Jining (济宁)

1. Introduction

Jining City, historically known as Rencheng and Jizhou, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Shandong Province, the People's Republic of China, located in the southwestern part of Shandong Province. The city borders Heze City to the west, Puyang City in Henan Province to the northwest, Tai'an City to the north, Linyi City to the east, Zaozhuang City to the southeast, and Xuzhou City in Jiangsu Province to the south. Situated in the transitional zone between the central-southern Shandong mountainous area and the Huang-Huai Plain, the terrain is high in the east and low in the west, with low mountains and hills in the east and low-lying lake areas in the central and southern parts. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs longitudinally through the city and flows through the urban area; other major rivers include the Si River, Dongyu River, and Zhuzhao New River. In the southern part of the city lie Nanyang Lake, Zhaoyang Lake, Dushan Lake, and Weishan Lake, collectively known as the Nansi Lakes, which form the largest freshwater lake group in northern China. The People's Government of Jining City is located at No. 19 Hongxing Middle Road, Rencheng District.

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2. History

2.1 Prehistoric Era

Jining was anciently known as Ren. The Zuo Zhuan records: "Ren, Su, Xu Ju, and Zhuanyu were of the Feng surname; they were in charge of the sacrifices to Taihao and the Ji River, serving the various Xia states." Because Ren was the former site of Taihao and was close to the Ji River, the descendants of Taihao were responsible for sacrificing to the Ji River and to Taihao. With its developed handicraft industry, it gradually formed a riverside city. Through periods like the Shaokang Restoration, the Tang-Wu Revolution, King Wu's campaign against King Zhou, and successive feudal enfeoffments, by the Zhou Dynasty, it became the hereditary State of Ren. The Qin state destroyed the State of Ren and established Rencheng County, which is present-day Jining.

2.2 Pre-Qin Era

The Tribute of Yu states: "Between the Ji and Yellow Rivers lies Yanzhou." It also says: "From the sea, Mount Tai, and to the Huai River lies Xuzhou." The Erya notes: "The area between the Ji and Yellow Rivers is called Yanzhou; east of the Ji River is called Xuzhou." It can be inferred that in ancient times, except for a small northwestern part belonging to Yanzhou, the rest of the Jining area belonged to Xuzhou. The present-day Yanzhou District derives its name from Yanzhou, which originated during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, to be detailed later.

By the time of King Cheng of Zhou, Xuzhou was no longer listed among the Nine Provinces, and its territory was divided between Qingzhou and Yanzhou. The Jining area was incorporated into Yanzhou at this time.

2.3 Five Dynasties, Song, and Jin

In the second year of the Guangshun era of the Later Zhou (952 AD), four counties—Ju Ye and Yuncheng from Yunzhou, Rencheng from Yanzhou, and Jinxiang from Danzhou—were carved out to establish Jizhou, with its seat at Ju Ye. Jizhou was named for its proximity to the Ji River, marking the origin of the name "Jining."

During the Song Dynasty, the administrative structure of Jizhou remained unchanged. Yanzhou was elevated to Xiqing Prefecture, governing counties such as Xia Xian, Xianyuan, Sishui, Zou Xian, Fengfu, and Laiwu.

In the first year of the Jianyan era (the fifth year of the Tianhui era under Emperor Taizong of Jin, 1127 AD), in the eleventh month, Jin forces attacked the Song on multiple fronts. By the third year of Jianyan (the seventh year of Tianhui, 1129 AD), both circuits of Jingdong had fallen.

In the eighth year of Tianhui (the fourth year of Jianyan, 1130 AD), the Jin ceded the area south of the Yellow River to form the Qi state, installing Liu Yu as its emperor. In the fifteenth year of Tianhui (the seventh year of Shaoxing, 1137 AD), the Qi state was abolished, and the Jining area was formally incorporated into the territory of the Jin Dynasty.

During the Huangtong era of Jin (1141–1149 AD), parts of Rencheng and Ju Ye counties were separated to establish Jiaxiang County, subordinate to Jizhou. In the second year of Tiande (the twentieth year of Shaoxing, 1150 AD), Ju Ye County was abolished due to flooding, and the prefectural seat was moved to Rencheng. Xiqing Prefecture was demoted back to Yanzhou during the Jin Dynasty, governing Ziyang, Qufu, Sishui, and Ningyang, while Zou County was transferred to Tengzhou.

2.4 Yuan Dynasty

In the seventh year of Emperor Taizong of Yuan (the second year of the Duamping era under Emperor Lizong of Song, 1235 AD), Jizhou was transferred to Dongping Prefecture. In the sixth year of the Zhiyuan era (1269 AD), Ju Ye County was re-established, and the prefectural seat was moved back there.

In the eighth year of Zhiyuan (1271 AD), Jizhou was elevated to Jining Prefecture, with its seat at Rencheng, but it was soon moved back to Ju Ye. In the twelfth year (1275 AD), because Rencheng was a crucial land and water transportation hub between the Jiangnan and Huaibei regions, the county was abolished and Jizhou was re-established, belonging to Jining Prefecture. In the twenty-third year (1286 AD), Rencheng County was re-established and placed under Jizhou.

In the sixteenth year of Zhiyuan (1279 AD), Jining Prefecture was elevated to Jining Circuit, governing seven counties including Ju Ye and Jinxiang, and three prefectures: Jizhou, Yanzhou, and Danzhou (together administering nine counties including Rencheng, Ziyang, and Jiaxiang), with its seat at Ju Ye. From then on, the Jining Circuit was largely stable, its jurisdiction covering most of the present-day counties, cities, and districts of Jining City (with Wenshang belonging to Dongping Circuit). This can be seen as the prototype of Jining City.

In the eighth year of the Zhizheng era (1348 AD), Jizhou was abolished, and the seat of Jining Circuit was moved to Rencheng. Thereafter, whether as a prefecture, a county, or a circuit, the administrative seat was always in Rencheng, which thus came to be called Jining up to the present day.

After the Mongols destroyed the Jin, they faced the Southern Song along the Huai River front in the east. For military purposes, in the seventh year of Emperor Xianzong of Yuan (the fifth year of the Baoyou era under Emperor Lizong of Song, 1257 AD), Bi Fuguo, a clerk of Jizhou, built a dam at Gangcheng to divert water from the Wen River into the Guang River, which flowed through Rencheng and joined the Si River south of the city, to aid water transport.

2.5 Ming Dynasty

In the twenty-seventh year of Zhizheng (the first year of Wu under Emperor Taizu of Ming, 1367 AD), Xu Da and Chang Yuchun marched north to pacify Shandong, and Zhang Xingzu captured Dongping and Jining. Jining was changed from a circuit to a prefecture.

In the eighteenth year of Hongwu (1385 AD), Jining was demoted to a department, and its seat, Rencheng County, was abolished, with the area directly administered by the department. It also governed three counties: Jiaxiang, Ju Ye, and Yuncheng. Yanzhou was elevated to a prefecture, and Jining Department was subordinated to it. From then on, throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties, Rencheng County was never re-established, and only Jining Department was used. During the Ming Dynasty, Yanzhou Prefecture governed four departments and twenty-three counties in southern Shandong, stretching from Caozhou in the west to Yizhou in the east, with its seat at Ziyang.

2.6 Qing Dynasty

In the seventeenth year of Chongzhen (the first year of Shunzhi, 1644 AD), Qing forces entered the Shanhai Pass, and Bahana and Shi Tingzhu captured Shandong.

In the early Qing, Shandong's prefectures and counties followed the Ming administrative system. In the second year of the Yongzheng era (1724 AD), Jining was elevated to a directly-administered department. In the eighth year (1730 AD), it was again demoted to belong to Yanzhou Prefecture, with Ju Ye and Jiaxiang transferred to Caozhou, and Yuncheng transferred to Yanzhou Prefecture. The relationship of mutual subordination between Ju Ye and Yuncheng counties and Jining, which had existed since the Five Dynasties, thus ended. In the forty-first year of the Qianlong era (1776 AD), it was again elevated to a directly-administered department, with Jiaxiang and Yutai transferred to it. In the forty-fifth year (1780 AD), Jinxiang was also transferred to it. From then on, the administrative structure remained stable until the end of the Qing Dynasty. Starting from the second year of Yongzheng (1724 AD), the counties and departments under Yanzhou Prefecture were gradually carved out, reducing its jurisdiction to ten counties, with its seat at Ziyang.

2.7 Modern and Contemporary Era

After the Xinhai Revolution, departments were abolished nationwide. Jining Department was abolished, and Jining County was established.

On July 14, 1948, the Chinese Communist Party regime established Jining City, under the Lu-Zhongnan Administrative Region, as a city directly under the administrative region. In 1953, the Jining Special District was established. In 1967, it was renamed the Jining Prefecture. In October 1983, it was upgraded to a prefecture-level city directly under the province.

3. Geography

3.1 Location

Jining City is located in the southwestern part of Shandong Province. It borders Tai'an City, Linyi City, Zaozhuang City, and Heze City within the province, as well as Xuzhou City in Jiangsu Province. It faces Puyang City in Henan Province across the Yellow River.

3.2 Topography

Jining City is situated in the southwestern part of Shandong Province, at the junction of the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain and the hilly region of central and southern Shandong. The eastern part is mountainous with rolling hills. East of the Beijing-Shanghai Railway, elevations range above 50–100 meters. Notable mountains include Qufu's Ni Mountain (344 meters), Zoucheng's Yi Mountain (545 meters), Fenghuang Mountain (648.4 meters, the highest in the city), and Sishui's Yao Mountain (582 meters). East of the Nansi Lake to the eastern foothills lies the alluvial plain in front of the Taiyi Mountains, sloping from west to east with ground elevations of 30–50 meters and relatively significant surface undulations. West of the Nansi Lake is the relatively flat Yellow River Flood Plain, sloping from west to east with ground elevations of 39–34 meters and minor undulations. The Nansi Lake runs north-south through the central region. North of the lake is the lower edge of the alluvial fan in front of the Taiyi Mountains, sloping from northeast to southwest with ground elevations of 60–35 meters.

3.3 Climate

Jining City has a warm temperate continental monsoon climate with four distinct seasons, ample sunshine, and alternating warm and humid conditions. The average annual rainfall is 667.9 mm, and the average annual temperature is 14.4°C.

Average Meteorological Data for Jining City (1981-2010)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|------|------|------|------| | Average High °C (°F)| 4.8 (40.6) | 8.3 (46.9) | 13.9 (57.0) | 21.2 (70.2) | 26.6 (79.9) | 31.2 (88.2) | 31.6 (88.9) | 30.6 (87.1) | 26.9 (80.4) | 21.4 (70.5) | 13.3 (55.9) | 6.6 (43.9) | 19.7 (67.5) | | Daily Mean °C (°F) | -0.4 (31.3) | 2.7 (36.9) | 8.3 (46.9) | 15.5 (59.9) | 21.0 (69.8) | 25.6 (78.1) | 27.2 (81.0) | 26.0 (78.8) | 21.5 (70.7) | 15.5 (59.9) | 7.8 (46.0) | 1.5 (34.7) | 14.4 (57.8) | | Average Low °C (°F) | -4.7 (23.5) | -1.9 (28.6) |3.2 (37.8)| 9.8 (49.6) | 15.3 (59.5) | 20.3 (68.5) | 23.2 (73.8) | 22.0 (71.6) | 16.7 (62.1) | 10.4 (50.7) | 3.1 (37.6) | -2.6 (27.3) | 9.6 (49.2) | | Average Precipitation mm (inches) | 7.2 (0.28) | 10.5 (0.41) | 19.0 (0.75) | 32.6 (1.28) | 58.4 (2.30) | 84.9 (3.34) | 156.2 (6.15) | 162.1 (6.38) | 73.7 (2.90) | 34.5 (1.36) | 20.3 (0.80) | 8.5 (0.33) | 667.9 (26.28) | | Average Relative Humidity (%) | 63 | 60 | 58 | 60 | 64 | 64 | 78 | 81 | 75 | 70 | 69 | 67 | 67 |

3.4 Hydrology

3.4.1 Yellow River

The Yellow River serves as the boundary river between Liangshan County in Jining and Taiqian County in Puyang. The entire passing section is an elevated river, with its dikes acting as the watershed divide. Consequently, there is no drainage basin distribution within Jining's territory.

However, the Yellow River's influence on Jining's water system extends beyond this. Historically, the Wen River flowed from the east, turned northeast at the foot of Liangshan Mountain, and emptied into the Bohai Sea, forming the Daqing River, also known as the Ji River. During the Ming Dynasty's canal management, the canal ran from Nanwang north to Liangshan and Zhangqiu, intersecting with the Ji River. In the fifth year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1855), the Yellow River breached at Tongwaxiang in Lanyang (present-day Lankao). One branch flowed northeast, breached the canal dike at Zhangqiu, and poured into the Daqing River. This watercourse later became the main channel for the Yellow River to enter the sea, while the old course flowing south into the Huai River was gradually abandoned.

3.4.2 Da Wen River

The Da Wen River, also known as the Wen River, originates from Lu Mountain in the east and flows to Dongping Lake in the west, eventually joining the Yellow River. The Wen River is frequently recorded in the Zuo Zhuan. During the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, when the Grand Canal was excavated, the Wen River served as the main water source for the Jizhou Canal. In the Yuan Dynasty, the Gangcheng Dam was built to divert Wen River water into the Guang River, which converged with the Grand Canal at the Tianjing Gate (also known as Huiyuan Gate or Da Zhakou) in Jining. During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, the Daicun Dam was constructed to divert Wen River water into the Xiao Wen River, which converged with the Grand Canal at the Nanwang Hub. Through water diversion projects with timed openings and closures to regulate north-south water volume, there was a saying, "Seven parts go to the emperor, three parts go down to Jiangnan." This ultimately solved the water shortage problem of the Jizhou Canal, allowing the Grand Canal to be fully connected.

The Jining section of the Da Wen River actually serves as the boundary river between Wenshang County in Jining and Feicheng City and Dongping County in Tai'an. It starts from the Pipa Mountain Overflow Dam in the east and ends at the Daicun Dam in the west. The flow is rapid, and it has been listed as a key flood control river channel for years, with almost annual bank protection and dike reinforcement.

3.4.3 Si River

The Si River, also known as the Sishui, originates from the western side of Taipingding Mountain in Xintai. It flows from east to west through Sishui and Qufu, turns south upon reaching the vicinity of Yanzhou City, and originally joined the Huai River at Qingkou in Huai'an. As an important tributary of the Huai River, it was collectively called "Huai-Si." The section of the Si River south of Jining has long been a vital transportation route connecting the Central Plains with the Jianghuai region. In the second year of the Jianyan period of the Song Dynasty (1128), the Yellow River changed its course, taking over the channel downstream of Xuzhou. After the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, the section downstream of Jining became an important part of the Grand Canal. Over centuries of transformation by the Yellow River and human efforts, the section downstream of Jining either formed into lakes or was completely channelized into the Grand Canal, with the original river course no longer existing. The modern endpoint of the Si River is at Xinzha Village in Rencheng District, Jining, where the Si River flows into the Nansi Lake, becoming part of the Grand Canal water system. Only place names like Siyang and Sihong in Jiangsu Province still mark the areas once traversed by the ancient Si River.

The Si River was another water source for the Jizhou Canal and one of the "Four Waters Benefiting the Canal." During the Zhiyuan period of the Yuan Dynasty, the Jinkou Dam was built on the Si River east of Yanzhou City to divert water into the Fu River, which flowed to the Huiyuan Gate (Da Zhakou) in Jining to join the Grand Canal.

The Si River is a seasonal mountain torrent river. During major floods, water overflows, and severe silt deposition raises the riverbed, increasing dangerous sections of the channel. Coupled with originally low and weak dikes, a winding course, and inconsistent width, this historically led to frequent flood disasters. From the founding of the People's Republic until 2002, after multiple renovations, the Si River's flood control capacity was significantly improved.

3.4.4 Guangfu River

Originally, there were rivers such as the Guang River, Fu River, and Yangjia River between Ningyang, Yanzhou, and Jining. In 1965, the Guangfu River regulation project began, straightening, merging, and cutting bends in various river courses. A new main channel for the Guangfu River was excavated according to a flood drainage standard of 50% for a three-year event and a flood control standard for a ten-year event, discharging into the Nansi Lake. After years of further regulation, its drainage capacity is close to the three-year event standard, and its flood control standard is close to the twenty-year event standard.

3.4.5 Grand Canal

Main article: Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal

3.4.6 Other Rivers

• Baima River
• Zhushui River
• Zhuzhao New River
• New Wanfu River
• Old Wanfu River
• Hongwei River
• Fuxing River

3.4.7 Lakes and Reservoirs

3.4.7.1 Existing Lakes

• Nansi Lake
• Dongping Lake

3.4.7.2 Vanished Lakes

• Liangshan Marsh
• Nanwang Lakes: Nanwang Lake, Mata Lake, Shushan Lake
• Machang Lake

3.4.8 Reservoirs

• Ni Mountain Reservoir
• Xiwei Reservoir
• Liangshan Marsh Plain Reservoir

4. Administrative Divisions

Jining City administers 2 districts and 7 counties, and oversees 2 county-level cities on behalf of the province:

Districts: Rencheng District, Yanzhou District;
County-level cities: Qufu City, Zoucheng City;
Counties: Weishan County, Yutai County, Jinxiang County, Jiaxiang County, Wenshang County, Sishui County, Liangshan County.

In addition to the formal administrative divisions, Jining City has established the following economic functional zones: National-level Jining High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Jining Economic and Technological Development Zone, and Taibai Lake New District.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|---------------------|----------------|--------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------| | 370800 | Jining City | Jǐníng Shì | 11,186.98 | 8,357,897 | Rencheng District | 272000 | 48 | 104 | 4 | | 370811 | Rencheng District | Rénchéng Qū | 883.97 | 1,579,972 | Fuqiao Subdistrict | 272000 | 17 | 3 | | | 370812 | Yanzhou District | Yǎnzhōu Qū | 650.19 | 540,662 | Longqiao Subdistrict| 272100 | 6 | 6 | | | 370826 | Weishan County | Wēishān Xiàn | 1,737.57 | 613,421 | Xiazhen Subdistrict | 277600 | 3 | 11 | 1 | | 370827 | Yutai County | Yútái Xiàn | 653.07 | 420,010 | Guting Subdistrict | 272300 | 2 | 9 | | | 370828 | Jinxiang County | Jīnxiāng Xiàn | 887.67 | 634,144 | Jinxiang Subdistrict| 272200 | 4 | 9 | | | 370829 | Jiaxiang County | Jiāxiáng Xiàn | 975.16 | 820,036 | Jiaxiang Subdistrict| 272400 | 3 | 12 | | | 370830 | Wenshang County | Wènshàng Xiàn | 889.11 | 687,544 | Zhongdu Subdistrict | 272500 | 2 | 12 | 1 | | 370831 | Sishui County | Sìshuǐ Xiàn | 1,118.11 | 542,895 | Sihe Subdistrict | 273200 | 2 | 11 | | | 370832 | Liangshan County | Liángshān Xiàn | 960.81 | 730,683 | Shuibo Subdistrict | 272600 | 2 | 10 | 2 | | 370881 | Qufu City | Qūfù Shì | 814.75 | 621,971 | Lucheng Subdistrict | 273100 | 4 | 8 | | | 370883 | Zoucheng City | Zōuchéng Shì | 1,616.56 | 1,166,559 | Gangshan Subdistrict| 273500 | 3 | 13 | |

5. Economy

5.1 Overview

Jining is located in the southwestern coal mining area of Shandong Province, belonging to the Yanzhou Coalfield, and possesses abundant coal resources. It also hosts several large-scale thermal power plants, such as the Tangcun Power Plant and the Jining Liyan Power Plant.

Jining serves as the economic, cultural, and commercial distribution center of southwestern Shandong, an industrial hub city in Shandong Province, and a developing mega-city with a clustered structure. Rich in natural resources, Jining is a significant coal energy base and agricultural by-product production base in Shandong Province, boasting strong economic strength.

Jining Yutang Sauce Garden Co., Ltd., founded in 1714, has a history of over three hundred years and is the only time-honored Chinese brand enterprise in southwestern Shandong.

Shandong Lukang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a large national biopharmaceutical enterprise, a key national base for antibiotic research, development, and production, a national high-tech enterprise, and possesses a national-level enterprise technology center. Lukang Pharmaceutical's A-share stock (600789) was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in February 1997. The company currently has assets of 3.8 billion yuan, covers an area of nearly 4,000 mu, operates 5 wholly-owned subsidiaries, 7 holding subsidiaries, and 1 equity-invested company, and employs over 6,500 people, including more than 3,100 various professional and technical personnel.

6. Transportation

6.1 Highways

6.1.1 East-West Direction

G1511 Rilan Expressway, with exits within the area including:

• Sishui, Provincial Highway 611 Shengyuan Avenue, Sishui County Town
• Qufu South, National Highway 104, Qufu Urban Area, Xiaoxue Town
• Yanzhou, National Highway 327, Yanzhou Urban Area
• Jining, Provincial Highway 614, East of Jining Urban Area, Yandian Town
• Jining North, National Highway 105, West of Jining Urban Area, Kangyi Town, Nianlipu Town
• Jining West, Provincial Highway 337, Changgou Town
• Jiaxiang, Provincial Highway 252, Jiaxiang County Town
• The 0-kilometer starting point of National Highway 237.
• National Highway 327 starts from Lianyungang, Jiangsu, enters through Sishui, passes through Sishui County Town, central Qufu City, north-west of Yanzhou City, north-west of Jining City, and south of Jiaxiang City, exits westward to Juye County Town, and ends at Guyuan, Ningxia.

6.1.2 North-South Direction

S33 Jixu Expressway

6.2 Railways

The main railways in Jining City include the north-south Beijing-Shanghai Railway, the east-west Xinxiang-Yanzhou - Yanzhou-Shijiu Railway, and the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, which runs roughly parallel to the Beijing-Shanghai Railway. The Beijing-Kowloon Railway passes through a northwestern corner of the area.

The Beijing-Shanghai Railway runs south from Jinan and Tai'an, enters through Ciyao in Qufu, turns southwest to Yanzhou, then turns southeast and exits through Zoucheng, continuing through Tengzhou and Zaozhuang out of the province.

The Xinxiang-Yanzhou Railway starts from Xinxiang, Henan, enters through Juye from Jiaxiang, runs east passing south of Jining City and turning northeast, and merges into the Beijing-Shanghai Railway at Yanzhou, which is Yanzhou Station.

The Yanzhou-Shijiu Railway starts from Yanzhou Station, runs south along the Beijing-Shanghai Railway to Chengjiazhuang where it diverges, turns northeast to Qufu, runs east and exits through Sishui, then continues southeast through Pingyi and Linyi to the Shijiu Port in Rizhao for sea access.

The Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway runs south from Jinan and Tai'an, enters through Qufu, runs south passing Qufu East Station, and exits through Zoucheng, continuing through Tengzhou and Zaozhuang out of the province.

The Beijing-Kowloon Railway crosses the Yellow River via the Sunkou Yellow River Bridge from Sunkou Town, Taiqian to Zhaogudui Township, Liangshan for entry, passes directly south without going through the county town, exits from the county, turns southwest to Yuncheng and then to Heze, turns due south, and exits the province through Dingtao and Caoxian. The section within Jining is only 15 km long, with Liangshan Station located in Yangying Town.

The Rilan High-Speed Railway passes through Jining City, with six stations: Jiaxiang North Station, Jining North Station, Jining East Station, Qufu South Station, Qufu East Station (shared with the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway), and Sishui South Station.

Railways currently under construction include the Huxi Railway, among others.

6.3 Aviation

• Jining Da'an Airport

7. Education

7.1 Primary and Secondary Schools

Only some well-known primary and secondary schools within Jining City are listed.

• Jining Experimental Middle School
• Jining University Affiliated Middle School
• Jining No.1 Middle School
• Jining No.15 Middle School
• Jining No.13 Middle School
• Jining Yucai Middle School
• Jining University Affiliated High School
• Rencheng District Yingcai High School (formerly Datang High School Department)

7.2 Universities

• Qufu Normal University
• Jining Medical University
• Jining University
• Shandong Polytechnic Vocational College
• Jining Vocational and Technical College
• Qufu Far East Vocational and Technical College

8. Population

In 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 8.2906 million, of which the urban population was 5.1385 million and the rural population was 3.1521 million. The total registered population at the end of the year was 8.884 million, comprising 4.521 million urban residents and 4.363 million rural residents, with 4.580 million males and 4.303 million females.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 8,357,897. Compared with the 8,081,905 people from the Sixth National Population Census, this represents an increase of 275,992 people over the decade, a growth of 3.41%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.34%. Among them, the male population was 4,248,546, accounting for 50.83% of the total population; the female population was 4,109,351, accounting for 49.17% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 103.39. The population aged 0–14 was 1,727,899, accounting for 20.67% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 4,999,207, accounting for 59.81% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 1,630,791, accounting for 19.51% of the total population, of which those aged 65 and above numbered 1,205,509, accounting for 14.42% of the total population. The urban resident population was 5,022,190, accounting for 60.09% of the total population, while the rural resident population was 3,335,707, accounting for 39.91%.

8.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group numbered 8,305,658, accounting for 99.37%; ethnic minorities numbered 52,239, accounting for 0.63%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han population increased by 274,892, a growth of 3.42%, with its proportion of the total population rising by 0.01 percentage points; the ethnic minority population increased by 1,100, a growth of 2.15%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.01 percentage points.

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9. Sister Cities

• Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan - September 21, 1984
• Lawton, Oklahoma, USA - October 18, 1995
• Mulhouse, Haut-Rhin, France - September 11, 1996
• Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan - September 5, 2008[56]
• Taganrog, Russia - March 6, 2009
• Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China - September 9, 2009
• Tianshui, Gansu Province, China
• Angra do Heroísmo, Autonomous Region of the Azores, Portugal
• Springfield, Illinois, USA

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Rencheng District

Rencheng District

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Lotus flower