Suizhou (随州)

1. Introduction

Suizhou City, abbreviated as Sui, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hubei Province, People's Republic of China, located in the northern part of Hubei Province. The city borders Xiangyang City to the west, Jingmen City to the southwest, Xiaogan City to the southeast, Xinyang City of Henan Province to the northeast, and Nanyang City of Henan Province to the north. Situated in the low mountainous and hilly region at the northern edge of the Jianghan Plain, its northern part is dominated by the Tongbai Mountains, while the southern part features the Dahong Mountains. The Yunshui River traverses the city diagonally, merging with the Jueshui River in the urban area. The city covers a total area of 9,614 square kilometers, with a population of 2.0137 million. The municipal government is located in Zengdu District. Suizhou is the hometown of Emperor Yan, a nationally recognized historical and cultural city, historically known as the "State of Handong," and often referred to as the "Throat of Hanxiang and the Pearl of Northern Hubei." The bronze chime bells of the Sui State from the Spring and Autumn Period, unearthed from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng in the suburbs, represent a significant archaeological discovery in China.

2. Origin of the Name

Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, became the governor of Suizhou before he was 20 years old. In 581 AD, when Yang Jian established the Sui Dynasty, he named it after Suizhou, the region where he had been enfeoffed. However, because the character "随" (suí) carried the meaning of "following" or "subordinate," and its radical "辶" (chuò) implied "flowing away with water," both of which were considered inauspicious, he changed "随" to "隋" (suí). After the establishment of the Sui Dynasty, Suizhou was renamed Handong Commandery, with its administrative seat located in Sui County, governing counties such as Shangming, Pinglin, Tushan, Shunyi, Tangcheng, Angui, and Guanghua.

3. History

3.1 Migration History

Suizhou belongs to the broader Huangxiao region. Since the Song Dynasty, migration into the Huangxiao region was not only from the north but also from the south. In the 11th year of the Chunxi reign period, displaced people from Jiangdong continuously went to Huangzhou to "request to cultivate idle land" (from Chengzhai Ji, Volume 125, "Epitaph for Wu Yu"). According to the Xuantong-era Huang'an Local Gazetteer · Clan Records, among the local clans during the Qing Dynasty, six lineages had migrated from areas within present-day Jiangxi such as Nanchang, Jiujiang, and Ji'an during the Southern Song Dynasty. Among the 26 clans that Zhang Guoxiong listed as having migrated during the Song Dynasty, Qichun had 6 clans, Huanggang 3, Guangji 3, Macheng 2, and Hong'an and Huangmei each had 1, together accounting for 62% of the statistically recorded Song Dynasty clans. Clearly, among the population of northeastern Hubei during the Song Dynasty, Jiangxi migrants constituted a considerable proportion. This should mark the beginning of the systematic influence of Jiangxi migrants on the eastern Hubei region.

During the Song-Jin wars, eastern and northern Hubei were on the southern side of the Song-Jin border, suffering enormous casualties. The Song-Yuan wars and the late Yuan peasant uprisings also caused massive casualties in eastern and northern Hubei. Against this backdrop, the Hongwu Great Migration of the late Yuan and early Ming periods was a population-restructuring migration for the Huangxiao region, completely altering its demographic and linguistic composition. The History of Ming · Treatise on Geography records that at the beginning of the Hongwu reign, De'an Prefecture was downgraded to a sub-prefecture subordinate to Huangzhou Prefecture, and within the De'an jurisdiction, only Yunmeng County was not abolished. It was not until the 13th year of Hongwu that De'an Prefecture was restored as a prefecture and its subordinate counties were re-established. This shows that "in the early Hongwu years, most of the counties and sub-prefectures of De'an Prefecture no longer existed, the reason being an excessively sparse population." This region was "almost an uninhabited area; across such a vast region, the indigenous population was less than twenty thousand."

The immigrants received by De'an Prefecture in the early Ming mainly came from two directions: one was from the neighboring eastern areas of Huangzhou Prefecture such as Macheng and Huanggang; another major source of immigrants was from Raozhou, Nanchang, and other areas in Jiangxi. "It was only after large numbers of immigrants from Jiangxi and the nearby Huangzhou Prefecture moved in that by the 26th year of Hongwu, the population map showed about 5 people per square kilometer, with immigrants making up 80% of the total population." The layers of immigrants received by De'an Prefecture were also relatively complex. "Since a large portion of the so-called indigenous people in Macheng County were old migrants who had moved from Jiangxi during the Song Dynasty, and their population even outnumbered the old indigenous people, they were also considered indigenous residents relative to the Hongwu migrants, and we refer to them as new indigenes. When people from Macheng migrated to De'an Prefecture during the Hongwu period, a large number of such people would be among them; it can be said they formed the main part of the Macheng migrants moving to De'an Prefecture." It can be seen that the immigrants received by De'an Prefecture should actually be divided into three layers: one was the old indigenes from Huangzhou Prefecture; another was the new indigenes who had migrated to Huangzhou Prefecture during the Song Dynasty; and a third group was residents who migrated directly from Jiangxi. Regarding the numbers of these three types of migrants, investigations suggest that immigrants from Macheng were "slightly more numerous than those from Jiangxi." Thus, in the early Ming, De'an Prefecture received roughly equal numbers of immigrants from Huangzhou Prefecture and from Jiangxi, or perhaps the Huangzhou immigrants slightly outnumbered those from Jiangxi. For a more detailed explanation, refer to the Hongwu Great Migration and the Huangxiao subgroup of Jianghuai Mandarin.

3.2 Evolution of Administrative Divisions

King Wu of Zhou enfeoffed 15 of his brothers and 40 individuals with the Ji surname to establish states. The State of Sui was one of these 40 Ji-surname states. Around 328 BC, the State of Chu conquered the State of Sui and established Sui County. During the Qin Dynasty, Sui County was under Nanyang Commandery. From Qin through the Western and Eastern Han Dynasties, the establishment of Sui County continued to exist. In the late Western Han, the Lülin Uprising broke out in the Lülin Mountain (today's Dahong Mountain) area. In the 9th year of the Taikang era of the Western Jin Dynasty (288 AD), Emperor Wu Sima Yan enfeoffed Sima Mai as the Prince of Sui Commandery and established Sui Commandery. During the Eastern Jin, Sui Commandery was still established and belonged to Jingzhou. In the 1st year of the Datong era of the Western Wei (535 AD), Sui Commandery was elevated to Sui Prefecture, administering commanderies and counties.

In the 2nd year of the Daxiang era of the Northern Zhou (580 AD), Emperor Jing Yuwen Chan enfeoffed the Left Grand Councillor Yang Jian as the Duke of Sui, establishing the State of Sui, which governed 20 commanderies. In 581, Yang Jian usurped the Zhou throne and declared himself emperor. Because he had previously been enfeoffed in Sui, he took it as the name of his dynasty. However, he disliked that the character "随" (Sui) contained the radical "辶" (walking), so he removed it, creating the new character "隋" (Sui). In the same year, Sui Prefecture was renamed Sui Prefecture and placed under Handong Commandery.

During the Tang Dynasty, Handong Commandery was changed back to Sui Prefecture. In the Song Dynasty, Sui Prefecture belonged to the Jingshan South Circuit (Xiangyang Prefecture). During the Yuan Dynasty, Sui Prefecture was under the Hubei Circuit Pacification Commission, later transferred to the De'an Prefecture of the Ezhou Branch Secretariat. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Sui Prefecture was sometimes a directly-administered prefecture with subordinate counties; more often it was an ordinary prefecture without subordinate counties. In 1912, the Republic of China was established. Sui Prefecture was changed to Sui County.

With the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Sui County, Hongshan County, and Yingshan County were established within the territory of present-day Suizhou, under the administration of the Xiaogan Administrative District Commissioner's Office of Hubei Province. In 1955, Hongshan County was merged into Sui County, which then came under the Xiangyang Administrative District Commissioner's Office. In 1979, Suizhou City (county-level) was established, with the county and city administered separately.

On August 19, 1983, Sui County was abolished and Suizhou City (county-level) was established. On October 11, 1988, Yingshan County was abolished and Guangshui City (county-level) was established.

In 1994, Suizhou City, which was under the administration of Xiangfan, was changed to a province-administered city (county-level). On June 25, 2000, the province-administered county-level Suizhou City was abolished and a prefecture-level Suizhou City was established; Zengdu District was established within Suizhou City, with the administrative region of the former county-level Suizhou City becoming the administrative region of Zengdu District. Additionally, Guangshui City, which was under the administration of Xiaogan City, was placed under the administration of the prefecture-level Suizhou City. In 2006, the provincial government officially approved the establishment of the Hubei Suizhou Economic Development Zone. In the same year, the municipal government placed areas such as Xihe Town under the jurisdiction of the development zone.

In April 2009, the establishment of the new Sui County was approved. In May, this news was officially announced. Part of Zengdu District's townships were carved out to form Sui County, while Zengdu District continued to be retained. The newly established Sui County government would be stationed in the former Lishan Town of Zengdu District, which is traditionally considered the birthplace of Yan Emperor Shennong, a legendary ancestor of the Chinese nation. The establishment of the new Sui County sparked strong reactions on major Suizhou forums, with some citizens supporting it, while a considerable number of others criticized and questioned the newly formed county.

4. Geography

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------|------|------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------|------|-------|-------| | Average high °C | 7.5 | 10.3 | 15.0 | 21.9 | 26.9 | 30.1 | 32.0 | 31.6 | 27.8 | 22.5 | 16.1 | 9.8 | 21.0 | | Average high °F | 45.5 | 50.5 | 59.0 | 71.4 | 80.4 | 86.2 | 89.6 | 88.9 | 82.0 | 72.5 | 61.0 | 49.6 | 69.7 | | Daily mean °C | 2.7 | 5.3 | 9.8 | 16.3 | 21.5 | 25.3 | 27.6 | 26.9 | 22.7 | 17.0 | 10.6 | 4.8 | 15.9 | | Daily mean °F | 36.9 | 41.5 | 49.6 | 61.3 | 70.7 | 77.5 | 81.7 | 80.4 | 72.9 | 62.6 | 51.1 | 40.6 | 60.6 | | Average low °C | -0.8 | 1.4 | 5.6 | 11.7 | 17.0 | 21.5 | 24.2 | 23.4 | 18.8 | 13.0 | 6.5 | 0.9 | 11.9 | | Average low °F | 30.6 | 34.5 | 42.1 | 53.1 | 62.6 | 70.7 | 75.6 | 74.1 | 65.8 | 55.4 | 43.7 | 33.6 | 53.5 | | Average precipitation mm | 26.9 | 37.4 | 59.2 | 71.7 | 120.1 | 123.9 | 195.9 | 141.1 | 67.1 | 73.4 | 41.0 | 19.2 | 976.9 | | Average precipitation inches | 1.06 | 1.47 | 2.33 | 2.82 | 4.73 | 4.88 | 7.71 | 5.56 | 2.64 | 2.89 | 1.61 | 0.76 | 38.46 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 74 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 79 | 83 | 82 | 77 | 76 | 75 | 73 | 76 |

5. Administrative Divisions

Suizhou currently administers 1 district, 1 county, and oversees 1 county-level city.

• District: Zengdu District
• County-level City: Guangshui City
• County: Sui County

Additionally, Suizhou High-Tech Industrial Development Zone is a national-level high-tech industrial development zone.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|--------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------| | 421300 | Suizhou City | Suízhōu Shì | 9,613.86 | 2,047,923 | Zengdu District | 441300 | 8 | 37 | | | 421303 | Zengdu District | Zēngdū Qū | 1,425.40 | 699,475 | Xicheng Subdistrict | 441300 | 4 | 5 | | | 421321 | Sui County | Suí Xiàn | 5,542.94 | 637,548 | Lishan Town | 431500 | | 19 | | | 421381 | Guangshui City | Guǎngshuǐ Shì | 2,645.51 | 710,900 | Yingshan Subdistrict| 432700 | 4 | 13 | |

6. Economy

Special-purpose vehicles are a pillar industry in Suizhou. According to statistics, Suizhou-produced tank trucks hold a market share of over 40% in the domestic market. Among them, oil tankers have an annual production and sales volume of 15,000 units, ranking first nationwide; sanitation vehicles have an annual production and sales volume of 11,000 units, ranking first nationwide; flat-head vehicle bodies have an annual production and sales volume of 25,000 units, ranking first nationwide; steel wheels have an annual production and sales volume of 2.28 million units, ranking first nationwide; dump trucks have an annual production and sales volume of 18,000 units, ranking among the top three in China; and axle casting parts have an annual production and sales volume of 92,000 tons, ranking among the top five in China. On March 2, 2008, Suizhou was awarded the title of "China's Capital of Special-Purpose Vehicles" by the China Machinery Industry Federation and the People's Government of Hubei Province.

7. Transportation

7.1 Highways

G4 Beijing–Zhuhai Expressway G0421 Suizhou–Yueyang Expressway G70 Wuhan–Shiyan Expressway G4213 Maccu–Zhushan Expressway National Highways 316 and 346 pass through the area.

7.2 Railways

Beijing–Guangzhou Railway Wuhan–Shiyan High-Speed Railway Wuhan–Danjiangkou Railway Xining–Nanjing Railway

8. Education

8.1 Secondary Vocational Education

• Suizhou Vocational and Technical College
• Suizhou Tianfang Vocational and Technical School
• Suizhou Fangyuan Cosmetology and Hairdressing School
• Suizhou Economic School
• Suizhou Technician College
• Suizhou No. 1 Vocational Middle School

8.2 High Schools

• Suizhou No. 1 High School
• Suizhou No. 2 High School
• Suizhou Foreign Languages High School (International Department of Suizhou No. 2 High School)
• Suizhou Experimental High School (formerly Suizhou No. 8 High School)
• Suizhou Ouyang Xiu High School
• Suizhou Handong High School
• Suizhou Baiyun High School
• Suizhou Lieshan High School
• Zengdu No. 1 High School (formerly Suizhou No. 6 High School)
• Zengdu No. 2 High School (Name changes: Suizhou No. 5 High School → Zengdu No. 5 High School → Zengdu No. 2 High School)
• Suixian No. 1 High School (Name changes: Suixian No. 2 High School → Suizhou No. 4 High School → Zengdu No. 4 High School → Suixian No. 1 High School)
• Suixian No. 2 High School (Name changes: Hongshan High School → Suizhou No. 3 High School → Zengdu No. 3 High School → Suixian No. 2 High School)
• Guangshui No. 1 High School
• Guangshui No. 2 High School
• Guangshui No. 3 High School
• Guangshui No. 4 High School
• Guangshui Experimental High School
• Guangshui Yizhong High School
• Guangshui Wenhua High School

9. Population

At the end of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 2.0137 million. Among them, the urban permanent resident population was 1.174 million, with an urbanization rate of 58.32%, an increase of 0.59 percentage points from the previous year.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 2,047,923. Compared with the 2,162,222 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was a total decrease of 114,299 people over the ten years, a decline of 5.29%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.54%. Among them, the male population was 1,041,946, accounting for 50.88% of the total population; the female population was 1,005,977, accounting for 49.12% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 103.58. The population aged 0–14 was 366,927, accounting for 17.92% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 1,252,851, accounting for 61.18% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 428,145, accounting for 20.91% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 299,612, accounting for 14.63% of the total population. The urban population was 1,163,902, accounting for 56.83% of the total population; the rural population was 884,021, accounting for 43.17% of the total population.

9.1. Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han Chinese population was 2,043,089, accounting for 99.76%; the population of various ethnic minorities was 4,834, accounting for 0.24%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han Chinese population decreased by 117,399, a decline of 5.43%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.16 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 3,100, a growth of 178.78%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.16 percentage points.

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10. Culture

World Chinese Yan Emperor's Hometown Root-Seeking Festival

On May 20, 2009, the "First World Chinese Yan Emperor's Hometown Root-Seeking Festival in Suizhou, Hubei, China," hosted by the Hubei Provincial Government and organized by the Suizhou Municipal Government, was grandly held in Lishan Town, Suizhou. Shui Junyi and Jing Yidan served as hosts. The event was broadcast live by television stations including CCTV, Hubei Satellite TV, and Shenzhen Satellite TV. The Suizhou Municipal Government hoped to enhance the city's social visibility through this ancestor-worship ceremony, thereby accelerating its economic development.

Suizhou Huagu Opera

Suizhou Huagu Opera originated during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty and has a history of over 200 years. It is one of the 74 endangered opera genres in China. In 2008, it was listed in the "National Intangible Cultural Heritage List." The vocal tunes of Suizhou Huagu Opera are divided into four types: "Mandiao," "Taidiao," "Liangshandiao," and "Caidiao."

10.1 Cultural Relics and Historic Sites

10.1.1 Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng

During the Zhou Dynasty, Suizhou was the State of Sui, also known as the State of Zeng. Archaeological evidence confirms that the title "Marquis of Zeng" was the title for the ruler of the State of Sui, establishing that the States of Zeng and Sui were the same entity. Marquis Yi of Zeng was once enfeoffed as king in this region. He was not only a military strategist proficient in chariot warfare but also an artist with diverse interests. The Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng, excavated in 1978, yielded a large number of cultural relics. Among them, the Bianzhong (chime bells) astonished the world due to their antiquity, complete scale, and accurate musical temperament.

The tens of thousands of artifacts unearthed from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng, represented by the Bianzhong, amazed the world with their brilliant achievements in culture, art, and science and technology. As the tomb's occupant, Marquis Yi of Zeng thus attracted significant attention.

Zhongguo Shigao (Manuscript of Chinese History), edited by Guo Moruo, points out that the Zhou Dynasty enfeoffed feudal lords of the same surname in both the States of Sui and Zeng. In 1978, two bronze dagger-axes with inscriptions were unearthed from a mid-Spring and Autumn period tomb in Suizhou City. The owner of these artifacts, Ji Yi, was a member of the Zeng state's ducal clan, a descendant of Xigong, the son of Marquis Mu of Zeng. According to the inscriptions, Ji Yi referred to himself as "Zhou Wang Sun" (Grandson of the Zhou King), proving that the Marquis of Zeng was originally a scion of the Zhou royal house.

Based on this, Tan Weisi inferred that the State of Zeng was a fiefdom of the Ji surname, and its ruler, Marquis Yi of Zeng, undoubtedly shared the same surname as the Zhou Son of Heaven.

According to his introduction, among the tens of thousands of artifacts from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng, chariot and horse weaponry were the most numerous. Their comprehensive variety, large quantity, and strong integrated functions were unprecedented. Among them, long-range projectile weapons were predominant, long-shaft weapons were particularly special, and there were extremely rare spear-shaped chariot axle caps. These were all equipment used for chariot warfare, indicating that Marquis Yi of Zeng was a military strategist and commander skilled in chariot warfare.

The Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng contained a vast number of musical instruments as burial goods. The inscriptions on the bells and chime stones included extensive texts on music theory and temperament, demonstrating the importance Marquis Yi placed on instrument manufacturing and musical research during his lifetime. The tomb also held a large number of exquisitely cast bronze treasures, as well as fine examples of painting, sculpture, and calligraphy. Moreover, many of the artifacts were not funerary objects but items used by Marquis Yi during his life, often personally supervised by him, indicating his wide range of interests, diverse talents, and high artistic appreciation.

10.1.2 Bianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng

The complete set of Bianzhong from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng consists of 64 pieces, with a total weight exceeding 2,500 kilograms. The largest piece stands 153.4 cm tall and weighs 203.6 kg. In the tomb, the bells were arranged in an orderly fashion, hanging on a large L-shaped bell rack in three layers and eight groups. The upper layer contained 19 Niu Zhong (bell with a loop handle), the middle layer contained Jiao Zhong (bell with a cylindrical handle), and the lower layer contained large Jiao Zhong. Each bell bears gold-inlaid inscriptions, mostly reading "Made for Marquis Yi of Zeng to hold" or "Made for Marquis Yi of Zeng to use forever."

The Bianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng is not only numerous, structurally complete, and grand in scale but also the earliest known large-scale musical instrument in the world to possess a chromatic scale relationship. The fundamental key belongs to the modern C major scale, with a total range spanning five octaves. The central part possesses all twelve semitones, allowing for modulation and the performance of pentatonic to heptatonic scale music. The most remarkable feature of this set is "one bell, two tones." That is, each bell can produce two distinct pitches. Striking the side of the bell yields one tone, while striking the drum part yields another.

Two painted long wooden poles and six "T"-shaped small wooden mallets, which were playing tools, were also unearthed from the tomb. After excavation, practical testing revealed that the Bianzhong has a beautiful timbre and a wide range, capable of performing various musical pieces from ancient and modern times, both Chinese and foreign. On the bell bodies, frames, and hooks of this set, 3,755 gold-inlaid characters were discovered, containing information on numbering, records, pitch notation, and musical temperament. This provides precious written material for studying the history of pre-Qin music today.

10.2 National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

• Leigudun Ancient Tomb Complex Located 2.5 kilometers northwest of Suizhou City. This was the site of the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng, ruler of the State of Zeng during the early Warring States period. In ancient times, it was part of the territory of the State of Sui.

• Anju Site The discovery of the Anju Site provides important information for determining the location of the ancient capital of the State of Zeng (Sui), holding significant historical and academic value for solving the mystery of Zeng (Sui).

• Site of the Fifth Division Headquarters of the New Fourth Army The site of the Fifth Division Headquarters of the New Fourth Army was an important command hub for the Chinese Communist Party in the Hubei-Henan border area during the War of Resistance against Japan.

• Miaotaizi Site The Miaotaizi Site is an ancient site dating from the Neolithic to the Eastern Zhou period. In the early Western Zhou, the Zhou Son of Heaven enfeoffed Nangong Kuo here to establish a capital and state. During the Western Zhou period, it belonged to the capital city site of the State of Zeng.

• Yejiashan Cemetery The Yejiashan Cemetery is a noble cemetery centered around the burial grounds of the rulers of the State of Zeng from the early Western Zhou period, yielding over 6,000 precious artifacts (sets). The Yidigang Tomb Group belongs to the noble cemetery of the State of Zeng from the Spring and Autumn period. Successive excavations have cleared and explored the Suizhou Normal School Cemetery, Jiliang Cemetery, Bajiaolou Cemetery, Dongfeng Oil Depot Cemetery, Wenfeng Pagoda Cemetery, Handong East Road Cemetery, and Zaoshulin Cemetery, totaling over 200 ancient tombs excavated and yielding more than 10,000 precious artifacts (sets) with high historical and scientific value.

10.3 Tourism

10.3.1 Major Tourist Attractions in Suizhou

Yan Emperor Shennong's Hometown Scenic Area (AAAAA level), National Scenic Area Dahong Mountain (AAAA level), Thousand-Year Ginkgo Valley (AAAA level), Guangshui Xujiahe, Guangshui Heilongtan, Gaogui Santan (AAAA level), Tongbai Mountain, Guangshui Zhonghua Mountain, Suizhou Museum, Suizhou Cultural Park, Baiyun Park, Shennong Park, Huilong Temple Park, Journey to the West Rafting, Fengjiang Reservoir, Ming Yuzhen's Hometown, Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng Site, etc. In 2019, the city received 28.32 million domestic tourist visits, generating domestic tourism revenue of 17.87 billion yuan. It also received 20,500 overseas tourist visits, generating international tourism (foreign exchange) revenue of 21 million yuan.

10.3.1.1 Yan Emperor Shennong's Hometown

Yan Emperor Shennong's Hometown Scenic Area is located in Lishan Town, Sui County, Suizhou City, Hubei Province, 18 kilometers from the urban area of Suizhou City. National Highway 316, the Hanshi Expressway, the Suiyue Expressway, and the connecting lines of the Handan Railway and the Ningxi Railway pass through the area, situated between Wuhan City and Xiangfan City. The scenic area covers a total area of 171.3 hectares, with a static investment of 460 million yuan. From 2009 to 2020, the Hubei Provincial People's Government held twelve sessions of the World Chinese Yan Emperor's Hometown Root-Seeking Festival in the newly built scenic area.

10.3.1.2 Dahong Mountain Scenic Area

Dahong Mountain National Scenic Area is located in the north-central part of Hubei Province and is a Buddhist sacred site in northern Hubei. It covers a total area of 305 square kilometers, with its main peak, Baozhu Peak, reaching an elevation of 1,055 meters. It features the volcanic crater lake Bailong Pond at an elevation of 840 meters.

10.3.1.3 Thousand-Year Ginkgo Valley

Luoyang Town currently has over 5.1 million cultivated ginkgo trees, including over 17,000 trees over a hundred years old and 308 trees over a thousand years old. Among them are ginkgo trees planted when Zhu Yuanzhang's army passed through.

Director Hou Hsiao-hsien's film The Assassin (Nie Yinniang) was filmed in the Thousand-Year Ginkgo Valley.

10.3.1.4 Suizhou Museum

The new Suizhou Museum is located on the west bank of the Jueshui River in the middle section of Leigudun Avenue, Suizhou City, Hubei Province. It is adjacent to the National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, the "Leigudun Ancient Tomb Complex," and is about 1 kilometer from the city center. It covers an area of 100 mu. The museum building consists of three parts: exhibition halls, cultural relic storage rooms, and auxiliary rooms. The construction area is 9,636 square meters, including: 7,000 square meters for the exhibition building, 2,000 square meters for cultural relic storage, 300 square meters for the Bianzhong performance hall, and 336 square meters for other structures.

10.3.1.5 Xujiahe Tourism Resort

The provincial-level Xujiahe Tourism Resort is located at the scenic Xujiahe Reservoir in Changling Town, Guangshui City, and is one of the third-largest freshwater lakes in Hubei Province.

10.3.1.6 Gaogui Santan

The Santan Scenic Area is located in the northern part of Guangshui City, at the border of Hubei and Henan. It comprises four tourist areas—Santan, Gaogui Mountain Golden Summit, Xujiachong Reservoir, and the Pingjingguan Ancient Pass—with 35 scenic spots. China's first Qingtan (wingceltis) Garden covers a total area of over 2,000 mu and is the largest Qingtan community in Central China. The highest peak in the scenic area, Dagui Mountain Golden Summit, has an elevation of 908 meters.

10.3.1.7 Zhonghua Mountain National Forest Park

Zhonghua Mountain National Forest Park is located in the northeastern part of Guangshui City, on the southern foothills of the Tongbai Mountains and the western end of the Dabie Mountains, serving as the watershed of the Yangtze and Huai River basins. The scenic area covers 6,927 hectares, making it the largest national forest park in Hubei Province by area. It contains a total of 1,830 species of woody plants belonging to 155 genera and 69 families. It is divided into six major scenic areas: Lotus Lake, Patriarch Hall, Xiangfeng Temple, Longquan Gully, Gujing Nunnery, and Guanyin Temple, with over 50 scenic spots including Golden Bull Stream, Haha Ridge, Baolin Temple, and Xingwang Village.

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Zengdu District

Guangshui City

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Ginkgo

Orchid