Anqing ( zh, s=, t=安慶, p=Ānqìng, l=, also Yicheng, Nganking and formerly Hwaining, now the name of

Huaining County Huaining County () is a county in the southwest Anhui Province, China, under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Anqing. It has a population of and an area of . The government of Huaining County was originally based in Shipai (Shi ...

) is a

prefecture-level city A prefecture-level city () or prefectural city is an administrative division of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC), ranking below a province of China, province and above a Counties of the People's Republic of China, county in China's ...

in the southwest of

Anhui Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiang ...

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

. Its population was 4,165,284 as of the 2020 census, with 728,501 living in the built-up (or metro) area made up of three urban districts. Anqing is famous as the birthplace of

Chen Duxiu Chen Duxiu ( zh, t=陳獨秀, p=Chén Dúxiù, w=Ch'en Tu-hsiu; 9 October 1879 – 27 May 1942) was a Chinese revolutionary, writer, educator, and political philosopher who co-founded the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1921, serving as its fi ...

, one of the founding fathers of the

Chinese Communist Party The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...

, who served as the first

General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party The general secretary of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party ( zh, s=中国共产党中央委员会总书记, p=Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng Zhōngyāng Wěiyuánhuì Zǒngshūjì) is the leader of the Chinese Communist Part ...

from 1921 to 1928.

Huangmei opera Huangmei Opera or Huangmei tone ( or , pinyin: or ) is a form of Chinese opera originating from Anqing, Anhui province, as a form of rural folk song and dance. It is also referred to as Anhui Opera. It has been in existence for the last 200 years ...

, a renowned Chinese opera style, originated in the city of Anqing. This captivating art form gained immense popularity since the 1950s, largely attributed to the exceptional talents of local actors and actresses from Anqing.

is a significant cultural treasure that defines the rich heritage of the city of Anqing.

Etymology

During the

Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...

, the Eight Counties of Anqing were known as Shuzhou, along with the ancestral name of Tong'an, and were under the jurisdiction of the Deqing Army. In 1147, the Deqing Army was renamed, combining the last characters of Tong'an and Deqing to create Anqing, naming the army and later the settlement. Anqing itself means "peaceful and auspicious'. Anqing's other name of "Yicheng" was named by the

Eastern Jin Eastern or Easterns may refer to: Transportation Airlines *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai * Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 192 ...

scholar

Guo Pu Guo Pu (; AD 276–324), courtesy name Jingchun (), was a Chinese historian, poet, and writer during the Eastern Jin period, and is best known as one of China's foremost commentators on ancient texts. Guo was a Taoist mystic, geomancer, collec ...

, describing the location of Anqing as "suitable for a city."

History

Prehistory

The region around Anqing contains many

Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...

cultural sites, including the Zhangsidun site, the Xuejiagang site, and the Sunjiacheng site.

Early Imperial Period

In the

Warring States period The Warring States period in history of China, Chinese history (221 BC) comprises the final two and a half centuries of the Zhou dynasty (256 BC), which were characterized by frequent warfare, bureaucratic and military reforms, and ...

, the Zhou emperor granted

Qianshan County Qianshan() is a county-level city in the southwest of Anhui, Anhui Province, China; it is under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Anqing. It has a population of 570,000 and an area of . The government of Qianshan County is located i ...

to the state of Tong, which itself was formerly in

Henan Henan; alternatively Honan is a province in Central China. Henan is home to many heritage sites, including Yinxu, the ruins of the final capital of the Shang dynasty () and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the historical capitals of China, Lu ...

. The city of Tongcheng was established around the same time. During the Qin and Han dynasties, the town of Wancheng existed in modern-day

, and following the unification of China by Qin Shi Huang, it belonged to Jiujiang Prefecture, before being transferred to

Huainan Huainan () is a prefecture-level city with 3,033,528 inhabitants as of the 2020 census in north-central Anhui province, China. It is named for the Han-era Principality of Huainan. It borders the provincial capital of Hefei to the south, Lu' ...

State during the

Western Han The Han dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) and a warring int ...

. In 164 BC, Huainan was divided into Huainan, Hengshan, and Lujiang. Later, Lujiang Prefecture would absorb Hengshan. Under the reign of

Emperor Wu of Han Emperor Wu of Han (156 – 29 March 87BC), born Liu Che and courtesy name Tong, was the seventh Emperor of China, emperor of the Han dynasty from 141 to 87 BC. His reign lasted 54 years – a record not broken until the reign of the Kangxi ...

, the region around Anqing came under the jurisdiction of Shu County and Wan County of Lujiang and Yangzhou Prefecture until the

Eastern Han The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

. During the

Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin dyna ...

period, the states of

Cao Wei Wei () was one of the major Dynasties in Chinese history, dynastic states in China during the Three Kingdoms period. The state was established in 220 by Cao Pi based upon the foundations laid by his father Cao Cao during the end of the Han dy ...

and

Eastern Wu Wu (Chinese language, Chinese: 吳; pinyin: ''Wú''; Middle Chinese *''ŋuo'' < Eastern Han Chinese: ''*ŋuɑ''), known in historiography as Eastern Wu or Sun Wu, was a Dynasties of China, dynastic state of China and one of the three major sta ...

fought many times in Anqing. During this period, Shu County was abolished and came under Wan County. Following the conquest of

by the

Western Jin Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US * Western, New York, a town in the US * Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia * Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that ...

, Shu County was reestablished, and in 313, the Wan County was abolished. During the Wei, Jin, and

Northern and Southern Dynasties The Northern and Southern dynasties () was a period of political division in the history of China that lasted from 420 to 589, following the tumultuous era of the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Eastern Jin dynasty. It is sometimes considered a ...

periods, the towns of Mengcheng and Wankoucheng were built near Anqing, and the town of Shankou was built in what is now

Daguan District Daguan District () is an urban district of the city of Anqing, Anhui Province, China. It has a population of (2005) and an area of . Administrative divisions Daguan District has jurisdiction over 7 subdistricts, 1 town and 2 townships. ;subdist ...

. During the

, between 405 and 418,

and Xinye County (now Wangjiang County) were established in place of Wan County, along with Jinxi Prefecture, located near present-day

Taihu County Taihu County () is a county in the southwest of Anhui Province, China, bordering Hubei Province to the west. It is under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Anqing and contains its westernmost point. It has a population of and an are ...

. The seat of

was Qianshan during this period. During the

Liang dynasty The Liang dynasty (), alternatively known as the Southern Liang () or Xiao Liang () in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the third of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. It was pre ...

, the prefecture of Yuzhou was founded and renamed Jinzhou, governing

. During the

Northern Qi Qi, known as the Northern Qi (), Later Qi (後齊) or Gao Qi (高齊) in historiography, was a Dynasties in Chinese history, Chinese imperial dynasty and one of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties during the ...

, Jinzhou was renamed Jiangzhou before being reverted back to Jinzhou during the

Chen dynasty The Chen dynasty (), alternatively known as the Southern Chen (南陳 / 南朝陳) in historiography, was a Dynasties in Chinese history, Chinese imperial dynasty and the fourth and last of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Southern dynasties, ...

. At the beginning of the

Sui dynasty The Sui dynasty ( ) was a short-lived Dynasties of China, Chinese imperial dynasty that ruled from 581 to 618. The re-unification of China proper under the Sui brought the Northern and Southern dynasties era to a close, ending a prolonged peri ...

, Jinxi Prefecture was renamed to Xizhou, which at the time governed five counties: Huaining, Susong,

Taihu Taihu (), also known as Lake Tai or Lake Taihu, is a lake in the Yangtze Delta and the third largest freshwater lake in China. The lake is in Jiangsu province and a significant part of its southern shore forms its border with Zhejiang. With ...

, Wangjiang, and Tong'an. In 607, Xizhou was renamed Tong'an, but the county seat remained in Huaining. In 626, Tong'an was renamed Dong'an and then

Shuzhou Shuzhou () was a Chinese '' zhou'' (prefecture) in Anhui Province. It was located roughly where modern Anqing now lies. Governors and prefects of Shuzhou in the Tang dynasty include Zhang Zhenzhou (), Lü Yongzhi (), Li Sujie () and Gao Yu (高� ...

. In 742, it was renamed Tong'an again, and then renamed Shengtang in 757, along with a moving of the county seat to Tongcheng. It was then finally renamed

the following year.

Tang and Song Dynasties

During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms,

would belong to

Yang Wu Wu (), also referred to as Huainan (), Hongnong (), Southern Wu (), or Yang Wu (楊吳), was a dynastic state of China and one of the Ten Kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It existed from 907 to 937 with capital at ...

Southern Tang Southern Tang ( zh, c=南唐, p=Nán Táng) was a Dynasties in Chinese history, dynastic state of China that existed during Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Located in southern China, the Southern Tang proclaimed itself to be the successor ...

, and

Later Zhou Zhou, known as the Later Zhou (; ) in historiography, was a short-lived Chinese imperial dynasty and the last of the Five Dynasties that controlled most of northern China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Founded by Guo Wei ...

. In 960, the Tuanlian Prefecture of

was promoted to defense envoy, and in 1115, the Deqing Army was established. Following the renaming of the Deqing Army to Anqing in 1147 due to name complications with a different Deqing Prefecture, the county was named Anqing. In 1195, it was promoted to prefecture status with its seat in Qianshan, governing Huaining, Tongcheng,

, Susong, and Wangjiang counties. In April of 1217, the

Jurchen Jin Jurchen may refer to: * Jurchen people, Tungusic people who inhabited the region of Manchuria until the 17th century ** Haixi Jurchens, a grouping of the Jurchens as identified by the Chinese of the Ming Dynasty ** Jianzhou Jurchens, a grouping of ...

army invaded and took over the city of Guangzhou (now

Huangchuan Huangchuan County (; local pronunciation: ''Huāngchuǎn Xiàn'') is a county of southeastern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It is located in the center of Xinyang City, straddling the Huang River. The 13th five-year plan of Xinyang ...

). The prefect of Anqing, Huang Gan, petitioned to build a new city in Shengtang Bay, the current location of the Anqing urban area in preparation for war. The seat of Anqing prefecture was also moved to the new Anqing city. The seat of

was also moved to Wankou (now in

). Following the reduction of the Jin threat, the construction of new Anqing would be on and off. Following the invasion of China by the Mongols, the seat of Anqing was moved south to

Guichi District Guichi District () is a district of the city of Chizhou, Anhui Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze ...

, now in

Chizhou Chizhou () is a prefecture-level city in the south of Anhui province, China. It borders Anqing to the northwest, Tongling and Wuhu to the northeast, Xuancheng to the east, Huangshan to the southeast, and the province of Jiangxi to the southwest ...

, and later to Yangchazhou. For the next 30 years, Anqing would slowly fall into ruins before being rebuilt by Ma Guangzu in 1260. In 1276, Anqing would become governed again by

, itself belonging to the Qihuang Xuanwei Division. In 1286, Xuanwei was abolished and placed directly under the

province. In 1323,

was reestablished. Since then, the territory of

remained relatively stable, with Anqing governing six counties, Huaining, Tongcheng,

, Susong, and Wangjiang, and Qianshan. Following the beginning of the

Red Turban Rebellion The Red Turban Rebellions () were uprisings against the Yuan dynasty between 1351 and 1368, eventually leading to its collapse. Remnants of the Yuan imperial court retreated northwards and is thereafter known as the Northern Yuan in historiogr ...

, the Yuan army would rely on Anqing as a barrier to keep the rebels in.

Yuan and Ming Dynasties

In 1361, Anqing was renamed Ningjiang, before being renamed again back to Anqing. In the early

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...

, Anqing was directly under the jurisdiction of

Jiangning Nanjing or Nanking is the capital of Jiangsu, a province in East China. The city, which is located in the southwestern corner of the province, has 11 districts, an administrative area of , and a population of 9,423,400. Situated in the Yang ...

, then named

Nanzhili Nanzhili, formerly romanized as and also known as South or Southern Zhili or Chih-li, was a historical province of the Ming Empire. Its capital was Nanjing, from which it is also sometimes known as Nanjing or Nanking Province. Nanzhili combine ...

. During the 15th century, Anqing contained 10 wards in the urban region. In the late

, in order to strengthen Anqing, the court separated Anqing,

Luzhou Luzhou ( zh, s=泸州, p=Lúzhōu; Sichuanese Pinyin: Nu2zou1; Minjiang dialect, Luzhou dialect: ) is a prefecture-level city located in the southeast of Sichuan Province, China. It is also known as the "Liquor City" (). It was named Jiangyang () ...

, and Taiping from the 10 prefectures and set up a governor. In addition to these, jurisdiction also included Guangshan and Gushi in Guangzhou (now

) in Henan, Guangji and Huangmei in Qizhou (now

Qichun County Qichun County () is a county of eastern Hubei province, People's Republic of China. It is under the administration of Huanggang City. Qichun County has been a major historical center of traditional Chinese medicine. It is known in China as the "P ...

Hubei Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland ...

, in

Huanggang Huanggang is a prefecture-level city in easternmost Hubei, Hubei Province, China. It is situated to the north of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and is bounded in the north by the Dabie Mountains and is named after Mount Huanggang, Huang ...

and Hukou in Dehua (now

Jiujiang Jiujiang, formerly transliterated Kiukiang and Kew-Keang, is a prefecture-level city located on the southern shores of the Yangtze River in northwest Jiangxi Province in the People's Republic of China. It is the second-largest prefecture-level ...

) in

Jiangxi ; Gan: ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = , translit_lang1_type3 = , translit_lang1_info3 = , image_map = Jiangxi in China (+all claims hatched).svg , mapsize = 275px , map_caption = Location ...

Early Qing Period

In 1648, the governor of Anqing moved to

and was merged with Caojiang county to create Caofu the next year. Caojiang was first stationed in

before being moved to Anqing. In 1662, the military affairs of Caojiang were merged with the

Viceroy of Liangjiang The Viceroy of Liangjiang, fully named in Chinese as the Governor-General of the Two River Provinces and Other Local Admirals, in Charge of Military Affairs, Food and Wages, Management of Rivers, and Administration on Nanhe Affairs, was one of e ...

, and a special governor was placed in Anqing. In the early

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

, Anqing Prefecture was under the jurisdiction of

Jiangnan Province Jiangnan, formerly romanized as Kiangnan, was a historical province of the early Qing dynasty of China. Its capital was Jiangning (now Nanjing), from which it is sometimes known as Nanjing or Nanking Province. Established in 1645 during the Qing ...

, but in 1661 the province's administrative offices were divided, and in 1667 the western office was renamed

. In 1760, the seat of

was moved from

to Anqing, and from then Anqing would be the provincial capital of

Late Qing Period

Anqing played an important role during the

Taiping Rebellion The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a civil war in China between the Qing dynasty and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The conflict lasted 14 years, from its outbreak in 1850 until the fall of ...

. In 1853, the

Taiping Army The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a civil war in China between the Qing dynasty and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The conflict lasted 14 years, from its outbreak in 1850 until the fall of ...

captured Anqing, leading to the moving of the capital of

. In 1861, the Hunan Army led by

Zeng Guofan Zeng Guofan, Marquis Yiyong (; 26 November 1811 – 12 March 1872), birth name Zeng Zicheng, courtesy name Bohan (), was a Chinese statesman and military general of the late Qing dynasty. He is best known for raising and organizing the Xiang ...

, recaptured Anqing, killing thousands of soldiers and civilians. The office of the government was moved back to Anqing in 1862, and the headquarters of the Hunan Army temporarily relocated there as well. Taiping Reforms were most present in the vicinity of Anqing. Following its recapture by the

Qing The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

government, many flour mills, granaries, and munition factories were established there. From 1861 onward they were under Chinese management, but due to the lack of skilled technicians, the factories were shut down. Following the

Chefoo Convention The Chefoo Convention, known in Chinese as the Yantai Treaty, was an unequal treaty between Britiain and Qing China, signed by Sir Thomas Wade and Li Hongzhang in Chefoo (now a district of Yantai) on 21 August 1876. The convention settled the ...

in 1876 between China and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, Anqing became a port of call for foreign shipping. Following the

Mackay Treaty The Mackay Treaty () was a sixteen article treaty signed by the governments of the United Kingdom and the Chinese Qing dynasty on 5September 1902. Under the terms of the treaty, the ''likin'' system of taxation was abolished and the first moves ma ...

in 1902, it was also opened to foreign trade. However, not much trade occurred due to a lack of communications between Anqing and other regions. When railroads to the interior of

reached the

Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ) is the longest river in Eurasia and the third-longest in the world. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains of the Tibetan Plateau and flows including Dam Qu River the longest source of the Yangtze, i ...

further east, Anqing lost even more importance.

Modern Period

Following the establishment of the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

, the

Tongmenghui The Tongmenghui of China was a secret society and underground resistance movement founded by Sun Yat-sen, Song Jiaoren, and others in Tokyo, Empire of Japan, on 20 August 1905, with the goal of overthrowing China's Qing dynasty. It was formed ...

would control Anqing. In January 1938, the

Empire of Japan The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...

captured Anqing, leading to the provincial government's move to

Lu'an Lu'an ( zh, c=, p=Lù'ān), is a prefecture-level city in western Anhui province, People's Republic of China, bordering Henan to the northwest and Hubei to the southwest. As of the 2020 census, it had a total population of 4,393,699 inhabitants ...

Jinzhai Jinzhai County (), previously Lihuang County (, named after Wei Lihuang), is a county in the west of Anhui Province, People's Republic of China, bordering the provinces of Henan to the northwest and Hubei to the southwest. It is under the jurisdi ...

, and other places in advance. In 1988, the Anqing Prefecture was merged with Anqing City, and in 1996,

Tongcheng County Tongcheng () is the governmental seat and the name of a county in Xianning City, Hubei, People's Republic of China, bordering the provinces of Jiangxi (to the east) and Hunan (to the south and west). History The Red 16th Army, stationed at th ...

was elevated to a county level city as well. In 2016, Congyang County was transferred to

Tongling Tongling () is a prefecture-level city in southern Anhui province of China. A river port along the Yangtze River, Tongling borders Wuhu to the east, Chizhou to the southwest and Anqing to the west. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1, ...

and renamed

Zongyang County Zongyang County () is a county in southern Anhui province, located mostly on the northern (left) bank of the Yangtze River. It is under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Tongling. It has a population of 960,000 and an area of . The ...

, and

was elevated to a county level city in 2018. Anqing has remained a medium-sized provincial city, an important commercial centre for the plain north of the

Yangtze The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ) is the longest river in Eurasia and the third-longest in the world. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains of the Tibetan Plateau and flows including Dam Qu River the longest source of the Yangtze, i ...

, and a market for tea produced in the mountains both north and south of the river. While also a local cultural centre, it has remained comparatively stagnant after losing its status as provincial capital. Its modern industrial development includes a petrochemical works that produces

fuel oil Fuel oil is any of various fractions obtained from the distillation of petroleum (crude oil). Such oils include distillates (the lighter fractions) and residues (the heavier fractions). Fuel oils include heavy fuel oil (bunker fuel), marine f ...

s and synthetic

ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic chemical compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the chemical formula, formula . A Binary compounds of hydrogen, stable binary hydride and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinctive pu ...

, an oil refinery, and a new port. Factories manufacturing auto parts, textiles, and building materials have also been established. In addition to its access to easy navigation on the

, Anqing is connected by railways and expressways to

Hefei Hefei is the Capital city, capital of Anhui, China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural center of Anhui. Its population was 9,369,881 as of the 2020 census. Its built-up (or ''metro'') area is made up of four u ...

Nanchang Nanchang is the capital of Jiangxi, China. Located in the north-central part of the province and in the hinterland of Poyang Lake Plain, it is bounded on the west by the Jiuling Mountains, and on the east by Poyang Lake. Because of its strate ...

, and

Wuhan Wuhan; is the capital of Hubei, China. With a population of over eleven million, it is the most populous city in Hubei and the List of cities in China by population, eighth-most-populous city in China. It is also one of the nine National cent ...

. These transportation links have greatly facilitated the city’s economic growth.

Culture

The people of Anqing have a unique dialect that mixed with the

Gan Chinese Gan, Gann or Kan is a group of Sinitic languages spoken natively by many people in the Jiangxi province of China, as well as significant populations in surrounding regions such as Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, and Fujian. Gan is a member of the Siniti ...

Wu Chinese , region = Shanghai, Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, parts of Anhui and Jiangxi provinces; overseas and migrant communities , ethnicity = Wu , speakers = million , date = 2021 , ref = e27 , fa ...

and

Lower Yangtze Mandarin Lower Yangtze Mandarin () is one of the most divergent and least mutually-intelligible of the Mandarin language varieties, as it neighbours the Wu, Hui, and Gan groups of Sinitic languages. It is also known as Jiang–Huai Mandarin (), nam ...

. The dialect of Gan spoken in Anqing is known as Huaiyue. It is therefore quite different from the rest of the province, which is predominantly

Huizhou Huizhou ( zh, c= ) is a city in east-central Guangdong Province, China, forty-three miles north of Hong Kong. Huizhou borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the west, Shenzhen and Dongguan to the southwest, Shaoguan to the north, Hey ...

-speaking. Huangmei Opera is performed in the local dialect. The early presence of actors from Anqing in the world of

Peking opera Peking opera, or Beijing opera (), is the most dominant form of Chinese opera, which combines instrumental music, vocal performance, mime, martial arts, dance and acrobatics. It arose in Beijing in the mid-Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and became ...

(Beijing Opera) has significantly impacted the development of this renowned Chinese theatrical art form. This influence is evident in various aspects, including language accents and cultural nuances within Peking Opera.

Administration

The

of Anqing administers 10 county-level divisions, including 3

districts A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...

, 2

county-level cities , map = , category = Third level administrative division of a unitary state , territory = People's Republic of China , upper_unit = Prefectures, Provinces , start_date = , current_number = 411 (408 controlled, 3 claimed) , number_da ...

and 5

counties A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

Geography

Anqing's geographical location has had considerable strategic significance.

once stated that "the success or failure of Anqing will determine whether the world will change. Anqing is related to the overall situation in

and is the basis for the recovery of

Nanjing Nanjing or Nanking is the capital of Jiangsu, a province in East China. The city, which is located in the southwestern corner of the province, has 11 districts, an administrative area of , and a population of 9,423,400. Situated in the Yang ...

." Anqing is located on the north bank of the

in southwestern

. It is located on the narrow section of the

Yangtze Plain The Yangtze Plain ( Chinese: 長江中下游平原/长江中下游平原; Wade-Giles: Ch'ang Chiang P'ing-yüan; Pinyin: Chang Jiang Pingyuan) is made up of a series of alluvial plains along the Yangtze River and its major tributaries. The Yangt ...

between the

Dabie Mountains The Dabie Mountains () are a major mountain range located in central China. Running northwest-to-southeast, they form the main watershed between the Huai River, Huai and Yangtze rivers. The range also marks the boundary between Hubei Province (n ...

to the north and the Huang Mountains on the south bank. The Wanhe River flows through Anqing prefecture before meeting the

west of the city center. In

the Wanhe is dammed to create the Huating Lake, providing irrigation for

Susong County Susong County () is a county in the southwest of Anhui Province, situated on the northwest (left) bank of the Yangtze, bordering the provinces of Hubei to the west and Jiangxi to the south. It is located in the southwest of the jurisdiction of t ...

, Wangjiang County,

, and the eastern part of

, around 1.05 Million Chinese Acres. Lower downstream from Huating Lake lies Qili Lake, located directly west of Anqing just before the confluence between the Wanhe and

. a major tributary of the Wanhe, the Qianshui, also flows through Anqing Prefecture. The Wanhe also contains many other tributaries, all of which are sourced in Anqing Prefecture.

contains Daguan and Huang Lake, both of which are geographically the same body of water. Half of

Longgan Lake Longgan Lake () is a freshwater lake in central China, divided between Susong County of Anhui Province and Huangmei County at the eastern extremity of Hubei Province. The lake is situated near the north bank of the middle reaches of Yangtze River, ...

lies in

, while the other half is in

Huangmei County Huangmei County () falls under the administration of Huanggang City in eastern Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and borders Anhui to the east and Jiangxi to the south across the Yangtze. It also administers Shanjia Islet () in the Yang ...

. It is located directly across the

from

Poyang Lake Poyang Lake is the largest freshwater lake in China. Located within Jiujiang Prefecture in Jiangxi Province, it is fed by the Gan, Xin, and Xiu rivers and flows northward into the Yangtze River through a channel. The area of Poyang Lake f ...

. Other lakes in Anqing include Po Lake between

, Susong, and Wangjiang, and Wuchang Lake, which is fully in Wangjiang County. In the east of Anqing Prefecture lies Caizi Lake, which it shares with neighbouring

. Neighbouring prefectures are: *

(E) *

(SE) *

(S) *

(W) *

(N) *

(NE) The total area of the prefecture is , with an urban area of , which is only 6.1% of the total.

Climate

Anqing has a four-season,

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...

-influenced

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''Cfa''), with chilly, damp winters and very hot, humid summers. Cold northwesterly winds from Siberia can occasionally cause nightly temperatures to drop below freezing (although snow is uncommon), while summer can see extended periods of + days. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from in January to in July, while the annual mean is . Precipitation tends to reach a maximum in tandem with the ''

meiyu The East Asian rainy season (), also called the plum rain, is caused by precipitation along a persistent stationary front known as the Meiyu front for nearly two months during the late spring and early summer in East Asia between China, Taiwan, ...

'' (plum rains) while wintertime rainfall is generally light. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 30% in March to 54% in August, the city receives 1,831 hours of bright sunshine annually.

Politics

Currently, Anqing's communist party secretary is Zhang Xiangan, appointed in March 2021. The director of the committee in Anqing is Zhou Dongming, in office since April 2021. The mayor of Anqing is Zhang Junyi, in office since August 2021. The party committee secretaries since 1988 have been: *Fang Zhaoxiang (January 1988 - December 1991) *Wang Shiman (December 1991 - January 1997) *Chen Luxiang (January 1997 - October 2000) *Zhao Shucong (October 2000 - January 2003) *Han Xiancong (April 2003 - February 2008) *Zhu Duwen (February 2008 - February 2013) *Yu Aihua (February 2013 - March 2016) *Wei Xiamong (March 2016 - March 2021) *Zhang Xiangan (March2021 - Present) The mayors since 1988 have been: *Liu Sikui (August 1988 - January 1994) *Zhou Gongshun (January 1994 - January 1999) *Zhao Shucong (January 1999 - February 2001) *Han Xiancong (February 2001 - April 2003) *Zhu Duwen (April 2003 - April 2008) *Xiao Chaoying (May 2008 - August 2012) *Yu Aihua (August 2012 - February 2013) *Wei Xiaoming (March 2013 - April 2016) *Chen Bingbing (April 2016 - August 2021) *Zhang Junyi (August 2021 – Present)

Demographics

As of the 2020 Census, the prefecture-level city of Anqing's population is 4,165,284, a decline from 2010 when it had a population of 4,472,667. Overall Anqing's population increased rapidly during the 20th century before peaking in the early 2010s. Since then it has declined. The urban population of Anqing is 728,501.

Vital Statistics

Anqing is approximately 50.5% male and 49.5% female, of which there are a higher proportion of male children and female adults. It has an urban population of around 2.3 million and a rural population of 1.9 million, which is 55.5% and 44.5% respectively. The largest age demographic of the people in Anqing is between 50–59 years, which represents a general aging of the population, leaving not many children left. This can be seen in the rest of

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

as well.

Ethnic Statistics

The

Han Chinese The Han Chinese, alternatively the Han people, are an East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group native to Greater China. With a global population of over 1.4 billion, the Han Chinese are the list of contemporary ethnic groups, world's la ...

population is 4.1 million, or 99.58%, while the ethnic minority population is 17,662.

Urban Areas

Economy

Anqing is home to many industries, such as petrochemicals, textiles, agriculture, machinery, auto parts, and many others. Anqing is defined by the State Council as one of the three major regional central cities in the province, and one of six major transportation hubs. Anqing is one of the largest economies in

with a gdp of almost 247 billion yuan, or around 33 billion US dollars. It is growing at a rate of around 4%. Large companies in Anqing include Anqing Petrochemical, Huamao Co. which manufactures textiles, along with many foreign joint ventures with the government.

Transport

Anqing has two

Yangtze River crossing The Yangtze River power line crossings are overhead power lines that cross the Yangtze River in China. There are at least three power line crossings on the Yangtze River at Jiangyin, Nanjing, and Wuhu. The towers of the crossing in Jiangyin are a ...

s, the

Anqing Yangtze River Bridge Anqing Yangtze River Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge spanning over the Yangtze River at Anqing, Anhui Province in eastern China.(Chinese百年梦圆全长5985.66米安庆长江大桥建成通车2004-12-27 The bridge is wide and carries four la ...

and the Wangdong Yangtze River Bridge. Other highways in Anqing include National Highway 206, National Highway 236, National Highway 318, National Highway 347, the

G50 Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway G5, G.V, G.5 or G-5 may refer to: Businesses and companies * G5 Entertainment, a video game developer and publisher; see list of PlayStation minis * G5, IATA code for China Express Airlines Electronics and software * Canon PowerShot G5, a di ...

, the

-Anqing Expressway, the G4231 Nanjing-Jiujiang Expressway, also known as the Ningjiu Expressway, and the G4221 Shanghai-Wuhan Expressway. The

also crosses the

Anqing Tianzhushan Airport Anqing Tianzhushan Airport is a dual-use military and civil airport serving the city of Anqing in Anhui Province, China. It is located north of the city. In 1991 the national government approved the conversion of the military airport to a dual ...

serves the city. The

Nanjing–Anqing Intercity Railway The Nanjing–Anqing intercity railway () is a high-speed rail, passenger-dedicated line between cities of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province and Anqing, Anhui Province, in China. Construction of the railway began in January 2010, and the line was opene ...

opened in December 2015, allowing a 90-minute journey time to

, and 3 hours to

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

. Wuhan-Hangzhou High-Speed Railway is also under construction. Along with this, the Anqing Railway connects to the Hefei-Jiujiang railway. The Lu'an-Anqing high-speed railway is also under construction. One of the bus operators in Anqing, the Anqing Zhongbei Bus Company, is owned by a joint venture between Nanjing Public Utilities Development (formerly Nanjing Zhongbei) and

RATP Dev Transdev Asia RATP Dev Asia is a subsidiary of RATP Dev that operates public transport services in Asia. It was previously the RATP Dev Transdev Asia (RDTA), a 50/50 joint venture owned by RATP Dev and Transdev until October 2020. It was originally Veolia ...

(RDTA). RDTA itself is a joint venture between

Transdev Transdev, formerly Veolia Transdev, is a France-based international private-sector company which operates public transport. It has operations in 17 countries and territories as of November 2020. Transdev was formed on 3 April 2011 via the merg ...

and

RATP Dev The RATP Group () is a French state-owned enterprise (Établissement public à caractère industriel et commercial, EPIC) that operates public transport systems primarily in Paris, France. Headquartered in Paris, it originally operated under th ...

Tourism

Mount Tianzhu Tianzhu Mountain or Mount Tianzhu () is a mountain in Anhui, China. Tianzhu Mountain is also called Mount Wan (), from which the provincial abbreviation for Anhui ("Wan") derives. Ancient names of the mountain include Mount Huo 霍山, Mount Hen ...

Scenic Resort, a popular hiking spot that also contains spectacular peaks, rocks, secluded caves, and canyons. *The

Zhenfeng Pagoda The Zhenfeng Pagoda () in Anqing City, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China, is a Buddhist pagoda originally built in 1570 during the late Ming Dynasty. Due to its location near a bend in the Yangtze River, the pagoda was formerly used as ...

, a

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

pagoda A pagoda is a tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist, but some ...

built in 1570 during the late

, contains over six hundred

Buddha statues Much Buddhist art uses depictions of the historical Buddha, Gautama Buddha, which are known as () in Sanskrit and Pali. These may be statues or other images such as paintings. The main figure in an image may be someone else who has obtained B ...

. *The

Huangmei Opera Huangmei Opera or Huangmei tone ( or , pinyin: or ) is a form of Chinese opera originating from Anqing, Anhui province, as a form of rural folk song and dance. It is also referred to as Anhui Opera. It has been in existence for the last 200 years ...

halls in Anqing were the first. A form of rural folk song and dance, Huangmei has since spread to other cities in China. *The Yingjiang Temple, built in 974 under Emperor Taizu, who also founded the

. The

is part of the greater Yingjiang Temple complex. *

Zhao Puchu Zhao Puchu (November 5, 1907 – May 21, 2000) was a religious and public leader who promoted cultural progress and religious tolerance in China. Zhao was best known as president of the Buddhist Association of China and also one of the most r ...

, a religious and public leader who was one of the most renowned Chinese

Calligraphers Calligraphy () is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instruments. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "the art of giving form to signs in an exp ...

and president of the

Buddhist Association of China The Buddhist Association of China (BCA, zh, 中国佛教协会) is the official government supervisory organ of Buddhism in the People's Republic of China. The association has been overseen by the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the Centra ...

was born in

, where a monument in his childhood residence is. * Deng Shiru, a

calligrapher Calligraphy () is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instruments. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "the art of giving form to signs in an exp ...

during the

was born in

. A monument in his former residence also exists.

Sister cities

Calabasas Calabasas may refer to: * Calabasas, Arizona, former populated place in what is now Rio Rico, Arizona * Calabasas, California, city in Los Angeles County, California See also * Calabaza Calabaza is the generic name in the Spanish langua ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

* Ibaraki,

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

Cheboksary Cheboksary is the capital city of Chuvashia, Russia. It is a port on the Volga River. Geography The city is located in the Volga Upland region and stands on the shore of the Cheboksary Reservoir. Its area is .Resolution #2083 The satellite city ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

Kütahya Kütahya (; historically, Cotyaeum or Kotyaion; Ancient Greek, Greek: Κοτύαιον) is a city in western Turkey which lies on the Porsuk River, at 969 metres above sea level. It is the seat of Kütahya Province and Kütahya District. In 19 ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

External links

Government website of Anqing

City planning website of Anqing
{{Authority control

References

Populated places established in the 2nd century BC Cities in Anhui Populated places on the Yangtze River National Civilized City National Famous Historical and Cultural City