Ziyang (资阳)

1. Introduction

Ziyang City is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China, located in the central-eastern part of Sichuan. The city borders Chongqing Municipality to the east, Neijiang City to the south, Chengdu City and Meishan City to the west, and Deyang City and Suining City to the north. Situated in the hilly region of central Sichuan Basin, the Tuo River flows through the urban area from north to south. The city covers a total area of 5,747 square kilometers, with a total population of 2.541 million. The municipal people's government is located in Yanjiang District. Ziyang has a well-developed agricultural sector and is an important production area for pork and peanuts in the province.

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2. History

During the pre-Qin period, the present-day Ziyang area belonged to the State of Shu. After the Qin conquest of Ba and Shu, Ziyang gradually came under the influence of the Qin state and was incorporated into the Shu Commandery. In the sixth year of the Jianyuan era of the Western Han Dynasty (135 BCE), Zizhong County was established, with its seat in what is now the urban area of Ziyang City, and it was placed under the jurisdiction of Qianwei Commandery. The Liang dynasty of the Southern Dynasties abolished Zizhong County. In the second year of the Wucheng era of the Northern Zhou Dynasty (560 CE), Ziyang County was established in the former Zizhong County area, and Zizhong Commandery was also established, with the seat of Zizhou moved there. According to the Old Book of Tang: Treatise on Geography, Ziyang County was "located on the north bank of the Zishui River (now the Tuo River)."

At the beginning of the Sui dynasty's Kaihuang era, Zizhong Commandery was abolished. In the seventh year of the Kaihuang era (587 CE), the seat of Zizhou was moved to Panshi County (present-day Zizhong County). At the beginning of the Daye era, Ziyang Commandery was established, and Ziyang County was placed under its jurisdiction. During the Tang dynasty, it belonged to Zizhou. This arrangement continued into the Northern Song dynasty. At the beginning of the Chunyou era of the Southern Song dynasty, Ziyang County was abolished. In the sixth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty (1373 CE), Ziyang County was reestablished, but in the tenth year of the Hongwu era (1377 CE), it was merged into Jianzhou. It was reestablished again in the first year of the Chenghua era (1465 CE). In the early Qing dynasty, Ziyang County belonged to Chengdu Prefecture. In the fifth year of the Yongzheng era (1727 CE), it was transferred to Zizhou, a directly administered prefecture. In the second year of the Republic of China (1913 CE), the prefecture system was abolished, and Ziyang County was placed under the Lower Southern Sichuan Circuit, which was renamed the Yongning Circuit the following year. The circuit system was abolished in 1928. In the 24th year of the Republic of China (1935 CE), Ziyang County was placed under the Second Administrative Inspectorate District of Sichuan Province.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Zizhong Special District was established, which was part of the Southern Sichuan Administrative Region. In 1950, it was renamed the Neijiang Special District. In 1952, the Neijiang Special District came under the leadership of Sichuan Province. In 1968, the Neijiang Special District was renamed the Neijiang Region. In 1985, the Neijiang Region was abolished and replaced by Neijiang City, with Ziyang County under its jurisdiction. In January 1993, Ziyang County was abolished and replaced by the county-level Ziyang City, which remained under the administration of Neijiang City. In February 1998, the Ziyang Region was separated from Neijiang City, with its administrative office located in Ziyang City, governing Anyue County, Lezhi County, and Jianyang City. In June 2000, the Ziyang Region was abolished and replaced by the prefecture-level Ziyang City; the former county-level Ziyang City was reorganized into Yanjiang District. Ziyang City governed Anyue County and Lezhi County and administered Jianyang City on its behalf. In May 2016, the State Council of the People's Republic of China approved the separation of Jianyang City from Ziyang, placing it under the administration of Chengdu City.

3. Geography

Located in the central-western part of the Sichuan Basin, on the western section of the Chengdu-Chongqing Expressway, it is adjacent to Chengdu and neighbors Neijiang City, Suining City, Meishan City, and the Chongqing Municipality.

Meteorological Data of Ziyang (1981–2010)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |--------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| | Record high °C (°F)| 18.9 (66.0) | 23.2 (73.8) | 31.9 (89.4) | 34.1 (93.4) | 37.8 (100.0) | 36.6 (97.9) | 38.2 (100.8) | 38.6 (101.5) | 38.0 (100.4) | 31.0 (87.8) | 25.6 (78.1) | 19.4 (66.9) | 38.6 (101.5) | | Average high °C (°F) | 10.1 (50.2) | 12.5 (54.5) | 17.2 (63.0) | 23.1 (73.6) | 27.4 (81.3) | 29.0 (84.2) | 31.1 (88.0) | 30.9 (87.6) | 26.6 (79.9) | 21.4 (70.5) | 16.9 (62.4) | 11.2 (52.2) | 21.5 (70.6) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | 6.7 (44.1) | 8.1 (46.6) | 12.5 (54.5) | 17.3 (63.2) | 21.8 (71.2) | 24.3 (75.7) | 26.6 (79.9) | 26.1 (79.0) | 22.2 (72.0) | 17.3 (63.2) | 12.5 (54.5) | 7.6 (45.7) | 16.5 (61.7) | | Average low °C (°F) | 4.3 (39.7) | 6.2 (43.2) | 9.6 (49.3) | 14.3 (57.7) | 18.6 (65.5) | 21.3 (70.3) | 23.3 (73.9) | 23.0 (73.4) | 19.8 (67.6) | 15.5 (59.9) | 10.8 (51.4) | 5.8 (42.4) | 14.4 (57.9) | | Record low °C (°F)| -2.6 (27.3) | 0.2 (32.4) | -0.3 (31.5) | 5.5 (41.9) | 9.2 (48.6) | 14.9 (58.8) | 17.9 (64.2) | 16.5 (61.7) | 13.4 (56.1) | 4.7 (40.5) | 1.7 (35.1) | -2.6 (27.3) | -2.6 (27.3) | | Average precipitation mm (inches)| 10.9 (0.43) | 14.3 (0.56) | 25.9 (1.02) | 47.2 (1.86) | 81.2 (3.20) | 135.4 (5.33) | 179.8 (7.08) | 176.8 (6.96) | 117.4 (4.62) | 42.9 (1.69) | 18.8 (0.74) | 9.2 (0.36) | 859.8 (33.85) | | Average relative humidity (%)| 84 | 81 | 77 | 75 | 73 | 80 | 82 | 82 | 84 | 84 | 83 | 84 | 81 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Ziyang City administers 1 district and 2 counties.

• District: Yanjiang District
• Counties: Anyue County, Lezhi County

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------| | 512000 | Ziyang City | Zīyáng Shì | 5,746.64 | 2,308,631 | Yanjiang District | 641300 | 9 | 67 | 13 | | 512002 | Yanjiang District | Yànjiāng Qū | 1,632.39 | 867,119 | Baolian Subdistrict | 641300 | 5 | 17 | | | 512021 | Anyue County | Ānyuè Xiàn | 2,689.81 | 950,939 | Yuecheng Subdistrict| 642300 | 2 | 32 | 12 | | 512022 | Lezhi County | Lèzhì Xiàn | 1,424.44 | 490,573 | Tianchi Subdistrict | 641500 | 2 | 18 | 1 |

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5. Transportation

5.1 Highways

• Chongqing–Chengdu Expressway, Chengdu–Chongqing Expressway
• Chengdu–Ziyang–Chongqing Expressway, Guang'an–Hongya Expressway, Suining–Yibin–Bijie Expressway
• National Highways G247, G318, G319, G321, and G351 pass through the area.

5.2 Rail Transit

The Ziyang Line of the rail transit system officially commenced construction on November 27, 2020.

• Chengdu–Chongqing Railway
• Chengdu–Chongqing High-Speed Railway

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6. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's resident population was 2,308,631. Compared with the 2,593,843 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was a decrease of 285,212 people over the past ten years, a decline of 11%, with an average annual growth rate of -1.16%. Among them, the male population was 1,165,412, accounting for 50.48% of the total population; the female population was 1,143,219, accounting for 49.52% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (with females as 100) was 101.94. The population aged 0–14 was 386,696, accounting for 16.75% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 1,271,182, accounting for 55.06% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 650,753, accounting for 28.19% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 522,148, accounting for 22.62% of the total population. The population living in urban areas was 953,225, accounting for 41.29% of the total population; the population living in rural areas was 1,355,406, accounting for 58.71% of the total population.

6.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 2,297,259, accounting for 99.51%; the population of various ethnic minorities was 11,372, accounting for 0.49%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic group population decreased by 293,573, a decline of 11.33%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.38 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 8,361, a growth of 277.68%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.38 percentage points.

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Yanjiang District

Anyue County

Han Chinese population accounts for 99.51%; ethnic minority populations account for 0.49%

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