Qinhuangdao (秦皇岛)

1. Introduction

Qinhuangdao City, abbreviated as Qin, formerly known as Linyu, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hebei Province, People's Republic of China. It is located in the northeastern part of Hebei Province, bordering Tangshan City to the southwest, Chengde City to the northwest, Chaoyang City and Huludao City of Liaoning Province to the northeast, and facing the Bohai Bay to the southeast. The city lies in the transitional zone between the hilly area of the Yanshan Mountains and the piedmont plain, with terrain higher in the north and lower in the south. The Luan River, Qinglong River, and Dai River all flow through the city and empty into the Bohai Bay. The People's Government of Qinhuangdao is located at No. 1, Cuidao Street, Haigang District. Qinhuangdao is one of the important cities along the Beijing-Harbin Railway, a coastal open city, a significant foreign trade port in northern China, and a national Class A tourist city approved by the State Council. The famous scenic areas Shanhaiguan and Beidaihe are located here.

2. Name

It is commonly said that the name originated from the First Emperor of Qin's search for immortality, during which he once stayed here.

Another legend holds that when Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty campaigned against Goguryeo, he also stayed here. Before the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Emperor Taizong had been the Prince of Qin, hence the name "Qinwang Island" (Prince of Qin Island), also known as "Qinhuang Island" (Qin Emperor Island).

3. History

During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, this area was the central region of the Guzhu State. In the Spring and Autumn period, after Jin conquered the Fei State, the Feizi (lord of Fei) fled to the Yan State, where he was granted this land by Yan to establish the Feizi State. During the Warring States period, the area belonged to Yan's Liaoxi Commandery. In the Qin and Han dynasties, it was a crucial route for imperial eastern tours and a strategic passage for military campaigns. During his fourth eastern tour, Emperor Qin Shi Huang arrived at Jieshi and had an inscription carved on the Jieshi Gate. He also dispatched the Fangshi (masters of esoterica) Lu Sheng, Han Zhong, Hou Gong, and Shi Sheng, all from Yan, to sail out to sea in search of immortals and the elixir of immortality, which is how Qinhuangdao got its name. Emperor Wu of Han toured east to view the sea, built the Hanwu Terrace at Jieshi, and launched a military campaign from here against the Wiman Joseon dynasty of Korea, using Jinshanzui in Beidaihe as a granary city. Cao Cao, leading his troops north to campaign against the Wuhuan, passed along the coast of the Bohai Sea, gazed upon Jieshi, and composed the poem "Viewing the Vast Sea."

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, this was a strategic location for defending against the Turks and Khitans from beyond the passes. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang appointed Shi Siming as the Prefect of Pingzhou and concurrently as the Commander of the Lulong Army. During the Yuan dynasty, Kublai Khan established the Pingluan Route of the Zhongshu Sheng here, which was later changed to Yongping Prefecture. The Ming dynasty established a salt administration office here. In 1381, Emperor Taizu of Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang, dispatched the founding hero, Zhongshan Prince Xu Da, to oversee the construction of the Shanhaiguan fortress city. The 1535 Ming Jiajing edition of the "Shanhaiguan Gazetteer" first records this place name: "Qinhuangdao, 25 li southwest of the city, and extending 1 li into the sea." In 1644, the Ming dynasty collapsed. Li Zicheng led over 40,000 troops to Shanhaiguan to attack Wu Sangui. The Ming garrison commander Wu Sangui surrendered to Dorgon, opened the gates, and led 150,000 Qing troops into a major battle against Li Zicheng. This was the "Jiashen Shanhaiguan Shihe Battle," which altered the fate of Chinese history. After three days of fierce fighting, the peasant army, outnumbered, was defeated and retreated to Lulong County (within Yongping Prefecture). They regrouped and fought again but were heavily defeated. Li Zicheng fled back to the capital. The Qing dynasty thus entered and took control of the Central Plains.

During the Qing dynasty's rule, Linyu County was established at Shanhaiguan. In 1898, the Port of Qinhuangdao opened for shipping, and the Tianjin-Linyu (Jinyu) Railway was completed. In the same year, the Qing government officially opened Beidaihe as a "summer resort for people of all nations." After the port opened, sediment was gradually dredged, connecting the island to the mainland.

In the early Republic of China period, Qinhuangdao belonged to the Bohai Circuit of Zhili Province. Foreign military personnel, priests, pastors, etc., began to enter the Qinhuangdao area.

In April 1948, the CPC Jidong District Committee established the CPC Qinyu Work Committee, with Wang Mingde as secretary, which included work groups for Linyu and Qinhuangdao. In November 1948, a reception leadership team was formed with Wang Shiyu as the municipal Party secretary and Wang Zhifan as the mayor. From November 23 to 26, 1948, the 87th Army stationed at Shanhaiguan, and the 86th and 53rd Armies stationed at Qinhuangdao withdrew. On November 27, over 2,000 personnel from the 8th Regiment and another guard battalion of the 13th Sub-district of the Jicha-Re-Liao Military Region of the People's Liberation Army entered Qinhuangdao. Qinhuangdao and Shanhaiguan were merged to establish Qinyu City. On December 2, 1948, the Qinyu City Military Control Commission was established, with Tian Xingyun as Chairman, and Wang Shiyu (Municipal Party Secretary), Li Xuerui (Commander of the Jidong 13th Military Sub-district and Qinyu City Garrison Commander), and Wang Zhifan (first Mayor) as Deputy Chairmen. On March 22, 1949, as the Jidong Administrative Region was transferred from the Northeast Administrative Committee to the North China People's Government, Qinyu City was split. The former Shanhaiguan City under Qinyu's jurisdiction was transferred to Liaoxi Province in the Northeast. The Haibin District and Shangzhuangtuo Mining Area were established as Qinhuangdao City. The Qinyu City Military Control Commission was renamed the Qinhuangdao City Military Control Commission, with Wang Shiyu as Chairman, and Li Xuerui and Wang Zhifan as Deputy Chairmen. In August 1949, Hebei Province was established, the Jidong Administrative Region was dissolved, and Qinhuangdao City became a province-administered city of Hebei Province. In November 1952, Liaoxi Province was abolished, and Shanhaiguan was incorporated into Qinhuangdao City.

At 03:42:53.8 Beijing Time on July 28, 1976, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Tangshan City, causing some damage in Qinhuangdao and Tianjin.

In 1984, Qinhuangdao became one of China's first batch of coastal open cities. As a co-host city for the Beijing 2008 Olympics, Qinhuangdao successfully hosted Olympic events.

4. Geography

Qinhuangdao City is located in the northeastern part of Hebei Province, between 39°24′ and 40°37′ north latitude, and 118°33′ and 119°51′ east longitude. It faces the Bohai Sea to the south, is backed by the Yanshan Mountains to the north, borders Huludao City of Liaoning Province to the east, and neighbors Tangshan and Chengde cities to the west. It is approximately 280 kilometers from the capital, Beijing. The terrain of the city is higher in the north and lower in the south.

Qinhuangdao City has a semi-humid temperate monsoon climate, characterized by cold winters and relatively hot summers. The annual average temperature is 10.6°C. The average temperature of the hottest month (July) is 24.7°C, while that of the coldest month (January) is -5.6°C. The annual precipitation is 601.9 mm, and the annual sunshine duration is 2513.6 hours. | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual | |-----------------|-----------|-----------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|-----------|-----------|------------|------------| | Avg. High °C | 0.1 | 2.9 | 9.2 | 16.4 | 22.4 | 25.5 | 28.3 | 28.5 | 25.3 | 18.6 | 9.7 | 2.3 | 15.8 | | Avg. High °F | 32.2 | 37.2 | 48.6 | 61.5 | 72.3 | 77.9 | 82.9 | 83.3 | 77.5 | 65.5 | 49.5 | 36.1 | 60.4 | | Daily Mean °C | -5.6 | -2.7 | 3.7 | 11.0 | 17.3 | 21.3 | 24.7 | 24.4 | 19.8 | 12.4 | 3.9 | -3.1 | 10.6 | | Daily Mean °F | 21.9 | 27.1 | 38.7 | 51.8 | 63.1 | 70.3 | 76.5 | 75.9 | 67.6 | 54.3 | 39.0 | 26.4 | 51.0 | | Avg. Low °C | -10.6 | -7.5 | -1.3 | 6.1 | 12.3 | 17.5 | 21.5 | 20.6 | 14.8 | 6.9 | -1.0 | -7.7 | 6.0 | | Avg. Low °F | 12.9 | 18.5 | 29.7 | 43.0 | 54.1 | 63.5 | 70.7 | 69.1 | 58.6 | 44.4 | 30.2 | 18.1 | 42.8 | | Record Low °C | -20.8 | -17.0 | -12.5 | -5.0 | 3.0 | 9.9 | 14.3 | 13.1 | 4.4 | -2.8 | -11.8 | -16.4 | -20.8 | | Record Low °F | -5.4 | 1.4 | 9.5 | 23.0 | 37.4 | 49.8 | 57.7 | 55.6 | 39.9 | 27.0 | 10.8 | 2.5 | -5.4 | | Avg. Precip. mm | 2.6 | 4.3 | 7.9 | 24.4 | 47.6 | 86.3 | 171.2 | 163.9 | 47.0 | 28.1 | 15.0 | 3.6 | 601.9 | | Avg. Precip. in | 0.10 | 0.17 | 0.31 | 0.96 | 1.87 | 3.40 | 6.74 | 6.45 | 1.85 | 1.11 | 0.59 | 0.14 | 23.69 | | Avg. Precip. Days | 1.6 | 2.1 | 2.9 | 5.4 | 6.9 | 10.1 | 11.3 | 9.3 | 6.6 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 2.0 | 66.7 |

5. Administrative Divisions

Qinhuangdao City currently administers 4 municipal districts, 2 counties, and 1 autonomous county:

• Municipal Districts: Haigang District, Shanhaiguan District, Beidaihe District, Funing District
• Counties: Changli County, Lulong County
• Autonomous County: Qinglong Manchu Autonomous County Additionally, Qinhuangdao City has the national-level Qinhuangdao Economic and Technological Development Zone.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (End of 2018) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | |-------------------|---------------------------|----------------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------| | 130300 | Qinhuangdao City | Qínhuángdǎo Shì | 7,802.93 | 3,134,200 | Haigang District | 066000 | 23 | 50 | 25 | | 130302 | Haigang District | Hǎigǎng Qū | 718.14 | 1,000,822 | Jianshedajie Subdistrict | 066000 | 13 | 8 | | | 130303 | Shanhaiguan District | Shānhǎiguān Qū | 193.50 | 150,500 | Lunan Subdistrict | 066200 | 5 | 3 | 1 | | 130304 | Beidaihe District | Běidàihé Qū | 162.89 | 121,950 | Xishan Subdistrict | 066100 | 2 | 3 | | | 130306 | Funing District | Fǔníng Qū | 1,057.00 | 407,442 | Funing Town | 066300 | 2 | 5 | 2 | | 130321 | Qinglong Manchu Autonomous County | Qīnglóng Mǎnzú Zìzhìxiàn | 3,505.58 | 506,615 | Qinglong Town | 066500 | 1 | 11 | 14 | | 130322 | Changli County | Chānglí Xiàn | 1,210.00 | 541,163 | Changli Town | 066600 | 11 | 5 | | | 130324 | Lulong County | Lúlóng Xiàn | 955.83 | 405,708 | Lulong Town | 066400 | 9 | 3 | |

6. Economy

The main industries include glass manufacturing, shipbuilding, metallurgy, and automotive parts.

7. Transportation

• Qinhuangdao Railway Station is a station along the Beijing–Harbin Railway, Datong–Qinhuangdao Railway, and Tianjin–Shanhaiguan Railway. It is the starting point of China's first rapid passenger-dedicated line—the Qinhuangdao–Shenyang Passenger-Dedicated Line, which officially began operation on October 12, 2003. In December 2013, the Tianjin–Qinhuangdao Passenger-Dedicated Line also commenced operations.
• Beidaihe Railway Station is also a station along the Beijing–Harbin Railway and the Tianjin–Qinhuangdao Passenger-Dedicated Line.
• The 0-kilometer starting point of National Highway 205.
• National Highway 228 passes through the area.
• Qinhuangdao Beidaihe Airport is located in Changli County and officially opened on March 31, 2016. It operates flights to and from Shijiazhuang, Shanghai, Chongqing, Harbin, Guangzhou, and Ordos.
• Qinhuangdao Port is China's largest energy export port, one of the main ports for transporting coal from Shanxi Province, and a natural ice-free harbor.

8. Education

8.1 Higher Education

• Yanshan University
• Northeastern University at Qinhuangdao
• Hebei Normal University of Science & Technology
• Ocean College of Hebei Agricultural University (Qinhuangdao Campus)
• Northeast Petroleum University at Qinhuangdao
• North China University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao Branch (Qinhuangdao Health School)
• Liren College of Yanshan University
• Euro-American College of Hebei Normal University of Science & Technology
• Hebei Vocational College of Foreign Languages
• Hebei Vocational & Technical College of Building Materials
• Qinhuangdao Vocational and Technical College
• China Environmental Management College of Cadres
• China Customs Management College of Cadres

8.2 Secondary Education

• Qinhuangdao No.1 High School
• Funing District No.1 High School
• Qinhuangdao Experimental High School (Hebei Qinhuangdao Foreign Language School)
• Shanhaiguan District No.1 High School
• The Affiliated High School of Yanshan University
• New Century Senior High School
• Qinhuangdao No.3 High School
• Qinhuangdao No.5 High School
• Qinhuangdao No.7 High School
• Qinhuangdao Economic & Technological Development Zone No.1 High School
• Qinhuangdao No.16 High School

9. Population

According to the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the city's permanent resident population was 2,987,605. Compared with the Fifth National Population Census, the population increased by 202,580 over the ten-year period, a growth of 7.27%. The average annual growth rate was 0.70%. Among them, the male population was 1,516,194, accounting for 50.75%; the female population was 1,471,411, accounting for 49.25%. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 103.04. The population aged 0–14 was 425,790, accounting for 14.25%; the population aged 15–64 was 2,279,262, accounting for 76.29%; and the population aged 65 and above was 282,553, accounting for 9.46%.

According to the 2020 Seventh National Population Census, the city's permanent resident population was 3,136,879. Compared with the 2,987,605 from the Sixth National Population Census, the population increased by 149,274 over the ten-year period, a growth of 5%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.49%. Among them, the male population was 1,582,129, accounting for 50.44% of the total population; the female population was 1,554,750, accounting for 49.56% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 101.76. The population aged 0–14 was 475,914, accounting for 15.17% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 1,928,327, accounting for 61.47% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 732,638, accounting for 23.36% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 509,121, accounting for 16.23% of the total population. The urban resident population was 2,006,711, accounting for 63.97% of the total population; the rural resident population was 1,130,168, accounting for 36.03% of the total population.

At the end of 2022, the city's total permanent resident population was 3.0981 million, a decrease of 36,200 from the end of the previous year. Among them, the urban permanent resident population was 2.0283 million, a decrease of 7,400 from the end of the previous year; the proportion of the urban population (urbanization rate of permanent residents) was 65.47%, an increase of 0.52 percentage points from the end of the previous year.

9.1. Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 2,645,242, accounting for 84.33%; the combined population of various ethnic minorities was 491,637, accounting for 15.67%. Among these, the Manchu population was 464,296, accounting for 14.8%; the Mongolian population was 6,751, accounting for 0.22%; and the Hui population was 9,230, accounting for 0.29%. Compared with the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the Han population increased by 131,026, a growth of 5.21%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.17 percentage points; the combined population of ethnic minorities increased by 18,248, a growth of 3.85%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.17 percentage points. Among these, the Manchu population increased by 13,123, a growth of 2.91%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.3 percentage points; the Mongolian population increased by 2,469, a growth of 57.66%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.07 percentage points; the Hui population decreased by 240, a decline of 2.53%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.02 percentage points.

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10. Culture

10.1 National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

The Great Wall—Shanhaiguan Pass Site of the Qin Dynasty Temporary Palace in Beidaihe Yuan Ying Temple Pagoda The Great Wall—Jiumenkou Dafoding Zunsheng Tuoluoni Sutra Pillar Site of the Eight-Nation Alliance Military Camp at Shanhaiguan Modern Architectural Complex in Beidaihe Site of the Banchangyu Kiln Cluster City Wall of Yongping Prefecture Modern Architectural Complex of Qinhuangdao Port Site of the Yaohua Glass Factory

10.2 Tourism

Famous tourist destinations include Beidaihe, Nandaihe, the Golden Coast in Changli, the "First Pass Under Heaven" Shanhaiguan, and the Zushan Natural Scenic Area in Qinglong Manchu Autonomous County.

Well-known tourist attractions include: the First Pass Under Heaven, Old Dragon's Head, Meng Jiangnu Temple, Jiao Mountain, Dove's Nest, Tiger Rock, Lianfeng Mountain, the Aquarium, Feicui (Jadeite) Island, the Chinese Dream Monument, and the site of the Qin Shi Huang Eastern Inspection Temporary Palace in Beidaihe.

Qinhuangdao Wildlife Park opened in 1995 and is the second-largest wildlife park in China.

11. Sister Cities

11.1 Sister Cities

• Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, Japan (May 7, 1981)
• Toledo, Ohio, USA (October 28, 1985)
• Pesaro, Marche, Italy (November 7, 1985)
• Tomakomai City, Hokkaido, Japan (September 1, 1998)
• Guri City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea (May 18, 2021)

11.2 Friendship Exchange Cities

• Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan (July 6, 1987)
• East London, Buffalo City, South Africa (June 10, 1999)
• Pyeongtaek City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea (July 7, 2000)
• Seogwipo City, Jeju Province, South Korea (July 7, 2009)
• Gangdong District, Seoul Special City, South Korea (April 23, 2001)
• Lugo, Galicia, Spain (June 23, 2008)
• Honolulu, Hawaii, USA (June 18, 2009)
• Redland City, Queensland, Australia (September 21, 2009)
• Terrace, British Columbia, Canada (December 1, 2015)

11.3 Domestic Sister Cities

• Xingtai City, Hebei Province
• Huludao City, Liaoning Province
• Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province
• Bohu County (Haigang District), Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (February 26, 2022)

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It was named after Emperor Qin Shi Huang's inspection tour to this place.

Haigang District

Haigang District

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Jujube Locust

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