'Changsha' () is the
capital city of
Hunan, a province of Southcentral
China, located on the lower reaches of
Xiangjiang river, a branch of the
Yangtze River. It covers an area of 11,819 sq. kilometers and has a population of 6,017,600 (2003 population census).
Administration
Changsha has jurisdiction over five
districts (
Furong,
Tianxin,
Yuelu,
Kaifu,
Yuhua districts), three
counties (
Changsha,
Wangcheng,
Ningxiang counties) and
Liuyang city.
History
The Huángxīng Lù Pedestrian Commercial Street in Changsha (2006)
The earliest settlement was probably founded in the
first millennium BC. By
202 BC it was already a fortified city. During the
Han Dynasty it was also the capital of Changsha kingdom.
The celebrated
Mawangdui Tombs of the Han Dynasty were constructed between
186 and
165 BC. The earliest tomb (no. 2), when excavated in the 1970s, had preserved the corpse of Lady Xin-Zhui in a surprisingly good condition. Also found in the tomb were the earliest versions of
Dao De Jing (道德经), the main text of
Taoism, among many other historical documents.
During the
Three Kingdoms period, Changsha was a much-fought-over territory.
During the
Sui Dynasty, Changsha was a county.
Yuelu Academy (岳麓书院) was founded in
AD 976 (
Song Dynasty), destroyed by war in
1127, and rebuilt in
1165 (
Southern Song Dynasty). The celebrated philosopher
Zhu Xi (朱熹) taught in at the Academy in
1165. It was destroyed by the
Mongols but was restored in the late 15th century (
Ming Dynasty). In
1903 it became Hunan High School. The modern day
Hunan University is a descendant of the academy. The architecture of some of the buildings was restored from
1981–
1986, presumably according to the Song design.
The
1903 Treaty of
Shanghai between
China and
Japan opened the city to foreign trade. Consequently, factories, churches and schools were built. A college was started by
Yale University bachelors, and later became a medical center named Xiangya and a secondary school named the
Yali School.
Mao Zedong, founder of the
People's Republic of China began his political career in Changsha. He was a student at the
Hunan Number 1 Teachers' Training School from 1913 to 1918. He later returned as a teacher and principal from 1920 to 1922. The school was destroyed during the
Chinese Civil War but has since been restored. The Former Office of the
Hunan Communist Party Central Committee where Mao Zedong once lived is now a museum that includes Mao's living quarters, photographs and other historical items from the 1920s.
During the
Second Sino-Japanese War the strategic location of Changsha made it the focus of four campaigns by the Japanese to capture it from the hands of the
Chinese Nationalists which resulted in the battles of
1st Changsha,
2nd Changsha,
3rd Changsha, and
4th Changsha. The city was able to repulse the first three attacks thanks to
Bai Chongxi's leadership, but ultimately fell for a short time into Japanese hands for another year until they were defeated in a counterattack and forced to surrender.
The city later became the territory of the
People's Republic of China when it was formed in
1949 after the
Kuomingtang were driven to
Taiwan.
Geography and climate
Changsha is located at 111°53'–114°5' east longitude and 27°51'–28°40' north latitude, situated in the east central
Hunan. Its terrain is high in the west and low in the east. There are many mountainous areas in the west and in the north. The
Xiangjiang River flows south to northwest; 296 m high
Mt. Yuelushan is in the west; and
Liuyanghe River (
Liuyang River) and
Laodaohe River (
Laodao River) east.
Changsha has a
monsoon climate within the sub-tropical zone, with annual average temperature being 16.8°C–17.2°C, 4.6°C in January and 28.6°C in July. Average annual precipitation is 1422 mm., and the yearly frost-free period is 275 days.
The four seasons are distinct. Summer is long and broiling, with heavy rainfall, and autumn is comfortable with abundant sunlight. In winter, it is nearly rainless and not very cold, changing to rainy and wet weather with rapidly increasing temperatures in the spring.
Changsha neighboring areas include:
Jiangxi province, cities and counties of Hunan, such as
Tonggu county,
Wanzai county,
Yichun city,
Pingxiang city of Jiangxi province.
Pingjiang county,
Miluo city,
Xiangyin County of
Yueyang;
Heshan District,
Taojiang county,
Anhua County of
Yiyang;
Lianyuan city of
Loudi;
Zhuzhou county,
Liling City of
Zhuzhou;
Xiangtan county,
Xiangxiang city of
Xiangtan.
Transportation
Changsha is well connected by roads, river, rail, and air transportation modes, and is a regional hub for industrial, tourist, and service sectors.
★ Public Transport: The city's
public transportation system consists of an extensive bus network with over a hundred lines as well as taxis. Most roads have wide, segregated bike lanes for cyclists.
★ Roads: National Highway 109, Changsha-
Zhuzhou-
Xiangtan Express Way both connect the Changsha metro area nationally. There are two main bus terminals in Changsha: South Station and West Station, dispatching long- and short-haul trips to cities within and outside Hunan Province.
★ River: Changsha is surrounded by major rivers, including the
Xiangjiang, the
Liuyanghe, and the
Laodaohe. Ships transport people and goods in these waterways.
★ Rail: Changsha Railway Station is located at city center and provides express and regular services to most cities in China.
★ Air:
Changsha Huanghua International Airport is a regional hub for
China Southern Airlines, which serves major cities in China, including
Hong Kong. Other major airlines also provide daily service between Changsha and other domestic and international destinations.
Economy
In 2005, Changsha's nominal GDP was ¥151.99 billion ($18.5 billion), a year-on-year growth of 14.9% from the previous year. Its per capita GDP was ¥24,318 ($3,000).
[1]
Changsha is one of China's top 20 "economically advanced " cities. Its GDP has grown at an average of 14% per year from 2001-2005, compared with the national average of 9%. During the year 2005, the
service sector represented roughly half of Changsha's GDP (at 49%), up 112% from 2001 figures, and it is expected to continue driving the city's economic growth. The manufacturing and construction sectors have grown relatively steadily, growing 116% during 2001-2005. The primary sector, including agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery, has grown slightly over this same period. In addition, the consumer market has grown dramatically with income levels. Urban residents in 2005 had average income of about USD $1,500, 15% higher than national average, and up 10% from 2001 figures.
[1]
The city has also attracted tremendous amount of foreign investment. In 2005, for example, nearly USD $1 billion worth of
foreign direct investment (FDI) poured into the city, mainly in hi-tech, manufacturing, food production, and services. This figure is up 40% from 2001. 59% of the total FDI has come from
Hong Kong,
South Korea,
Singapore, and
Japan; 28% has come from the
Americas and 9% from
Europe.
[3]
Cultural life
In recent years, Changsha has become an important creative center for TV and entertainment arts, with its many TV stations producing some of the most popular programs in China, including
Super Girl, a Chinese female version of the UK
Pop Idol or
American Idol that is the most watched program ever to air on Chinese TV. These programs have also brought a new entertainment industry, including singing bars, dance clubs, theater shows, as well as related businesses like hair salons and fashion stores. Now it is not rare that some people will fly into Changsha to spend their weekends from as far as the northeastern city of
Harbin.
Changsha is home to the Lei Feng Jinianguan (
Lei Feng Memorial) and his statue.
Colleges and universities
'National'
★
Central South University (中南大学)
★
Hunan University (湖南大学)
★
National University of Defense Technology (国防科技大学)
'Public'
★
Changsha University of Science and Technology (长沙理工大学)
★ Hunan Agricultural University (湖南农业大学)
★ Hunan Normal University (湖南师范大学)
★ Hunan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (湖南中医学院)
★ Hunan Business College (湖南商学院)
Note: Institutions without full-time bachelor programs are not listed.
Notable inhabitants
Changsha is the birthplace of:
★
Xiong Ni - Olympic diver and gold medalist
★
Yang Kaihui - Mao's first wife
★
Zhu Rongji - Prime Minister of China, 1997-2002
★
Tian Han - Author of the lyrics to China's national anthem
★
Huang Xing -
Kuomintang General
★
Hu Yaobang - CPC General Secretary until death (1989)
★
Lei Feng - Eminent PLA soldier/role-model
★
Li Xiaopeng - Olympic gymnast
★
Li Fuchun
★
Liu Shaoqi - President of China, until disgrace in 1966.
★
Tan Dun - Contemporary composer (''
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'', ''
Hero'' soundtracks)
★
Dong Qiming - Olympic swimmer and gold medalist
Economic Data Source
1. Changsha Statistical Yearbook 2005
2. Changsha Statistical Yearbook 2005
3. KPMG Changsha Investment Environment Study 2006
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