Qingyang (庆阳)

1. Introduction

Qingyang City, historically known as Qingzhou and commonly referred to as Longdong, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Gansu Province, People's Republic of China. It is located in the northeastern part of Gansu Province, at the junction of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia provinces/regions. Except for its southern border adjacent to Pingliang City, the city is surrounded by other provinces/regions on the other three sides: it borders Guyuan City, Zhongwei City, and Wuzhong City of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to the west; Yulin City of Shaanxi Province to the north; Yan'an City of Shaanxi Province to the east; and Xianyang City of Shaanxi Province to the southeast. Situated on the Longdong Loess Plateau, the northern part of the city is a plateau and gully region, the eastern part is a low mountain and hilly area, and the southern part is the Jing River valley region. To the west lies the Liupan Mountains, to the north the Yangjuan Mountains, to the east the Ziwu Ridge, while the central and southern areas are relatively low-lying, forming a basin. Major rivers include the Hong River, Ru River, Pu River, and Malian River. The city covers a total area of 27,117 square kilometers with a population of 2.2305 million. The municipal people's government is located in Xifeng District.

In the third year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty (1490), a mysterious impact event occurred, triggering a disaster historically known as the "1490 Qingyang Meteor Shower Event." In the third lunar month of 1490, a "stone rain" fell from the sky over Qingyang, Shaanxi (Qingyang was under the jurisdiction of Shaanxi Province at that time). The stones were as large as goose eggs and as small as water chestnuts, killing over 10,000 people and causing all local residents living in the city to flee in panic to other places.

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2. History

During the Qin Dynasty, the area belonged to Beidi Commandery. In the Han Dynasty, Anding Commandery and Shang Commandery were added. During the Three Kingdoms and the Jin Dynasties, most of the region was occupied by tribes such as the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Jie, Di, and Qiang. In the 16th year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (596 AD), Qingzhou was established. During the Daye era, it was renamed Honghua Commandery, with parts belonging to Beidi, Anding, and Pingliang commanderies. In the early Tang Dynasty, Qingzhou was restored, later renamed Anhua and Shunhua commanderies. In the first year of the Qianyuan era (758 AD), Qingzhou was established, along with Ningzhou, Jingzhou, and Yuanzhou, all under the Shaanxi Guannei Circuit. During the Five Dynasties period, it was divided among Ning, Qing, Yuan, Yan, and Huan prefectures.

In the Song Dynasty, it comprised Ningzhou, Qingzhou, Yuanzhou, and Tongyuan Army, under the Shaanxi Circuit. In the first year of the Qingli era (1041 AD), Huanzhou and Qingzhou were merged to form the Huanqing Circuit. In the seventh year of the Zhenghe era (1117 AD), the "Qingyang Army" military governorship was established in Qingzhou. Because the seat of Qingzhou (present-day Qingcheng County) was located on the north bank of the confluence of the Malian River and Rouyuan River, and ancient people considered the north side of a river as "yang," it was named "Qingyang." In the seventh year of the Xuanhe era (1119 AD), it was changed to Qingyang Prefecture.

During the Jin Dynasty, Qingyang Prefecture was still established. In the second year of the Huangtong era (1142 AD), the Qingyuan Circuit was established, governing Qing, Huan, Yuan, and Ning prefectures. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, it remained Qingyang Prefecture, subordinate to the Shaanxi Provincial Administration Commission. In the fourth year of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1665 AD), Qingyang Prefecture was transferred to the Gansu Provincial Administration Commission.

In the early Republic of China, it was part of the Longdong Circuit, governing six counties: Qingyang, Huanxian, Heshui, Zhenyuan, Ningxian, and Zhengning. In the 16th year of the Republic of China (1927 AD), the circuit system was abolished, and it was transferred to the Jingyuan Administrative Region. In the 24th year of the Republic of China (1935 AD), it belonged to the Third Administrative Inspectorate District of Gansu Province. In 1936, the Communist Party established the Longdong Liberated Area within the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region.

On July 27, 1949, the People's Liberation Army entered Xifeng, and the Longdong Subdistrict was renamed the Qingyang Subdistrict Commissioner's Office, under the Gansu Administrative Office. In October 1955, the Qingyang Commissioner's Office was merged into the Pingliang Special District. In 1962, the Qingyang Commissioner's Office was restored. In 1978, it was renamed the Qingyang Prefecture Administrative Office. In January 1986, Xifeng City (county-level) was established by separating from Qingyang County. In August 2002, Qingyang Prefecture was abolished, and the prefecture-level Qingyang City was established, with the former Xifeng City becoming Xifeng District and the former Qingyang County becoming Qingcheng County.

3. Geography

Average Meteorological Data for Xifeng District, Qingyang City (1981–2010)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |--------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|----------| | Avg. high °C | 0.5 | 3.6 | 9.2 | 16.4 | 21.3 | 25.2 | 26.5 | 24.6 | 19.8 | 13.9 | 7.9 | 2.2 | 14.3 | | Avg. high °F | -32.9 | -38.5 | -48.6 | -61.5 | -70.3 | -77.4 | -79.7 | -76.3 | -67.6 | -57 | -46.2 | -36 | -57.7 | | Daily mean °C | −4.2 | −1.2 | 3.9 | 10.6 | 15.7 | 19.6 | 21.4 | 19.8 | 15.2 | 9.3 | 2.9 | −2.6 | 9.2 | | Daily mean °F | -24.4 | -29.8 | -39 | -51.1 | -60.3 | -67.3 | -70.5 | -67.6 | -59.4 | -48.7 | -37.2 | -27.3 | -48.6 | | Avg. low °C | −7.9 | −4.8 | −0.1 | 5.9 | 10.8 | 14.8 | 17.2 | 16 | 11.6 | 5.7 | −0.8 | −6.2 | 5.2 | | Avg. low °F | -17.8 | -23.4 | -31.8 | -42.6 | -51.4 | -58.6 | -63 | -60.8 | -52.9 | -42.3 | -30.6 | -20.8 | -41.3 | | Avg. precip. mm | 5 | 8 | 18.8 | 31.6 | 50.1 | 65.7 | 112.4 | 99.8 | 79.6 | 41 | 12.2 | 3.7 | 527.9 | | Avg. precip. in | -0.2 | -0.31 | -0.74 | -1.24 | -1.97 | -2.59 | -4.43 | -3.93 | -3.13 | -1.61 | -0.48 | -0.15 | -20.78 | | Avg. humidity (%)| 53 | 55 | 56 | 52 | 56 | 61 | 70 | 76 | 76 | 71 | 61 | 54 | 62 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Qingyang City administers 1 district and 7 counties.

District: Xifeng District
Counties: Qingcheng County, Huan County, Huachi County, Heshui County, Zhengning County, Ning County, Zhenyuan County

| Division Code | Division Name | Hanyu Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|------------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|----------------------| | 621000 | Qingyang City | Qìngyáng Shì | 27,117.27 | 2,179,716 | Xifeng District | 745000 | 3 | 73 | 43 | 1 | | 621002 | Xifeng District | Xīfēng Qū | 999.02 | 513,856 | Nanjie Subdistrict | 745000 | 3 | 5 | 2 | | | 621021 | Qingcheng County | Qìngchéng Xiàn | 2,690.05 | 235,154 | Qingcheng Town | 745100 | | 9 | 6 | | | 621022 | Huan County | Huán Xiàn | 9,213.28 | 304,687 | Huancheng Town | 745700 | | 10 | 10 | | | 621023 | Huachi County | Huáchí Xiàn | 3,790.95 | 119,346 | Rouyuan Town | 745600 | | 6 | 9 | | | 621024 | Heshui County | Héshuǐ Xiàn | 2,933.37 | 135,908 | Xihuachi Town | 745400 | | 8 | 4 | | | 621025 | Zhengning County | Zhèngníng Xiàn | 1,330.96 | 173,243 | Shanhe Town | 745300 | | 8 | 2 | 1 | | 621026 | Ning County | Níng Xiàn | 2,653.38 | 336,316 | Xinning Town | 745200 | | 14 | 4 | | | 621027 | Zhenyuan County | Zhènyuán Xiàn | 3,506.26 | 361,206 | Chengguan Town | 744500 | | 13 | 6 | |

5. Economy

In 2021, the city's gross domestic product (GDP) reached 88.527 billion yuan, an increase of 5.2% over the previous year. Specifically, the added value of the primary industry was 11.19 billion yuan, up by 10.2%; the added value of the secondary industry was 44.579 billion yuan, up by 3.7%; and the added value of the tertiary industry was 32.757 billion yuan, up by 5.2%. The ratio of the three industries was 12.6:50.4:37.0. Calculated based on the resident population, the per capita GDP for the year was 40,810 yuan, an increase of 5.8% over the previous year.

In January 2022, to accelerate the construction of the "East Data, West Computing" project, the National Development and Reform Commission and other departments jointly issued a notice, approving the launch of national computing hub nodes in eight regions: Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Chengdu-Chongqing, Inner Mongolia, Guizhou, Gansu, and Ningxia. Additionally, 10 national data center clusters were planned, with Qingyang being one of them.

6. Transportation

• Xiping Railway
• Yinchuan–Xi'an High-Speed Railway
• Qingyang Airport: The 4C-level expansion and renovation project of Qingyang Airport was officially completed and resumed operations by the end of 2012. Currently, Qingyang Airport operates round-trip flights to and from ten cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Tianjin, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Dalian, Lanzhou, and Urumqi.

7. Education

• Longdong University
• Qingyang Vocational and Technical College
• Qingyang No. 1 Middle School, Qingyang No. 2 Middle School, Qingyang No. 3 Middle School, Qingyang No. 4 Middle School, Qingyang No. 5 Middle School, Qingyang No. 6 Middle School, Qingyang No. 7 Middle School, Dongfanghong Primary School, Tuanjie Primary School, Qingyang Qinghua School, Longdong University Affiliated Middle School, Beijing Normal University Qingyang Affiliated School, etc.

8. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's resident population was 2,179,716. Compared with the 2,211,191 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was a decrease of 31,475 people over the ten years, a decline of 1.42%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.14%. Among them, the male population was 1,110,440, accounting for 50.94% of the total population; the female population was 1,069,276, accounting for 49.06% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (with females as 100) was 103.85. The population aged 0–14 was 474,683, accounting for 21.78% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 1,312,068, accounting for 60.19% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 392,965, accounting for 18.03% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 283,900, accounting for 13.02% of the total population. The urban population was 913,075, accounting for 41.89% of the total population; the rural population was 1,266,641, accounting for 58.11% of the total population.

8.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 2,168,892, accounting for 99.5%; the population of various ethnic minorities was 10,824, accounting for 0.5%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic group population decreased by 37,230, a decline of 1.69%, and its proportion of the total population decreased by 0.27 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 5,755, a growth of 113.53%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 0.27 percentage points.

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9. Culture

9.1 Folk Songs

Qingyang folk songs are hailed as the "Soul of the Loess Plateau." Three songs that have spread across the nation—"Our Leader Mao Zedong," "Embroidering the Golden Plaque," and "Great Production by the Army and the People"—are masterpieces by Qingyang farmer singers Sun Wanfu and Wang Tingyou.

9.2 Long Opera

Long Opera, born from the foundation of Longdong Daoqing, is a new genre of opera in Gansu Province.

9.3 Embroidery

The needlework skills of the women in Huan County are naturally revealed in the diverse three-dimensional shapes, with individual talents fully expressed in the artistic forms they excel at. Beyond the traditional beliefs of warding off epidemics and evil, and praying for good fortune, Huan County sachets also serve to decorate environments, embellish daily items, and beautify life. It is a common practice in local households to use sachets to enhance daily life, and a complete set of embroidered items is essential for wedding supplies.

9.4 Sachets

Qingyang sachets, also known as "Chuchu," are a type of folk artifact in Qingyang. Following paper-cutting patterns, colorful threads are used to embroider various designs on silk fabric, which are then sewn into different shapes and filled with silk floss and spices to create small, exquisite, and beautiful embroidered items. These embroidered items are also called "pouches" and are locally referred to as "playful items."

9.5 Paper-Cutting

Qingyang paper-cutting has a long history and comes in a wide variety. Based on their uses, they mainly include festive paper-cuttings, longevity paper-cuttings, wedding paper-cuttings, and modern production and labor paper-cuttings. The themes are mostly drawn from the sun, moon, stars, landscapes, flowers, trees, figures, birds, animals, and stories from legends. The content is rich and diverse, with flexible expressive techniques. Examples include auspicious and festive designs reflecting traditional customs, such as "Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl," "Camels Bringing Treasure," "Auspicious Beast Chart," and "Magu Offering Longevity"; designs symbolizing reproduction and beautiful love, such as "Peacock Playing with Peonies," "Butterflies in Love with Flowers," "Magpies on Plum Blossoms," and "Fish Swimming Among Lotus"; designs for protection, peace, and happiness, such as "Tiger Descending the Mountain," "Lion Rolling a Silk Ball," "Hairpin Doll," and "Fortune-Bringing Doll"; and designs based on folk tales like "Liu Hai Playing with the Golden Toad," "Wu Song Fighting the Tiger," and "Wang Xiang Lying on Ice." Qingyang paper-cutting is characterized by skilled craftsmanship, a rustic and simple style, bold and unrestrained expression, simplicity, and clean lines, making it unique compared to other similar folk paper-cutting traditions in China.

9.6 Festivals

In 2002, the first China Qingyang Sachet Folk Culture and Art Festival was held in Xifeng District, Qingyang City, and has since been successfully held for multiple sessions.

9.7 Shadow Puppetry

Huan County shadow puppetry is a composite of China's tangible and intangible cultural heritage and a treasure in the repository of Chinese cultural heritage.

In 1987, Huan County shadow puppetry was invited to perform in Italy, showcasing its art in thirteen world-renowned cultural cities, including Rome, Milan, and Venice. Foreign audiences praised the performers as "magical artists from the East" and exclaimed, "Chinese rural areas are remarkable, truly worthy of a great civilization."

In 2007, Huan County Daoqing shadow puppetry was once again invited to perform in four European countries, participating in the "International Puppet and Shadow Festival" held in Germany and Austria, where it delivered outstanding performances.

Huan County shadow puppetry artists have showcased the ancient art born from the Yellow River region to the world, earning honor for the country.

10. Sister Cities

• Shawinigan, Canada
• Slonim District, Belarus
• Karakol, Kyrgyzstan
• Taiping, Perak, Malaysia

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Xifeng District

Xifeng District

Han Hui Mongol Tibetan Manchu

Catalpa tree

Peach blossom