Shangqiu (商丘)

1. Introduction

Shangqiu City, historically known as Songzhou and Guide Prefecture, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Henan Province, People's Republic of China, located in the eastern part of Henan Province. The city borders Suzhou City and Huaibei City of Anhui Province to the east, Zhoukou City and Bozhou City of Anhui Province to the south, Kaifeng City to the west, and Heze City of Shandong Province to the north. Situated on the alluvial plain of the Yellow River and Huai River, the terrain is flat. Rivers such as the Huiji River, Dasha River, Bao River, Tuo River, and Hui River flow through the area. The city covers a total area of 10,704 square kilometers, with a permanent resident population of 7.73 million (2022). The municipal government is located at No. 1 Fuqian Road, Suiyang District. Shangqiu is a national historical and cultural city, the birthplace of fire culture, and the origin of "Three Shang": merchants, commerce, and Shang culture. It boasts well-developed transportation, with the Longhai Railway, Beijing-Kowloon Railway, Xuzhou-Lanzhou Passenger Dedicated Line, and Shangqiu-Hangzhou Passenger Dedicated Line intersecting here.

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2. History

The name "Shangqiu" originates from the time when Emperor Yao of the Tao Tang clan appointed Qi (E Bo), the son of Emperor Ku, as the Fire Official (in charge of fire) here, and the area corresponded to the Shang star. During the Shang Dynasty, the Zi Fang state was located within this region. According to Zuo Zhuan, in the ninth year of Duke Xiang of Lu (564 BCE): "E Bo, the Fire Official of the Tao Tang clan, resided in Shangqiu and sacrificed to the Great Fire star." During the Shang Dynasty, the area was part of the Bo territory. After the Duke of Zhou, Dan, suppressed the Rebellion of the Three Guards in the Western Zhou Dynasty, King Cheng of Zhou enfeoffed Wei Zi Qi, a descendant of the Shang Dynasty, at Shangqiu, establishing the State of Song. In the 29th year of King Nan of Zhou (286 BCE), the State of Qi conquered Song, and most of the territory was subsequently occupied by the State of Wei. Wei established the Da Song Commandery at Shangqiu and enfeoffed Prince Wuji at Xinling (present-day Ningling County).

During the Qin Dynasty, Suiyang County was established, with its seat in the southern part of present-day Shangqiu city area, serving as the administrative center of Dang Commandery. In the fifth year of Emperor Gaozu of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BCE), Dang Commandery was changed to the Liang Kingdom. In the first year of the Huangchu era of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period (220 CE), the Liang Kingdom was changed to Liang Commandery. It was reverted to the Liang Kingdom during the Western Jin Dynasty. In the first year of the Yongchu era of the Liu Song Dynasty during the Southern Dynasties (420 CE), it was changed back to Liang Commandery under Xuzhou; Qiao Commandery was also established, with its seat at Meng County (the ancient city of Meng County in present-day Liangyuan District). In the second year of the Yong'an era of the Northern Wei Dynasty (529 CE), Yuan Hao ascended the throne as emperor at Suiyang, establishing the era name Xiaoji. In the first year of the Tianbao era of the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 CE), Qiao Commandery was abolished.

In the third year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (583 CE), Liang Commandery was abolished and incorporated into Bozhou. In the 16th year of the Kaihuang era (596 CE), Songzhou was established in the former Liang Commandery area, with its seat at Suiyang County. In the 18th year of the Kaihuang era (598 CE), Suiyang County was renamed Songcheng County. In the third year of the Daye era (607 CE), it was reverted to Liang Commandery. In the second year of the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty (619 CE), Wang Shichong declared himself emperor and established the Great Zheng, changing Liang Commandery to Liangzhou. In the fourth year of the Wude era (621 CE), Liangzhou was changed to Songzhou. In the first year of the Tianbao era (742 CE), Songzhou was changed to Suiyang Commandery. In the first year of the Qianyuan era (758 CE), it was reverted to Songzhou. In the second year of the Jianzhong era (781 CE), the Xuanwu Army was established at Songzhou. In the first year of the Xingyuan era (784 CE), the Xuanwu Army moved its seat to Bianzhou. In the third year of the Zhonghe era (883 CE), it returned its seat to Songzhou. During the Later Zhou Dynasty, the Xuanwu Army was renamed the Guide Army. In the sixth year of the Xiande era (959 CE), Zhao Kuangyin served as the military governor of the Guide Army. Because his military governorship was based in Songzhou, he adopted "Song" as the name of his dynasty when he founded the Song Dynasty.

In the third year of the Jingde era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1006 CE), Songzhou was elevated to Yingtian Prefecture, serving as the administrative center of the Jingdong Circuit. In the seventh year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era (1014 CE), Yingtian Prefecture was elevated to Nanjing, becoming the auxiliary capital of the Northern Song Dynasty. In the second year of the Jingkang era (1127 CE), Zhao Gou ascended the throne at Nanjing (Yingtian Prefecture), historically known as the Southern Song Dynasty. In the tenth year of the Shaoxing era (1140 CE), Jin forces captured the Southern Song's Nanjing, changing Yingtian Prefecture to Guide Prefecture under the Nanjing Circuit. In the first year of the Tianxing era of the Jin Dynasty (1232 CE), Emperor Aizong of Jin moved to Guide Prefecture. In the first year of the Duanping era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1234 CE), the Southern Song recaptured Yingtian Prefecture and restored it as Nanjing.

During the Yuan Dynasty, it was called Guide Prefecture, under the Henan Jiangbei Branch Secretariat. In the first year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1368 CE), Guide Prefecture was downgraded to Guide Department under Kaifeng Prefecture of the Henan Provincial Administration Commission, and Suiyang County was abolished and incorporated into Guide Department. In the 24th year of the Jiajing era (1545 CE), it was re-elevated to Guide Prefecture, and Shangqiu County was established. During the Yongle period, it was called Zhu Ji, a famous commercial origin and distribution center, known as a key town in the Central Plains and the gateway to eastern Henan. The Qing Dynasty followed the Ming system. In the third year of the Yongzheng era (1725 CE), to avoid the naming taboo of Confucius, it was renamed Shangqiu County.

In the second year of the Republic of China (1913 CE), Guide Prefecture was abolished, and its subordinate counties came under the Yudong Circuit, changed to the Kaifeng Circuit the following year. After the Longhai Railway was completed in 1916, a station was set up at Zhu Ji, later renamed Shangqiu Station. The circuit system was abolished in 1927. In the 21st year of the Republic of China (1932 CE), the Second Administrative Inspectorate of Henan Province was established. In 1948, the Chinese Communist Party occupied Shangqiu, placing it under the Yu-Wan-Su Border Region; in November of the same year, Zhu Ji Town of Shangqiu County was separated to establish the county-level Shangqiu City.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Shangqiu Special District was established, with its administrative office located in Shangqiu City. In 1956, it was renamed the Shangqiu Special District. In 1958, the Shangqiu Special District was abolished and merged into the Kaifeng Special District. In 1961, the Shangqiu Special District was re-established. In 1969, it was renamed the Shangqiu Prefecture. In 1986, Shangqiu was designated as an open city. In June 1997, the Shangqiu Prefecture and the county-level Shangqiu City and Shangqiu County were abolished, and the prefecture-level Shangqiu City was established; the former county-level Shangqiu City and Shangqiu County were reorganized into Liangyuan District and Suiyang District.

Shangqiu is the ancestral home of Confucius, the ancient philosophical master Zhuang Zhou, and the heroine Hua Mulan. It is the birthplace of merchants, commodities, and commercial culture. The city has over 200 cultural relics protection units and more than 3,000 scenic spots. The Ancient City of Shangqiu (Suiyang District) is one of the four best-preserved ancient cities in China and was designated a National Historical and Cultural City in 1986. The jade burial suits sewn with gold thread unearthed from the Han Dynasty Liang King tombs at Mangdang Mountain in Yongcheng were recognized as one of the top ten archaeological discoveries in China in 1991. The Han tomb murals have been praised by experts as "the Dunhuang before Dunhuang."

3. Geography

Shangqiu City is located at the junction of Henan, Anhui, Shandong, and Jiangsu provinces, between 114°49'–116°39' east longitude and 33°43'–34°52' north latitude, with a total area of 10,704 square kilometers. The city belongs to the Huang-Huai Plain, with plains constituting the vast majority of its area at 10,623 square kilometers.

3.1 Water Systems

Shangqiu City is part of the Huai River basin, falling under the three major water systems of Hongze Lake, the Guo River, and the Nansi Lakes. Its main rivers include the Guo River, the Huiji River, the Tuo River, the Old Course of the Yellow River, the Hui River, the Dasha River, and the Wangyin River. The rivers generally flow from northwest to southeast, running parallel to each other. They are seasonal and rain-fed, experiencing significant fluctuations in water level and flow throughout the year. The total natural water resources in Shangqiu amount to 2.284 billion cubic meters, with a per capita water resource of 303.6 cubic meters.

3.2 Mineral Resources

The mineral resources discovered in Shangqiu City include coal, iron ore, marble, granite, dolomite, ceramic clay, kaolin, and bentonite. Among these, coal resources are the most significant and advantageous mineral resource for Shangqiu, while other resources besides coal are relatively scarce. Shangqiu City is an important coal energy base in China.

3.3 Flora

Shangqiu City is rich in agricultural product resources. It is a major producer of wheat, corn, cotton, oil crops, fruits, vegetables, and livestock products, serving as a significant national production base for commodity grain, high-quality cotton, Banhan goats, lean-meat pigs, and agricultural by-products. The annual grain output consistently exceeds 10 billion kilograms, earning it the title "Granary of Eastern Henan." Shangqiu also has abundant paulownia resources.

3.4 Climate

Shangqiu has a warm temperate semi-humid continental monsoon climate with four distinct seasons. The average annual sunshine duration is 1,944 hours, and the average annual temperature is 14.2°C. The average annual precipitation is 623 mm. The historical maximum 24-hour precipitation was 363.6 mm, occurring on August 18, 2018, due to typhoon rain influenced by tropical cyclone Rumbia. The frost-free period is approximately 211 days. | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |------------------|-------|-------|-------|-------|--------|--------|--------|--------|-------|-------|-------|-------|--------| | Record high °C | 18.2 | 23.2 | 28.2 | 33.5 | 38.1 | 41.3 | 39 | 37.9 | 35.8 | 35 | 26.4 | 20.3 | 41.3 | | Record high °F | 64.8 | 73.8 | 82.8 | 92.3 | 100.6 | 106.3 | 102.2 | 100.2 | 96.4 | 95 | 79.5 | 68.5 | 106.3 | | Average high °C | 5.1 | 8.1 | 13.5 | 21 | 26.5 | 31.3 | 31.8 | 30.6 | 26.8 | 21.5 | 13.9 | 7.5 | 19.8 | | Average high °F | 41.2 | 46.6 | 56.3 | 69.8 | 79.7 | 88.3 | 89.2 | 87.1 | 80.2 | 70.7 | 57 | 45.5 | 67.6 | | Daily mean °C | −0.1 | 2.5 | 7.7 | 14.8 | 20.3 | 25.3 | 26.9 | 25.8 | 21.1 | 15.1 | 7.9 | 1.9 | 14.1 | | Daily mean °F | 31.8 | 36.5 | 45.9 | 58.6 | 68.5 | 77.5 | 80.4 | 78.4 | 70 | 59.2 | 46.2 | 35.4 | 57.4 | | Average low °C | −3.9 | −1.6 | 2.8 | 9.2 | 14.6 | 19.8 | 23 | 22.1 | 16.4 | 10.2 | 3.3 | −2.0 | 9.5 | | Average low °F | 25 | 29.1 | 37 | 48.6 | 58.3 | 67.6 | 73.4 | 71.8 | 61.5 | 50.4 | 37.9 | 28.4 | 49.1 | | Record low °C | −15.2 | −15.4 | −7.1 | −2.0 | 4.2 | 11.9 | 15.7 | 14 | 5.8 | −0.7 | −12.3 | −15.0 | −15.4 | | Record low °F | 4.6 | 4.3 | 19.2 | 28.4 | 39.6 | 53.4 | 60.3 | 57.2 | 42.4 | 30.7 | 9.9 | 5 | 4.3 | | Average precipitation mm | 13 | 15.4 | 32.8 | 40 | 56.2 | 78.3 | 171.8 | 125.6 | 72.9 | 42.9 | 20.2 | 12 | 681.1 | | Average precipitation inches | 0.51 | 0.61 | 1.29 | 1.57 | 2.21 | 3.08 | 6.76 | 4.94 | 2.87 | 1.69 | 0.8 | 0.47 | 26.8 | | Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 3.3 | 4.2 | 6 | 6.1 | 7 | 8 | 12.2 | 9.6 | 7.7 | 6.7 | 4.6 | 3.4 | 78.8 |

3.5 Environmental PollutionThe air quality in Shangqiu City is relatively poor. Although there has been significant improvement in Shangqiu's air quality, it still fails to meet the national secondary standard. PM2.5 levels exceed the standard severely in winter, and ozone pollution has become increasingly prominent in summer. In 2020, Shangqiu City recorded 242 days of good air quality, an increase of 40 days compared to the previous year. The average PM10 concentration was 78 micrograms per cubic meter, which did not meet the national secondary standard (70 micrograms per cubic meter). The average PM2.5 concentration was 52 micrograms per cubic meter, also failing to meet the national secondary standard (35 micrograms per cubic meter). In 2020, Shangqiu was included in the joint prevention and control mechanism for air pollution among 22 cities in the border area of Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong, and Henan. Autumn and winter were designated as key control periods for PM2.5, while summer was designated as the key control period for ozone. The "2020 Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Treatment Action Plan" was issued and implemented. According to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, in terms of pollution severity, the border area of Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong, and Henan, where Shangqiu is located, has become one of the most polluted regions in the country. PM2.5 pollution is severe in autumn and winter, while O3 pollution is prominent in summer. In 2019, the average PM2.5 concentration in the 22 cities of this border area was already close to that of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its surrounding "2+26" cities, as well as the Fenwei Plain. In recent years, O3 concentrations have shown a worsening trend year by year. From a management perspective, air pollution control efforts in this border area started relatively late and have a weak foundation, making it a lowland in air pollution control and environmental supervision.

According to the "Notice of the Shangqiu Municipal People's Government on Issuing the Three-Year Action Plan for the Pollution Prevention and Control Battle in Shangqiu City (2018–2020)," Shangqiu set its 2020 annual targets: an average annual PM2.5 concentration below 45 micrograms per cubic meter, an average annual PM10 concentration below 88 micrograms per cubic meter, and more than 265 days of good air quality throughout the year. However, only the PM10 target was actually achieved. The city aims to achieve the national secondary standard for ambient air quality (i.e., 35 micrograms per cubic meter) for the average annual PM2.5 concentration by 2023.

Shangqiu City was once summoned by the then Ministry of Environmental Protection due to deteriorating air quality. In the first quarter of 2016, air quality in Shangqiu significantly worsened, with average concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 deteriorating sharply. During an inspection in Henan by the Central Fifth Environmental Protection Inspection Team in 2016, it was pointed out that environmental protection efforts in Shangqiu were lagging, with foul-smelling water bodies, litter everywhere, and a rapid deterioration of air quality.

Shangqiu City has faced controversy over its simplistic and heavy-handed approaches to ecological and environmental governance. In 2016, following the arrival of the Central Environmental Protection Inspection Team in Henan, starting from mid-July, more than 2,500 out of over 3,300 restaurants in Shangqiu were ordered to suspend operations for renovations to control cooking fumes. This included food establishments such as steamed bun shops, steamed bread shops, and noodle shops, sparking dissatisfaction among some citizens and shop owners. Later, a notice from the Shangqiu Municipal Air Joint Meeting Office stated that centralized inspections would be conducted for the fume treatment of previously non-compliant restaurants to ensure normal operations would not be affected. A senior official from the Henan Provincial Environmental Protection Department believed that Shangqiu's approach was somewhat overcorrective and reflected a lack of routine management. According to reports from August 2016, tree roots on both sides of a street in Shangqiu were cemented over to suppress airborne dust. The Shangqiu Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department initially stated that they "attached great importance to the issue and carried out overnight rectifications." However, the Liangyuan District Party Committee Propaganda Department responded the next day, claiming it was a "misinterpretation by netizens." Additionally, a circulated document titled "Shangqiu Liangyuan Industrial Agglomeration Zone Air Pollution Prevention and Control Battle Command" indicated that all enterprises in the Liangyuan Industrial Agglomeration Zone would cease production starting July 27, 2016. The official Weibo account of the Shangqiu Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department stated that the Liangyuan District Government had issued an urgent notice to halt this practice on the same night, and the supervisory department was investigating the improper decision-making. A spokesperson for the Shangqiu Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department said that the notice was issued by the Shangqiu Liangyuan Industrial Agglomeration Zone Air Pollution Prevention and Control Battle Command and that the Liangyuan District Government was unaware of this official document.

Nearly 70% of the trees in Shangqiu are poplar trees, leading to the flying of poplar catkins every April and May, which negatively impacts citizens' travel and daily lives. From 7:00 on May 6 to 7:00 on May 7, 2020, within just 24 hours, the Shangqiu Fire Department received 27 fire alarms, all related to poplar catkins. Poplar catkins have become the leading cause of fires during the spring-summer transition. Large-scale felling of poplar trees would drastically reduce Shangqiu's forest coverage, causing immeasurable losses to ecology and agriculture. Currently, poplar trees within the urban area of Shangqiu are being systematically replaced. In recent years, poplar trees in the city have been felled and replaced while ensuring no reduction in green coverage.

4. Administrative Divisions

Shangqiu City administers 2 municipal districts, 6 counties, and has jurisdiction over 1 county-level city.

• Municipal Districts: Liangyuan District, Suiyang District
• County-level City: Yongcheng City
• Counties: Minquan County, Sui County, Ningling County, Zhecheng County, Yucheng County, Xiayi County

The Shangqiu Economic Development Zone is a provincial-level economic development zone established by Shangqiu City.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|----------------|-------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|----------------------| | 411400 | Shangqiu City | Shāngqiū Shì | 10,703.55 | 7,816,831 | Suiyang District | 476000 | 30 | 97 | 70 | 2 | | 411402 | Liangyuan District| Liángyuán Qū | 692.47 | 946,752 | Pingyuan Subdistrict| 476000 | 11 | 5 | 5 | | | 411403 | Suiyang District | Suīyáng Qū | 964.33 | 912,971 | Xincheng Subdistrict| 476000 | 7 | 9 | 4 | | | 411421 | Minquan County | Mínquán Xiàn | 1,238.17 | 746,389 | Lüzhou Subdistrict | 476800 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 2 | | 411422 | Sui County | Suī Xiàn | 920.31 | 723,771 | Chengjiao Township | 476900 | | 8 | 12 | | | 411423 | Ningling County | Nínglíng Xiàn | 797.05 | 562,657 | Chengguan Hui Town | 476700 | | 7 | 7 | | | 411424 | Zhecheng County | Zhèchéng Xiàn | 1,041.45 | 799,213 | Fenghuang Subdistrict| 476200 | 4 | 9 | 9 | | | 411425 | Yucheng County | Yúchéng Xiàn | 1,543.57 | 972,091 | Chengjiao Township | 476300 | | 11 | 15 | | | 411426 | Xiayi County | Xiàyì Xiàn | 1,485.68 | 896,578 | Chengguan Town | 476400 | | 13 | 11 | | | 411481 | Yongcheng City | Yǒngchéng Shì | 2,020.53 | 1,256,409 | Xuefeng Subdistrict | 476600 | 6 | 24 | 1 | |

5. Economy

In 2019, the GDP of Shangqiu City reached 291.12 billion yuan, an increase of 7.4% compared to 2018. The industrial structure ratio for the three sectors in 2019 was 14.7:41.0:44.3. The city's general public budget revenue in 2019 was 17.171 billion yuan, an increase of 11.7% compared to 2018.

5.1 Agriculture

Shangqiu City is a national core demonstration area for grain production. In 2010, the city's total grain output reached 12.3 billion kilograms. However, the level of mechanization remains relatively low. In 2009, the planting area for vegetable plots was 232,000 mu, and the cultivation area for edible fungi was 4.39 million square meters. The annual processing capacity for meat products and dairy products reached 461,000 tons and 144,000 tons, respectively. By 2008, the total number of large-scale planting plots in the city had developed to 60, with a total scale of 650,000 mu. Six products were recognized as famous brand products in Henan Province, and seven products obtained green food certification. Furthermore, the process of agricultural industrialization has been continuously advancing. Shangqiu City vigorously develops the fine processing industry for agricultural products.

• A cumulative total of 7.65 million mu of high-standard farmland has been constructed.
• There are 219 leading agricultural industrialization enterprises at or above the municipal level.
• A cumulative total of 166 agricultural products have received national-level brand recognition.

5.2 Industry

• Shangqiu City has initially formed an industrial system encompassing coal, electricity, metallurgy, refrigeration, light textiles, food, casting, and chemical industries. Its four advantageous industries are coal and petrochemicals, coal-power-aluminum and aluminum deep processing, deep processing of agricultural and sideline products, and machinery manufacturing.
• The Yongxia Mining Area is one of the national-level planned coal chemical industry bases. A 500,000-ton-per-year methanol project has been put into operation, and the civil engineering for a dimethyl ether project has been completed.
• In 2008, Shangqiu City's total electrolytic aluminum capacity was 900,000 tons per year, with an annual electrolytic aluminum processing capacity of 400,000 tons. The installed power generation capacity was 2.46 million kilowatts, and the annual raw coal production capacity was 16 million tons, forming a coal-power-aluminum-aluminum deep processing industrial chain.
• In 2008, Shangqiu City had 2,112 food processing enterprises of various types, including 166 enterprises above a designated size. Main products include wheat flour, compound feed, alcoholic beverages, dairy products, instant noodles, quick-frozen foods, and frozen meat.
• Shangqiu City planned the construction of 10 industrial agglomeration zones, with a total planned area of 140.8 square kilometers. In 2008, 300 new enterprises with fixed asset investments exceeding 5 million yuan were established, of which 240 were put into operation. All enterprises achieved sales revenue of 20.3 billion yuan.
• Shangqiu City actively implemented reforms and strategic restructuring of state-owned enterprises. Substantial progress was made in the acquisition of Shangqiu Zhenhua Glass Factory by China National Building Material Group Co., Ltd., the joint venture cooperation between Nanjing Yurun Group and Shangqiu Fuyuan Group, and between Shangqiu Yinhe Textile and Shangqiu Jiutian Textile. Strategic restructuring was also implemented between Shenhuo Group and Shangdian Aluminum Group, and between Yongmei Group and Anhua Group.
• A total of 3 enterprises in Shangqiu City were recognized as high-tech enterprises, and 3 products were recognized as high-tech products.
• In 2022, the total annual industrial added value exceeded 100 billion yuan, an increase of 25.6% compared to 2017.
• The number of industrial enterprises above designated size reached 1,796, an increase of 56.9% compared to 2017.

5.3 Service Industry

• Shangqiu City actively cultivates cultural industry brands, focusing on developing local characteristic cultures such as palace lantern making, straw weaving, willow weaving, wood carving, embroidery, paper-cutting, clay sculpture, suona (Chinese horn), and acrobatics. The tiger painting industry in Wanggongzhuang, Minquan County, has gradually grown. Wanggongzhuang is also known as the "First Village of Tiger Painting in China."
• Emerging service industries such as information and logistics in Shangqiu City have developed rapidly. A modern logistics system is gradually being established, and the city has been designated by the provincial government as one of the five logistics hub cities in the province.
• The tourism industry in Shangqiu City has developed rapidly. In 2019, it received a total of 23.4392 million domestic and international tourists, achieving a total tourism revenue of 5.34 billion yuan.
• In 2022, Shangqiu City's express delivery industry ranked 39th nationally.
• In 2022, the added value of the service industry increased by 67.5% compared to 2017, accounting for 43% of the total economic output.

6. Transportation

Shangqiu City is a comprehensive regional transportation hub center for the four provinces of Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu, and Anhui. With railway construction as the main focus and expressways as the backbone, Shangqiu actively develops air and water transport, building a comprehensive land, water, and air transportation system.

6.1 Railway

Shangqiu City is an important railway hub city in China, where the Beijing-Kowloon Railway and the Longhai Railway intersect. Within Shangqiu, the Longhai Railway spans 124.3 kilometers, and the Beijing-Kowloon Railway spans 58.7 kilometers. The Xuzhou-Lanzhou Passenger Dedicated Line and the Shangqiu-Hangzhou Passenger Dedicated Line (Shangqiu–Fuyang–Hefei–Wuhu–Hangzhou) also converge in Shangqiu, making it a high-speed rail hub city.

• Longhai Railway (East to West): Yangji Station, Xiayi County Station, Yucheng County Station, Zhanggezhuang Station, Beidongzha Station, Shangqiu Station, Shangqiu West Station, Xieji Station, Ningling County Station, Minquan Station, Neihuangji Station
• Beijing-Kowloon Railway (North to South): Shangqiu North Station, Shangqiu South Station, Yiyin Station, Mulan Station
• Xuzhou-Lankou Passenger Dedicated Line (East to West): Yongcheng North Station, Shangqiu Station, Minquan North Station
• Shangqiu-Hangzhou Passenger Dedicated Line (North to South): Shangqiu Station, Shangqiu East Station

6.2 Highway

• Expressways: Shangqiu City has a total of 6 expressways: G30 Lianyungang–Khorgas Expressway, Jining–Guangzhou Expressway, Shangqiu–Dengfeng Expressway, Zhengzhou–Minquan Expressway, Shangqiu–Nanyang Expressway, and Yongcheng–Dengfeng Expressway (Yongcheng City to Dengfeng City, Zhengzhou). Shangqiu has formed a ring-city expressway system.
• National Highways: There are 4 national highways within Shangqiu City: National Highway 105, National Highway 310, National Highway 311, and National Highway 343.
• Provincial Highways: There are 12 provincial highways within Shangqiu City, with a total length of 1,234 kilometers. They are:
  • Provincial Highway 201, Provincial Highway 202, Provincial Highway 203, Provincial Highway 206, Provincial Highway 207, Provincial Highway 210, Provincial Highway 214, Provincial Highway 221, Provincial Highway 324, Provincial Highway 325, Provincial Highway 326, Provincial Highway 327.

6.3 Aviation

The Shangqiu Military Airport, located in Guantang Township, Shangqiu City, is being converted into a dual-use military-civilian airport. It is classified as a domestic 4D-level regional civil aviation airport, covering approximately 400 mu. Upon completion, the airport will open multiple routes from Shangqiu to cities such as Beijing, Harbin, Dalian, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xi'an.

6.4 Water Transport

The Tuo-Hui River (Tuo River and Hui River) shipping project has been included in the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" for inland waterway development by the Ministry of Transport and Henan Province. Upon completion, the project will achieve connectivity with Anhui Province, the Yangtze River, and the waterway network of the Yangtze River Delta region.

6.5 Urban Transportation

The city has 6 main arterial roads and 52 operational routes, connecting many counties and cities in the four provinces of Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shandong.

7. Education

7.1 Ancient Education

Shangqiu is a significant birthplace of Chinese educational culture, historically emphasizing scholarship and respecting education, producing numerous renowned figures. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the State of Song had a "State Academy" in its capital and local schools such as "Xiang" and "Xu," making it a major center for culture and education in the Zhou Dynasty. This era saw a hundred schools of thought contend, fostering vibrant intellectual activity. It gave rise to figures like Mo Di, founder of the Mohist school; Zhuang Zhou, one of the founders of the Daoist school; and Hui Shi, a representative of the School of Names. The founder of Confucianism, Confucius, and his successor, Mencius, also lectured here, leaving behind influential works that have been passed down through the ages. Therefore, Shangqiu is the birthplace of the Mohist, Daoist, and School of Names, as well as an important base for Confucianism. By the Han Dynasty, the study of Confucian classics here once again saw a flourishing of diverse scholarly debates. Prince Xiao of Liang constructed the Liang Garden, where figures like Mei Sheng, Zou Yang, Sima Xiangru, and the eminent scholar-official Jia Yi left behind many magnificent literary works. During the Northern Song Dynasty, education in Shangqiu was highly developed, with the Yingtian Academy being the foremost of the four great academies of the time. It was later elevated to the Nanjing Imperial Academy, a status comparable to today's Academy of Social Sciences. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, according to incomplete statistics, nearly 400 individuals from the entire Guide Prefecture passed the imperial examinations to become Jinshi. From 1645 to 1840 in the Qing Dynasty, Sui Prefecture (present-day Sui County) alone produced 204 Juren (provincial graduates) in Henan, ranking second in the province. It is precisely these historical figures and immortal works that have further enriched Shangqiu's historical and cultural heritage, forming the unique cultural characteristics of Shangqiu's tourism.

7.2 Contemporary Education

Shangqiu City currently has 6 regular institutions of higher education, 499 regular secondary schools (including 454 junior high schools and 45 senior high schools), 3,053 primary schools of various types, and 16 vocational secondary schools.

• Higher Education: Shangqiu Normal University (undergraduate), Shangqiu University (undergraduate), Shangqiu Institute of Technology (formerly Shangqiu Vocational College of Science and Technology) (undergraduate), Shangqiu Medical College (medical college), Shangqiu Vocational and Technical College
• Provincial Exemplary Senior High Schools: Shangqiu No. 1 Senior High School, Shangqiu Hui Nationality Senior High School, Shangqiu Overseas Chinese Lianghao Senior High School (i.e., Shangqiu No. 2 Senior High School), Shangqiu No. 4 Senior High School, Xiayi County Senior High School, Yucheng County Senior High School, Zhecheng County Senior High School, Ningling County Senior High School, Sui County Senior High School, Sui County Hui Nationality Senior High School
• Junior High Schools: Shangqiu No. 1 Middle School, Shangqiu No. 6 Middle School, etc.
• Primary Schools: Shangqiu No. 1 Experimental Primary School, Shangqiu Wenhua Road Primary School, Shangqiu Foreign Languages Experimental Primary School, etc.

8. Population

At the end of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 7.73 million. Among them, the urban permanent resident population was 3.696 million, and the rural permanent resident population was 4.034 million. The urbanization rate of the permanent resident population was 47.81%, an increase of 0.6 percentage points from the end of the previous year. The number of births throughout the year was 65,000.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 7,816,831. Compared with the 7,362,975 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was an increase of 453,856 people over the ten years, a growth of 6.16%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.6%. Among them, the male population was 3,886,568, accounting for 49.72% of the total population; the female population was 3,930,263, accounting for 50.28% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 98.89. The population aged 0–14 was 1,986,996, accounting for 25.42% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 4,411,766, accounting for 56.44% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 1,418,069, accounting for 18.14% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 1,095,845, accounting for 14.02% of the total population. The urban population was 3,610,205, accounting for 46.19% of the total population; the rural population was 4,206,626, accounting for 53.81% of the total population.

8.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic population was 7,694,299, accounting for 98.43%; the population of various ethnic minorities was 122,532, accounting for 1.57%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic population increased by 449,482, a growth of 6.2%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.04 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 4,374, a growth of 3.7%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.04 percentage points.

Shangqiu City comprises 33 ethnic groups. The vast majority of residents are of Han ethnicity, with 32 other ethnic minorities including Hui, Manchu, Miao, Li, Zhuang, Yi, Bai, Yao, and Korean.

9. Religion

Shangqiu City is home to five major religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Islam. Many temples have now become tourist attractions in Shangqiu.

10. Culture

10.1 Dialect

The Shangqiu dialect belongs to the Shangfu subgroup of the Central Plains Mandarin. It shares many similarities with the Kaifeng and Xuzhou dialects, which also belong to Central Plains Mandarin, but there are also differences. There is a certain variation between the dialects spoken in eastern and western Shangqiu.

10.2 Local Opera

Sipingdiao is a local opera of Shangqiu, which developed in the late 1940s from Huagu (flower drum) performances, with its origins in storytelling and singing music. Today, there is a Sipingdiao opera troupe in Shangqiu City.

10.3 Local Specialties

Local specialties of Shangqiu City include Linhe Daqu liquor, Lanpai beer, Mandarin Duck Rotating Fragrance Pot, Song embroidery, Hu celery, Yucheng small-milled sesame oil, Zhecheng tobacco leaves, crispy fermented bean curd, Zhe silk, Minquan dry red wine, Zhanggong liquor, Sui liquor, goat hide, white sugar fermented bean curd, Jiazhai five-spice dried tofu, Yingpan boiled mutton, Huilou yam, Golden Summit Xiehua crispy pear, Yucheng carved porcelain, Minquan tribute sesame twist, Yucheng Red Fuji apple, Meng's roast chicken, Duozi mutton, Mairen donkey meat, Xiangjun pumpkin seeds, amber winter melon, crab roe with fish maw, Emperor Yan pigeon, Li Bai's drunken perch, and gingko stir-fried lily.

10.4 Cuisine

The vast majority of Shangqiu residents primarily consume wheat-based foods as their staple. Local snacks in Shangqiu are also quite distinctive, with the town of Huiting in Xiayi County offering the greatest variety.

11. Sister Cities

• Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
• Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
• Chuzhou City, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China

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