Zibo (淄博)

1. Introduction

Zibo City, abbreviated as Zi, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Shandong Province, People's Republic of China. It is recognized by the State Council as a relatively large city and is located in the central part of Shandong Province. The city borders Jinan to the west, Tai'an to the southwest, Linyi to the south, Weifang to the east, and Binzhou and Dongying to the north. Situated at the transition zone between the Shandong Hills and the North China Plain, the terrain is higher in the south and lower in the north, with Mount Lu located in the southern region. The main rivers within the city are tributaries on the right bank of the Xiaoqing River and branches of the Yi River, including the Zi River, Xiaofu River, and Wu River. The People's Government of Zibo City is located at No. 8 Renmin West Road, Zhangdian District.

Zibo serves as a crucial gateway connecting the Central Plains and the Shandong Peninsula. It is an important transportation hub in Shandong Province and is also known as the "Ancient Capital of the State of Qi," the "Capital of Ceramics," a petrochemical base, a National Civilized City, and the birthplace of football. Zibo City has a long history, with Linzi District being the cradle of Qi culture and often referred to as the "Ancient Rome of the East." "Zibo Barbecue" has become a new symbol of the city, and the Zibo Barbecue Festival is held annually around May Day. The name "Zibo" originated in the early 1920s, originally derived from the combination of Zichuan and Boshan.

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2. History

The area now under the jurisdiction of Zibo City has a long history of human activity. During the Neolithic Age, it was home to the Beixin, Dawenkou, and Longshan cultures. In the Xia and Shang dynasties, ancient states such as Shuangjushi and Bogu existed here. During the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn, and Warring States periods, the area belonged to the State of Qi. Linzi, the capital of Qi, was exceptionally prosperous, described as a place where "sleeves could form shade and sweat could fall like rain."

Since the Qin dynasty, the administrative affiliation of the present-day Zibo area has continuously changed, but for a long time, it did not form a unified county-level administrative region. From the Qin dynasty to the early Han dynasty, it belonged to the Qi Commandery (Kingdom). From the mid-to-late Western Han dynasty until the Western Jin dynasty, it was divided between the Qi Commandery and Jinan Commandery. During the Sui dynasty, it was split between the Qi Commandery and Beihai Commandery. In the Tang and Song dynasties, it was divided between Qingzhou and Zizhou. During the Yuan dynasty, it was part of Panyang Circuit and Yidu Circuit. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, most of the area belonged to Jinan Prefecture and Qingzhou Prefecture, with smaller parts under Wuding Prefecture and Yizhou Prefecture. Long-established and stable counties included Linzi County, Zichuan County, Xincheng County, and Boshan County.

The name "Zibo" as a regional designation emerged in the early 1920s, originally a combination of "Zichuan" and "Boshan." In August 1945, the Zibo Special Administrative Region was established, with a Commissioner's Office, under the Central Shandong Administrative Region. This marked the beginning of "Zibo" as an administrative name. It was abolished in September. Re-established in January 1946, it was abolished again in July. In March 1948, the entire Zibo area was liberated, and the Zibo Special Administrative Region was re-established in August, under the South Central Shandong Administrative Region. In July 1949, the Zibo Industrial and Mining Special Administrative Region was established. In May 1950, the Zibo Administrative District was formed. In 1953, it was renamed the Zibo Industrial and Mining Special Administrative Region. In March 1955, the provincial-level Zibo City was established. In January 1959, the Zibo Administrative District was created, with Zibo City becoming a city under the district, governing four districts: Boshan, Zhangdian, Zichuan, and Zhoucun. In January 1961, the Zibo Administrative District was abolished, and Zibo City was restored as a provincial-level city, still governing the original four districts. In January 1970, Linzi County was abolished and established as a district, incorporated into Zibo City. In October 1983, Huantai County was transferred to Zibo City. In January 1990, Yiyuan and Gaoqing counties were transferred to Zibo City. By this point, Zibo City governed five districts—Zhangdian, Boshan, Zhoucun, Zichuan, and Linzi—and three counties—Huantai, Yiyuan, and Gaoqing. It became the third provincial-level city (prefecture-level city) in Shandong after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

On December 2, 1989, Zibo City governed five districts (Zhangdian, Zichuan, Boshan, Zhoucun, Linzi) and one county (Huantai), covering an area of 3,471 square kilometers with a population of 2.87 million. It was one of the foreign economic open cities on the Shandong Peninsula approved by the State Council. At that time, Gaoqing County from the Huimin Prefecture and Yiyuan County from the Linyi Prefecture were transferred to Zibo City's jurisdiction. The main reason for this administrative adjustment was the construction of the Yellow River Water Diversion Project to Zibo in Gaoqing County, scheduled to begin in March 1990.

3. Geography

Average Meteorological Data of Zibo City from 1981 to 2010

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |---------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| | Average High (°C / °F) | 4.0 (39.2) | 7.7 (45.9) | 13.7 (56.7) | 21.5 (70.7) | 27.0 (80.6) | 31.8 (89.2) | 32.3 (90.1) | 30.9 (87.6) | 27.6 (81.7) | 21.5 (70.7) | 13.1 (55.6) | 6.1 (43.0) | 19.8 (67.6) | | Daily Mean (°C / °F) | -1.3 (35.4) | 1.9 (45.9) | 7.7 (45.9) | 15.3 (59.5) | 21.0 (69.8) | 26.0 (78.8) | 27.5 (81.5) | 26.1 (79.0) | 21.7 (71.1) | 15.5 (59.9) | 7.5 (45.5) | 0.9 (33.6) | 14.2 (57.5) | | Average Low (°C / °F) | -5.5 (27.1) | -2.7 (36.5) | 2.5 (49.3) | 9.6 (59.5) | 15.3 (59.5) | 20.5 (68.9) | 23.1 (73.6) | 22.0 (71.6) | 16.9 (62.4) | 10.6 (51.1) | 3.0 (37.4) | -3.0 (26.6) | 9.4 (48.8) | | Average Precipitation (mm / inches) | 5.8 (0.23) | 10.1 (0.40) | 15.2 (0.60) | 25.5 (1.00) | 58.2 (2.29) | 69.4 (2.73) | 149.6 (5.89) | 153.7 (6.05) | 57.3 (2.26) | 31.7 (1.25) | 18.8 (0.74) | 7.9 (0.31) | 603.2 (23.75) | | Average Relative Humidity (%) | 58 | 54 | 51 | 51 | 57 | 57 | 72 | 76 | 67 | 62 | 61 | 60 | 61 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Zibo City currently administers 5 municipal districts and 3 counties.

• Municipal Districts: Zichuan District, Zhangdian District, Boshan District, Linzi District, Zhoucun District
• Counties: Huantai County, Gaoqing County, Yiyuan County

In addition to the formal administrative divisions, Zibo City has also established the following economic functional zones: the National Zibo High-Tech Industrial Development Zone and the Shandong Province Wenchang Lake Tourism Resort.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | |-------------------|-------------------|--------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------| | 370300 | Zibo City | Zibo Shi | 5,964.92 | 4,704,138 | Zhangdian District | 255039 | 31 | 57 | | 370302 | Zichuan District | Zichuan Qu | 960.06 | 614,158 | Banyang Road Subdistrict | 255100 | 4 | 9 | | 370303 | Zhangdian District | Zhangdian Qu | 360.27 | 1,313,777 | Mashang Subdistrict | 255022 | 8 | 5 | | 370304 | Boshan District | Boshan Qu | 698.11 | 410,643 | Chengdong Subdistrict | 255200 | 3 | 7 | | 370305 | Linzi District | Linzi Qu | 663.68 | 649,160 | Jixia Subdistrict | 255400 | 5 | 7 | | 370306 | Zhoucun District | Zhoucun Qu | 307.29 | 398,733 | Qingnian Road Subdistrict | 255300 | 5 | 5 | | 370321 | Huantai County | Huantai Xian | 508.97 | 489,479 | Suozhen Subdistrict | 256400 | 2 | 7 | | 370322 | Gaoqing County | Gaoqing Xian | 830.74 | 313,130 | Tianzhen Subdistrict | 256300 | 2 | 7 | | 370323 | Yiyuan County | Yiyuan Xian | 1,635.80 | 515,058 | Lishan Subdistrict | 256100 | 2 | 10 |

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5. Transportation

Zibo is one of the transportation hubs in Shandong Province, located in the central section of the Jiaozhou-Jinan Railway. The total length of railways within the city exceeds 550 kilometers, with 15 branch lines connecting to various regions across the country. The G20 Qingdao-Yinchuan Expressway runs east-west through the area, while the Binlai Expressway connects the north and south within the city. To the west, it is only 70 kilometers away from Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport. The city has established the "Central Shandong Airport Terminal," which provides services such as ticket sales, luggage check-in, and boarding pass issuance for flights departing from Jinan Airport. Airport shuttle buses to and from Jinan Airport run directly to the city center. The main passenger railway stations are Zibo Station, Zibo North Station, and Linzi North Station. Among them, Zibo North Station and Linzi North Station are stations on the Jinan-Qingdao High-Speed Railway, where passengers can use services such as the Railway e-Card, trip-based tickets, and periodic tickets.

Additionally, Zibo is undertaking the Zhangdian-Boshan Railway renovation project, with plans to operate high-frequency, metro-like train services. Local media, such as the Zibo Evening News, refer to this as "Zibo Urban Rail Transit."

• National Highways 233, 205, 308, 309, and 341 pass through the city.

6. Education

Zibo City took the lead nationwide in proposing and implementing the strategy of "Revitalizing the City through Science and Education" in 1987. It is one of China's first pilot cities for this strategy, a national experimental city for continuing education for primary and secondary school teachers, and a national experimental city for information technology education in primary and secondary schools. The city has over 1,800 schools of various types and levels, with a total student enrollment exceeding 800,000. Among these, there are 12 full-time regular institutions of higher education, with 85,000 students enrolled, and over 240 secondary schools, with more than 280,000 students enrolled.

6.1 Graduate Schools

• Shandong University of Technology Graduate School
• Qingdao University of Science and Technology Graduate School Zibo Branch
• Tianjin University Graduate School Zibo Branch

6.2 Undergraduate Institutions

• Shandong University of Technology
• Qilu Medical University
• Qingdao University of Science and Technology (Zibo Industry-Education Integration Demonstration Base)
• Shandong University of Arts (Zibo Campus)
• Shandong University of Arts Zibo Ceramics College
• Shandong Agricultural Engineering University (Zibo Science and Education Park)

6.3 Vocational Colleges

• Zibo Normal College
• Zibo Vocational Institute
• Zibo Vocational Institute Lausanne Hotel Management College
• Shandong Light Industry Vocational College
• Shandong Industrial Vocational College
• Shandong Aluminum Industry Vocational College (Zibo Campus)
• Shandong Drug and Food Vocational College (Zibo Campus)

6.4 Municipal Provincial Key High Schools

• Zibo Experimental High School
• Shandong Zibo No.1 High School
• Shandong Zibo No.5 High School
• Shandong Zibo No.6 High School
• Shandong Huantai No.1 High School (Dual Management by County and City)

6.5 Other Municipal High Schools

• Zibo High School
• Zibo Experimental High School Education Group Qisheng Senior High School
• Zibo No.2 High School
• Zibo No.3 High School
• Zibo No.4 High School
• Zibo No.7 High School
• Zibo No.10 High School
• Zibo No.11 High School
• Zibo No.15 High School
• Zibo No.17 High School
• Zibo No.18 High School
• Shandong Yiyuan No.1 High School (Dual Management by County and City)
• Shandong Gaoqing No.1 High School (Dual Management by County and City)

7. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population is 4,704,138. Compared with the 4,530,597 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was an increase of 173,541 people over the past ten years, representing a growth of 3.83%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.38%. Among them, the male population is 2,362,283, accounting for 50.22% of the total population; the female population is 2,341,855, accounting for 49.78% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) is 100.87. The population aged 0–14 is 700,495, accounting for 14.89% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 is 2,910,484, accounting for 61.87% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above is 1,093,159, accounting for 23.24% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above is 775,957, accounting for 16.5% of the total population. The urban population is 3,493,664, accounting for 74.27% of the total population; the rural population is 1,210,474, accounting for 25.73% of the total population.

7.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group comprises 4,674,726 people, accounting for 99.37%; various ethnic minorities comprise 29,412 people, accounting for 0.63%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han population increased by 168,702 people, a growth of 3.74%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.08 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 4,839 people, a growth of 19.69%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.08 percentage points.

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8. International Sister Cities

• Erie, United States
• La Roche-sur-Yon, France
• Kamo, Japan
• Veliky Novgorod, Russia
• Batumi, Georgia
• Vigan, Philippines
• Newcastle, South Africa
• Gwangju, South Korea
• Bergamo, Italy
• São José dos Pinhais, Brazil
• Bratsk, Russia
• Bournemouth, United Kingdom

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Formed by combining the first characters of Zichuan County and Boshan County.

Zhangdian District

Zhangdian District

Han Chinese population accounts for 99.37%; ethnic minorities account for 0.63%

Sophora japonica, Platanus orientalis

Rose