Bengbu

Bengbu 蚌埠
—  Prefecture-level city  —
蚌埠市
Nickname(s): Pearl city (珠城)
Coordinates: 32°55′N 117°23′E / 32.917°N 117.383°E / 32.917; 117.383
Country	People's Republic of China
Province	Anhui
County-level divisions	7
Township-level divisions	74
City seat	Longzihu District Coordinates: 32°55′3″N 117°22′57″E / 32.9175°N 117.3825°E / 32.9175; 117.3825
Government
– CPC Secretary
– Mayor	Zhou Chunyu(周春雨)
– secretary of municipal Party committee	Chen Qitao (陈启涛)
Area
– Prefecture-level city	5,945 km2 (2,295.4 sq mi)
– Urban	602 km2 (232.4 sq mi)
– Metro	602 km2 (232.4 sq mi)
Population (2010 census)
– Prefecture-level city	3,164,467
– Density	532.3/km2 (1,378.6/sq mi)
– Urban	802,575
– Urban density	1,333.2/km2 (3,452.9/sq mi)
– Metro	802,575
– Metro density	1,333.2/km2 (3,452.9/sq mi)
Time zone	China Standard (UTC+8)
Area code(s)	552
GDP
GDP per capita
License Plate Prefix	皖C
Website	www.bengbu.gov.cn

Bengbu (Chinese: 蚌埠, pinyin: Bèngbù), formerly known as P'engpu^[1] and Peng-pu,^[2] is a prefecture-level city with a population of 3,164,467 at the last census (including rural residents) in northern Anhui Province, People's Republic of China. Its name means "Oyster Wharf" in Chinese, echoing its former reputation as a freshwater pearl fishery.

Its built-up area is home to 802,575 inhabitants spread on the 4 urban districts. This agglomeration is about to include Huaiyuan county in Bengbu as well as Fengyang county in Chonzhu municipality which would soon make an agglomeration of 2,609,820 inhabitants.

Administration

The prefecture-level city of Bengbu administers seven county-level divisions, including four districts and three counties.

English Name	Chinese Name (Simplified / Traditional)	Pin yin	Post Code
Longzihu District	龙子湖区 / 龍子湖區	Lóngzǐhú Qū	233000
Bengshan District	蚌山区 / 蚌山區	Bèngshān Qū	233000
Yuhui District	禹会区 / 禹會區	Yǔhuì Qū	233000
Huaishang District	淮上区 / 淮上區	Huáishàng Qū	233000
Huaiyuan County	怀远县 / 懷遠縣	Huáiyuǎn Xiàn	233400
Wuhe County	五河县 / 五河縣	Wǔhé Xiàn	233300
Guzhen County	固镇县 / 固鎮縣	Gùzhèn Xiàn	233700

These are further divided into 74 township-level divisions, including 36 towns, 19 townships and 19 subdistricts.

Geography

Bengbu is located 135 kilometres (84 mi) north of Nanjing, on the Huai River. It is divided into two parts: greater Bengbu on the south bank of the river and little Bengbu on the north bank.

The area has a four-season humid subtropical climate with strong monsoon influences (Köppen climate classification Cwa), cool, sometimes cold, winters, and hot and humid summers. The area lies in a climactic transition zone, as it is on the Qinling Mountain-Huai River boundary between the climactic regimes of northern and southern China.

Climate data for Bengbu
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	6.5 (43.7)	8.5 (47.3)	13.7 (56.7)	21.1 (70.0)	26.4 (79.5)	30.1 (86.2)	32.1 (89.8)	31.6 (88.9)	27.3 (81.1)	22.1 (71.8)	15.4 (59.7)	9.3 (48.7)	20.3
Average low °C (°F)	−1.7 (28.9)	0.1 (32.2)	4.5 (40.1)	10.9 (51.6)	16.2 (61.2)	20.9 (69.6)	24.5 (76.1)	23.8 (74.8)	18.8 (65.8)	12.7 (54.9)	5.9 (42.6)	0.3 (32.5)	11.4
Precipitation mm (inches)	25.2 (0.992)	35.6 (1.402)	59.0 (2.323)	52.1 (2.051)	76.9 (3.028)	141.5 (5.571)	198.7 (7.823)	130.6 (5.142)	79.9 (3.146)	60.8 (2.394)	42.2 (1.661)	17.3 (0.681)	919.8 (36.213)
% humidity	71	70	70	68	69	72	79	80	76	72	71	68	72.2
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	5.9	7.4	9.9	8.6	9.3	10.3	13.8	10.2	8.2	7.6	6.6	5.0	102.8
Sunshine hours	146.8	142.5	162.1	177.0	202.5	214.8	208.7	232.4	175.8	190.6	161.6	152.7	2,167.5
Source no. 1: 中国气象局
Source no. 2: 富农路蚌埠农业投资频道 [3]

History

In ancient times, the Dongyi peoples inhabited this area and were collectively known as the Huaiyi after the Huai River. During the late Western Zhou Period and the early Spring and Autumn Period, the Dongyi became increasingly sinicized. During the late Spring and Autumn Period, the once-powerful Dongyi state of Xu was pressured from all directions and destroyed through a series of wars with its neighbors, such as the Chu State and the Wu State. Another Dongyi State was the small Zhongli State, which was a part of the Huaiyi Confederation led by the State of Xu. Tombs belonging to the royalty of the Zhongli State were discovered in excavations between 2005 and 2008 near Fengyang. Eventually, the Huaiyi peoples were either pushed south or assimilated.

Bengbu has always been a hub of water and land communications in Anhui province, and a major distribution centre for the Huai basin.

In 1948, during the Chinese Civil War, the Communist People's Liberation Army won a decisive victory over Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist (KMT) forces near Bengbu, in the Huaihai Campaign.

Economy

Bengbu is now a famous food city in Anhui province. Food-related industries account for 44% of the city's industrial production. The city's other industries include engineering works, textiles, glass making, chemicals, and electronics.

Culture

Pollution in the village of Qiugang, a suburb of Bengbu, was the subject of the 2010 film The Warriors of Qiugang, an 83rd Academy Awards nominee.

Food

Bengbu is one of the centers of the Huai Yang cuisine, one of the three noted cuisines of Anhui province. The dishes tend to be salty and slightly hot, with thick soups. One of the famous dishes is fuliji (braised chicken), whose 13 herbs and spices give it a rich aroma.

Transportation

The city is on the Jinghu Railway, with hourly direct trains to Beijing, Shanghai and other large cities.

The new Bengbu South Railway Station will be served by the high-speed Beijing-Shanghai Railway.

Bengbu Airport, which has been relocated from the city's central urban area around the turn of the 21st century, is presently operated only as a military airfield; however, provisions exist for its future dual use (civil and military).

Colleges and universities

• Anhui University of Finance and Economics
• Bengbu Medical College
• Bengbu College
• Bengbu Tank College (Army)
• Thirteenth Flying Academy (Air Force)

Twinnings

• Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy, since 1988
• Settsu, Osaka, Japan
• Tameside, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom

References

1. ^ Wade-Giles Romanization.
2. ^ Postal Map Romanization.
3. ^ "日照时数". http://city.funonglu.com/anhui/bb/qhzy.html. 

External links

• Government website of Bengbu (in Simplified Chinese)