoyang-Yichang took place in the area.

Administrative divisions

Administratively, it is a prefecture-level city; its municipal government has jurisdiction over five counties, five urban districts, and three satellite county-level cities (Yidu, Dangyang, Zhijiang).[12] [13] [14]

Administrative map

The prefecture-level city of Yichang has direct jurisdiction over 14 divisions: 5 districts, 3 county-level cities, 3 counties, and 3 autonomous counties .:

Map
NameHanziHanyu PinyinPopulation
(2010 census) [15]
Area
(/km2) [16]
Density
(/km2)
Districts
Xiling DistrictChinese: {{linktext|西陵|区Xīlíng Qū512,07468.147,515.03
Wujiagang DistrictChinese: {{linktext|伍家岗|区Wǔjiāgǎng Qū214,19484.032549.02
Dianjun DistrictChinese: {{linktext|点军|区Diǎnjūn Qū103,696533.23194.47
Xiaoting DistrictChinese: {{linktext|猇亭|区Xiāotíng Qū61,230130.40469.55
Yiling DistrictChinese: {{linktext|夷陵|区Yílíng Qū520,1863,416.57152.25
County-level cities
YiduChinese: {{linktext|宜都|市Yídū Shì384,5981,354.83283.87
DangyangChinese: {{linktext|当阳|市Dāngyáng Shì468,2932,148.82217.93
ZhijiangChinese: {{linktext|枝江|市Zhījiāng Shì644,8352,010.00321
Counties
Yuan'an CountyChinese: {{linktext|远安|县Yuǎn'ān Xiàn184,5321,741.06105.99
Xingshan CountyChinese: {{linktext|兴山|县Xīngshān Xiàn231,536480.2073.69
Zigui CountyChinese: {{linktext|秭归|县Zǐguī Xiàn367,1072,273.80161.45
Autonomous counties
Changyang Tujia
Autonomous County
Chinese: {{linktext|长阳|土家族|自治县Chángyáng Tǔjiāzú
Zìzhìxiàn
388,2283418.82113.56
Wufeng Tujia
Autonomous County
Chinese: {{linktext|五峰|土家族|自治县Wǔfēng Tǔjiāzú
Zìzhìxiàn
188,9232,370.4179.70

Geography

Like most prefecture-level cities, Yichang includes both an urban area (which is labeled on less detailed maps as "Yichang") and the surrounding country area. It covers 21084km2 in Western Hubei Province, on both sides of the Yangtze River. The Xiling Gorge, the easternmost of the Three Gorges on the Yangtze, is located within the prefecture-level city.

Within the prefecture-level city of Yichang, the Yangtze is joined by a number of tributaries, including the Qing River (right), Xiang Xi and Huangbo Rivers (left).

The central urban area of Yichang is split between several districts. On the right (northeastern) bank of the Yangtze are located Xiling District (where the city center is located), Yiling District (neighborhoods north of the center) and Wujiagang District (southern area). The city area on the opposite (southeastern) bank of the river is included into Dianjun District. All these districts, with the exception of the central Xiling, also include a fair amount of suburban/rural area outside of the city urban core.

Climate

Yichang has a four-season, monsoon-influenced, humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa), with cool, damp and generally overcast winters, and hot, humid summers. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from 5°C in January to 27.7°C in July, while the annual mean is 17.08°C. Close to 70% of the annual precipitation of 1160mm occurs from May to September. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 24% in January to 49% in August, the city receives 1,568 hours of bright sunshine annually, and summer is the sunniest season.

Transport

Air

Yichang Sanxia Airport is located in the Xiaoting District of Yichang City, 26km (16miles) away from the city center and 55km (34miles) from the Three Gorges Dam site. The airport is conveniently located, which borders Yihuang Highway in the north, Long River Golden Waterway in the south and Jiaozhi Railway in the east.

Roads and bridges

Several provincial highways connect Yichang center city with most counties.

Several bridges span the Yangtze River within the prefecture-level city of Yichang, including (upstream to downstream):

There are several ferry crossings as well.

Waterways

Yichang is an important river port on the Yangtze river. Maoping Town (the county seat of Zigui County), has an active passenger wharf as well.

The Qing River in the southern part of the prefecture, with its cascade of dams, is an important waterway as well.

Railway

Yichang is served by several railway lines.

Yichang Railway Station, located in downtown Yichang, opened in 1971, was the city's first railway station. In 2012 it closed for a renovation project.[17]

The Yichang East Railway Station, opened in the late 2010 in the eastern suburbs of Yichang,[18] is presently the city's main train station. It is the junction point of two segments of the Shanghai-Wuhan-Chengdu Passenger Dedicated Line, one of China's new east–west rail mainlines. To the east, the Hanyi Railway[19] (opened June 29, 2012) provides frequent service to Wuhan, with some trains continuing to Nanjing and Shanghai. To the west, the Yiwan Railway (Yichang-Wanzhou; opened December 2010) serves as the gateway to Hubei's southwestern panhandle (Enshi), with some service continuing to Chongqing and Chengdu.

The Jiaozuo–Liuzhou Railway, a north–south line, crosses the eastern part of the prefecture-level city. It crosses the Yangtze at Zhicheng in Yidu County-level City.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, its population was 4,017,607 inhabitants of whom 1,536,012 lived in the built-up (or metro) area consisting of Yiling, Xiling, Wujiagang and Dianjun urban districts. The Xiaoting District has not yet been urbanized. Yichang prefecture-level city, is home to many members of the Tujia ethnic group, who mostly live in several counties in the south-west of the prefecture.

Yichang also formed the border between the cultures of Ba in the west (an ancient state in the eastern part of what is now Sichuan Province) and the Chu State in the east (an ancient state in what is now Hubei Province and northern Hunan Province).

Education

Since 2002, Yichang City has been home of the China Three Gorges University (the result of the merger of the University of Hydraulic & Electric Engineering, Yichang and of Hubei Sanxia University), the largest comprehensive university in Hubei Province outside Wuhan, with over 20,400 full-time students.

There are 170 secondary schools in Yichang enrolling 150,700 students. 53,900 of the citizens in Yichang hold a secondary school degree. There are 282 elementary schools being located in Yichang enrolling 156,900. 27,600 of the citizens hold secondary school degrees. 383 kindergartens located in Yichang with 78,500 children.

Economy

Yichang has long been a major transit port and distribution center of goods, and serves as the economic hub of western Hubei province and an intermediary between the major cities of Chongqing and Wuhan. Its primary industries are shipping and shipbuilding, taking advantage of its location on the Yangtze River.

Yichang prefecture is the site of many major hydroelectricity projects. The best known of them are the two huge dams on the Yangtze River: the Gezhouba Dam (located just upstream of Yichang central city) and Three Gorges Dam, which is 40km (30miles) upstream.The Geheyan Dam and Gaobazhou Dam on the Qing River are important as well. Besides those, a huge number of medium-sized and small power plants operate on smaller rivers and streams within the prefecture.

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: China: Húbĕi (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map.
  2. Book: 湖北省统计局、国家统计局湖北调查总队. 《湖北统计年鉴-2016》. August 2016 . 中国统计出版社. 978-7-5037-7847-6. 2017-06-05. 2017-03-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20170301095326/http://www.stats-hb.gov.cn/info/iIndex.jsp?cat_id=10055. dead.
  3. Web site: 宜昌市2022年国民经济和社会发展统计公报 - 中国统计信息网 . 2024-08-02 . www.tjcn.org.
  4. Web site: 湖北省第七次全国人口普查公报(第二号)--湖北省统计局 . 2024-08-02 . tjj.hubei.gov.cn.
  5. Web site: Yichang Top Things to do - Yichang travel activities . 2024-08-02 . www.yangtzeriver.org.
  6. Web site: Yichang Information . 2009-12-06 . 2009-02-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090226221815/http://www.yichang.gov.cn/art/2007/11/28/art_6101_79616.html . dead .
  7. Web site: 26 September 2022 . Gorgeous Yichang . https://web.archive.org/web/20240515063918/http://www.gorgeousyichang.com/content-63114-32-1.html . 15 May 2024 . 2024-05-15 . www.gorgeousyichang.com.
  8. Web site: 13 April 2024 . 夷陵之战古战场遗迹 - 兵道网山东孙子研究会官网 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240731105108/https://www.sunzistudies.com/m_shownews.asp?id=811 . 31 July 2024 . 2024-07-31 . www.sunzistudies.com.
  9. News: Yichang Government . History of Yichang . Yichang Government.
  10. 'Yichang Evacuation Monument'; http://easternjourney.com/2009/10/yichang-evacuation-monument/ retvd 12 7 17
  11. Web site: http://military.china.com/history4/62/20150415/19527270_all.html . zh:抗战中的宜昌大撤退:保留中国抗战工业命脉的壮举 . 15 April 2015.
  12. Web site: http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/hb/15230.html . zh:宜昌市历史沿革 . Yichang City Historical Development . XZQH . zh-hans . 14 July 2014 . 5 October 2018 . Chinese: 1996年,宜昌市面积21338平方千米,{....
  13. Web site: http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/tjbz/tjyqhdmhcxhfdm/2017/42/4205.html . zh:2017年统计用区划代码和城乡划分代码:宜昌市 . 2017 Statistical Area Numbers and Rural-Urban Area Numbers: Yichang City . . 2017 . 5 October 2018 . Chinese: 统计用区划代码 名称 420501000000 市辖区 420502000000 西陵区 420503000000 伍家岗区 420504000000 点军区 420505000000 猇亭区 420506000000 夷陵区 420525000000 远安县 420526000000 兴山县 420527000000 秭归县 420528000000 长阳土家族自治县 420529000000 五峰土家族自治县 420581000000 宜都市 420582000000 当阳市 420583000000 枝江市|.
  14. Web site: http://www.yichang.gov.cn/content-56330-999739-1.html . zh:宜昌概况 . Description of Yichang . zh-hans. 吴月. Yichang People's Government . Chinese: 【行政区划】2016年,宜昌市辖13个县市区,即远安县、兴山县、秭归县、长阳土家族自治县、五峰土家族自治县、宜都市、枝江市、当阳市、夷陵区、西陵区、伍家岗区、点军区、猇亭区,共设20个乡、67个镇、23个街道。2016年,全市行政区划及其名称未作调整。. 21 May 2018. 5 October 2018.
  15. Web site: zh-hans . zh:宜昌市2010年第六次全国人口普查主要数据公报. http://www.stats-hb.gov.cn/wzlm/tjgb/rkpcgb/fz/11020.htm. Yichang Statistics Bureau. 5 December 2013. May 30, 2011.
  16. Web site: zh-hans . zh:宜昌市土地利用总体规划(2006-2020年). http://www.yclr.gov.cn/art/2013/11/18/art_27317_476365.html. Yichang Bureau of Land Resources. 5 December 2013. Nov 18, 2013.
  17. Web site: http://news.huochepiao.com/2012-10/201210917011437.htm . zh:3个月后宜昌火车站可进出动车 低站台改造成高站台 . huochepiao.com . October 2012.
  18. Web site: Yichang. Discover China. 2020-01-25.
  19. https://web.archive.org/web/20110707042600/http://english.wh.gov.cn/html/Wuhan_News/Wuhan_News/20080710/1937.html Construction of Hanyi Railway to Kick off