Zhongxiang

Zhongxiang (Traditional Chinese: 鐘祥, Simplified Chinese: 钟祥) is a county-level city of Jingmen, Hubei province of the People's Republic of China.Zhongxiang is a famous historic and cultural cities in China.

History

Zhongxiang is one of the cradles of the Chu culture. It was the alternate capital of the Chu state in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. And, during the Ming Dynasty, because of Ming Shizong Emperor Jiajing was born and lived in the city before he succeeded to the emperor, Zhongxiang, the place where the Chengtian Government Office, became one of the three major prefectures directly under the central government.

Jiajing's father Gongruixian Emperor Zhu Youyuan (1476-1519) and mother Zhangsheng empress dowager, was buried at the Xianling Tomb, which was included on the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2000.

Geography

Zhongxiang,with a total land area of 4,488 square kilometers, is situated in the central part of Hubei Province. It lies at the north of Jianghan Plain, and the middle reaches of the Hanjiang River. Zhongxiang is at 66 m above sea level. Another city not far from Zhongxiang is Jingmen. After the building of the Three Gorges Dam a number of people from the Gaoyang area moved to the area around Zhongxiang.

Climate

Zhongxiang has a subtropical monsoon climate.The average annual temperature is 15.9 °C. July is the the hottest month, with an average temperature 27.8 °C or above, The highest temperature recorded in the city is 39.7 °C, reached in June 22, 1961. January is the coldest month, with an average temperature of 3 °C. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Zhongxiang was -15.3 °C on January 30, 1977.

Zhongxiang has abundant precipitation throughout the year, with average precipitation of 961.6 mm every year. Rain and heat occurring in the same season. Snow commonly occurres on December and January. Zhongxinag receives plenty of sunshine, with about 1930.8 to 2114.3 hours every year.

Administrative divisions

Zhongxiang is administratively equal to a county and is divided into 19 townships:

*Yingzhong (郢中街道), 49 km², 170.991
*Yangzi (洋梓镇), 403 km², 68.341
*Changshou (长寿镇), 275 km², 27.535
*Fengle (丰乐镇), 162 km², 68.700
*Huji (胡集镇), 393 km², 129.891
*Shuanghe (双河镇), 235 km², 46.220
*Linkuang (磷矿镇), 219 km², 47.092
*Wenji (文集镇), 128 km², 44.405
*Lengshui (冷水镇), 314 km², 47.393
*Shipai (石牌镇), 295 km², 84.296
*Jiukou (旧口镇), 201 km², 103.514
*Chaihu (柴湖镇), 225 km², 95.663
*Changtan (长滩镇), 153 km², 20.338
*Dongqiao (东桥镇), 256 km², 24.085
*Kedian (客店镇), 293 km², 14.581
*Zhangji (张集镇), 289 km², 22.805
*Jiuli (九里回族乡), 99 km², 16.718

Sites

*Xianling Tomb (显陵)
*Mountain Dahong National Scenic Area (大洪山国家森林公园)
*Huangxian Cave (黄仙洞) famous for its karst landform
*Wenxia Reservoir (温峡水库)