Zhangzhou

Zhangzhou 漳州 Chiang-chiu, Lung-ch'i
—  Prefecture-level city  —
Chinese transcription(s)
– Simplified	漳州
– Traditional	漳州
– Pinyin	Zhāngzhōu
– POJ	Chiang-chiu
Zhangzhou City
Country	China
Province	Fujian
Area
– Prefecture-level city	12,888 km2 (4,976.1 sq mi)
– Urban	366 km2 (141.3 sq mi)
– Metro	3,257 km2 (1,257.5 sq mi)
Population (2010)[1]
– Prefecture-level city	4,809,983
– Density	373.2/km2 (966.6/sq mi)
– Urban	596,165
– Urban density	1,628.9/km2 (4,218.7/sq mi)
– Metro	4,984,482
– Metro density	1,530.4/km2 (3,963.7/sq mi)
Time zone	China Standard (UTC+8)
Postal code	363000
Area code(s)	596
GDP	2009[1]
- Total	CNY 111.317 billion (USD 16.31 billion)
- Per capita	CNY 23,264 (USD 3,409)
- Growth	13.3%
License Plate	闽E
Local dialect	Min Nan: Zhangzhou dialect
City trees	Cinnamomum camphora
City flowers	Narcissus tazetta
Website	www.zhangzhou.gov.cn

Zhangzhou (Chinese: 漳州; pinyin: Zhāngzhōu; Wade–Giles: Chang¹-chou¹; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiang-chiu; formerly Lung-ch'i) is a prefecture-level city in southern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. Located on the banks of the Jiulong River (Beixi), Zhangzhou borders the cities of Xiamen (廈門) and Quanzhou (泉州) to the northeast, Longyan City to the northwest and the province of Guangdong to the southwest.

Zhangzhou is home to 4,809,983 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom those of Longwen and Xiacheng districts are considered as urban. The built up area now include these 2 previous districts, the city of Longhai and reaches Xiamen 3,531,147 inhabitants. The 2 cities built up area (ie Metro area) is now home to about 5 millions inhabitants in 2010.

In older English works, its name may appear as Chang-chow or Changchow and in Southeast Asian contexts it appears as Chiang-chew or Chiang Chew from the Hokkien name.

Dialect

Main article: Zhangzhou dialect

The main dialect spoken in Zhangzhou is Hokkien, one of the major Min Nan languages/topolects. But officially, people use Mandarin in government, commerce and official business.

History

In the early 20th century, Zhangzhou-fu was surrounded by 42 miles of wall (in circumference). ^[2] Its streets were paved with granite, but struck some Western visitors as dirty, as reported in the Enyclopedia Britannica. The Jiulongjiang River was crossed by an 800-foot bridge of wooden planks supported on twenty-five stone piers.^[2] At this time, heavy silk trading activity occurred in the city, while brick kilns and sugar-manufactures were among its primary industrial activities.^[2] In 1911, its population was estimated around 1,000,000.^[2]

Zhangzhou's central urban area (now Xiangcheng District) was occupied in April and May 1932 by a column of Communist guerrillas under Mao Zedong. Due to the presence of Western gunboats in Xiamen Bay, arms shipments from the Soviet Union were unable to get up the Jiulong Jiang River to Mao's forces and on to the main Communist base area. According to some reports, Mao's forces took with them a substantial amount of loot from bourgeois residents when his column retreated from the city.^[3]

Climate

Climate data for Zhangzhou (1971−2000)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	18.0 (64.4)	18.0 (64.4)	20.3 (68.5)	24.6 (76.3)	27.8 (82.0)	31.0 (87.8)	33.6 (92.5)	33.1 (91.6)	31.2 (88.2)	28.2 (82.8)	24.4 (75.9)	20.3 (68.5)	25.88 (78.58)
Average low °C (°F)	10.0 (50.0)	10.7 (51.3)	13.0 (55.4)	17.1 (62.8)	20.9 (69.6)	23.8 (74.8)	25.3 (77.5)	25.1 (77.2)	23.5 (74.3)	20.1 (68.2)	15.6 (60.1)	11.4 (52.5)	18.04 (64.48)
Precipitation mm (inches)	41.0 (1.614)	84.8 (3.339)	114.0 (4.488)	168.4 (6.63)	207.2 (8.157)	278.6 (10.969)	171.9 (6.768)	232.8 (9.165)	170.0 (6.693)	63.0 (2.48)	38.2 (1.504)	34.5 (1.358)	1,604.4 (63.165)
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	8.5	12.2	14.9	15.2	16.9	17.7	12.5	14.3	11.2	5.5	5.1	5.6	139.6
Source: Weather China

Administrative divisions

The prefecture-level city of Zhangzhou administers 2 districts, 1 county-level city and 8 counties.

1. Longwen District (龙文区)
2. Xiangcheng District (芗城区)
3. Longhai City (龙海市)
4. Changtai County (长泰县)
5. Dongshan County (东山县)
6. Hua'an County (华安县)
7. Nanjing County (南靖县)
8. Pinghe County (平和县)
9. Yunxiao County (云霄县)
10. Zhangpu County (漳浦县)
11. Zhao'an County (诏安县)

Universities and colleges

• Zhangzhou Normal College
• Tenfu Tea College

Notable people

• Chen Yuanguang (陳元光), 657 - 711 CE, military leader important in facilitating Han-nationality settlement and control of today's Fujian and northern Guangdong provinces.
• Khaw Soo Cheang, 1786 - 1882, South China Sea merchant and a royally-favoured Governor in Thailand.
• Lin Yutang (林语堂), 1895 - 1976, international author, cultural ambassador and inventor.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "漳州市2009年国民经济和社会发展统计公报" (in Simplified Chinese). Zhangzhou Municipal Statistic Bureau. 2010-03-12. http://www.tjcn.org/tjgb/201003/7959.html. Retrieved 2010-05-03. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Encyclopedia Britannica, 1911 http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Chang-Chow
3. ^ Zhang Rong/Jung Chang, Mao: the Unknown Story, 2005, p.117

External links

• Government website of Zhangzhou (Chinese)
• Historic US Army map of Zhangzhou, 1945

Coordinates: 24°31′N 117°39′E / 24.517°N 117.65°E / 24.517; 117.65