Jingzhou (荆州)

1. Introduction

Jingzhou City, abbreviated as Jing, historically known as Ying, Jiangling, and Nan Commandery, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hubei Province, People's Republic of China, located in the central-southern part of Hubei Province. The city borders Yichang City to the west, Jingmen City, Qianjiang City, and Xiantao City to the north, Wuhan City and Xianning City to the east, and Yueyang City, Yiyang City, and Changde City in Hunan Province to the south. Situated in the heart of the Jianghan Plain, the terrain is predominantly flat, with low mountains and hills concentrated in the western region. The Yangtze River meanders from west to east across the area, with tributaries such as the Songzi River, Juzhang River, Dongjing River, and Neijing River. The region is dotted with numerous lakes, with Hong Lake being the largest in the province and Chang Lake the second largest. The total area of the city is 14,099 square kilometers, with a permanent population of 5.2312 million in 2020. The municipal government is located at No. 262 Jiangjin West Road, Shashi District. The name "Jingzhou" originates from one of the Nine Provinces mentioned in the Tribute of Yu. Its urban history began with the capital of the Chu State during the Warring States period, Jinnan City, dating back over 3,000 years. Within the urban area (Jingzhou District), the ancient Jingzhou City ruins are among the best-preserved ancient cities in the Central Plains region and the longest-continuously inhabited ancient city in China.

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2. History

Jingzhou derives its name from the Jing Mountain within its territory. In the early 9th century BC, during the reign of King Yi of Zhou, Xiong Qu, the ruler of the State of Chu, enfeoffed his eldest son Xiong Wukang as the King of Goudan. The State of Goudan was located in the area that later became the capital Ying (present-day Jinan City, about five kilometers north of Jingzhou City).

In 278 BC, the Qin general Bai Qi captured Ying and established Jiangling.

Jingzhou was one of the legendary Nine Provinces in ancient times and also one of the thirteen provinces of the Eastern Han Dynasty, encompassing present-day Hubei, Hunan, and other regions (Hunan was also known as Jingnan). It was primarily situated in the Han River basin and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. It included commanderies such as Nanyang, Nan, Jiangxia, Changsha, Wuling, Lingling, and Guiyang.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Jingzhou was located at the junction of the three states. Due to its extensive transportation network, accessible by both land and water, it became a strategically vital area contested by military powers. The famous battles of Chibi and Fancheng erupted here.

After the Battle of Chibi, Liu Bei borrowed Jingzhou from Sun Quan with the intention of attacking Yizhou. After securing Yizhou, Sun Quan sent envoys to reclaim Jingzhou. Liu Bei made excuses, saying he would return it only after capturing Liangzhou, which displeased Sun Quan. Sun Quan considered sending troops to retake Jingzhou, but Guan Yu had built beacon towers along the coast to monitor Lü Meng's movements day and night, maintaining strict vigilance. Subsequently, Lu Xun devised a stratagem, causing Guan Yu to lower his guard significantly and redeploy most of his forces northward for support. Upon hearing this news, Lu Xun led a surprise attack and captured the various commanderies of Jingzhou while Guan Yu was attacking Fancheng in the north. Guan Yu then fled to Maicheng and was soon captured and executed by Sun Quan. The idiom "lose Jingzhou due to carelessness" (大意失荆州) also became widely known.

After Guan Yu was beheaded by Sun Wu, Liu Bei immediately led a large army to attack Sun Wu but suffered a devastating defeat at Yiling. Liu Bei's military strength was greatly diminished, and he no longer had the power to recapture Jingzhou. He later fell ill and died at Baidi City, and Jingzhou was divided between the states of Wei and Wu.

During the Jin Dynasty, the governor of Jingzhou administered from Jiangling. Jiangling City, as the provincial capital of Jingzhou, thus gained the alternative name "Jingzhou City."

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, in the third month of the first year of the Zhongxing era of Qi (501 AD), Emperor He of Qi, Xiao Baorong, established his capital in Jiangling and declared himself emperor, historically known as Western Qi, which was later destroyed by Emperor Wu of Liang. In 552 AD, Emperor Yuan of Liang briefly established his capital in Jiangling.

The ancient city of Jiangling from the Ming and Qing dynasties, after the founding of the People's Republic of China, fell under the jurisdiction of Jingzhou Town, Jiangling County. On September 29, 1994, the State Council of the People's Republic of China approved the abolition of Jingzhou Prefecture, Shashi City, and Jiangling County, establishing Jingsha City (a prefecture-level city). The following year, Jingzhou Town was dissolved and reorganized into four subdistricts: East City, West City, South City, and Jingbei (present-day Fenghuang Subdistrict and Yingcheng Town). On November 20, 1996, the State Council renamed Jingsha City to Jingzhou City.

3. Geography

3.1 Resources

3.1.1 Land Resources

The total land area of Jingzhou City is equivalent to 1.4093 million hectares, making it a region with a large population but relatively little land. According to data from the First Agricultural Census (1996), the utilized agricultural land in the city is 727,700 hectares, accounting for 51.6% of the total land area. Within this utilized agricultural land, cultivated land constitutes 82.3%, with a per capita share of 1.41 mu. Aquaculture water surfaces account for 8.0%, forest land for 8.1%, and garden land for 1.6%. The city's soil is formed from modern alluvial deposits and Cenozoic Quaternary clay sediments, primarily consisting of paddy soil, fluvo-aquic soil, and yellow-brown earth. The soil layer is deep and fertile, suitable for the growth and development of various crops.

3.1.2 Biological Resources

Jingzhou City boasts abundant biological resources characterized by a wide variety, extensive distribution, and a mix of species from both northern and southern regions. The city cultivates over a thousand crop varieties, including many excellent local breeds. Plankton, vascular plants, and fish resources represent a significant advantage for the city. Jingzhou is the core production area for the Chinese crayfish industry. In 2017, its subordinate Jianli County produced 110,000 tons of crayfish, ranking first among all production areas (county-level administrative divisions) in China. Jingzhou's total crayfish output accounts for nearly 30% of the national total.

3.1.3 Mineral Resources

Thirty-five types of minerals have been discovered in Jingzhou City, of which 13 have proven certain industrial reserves, and 20 are already being exploited. Major energy minerals include petroleum and coal. Chemical minerals include rock salt, brine, mirabilite, pyrite, and barite. Building material minerals include marble, granite, limestone, clay, river sand, and pebbles. Metallurgical auxiliary materials include dolomite, high-quality silica, and refractory clay. New types of minerals include bentonite. Additionally, there are placer gold and vein gold, among others. Jingzhou's geological structure is relatively simple, with favorable ore deposit hosting conditions and stable surrounding rock properties. Except for petroleum and coal, most non-metallic mineral deposits are exposed on the surface, facilitating open-pit mining. Mineral distribution is concentrated, with most of the city's mineral resources located in low mountainous and hilly areas, scattered around towns with convenient transportation, providing excellent external conditions for mineral development.

3.1.4 Water Resources

Jingzhou City has nearly a hundred large and small rivers, all belonging to the Yangtze River system. The main ones are the main stream of the Yangtze River and its tributaries, such as the Songzi River, Hudu River, Ouchi River, and Tiaoxian River. Jingzhou is rich in lakes, with over 30 lakes each covering more than 1,000 mu, totaling 80,000 hectares. Among them, Honghu Lake is the largest lake in Hubei Province, with a total area of 35,000 hectares, followed by Changhu Lake, with a total area of 12,000 hectares. Jingzhou City has a large water area, and its wetland resources, primarily consisting of shoals and lakes, possess distinctive regional characteristics. Historically, aquatic production relied mainly on natural fishing. In 1952, the aquaculture water surface was only 1,000 hectares. Subsequently, the development and utilization of water surfaces increased year by year. By 1998, the city's aquaculture water surface reached 72,900 hectares, of which ponds accounted for 48%, lakes for 37.7%, and reservoirs for 5.4%.

3.2 Climate

Jingzhou City belongs to the subtropical monsoon climate zone. It features ample solar energy, abundant heat, and a long frost-free period. The city's total annual solar radiation ranges from 104 to 110 kcal/cm², with annual sunshine hours between 1,800 and 2,000. The average annual temperature is between 15.9°C and 16.6°C, and the annual frost-free period lasts 242 to 263 days. Annual rainfall in most years ranges from 1,100 to 1,300 mm. There are sufficient climatic resources for crop growth. Precipitation from April to October accounts for 80% of the annual total, solar radiation for 75%, and the accumulated temperature ≥10°C for 80%. The climatic conditions, where heat and moisture are synchronized and align with the agricultural production season, are suitable for the growth and development of various crops. | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------|------|------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------|------|-------|-------| | Record high °C | 21.9 | 25.0 | 28.0 | 33.1 | 35.4 | 37.2 | 37.9 | 38.6 | 36.8 | 33.2 | 29.3 | 21.1 | 38.6 | | Record high °F | 71.4 | 77.0 | 82.4 | 91.6 | 95.7 | 99.0 | 100.2 | 101.5 | 98.2 | 91.8 | 84.7 | 70.0 | 101.5 | | Average high °C | 8.1 | 10.2 | 14.2 | 21.1 | 26.1 | 29.3 | 32.0 | 32.0 | 27.5 | 22.4 | 16.3 | 10.8 | 20.8 | | Average high °F | 46.6 | 50.4 | 57.6 | 70.0 | 79.0 | 84.7 | 89.6 | 89.6 | 81.5 | 72.3 | 61.3 | 51.4 | 69.5 | | Daily mean °C | 4.1 | 6.0 | 10.1 | 16.7 | 21.6 | 25.2 | 28.0 | 27.7 | 23.0 | 17.6 | 11.7 | 6.4 | 16.5 | | Daily mean °F | 39.4 | 42.8 | 50.2 | 62.1 | 70.9 | 77.4 | 82.4 | 81.9 | 73.4 | 63.7 | 53.1 | 43.5 | 61.7 | | Average low °C | 0.8 | 2.8 | 6.6 | 12.7 | 17.6 | 21.6 | 24.7 | 24.3 | 19.6 | 14.0 | 8.0 | 2.9 | 13.0 | | Average low °F | 33.6 | 37.0 | 43.9 | 54.8 | 63.6 | 70.8 | 76.4 | 75.7 | 67.2 | 57.2 | 46.4 | 37.2 | 55.5 | | Record low °C | -14.9 | -9.2 | -1.0 | -0.1 | 9.8 | 13.0 | 18.1 | 17.5 | 10.6 | 1.7 | -3.0 | -6.3 | -14.9 | | Record low °F | 5.2 | 15.4 | 30.2 | 31.8 | 49.6 | 55.4 | 64.6 | 63.5 | 51.1 | 35.1 | 26.6 | 20.7 | 5.2 | | Average precipitation mm | 29.6 | 44.8 | 75.4 | 107.6 | 140.8 | 159.9 | 151.2 | 119.9 | 89.3 | 86.8 | 55.2 | 23.4 | 1,083.9 | | Average precipitation inches | 1.17 | 1.76 | 2.97 | 4.24 | 5.54 | 6.30 | 5.95 | 4.72 | 3.52 | 3.42 | 2.17 | 0.92 | 42.68 | | Average precipitation days | 8.2 | 9.1 | 12.9 | 12.8 | 13.3 | 13.0 | 10.5 | 9.4 | 9.2 | 10.6 | 8.5 | 6.8 | 124.3 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Jingzhou City administers 2 districts, 2 counties, and oversees 4 county-level cities.

• Districts: Shashi District, Jingzhou District
• County-level cities: Shishou City, Honghu City, Songzi City, Jianli City
• Counties: Gong'an County, Jiangling County Additionally, Jingzhou City has established the national-level Jingzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, the national-level Jingzhou High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, and the Hubei Provincial Jingzhou Chengnan Economic Development Zone.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|--------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|----------------------| | 421000 | Jingzhou City | Jīngzhōu Shì | 14,099.21 | 5,231,180 | Shashi District | 434000 | 18 | 88 | 12 | 2 | | 421002 | Shashi District | Shāshì Qū | 522.75 | 694,977 | Zhongshan Subdistrict | 434000 | 8 | 4 | 1 | | | 421003 | Jingzhou District | Jīngzhōu Qū | 1,043.22 | 563,398 | Xicheng Subdistrict | 434000 | 4 | 7 | | | | 421022 | Gong'an County | Gōng'ān Xiàn | 2,256.92 | 747,134 | Douhudi Town | 434300 | | 14 | 2 | | | 421024 | Jiangling County | Jiānglíng Xiàn | 1,048.74 | 278,192 | Haoxue Town | 434100 | | 7 | 2 | | | 421081 | Shishou City | Shíshǒu Shì | 1,406.32 | 473,707 | Xiulin Subdistrict | 434400 | 2 | 11 | 1 | | | 421083 | Honghu City | Hónghú Shì | 2,443.57 | 698,188 | Xindi Subdistrict | 433200 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 1 | | 421087 | Songzi City | Sōngzī Shì | 2,176.93 | 654,762 | Xinjiangkou Subdistrict | 434200 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 1 | | 421088 | Jianli City | Jiānlì Shì | 3,200.77 | 1,120,822 | Rongcheng Town | 433300 | | 18 | 3 | |

5. Economy

The leading industries include machinery and auto parts, chemical and pharmaceutical, agricultural product processing, light industrial building materials, textile and apparel, and electronic information. Representative enterprises include Henglong Group, Shalongda Group, Blue Star Group, Tianfa Group, Fuwa Group, etc. Jingzhou is home to 6 listed companies, 6 China Famous Brand products, and 5 China Well-known Trademarks. It hosts a number of Fortune 500 companies such as Remy International (USA), Valeo (France), Philips (Netherlands), and Reckitt Benckiser (UK), as well as renowned domestic enterprises like Sinochem Group, COFCO Group, Midea Group, Nanjing Yurun, and San'an Optoelectronics.

6. Transportation

• G50 Shanghai–Chongqing Expressway
• G55 Erenhot–Guangzhou Expressway
• Shashi–Gong'an Expressway
• National Highway 318
• National Highway 207
• China State Railway Group Shanghai–Wuhan–Chengdu Rapid Passenger Railway Line
• China State Railway Group Jingzhou–Jingmen Intercity Railway Additionally, the Shanghai–Chongqing–Chengdu High-Speed Railway, designed according to the 350 km/h standard, has commenced construction. The Jingzhou–Changde Intercity Railway, originally included in the medium- and long-term planning projects and designed to the same standard, is expected to be approved ahead of schedule. Future plans also include the Jingzhou–Yueyang Intercity Railway. In the high-speed rail era, Jingzhou will form a "大"-shaped layout of rapid railway corridors.

6.1 Aviation

To the east of the urban area lies Jingzhou Shashi Airport, which officially commenced operations in 2021. It offers flights to destinations such as Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Haikou, Sanya, Chengdu, and Guiyang.

7. Education

• Yangtze University
• Jingzhou Institute of Technology
• Jingzhou Polytechnic College
• Hubei College of Chinese Medicine

8. Population

At the end of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 5.1351 million, a decrease of 2,200 from the previous year. This includes 2.9332 million urban residents and 2.2019 million rural residents.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 5,231,180. Compared with the 5,691,707 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was a total decrease of 460,527 people over the ten years, a decline of 8.09%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.84%. Among them, the male population was 2,664,658, accounting for 50.94% of the total population; the female population was 2,566,522, accounting for 49.06% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 103.82. The population aged 0–14 was 794,357, accounting for 15.19% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 3,197,386, accounting for 61.12% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 1,239,437, accounting for 23.69% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 866,475, accounting for 16.56% of the total population. The urban resident population was 2,904,346, accounting for 55.52% of the total population; the rural resident population was 2,326,834, accounting for 44.48% of the total population.

8.1. Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 5,186,253, accounting for 99.14%; the combined population of various ethnic minorities was 44,927, accounting for 0.86%. Among them, the Tujia ethnic group population was 26,765, accounting for 0.51%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic group population decreased by 472,086, a decline of 8.34%, and its proportion of the total population decreased by 0.27 percentage points. The combined population of various ethnic minorities increased by 11,559, a growth of 34.64%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 0.27 percentage points. Among them, the Tujia ethnic group population increased by 5,965, a growth of 28.68%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 0.15 percentage points.

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9. Culture

9.1 Tourism

• Jingzhou Ancient City
• Guandi Temple
• Jingzhou Museum
• Jingzhou Three Taoist Temples (Kaiyuan Temple, Taihui Temple, Xuanmiao Temple)
• Chariot and Horse Array of the Chu King (Xiongjiazhong)
• Spring and Autumn Pavilion
• Longevity Pagoda
• Shashi Zhongshan Park
• Jingzhou Ocean World
• Ruins of the Chu Capital Ying (Jinancheng)
• Gong'an North Sluice
• Zhang Juzheng's Former Residence
• Chariot and Horse Array of the Chu King Scenic Area
• Hometown of the Three Yuan Brothers
• Zhanghua Temple
• Fantawild Chu Kingdom Eight Hundred Years Theme Park
• Jingzhou Ocean World
• Jingzhou Garden Expo Park
• Honghu Lake

9.2 National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

• Ancient City of Chu at Jinan
• Site of the Western Hunan-Hubei Revolutionary Base
• Baling Mountain Ancient Tomb Complex
• Jigongshan Site
• Jingzhou City Wall
• Zoumaling Site
• Yinxiangcheng Site
• Jimingcheng Site
• Jingzhou Three Taoist Temples
• Jingzhou Longevity Pagoda
• Jingjiang Flood Diversion Sluice
• Guihuashu Site
• Mashan Tomb Complex
• Yingcheng Site

10. Sister Cities

10.1 Domestic Sister Cities

• Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province
• Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province
• Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province
• Foshan City, Guangdong Province
• Dongguan City, Guangdong Province
• Sanya City, Hainan Province

10.2 International Sister Cities

• Gangneung City, South Korea
• Aizuwakamatsu City, Japan
• Monroe City, USA
• Westchester County, USA
• Bila Tserkva City, Ukraine
• San Juan del Río City, Mexico
• Niagara Falls City, Canada
• Ilioupoli City, Greece

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Shashi District

Jianli City

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