Xuzhou (徐州)

1. Introduction

Xuzhou City, abbreviated as Xu, historically known as Pengcheng, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. It is located in the northwestern part of Jiangsu Province, bordering Lianyungang City and Suqian City to the east, Suzhou City and Huaibei City of Anhui Province to the south, and Heze City, Jining City, Zaozhuang City, and Linyi City of Shandong Province to the north. Situated at the junction of Jiangsu, Shandong, and Anhui provinces, and in the southeastern part of the Huang-Huai Plain, the terrain is higher in the west and lower in the east, predominantly consisting of plains, with hills such as Yunlong Mountain, Quan Mountain, and Jiuli Mountain. The area lies within the downstream of the Yi-Shu-Si River system of the Huai River Basin, with the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal running through the entire territory, and the abandoned Yellow River, Yi River, Shu River, and Kui River flowing through. Lake Luoma is located to the southeast, and Lake Weishan to the northwest. Xuzhou is the core city of the Xuzhou Metropolitan Area and also a National Historical and Cultural City of China. Two major railways, the Beijing-Shanghai and Longhai lines, intersect here, and in 2019, it was included in the Yangtze River Delta integration plan. The municipal government is located at No. 1 Kunlun Avenue, Yunlong District.

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2. History

2.1 Ancient Times

In ancient times, the area of present-day Xuzhou is traditionally believed to have been the territory of the Dapengshi State, enfeoffed by Emperor Yao. It was an important eastern vassal state during the Xia and Shang dynasties in China, repeatedly assisting the Xia and Shang dynasties in suppressing rebellions. The Bamboo Annals first mentions the Dapengshi State in the "15th year of Qi's reign". In the 43rd year of King Wuding's reign, the Shang king attacked the Dapeng State on the grounds that it had ceased paying tribute. Thereafter, the area came under the direct rule of the Shang dynasty.

During the Spring and Autumn period, the State of Song established the city of Pengcheng here. By the Warring States period, Song abandoned Suiyang and moved its capital to Pengcheng. In the 29th year of King Nan of Zhou's reign, Song was destroyed, and Pengcheng came under the control of Chu, where it was known as Western Chu. In the 5th year of Qin Shi Huang's reign, Peng Commandery was initially established at Pengcheng, later changed to Pengcheng County, which belonged to Sishui Commandery.

Following the popular uprisings at the end of the Qin dynasty, Pengcheng became the capital of Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu. The Xima Terrace on Hubu Mountain within the present-day city is said to be the former site where he trained his troops and horses. The Xuzhou region also became a crucial battleground in the Chu–Han Contention, serving as the main theater for several significant battles. Liu Bang, Emperor Gaozu of Han, was a native of "Pei Fengyi Zhongyangli" (present-day Feng County, Xuzhou). Because he was "born in Feng and raised in Pei," he is often considered a native of Pei County (present-day Pei County, Xuzhou). After the empire was pacified, Emperor Gaozu enfeoffed his younger brother Liu Jiao as the King of Chu, establishing Pengcheng as the royal capital, making it a major feudal state. Later, due to the policy of reducing feudal domains, Liu Wu, the third King of Chu, participated in the "Rebellion of the Seven States" during Emperor Jing's reign. After his military defeat, the state was gradually weakened.

In the early years of the Eastern Han dynasty, Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu enfeoffed his son Liu Ying as the King of Chu, with Pengcheng as his capital. In the 14th year of Emperor Ming's reign (71 AD), Liu Ying committed suicide, the Kingdom of Chu was abolished, and its name was changed to Pengcheng Commandery. In 88 AD, Liu Gong, son of Emperor Zhang of Han, was transferred and enfeoffed as the King of Pengcheng. From then on, Xuzhou served as the capital of the Pengcheng Kingdom until 220 AD when the kingdom was abolished by Cao Wei. The Inspectorate of Xuzhou during the Eastern Han dynasty was successively headquartered in Tan County (present-day Tancheng County, Shandong Province) and Xiapi (northeast of present-day Gupi Town, Suining County). During the Cao Wei period, the headquarters moved to Pengcheng, marking the first time the present-day location of Xuzhou became the seat of the Xuzhou administrative region. During the Northern and Southern dynasties, Xuzhou, located in a border area between north and south, changed hands multiple times.

In the 4th year of the Wude era of the Tang dynasty (621 AD), Xuzhou was established. It served as the seat of the Xuzhou administrative region in subsequent dynasties. During the Northern Song dynasty, the great literary figure Su Dongpo served as the prefect of Xuzhou, leaving behind numerous historical sites such as the Yellow Tower, Kuaizai Pavilion, Fanghe Pavilion, Dongpo's Stone Bed, and the Su Causeway.

In the 7th year of the Taiping Xingguo era of the Northern Song dynasty (982 AD), Xiapi County was separated to form Huaiyang Army, and Suqian County was placed under its jurisdiction. Originally part of the Jingdong Circuit, in the 1st year of the Yuanfeng era (1078 AD), it was transferred to the Jingdong West Circuit. During the Chongning period, it had 64,430 households and a population of 152,237. Its tributes included double-threaded damask silk, silk fabric, and plain silk. It administered five counties: Pengcheng County, Pei County, Xiao County, Teng County, and Feng County; and two superintendencies: Baofeng and Liguo. After the territory came under Jin dynasty control, it belonged to the Shandong West Circuit. In the 3rd year of the Zhenyou era (September 1215), it was transferred to the Henan Circuit. It had 44,689 households and administered five towns and three counties: Pengcheng County, Xiao County, and Feng County.

During the Ming dynasty, Xuzhou was a directly-administered subprefecture under Southern Zhili, administering: the present-day Xuzhou urban area (including Tongshan District and Jiawang District), and four counties: Feng County, Pei County, Xiao County, and Dangshan County.

In the early Qing dynasty, Xuzhou was successively a directly-administered subprefecture under Jiangnan Province and Jiangsu Province. In the 11th year of the Yongzheng era (1733), Xuzhou was changed from a directly-administered subprefecture to Xuzhou Prefecture, governing one independent department: Pizhou, and seven counties: Feng County, Pei County, Xiao County, Dangshan County, Tongshan County, Suining County, and Suqian County.

2.2 Modern History

In the early years of the Republic of China established in 1912, the nationwide abolition of prefectures, subprefectures, and departments in favor of counties led to the dissolution of Xuzhou Prefecture, leaving Tongshan County. Later, the Xuhai Circuit was established, governing the eight counties of Xuzhou and the Haizhou area, with its seat in the First District of Tongshan County (present-day Xuzhou urban area). On February 19, 1939, the Wang Jingwei government separated the First District of Tongshan County to establish Xuzhou City, which briefly served as the capital of the newly established Huaihai Province. After the victory in the War of Resistance against Japan, the Nationalist government retained Xuzhou City as part of Jiangsu Province.

In December 1948, the Chinese People's Liberation Army captured Xuzhou. In 1949, Xuzhou City and Lianyungang City (present-day Lianyungang) were placed under the provisional administration of Shandong Province. In the early years of the People's Republic of China, administrative offices such as Southern Jiangsu, Northern Jiangsu, and South Central Shandong were established under the East China Greater Administrative Region, and the Xuhai area was incorporated into the South Central Shandong Administrative Office. At the end of 1952, Southern Jiangsu and Northern Jiangsu were reorganized to re-establish Jiangsu Province. The Xuhai area was once again assigned to the re-established Jiangsu Province, with Xuzhou City as a province-administered city. During this period, Xuzhou City and Xuzhou Prefecture coexisted, with the Xuzhou Prefecture administration located in Xuzhou City. In 1953, Xuzhou City administered five districts: District One, District Two, District Three, District Four, and Jiawang Mining District. Xuzhou Prefecture administered two cities: Xuzhou City and Xinhailian City; and ten counties: Tongshan County, Feng County, Pei County, Xiao County, Dangshan County, Pi County, Suining County, Xinyi County, Donghai County, and Ganyu County.

On December 11, 1954, Xiao County and Dangshan County, originally part of the "Old Eight Counties" of Xuzhou, were transferred to Anhui Province. In 1983, Xuzhou City began administering counties. Since 2008, it has experienced a resurgence in economic, social, and cultural development, actively integrating into the Yangtze River Delta economic circle centered on Shanghai, and gradually increasing its level of openness to the outside world. In September 2010, following the abolition of the former Tongshan County and its merger into districts, the total area of Xuzhou's urban districts increased to approximately 3,057 square kilometers, currently ranking fourth in Jiangsu Province.

3. Geography

Xuzhou is located in the central part of the Huang-Huai Plain, serving as a transitional zone between northern and southern China. Surrounded by mountains, it features a landscape of alternating plains and hills and is one of the cities in Jiangsu Province with a relatively high average elevation. Xuzhou boasts numerous peaks, including Dadong Mountain, Quan Mountain, Huanggu Mountain, Lali Mountain, Yunlong Mountain, Xiao Taishan, and Woniushan. Within the main urban area alone, there are 72 hills. Dadong Mountain, situated in the northern part of the Jiawang District, is the highest point in the city. The forest coverage rate across Xuzhou exceeds 30%, and the greening coverage rate in the main urban area (primarily the built-up zone) is over 40%, both ranking first among cities in Jiangsu Province.

The rivers in Xuzhou include the Old Yellow River, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the Yi River, and the Shu River. Among them, the Yellow River changed its course in the second year of the Jianyan era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1128 AD), passing northeast of Xuzhou City and capturing the Huai River's path to the sea. By the fifth year of the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty (1855 AD), the Yellow River changed course again, flowing through Shandong into the Bohai Sea, leaving behind the present-day Old Yellow River course. During its flow through Xuzhou, the Yellow River frequently breached its banks, significantly impacting the production and daily life of the local people. The current Xuzhou City is often described as a "city upon a city" due to multiple inundations by the Yellow River, which led to silt accumulation.

Xuzhou City is situated at the northern edge of the northern subtropical monsoon climate zone. The maritime influence varies from east to west across the region (the eastern part belongs to the northern subtropical monsoon humid climate), with a significant influence from the southeastern monsoon. The annual sunshine duration is 2,138 hours, with an annual sunshine percentage of 48%. The average annual temperature is 15.3°C, the average annual frost-free period is about 220 days, and the average annual precipitation is 845.5 mm, with rainfall during the rainy season accounting for 60% of the yearly total. The climate resources are relatively favorable, conducive to crop growth. Major meteorological disasters include drought, flood, wind, frost, freeze, and hail. The climate is characterized by distinct seasons, ample sunlight, moderate rainfall, and concurrent rain and heat. Among the four seasons, spring and autumn are short, while winter and summer are long. Spring weather is variable, summer is hot and rainy, autumn is clear and crisp, and winter is cold and dry. However, due to the continuous increase in forest coverage and urban water area in recent years, the climatic conditions in Xuzhou, especially in the urban area, differ slightly from those of neighboring cities and instead resemble the Yangtze River Basin south of Xuzhou. In recent years, the annual precipitation has approached the average level of cities in the Yangtze River Basin, exhibiting a waterside ecology rarely seen in northern cities.

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Record high °C (°F) | 19.8(67.6) | 25.9(78.6) | 30.1(86.2) | 34.8(94.6) | 38.2(100.8) | 40.6(105.1) | 43.4(110.1) | 38.2(100.8) | 36.2(97.2) | 34.5(94.1) | 29.0(84.2) | 21.3(70.3) | 43.4(110.1) | | Average high °C (°F) | 5.6(42.1) | 9.1(48.4) | 14.8(58.6) | 21.4(70.5) | 26.7(80.1) | 30.7(87.3) | 31.8(89.2) | 30.8(87.4) | 27.2(81.0) | 21.9(71.4) | 14.4(57.9) | 7.7(45.9) | 20.2(68.36) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | 1.0(33.8) | 4.1(39.4) | 9.5(49.3) | 16.0(60.8) | 21.5(70.7) | 25.8(78.4) | 27.3(81.3) | 26.8(80.2) | 22.5(72.5) | 16.5(61.7) | 9.2(48.6) | 2.9(37.2) | 15.3(59.5) | | Average low °C (°F) | -2.6(27.3) | 0.1(32.2) | 4.8(40.6) | 10.8(51.4) | 16.4(61.5) | 21.2(70.2) | 24.3(75.7) | 23.5(74.3) | 18.5(65.3) | 12.0(53.6) | 5.0(41.0) | -0.8(30.6) | 11.1(51.98) | | Record low °C (°F) | -17.3(0.9) | -23.3(-9.9) | -7.6(18.3) | -1.4(29.5) | 4.8(40.6) | 12.4(54.3) | 15.9(60.6) | 13.4(56.1) | 5.0(41.0) | -1.0(30.2) | -8.3(17.1) | -13.5(7.7) | -23.3(-9.9) | | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 18.4(0.72) | 20.9(0.82) | 32.3(1.27) | 36.8(1.45) | 64.3(2.53) | 118.4(4.66) | 238.3(9.38) | 152.6(6.01) | 70.3(2.77) | 38.5(1.52) | 35.6(1.40) | 19.1(0.75) | 845.5(33.28) | | Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 4.3 | 4.9 | 5.7 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 7.4 | 12.8 | 11.2 | 7.4 | 5.7 | 5.9 | 4.2 | 82.9 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 66 | 63 | 60 | 61 | 63 | 65 | 78 | 80 | 74 | 69 | 70 | 67 | 68 | | Mean monthly sunshine hours | 137.3 | 145.9 | 189.8 | 215.1 | 227.0 | 203.4 | 182.4 | 181.2 | 178.2 | 179.4 | 152.6 | 145.7 | 2,138 | | Percent possible sunshine | 44 | 47 | 51 | 55 | 53 | 47 | 42 | 44 | 48 | 52 | 49 | 48 | 48 | Source: China Meteorological Administration

4. Administrative Divisions

Xuzhou City currently administers 5 municipal districts, 3 counties, and oversees 2 county-level cities on behalf of the province.

• Municipal Districts: Gulou District, Yunlong District, Jiawang District, Quanshan District, Tongshan District
• County-level Cities: Xinyi City, Pizhou City
• Counties: Feng County, Pei County, Suining County Additionally, the Xuzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone is a national-level economic and technological development zone established by Xuzhou City, administering 4 subdistrict offices.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (sq km) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistrict Offices | Towns | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 320300 | Xuzhou City | Xuzhou Shi | 11,764.88 | 9,083,790 | Yunlong District | 221000 | 68 | 97 | | 320302 | Gulou District | Gulou Qu | 218.58 | 806,550 | Pailou Subdistrict | 221005 | 9 | | | 320303 | Yunlong District | Yunlong Qu | 119.72 | 471,566 | Daguozhuang Subdistrict | 221009 | 8 | | | 320305 | Jiawang District | Jiawang Qu | 620.26 | 453,555 | Daquan Subdistrict | 221011 | 8 | 5 | | 320311 | Quanshan District | Quanshan Qu | 99.97 | 619,784 | Kuishan Subdistrict | 221006 | 14 | | | 320312 | Tongshan District | Tongshan Qu | 2,003.99 | 1,237,760 | Tongshan Subdistrict | 221116 | 11 | 18 | | 320321 | Feng County | Feng Xian | 1,450.28 | 935,200 | Fengcheng Subdistrict | 221700 | 3 | 12 | | 320322 | Pei County | Pei Xian | 1,805.77 | 1,038,337 | Hanyuan Subdistrict | 221600 | 4 | 13 | | 320324 | Suining County | Suining Xian | 1,769.34 | 1,088,553 | Suihe Subdistrict | 221200 | 3 | 15 | | 320381 | Xinyi City | Xinyi Shi | 1,592.30 | 969,922 | Xin'an Subdistrict | 221400 | 4 | 13 | | 320382 | Pizhou City | Pizhou Shi | 2,084.69 | 1,462,563 | Donghu Subdistrict | 221300 | 4 | 21 | | Note: | The figures for Gulou District include the 4 subdistricts under the jurisdiction of the Xuzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, covering an area of 152.8 sq km. | | | | | | | |

This table presents information about Xuzhou City and its subordinate districts, counties, and cities, including division codes, names, Chinese Pinyin, area, resident population, government seats, postal codes, and township-level administrative divisions (number of subdistrict offices and towns). Among these, Xuzhou City has a total area of 11,764.88 sq km and a resident population of 9,083,790; Gulou District has an area of 218.58 sq km and a resident population of 806,550, etc. These data provide detailed references for understanding the geography and population of Xuzhou City, while the note also explains the special inclusion in Gulou District's area.

5. Economy

Xuzhou City is a coal industry base in Jiangsu Province, with relatively developed machinery and mining sectors. Major industries include coal, electricity, building materials, metallurgy, machinery, polysilicon, photovoltaics, chemicals, textiles, food, leather, clothing, electronic instruments, and more. The equipment manufacturing industry is highly developed, featuring a series of high-level enterprises such as XCMG (ranked 7th in the world and 1st in China in construction machinery), Caterpillar (Xuzhou) Co., Ltd., Liebherr Machinery (Xuzhou) Co., Ltd., Rothe Erde Slewing Rings Co., Ltd. (a joint venture between XCMG and ThyssenKrupp), Xuzhou Xugong John Deere Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (a joint venture between XCMG and John Deere), and Xuzhou Meritor Axle Co., Ltd. (a joint venture between XCMG and Meritor). In 2021, the GDP reached 811.744 billion yuan, an increase of 8.7%, ranking 6th in Jiangsu. The per capita GDP based on the resident population was 89,361.82 yuan, higher than the national average.

| Division Name | Gross Domestic Product (billion yuan) | Proportion (%) | |--|--|--| | Xuzhou City | 443.582 | 100.00 | | Xuzhou Urban Area | 264.176 | 59.56 | | Xinyi City | 41.222 | 9.29 | | Pizhou City | 59.914 | 13.51 | | Suining County | 36.016 | 8.12 | | Feng County | 28.178 | 6.35 | | Pei County | 49.537 | 11.17 |

• Xuzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone was established in July 1992, approved as a provincial-level development zone by the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government in October 1993, and approved as a national-level economic and technological development zone by the State Council in March 2010. It governs two towns and three sub-district offices, with a resident population of over 200,000. Xuzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone serves as the main platform for Xuzhou's new industrialization and a hub for high-tech industries. It has cultivated and developed three leading industries: equipment manufacturing (primarily construction machinery and special vehicles), new energy (primarily solar photovoltaics and wind power generation), and modern services (primarily production logistics and software service outsourcing), as well as advantageous industries such as industrial electronics, modern food, biopharmaceuticals, textiles, and clothing. Equipment manufacturing has formed five major series with over 200 varieties, including construction machinery, mining machinery, building materials machinery, wind power equipment, and energy-saving combustion control equipment.
• Xuzhou National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, originally Tongshan Economic Development Zone, was established in 1992 and upgraded to a provincial-level development zone in 1993, becoming the first approved provincial-level development zone in northern Jiangsu. In early 2011, it was further approved by the provincial government as a provincial-level high-tech industrial development zone. It was officially promoted to a national-level high-tech industrial development zone on August 19, 2012.
• China University of Mining and Technology National Science Park began planning and construction in October 2000. It was included in the Jiangsu Provincial University Science Park Construction Plan in July 2002, recognized as a National University Science Park by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education in October 2006, and rated as a Class A (Excellent) National University Science Park by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education in March 2012, becoming the only National University Science Park in Jiangsu Province to receive this honor.

6. Transportation

6.1 Railway

As a crucial transportation node between Beijing and Shanghai, Xuzhou Station is China's second-largest railway marshalling hub. The two major railway trunk lines, the Beijing-Shanghai Line and the Longhai Line, intersect in Xuzhou. The Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway and the Xuzhou-Lanzhou Passenger Dedicated Line also cross in Xuzhou. Xuzhou East Station is not only one of the seven main station areas of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway but also a key hub of the Longhai Passenger Dedicated Line. The Xuzhou to Zhengzhou section of the Xuzhou-Lanzhou Passenger Dedicated Line commenced construction at the end of 2012 and was fully opened on July 9, 2017. The Xuzhou-Suqian-Huai'an-Yancheng Railway began full-scale construction on December 28, 2015. Starting from Xuzhou East Station, it passes through Suining County, Suqian City, Siyang County, Huai'an City, Funing County, and Jianhu County, terminating at Yancheng Station. The main line spans 316 kilometers, with a total project investment of 42.8 billion yuan. Designed for a speed of 250 km/h, it opened on December 16, 2019. Other railway construction projects, such as the Xuzhou-Lianyungang Passenger Dedicated Line (the Xuzhou-Lianyungang section of the Longhai Passenger Dedicated Line) and the Xuzhou-Heze Railway, are also actively advancing.

6.2 Highway

Xuzhou is a vital hub connecting Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui provinces. Five national highways, 20 provincial highways, and six expressways form an extensive network in Xuzhou. Following the official opening of the Xuzhou-Jinan Expressway (Jiangsu section) on November 3, 2010, all counties and cities in Xuzhou became connected by expressways. The total expressway mileage reached 350 kilometers, ranking first in Jiangsu Province and among the top in prefecture-level cities across China. The Xuming Expressway (Xuzhou-Mingguang) is currently under construction.

6.3 Express Roads

Approximately 33 kilometers of elevated express roads have been completed and opened to traffic, including the East Third Ring, West Third Ring, and North Third Ring elevated express roads. In the third quarter of 2017, construction began on about 20 kilometers of elevated express roads for Chengdong Avenue and Yingbin Avenue, expected to open by the end of 2018. Other completed express roads include the 23.7-kilometer Xuzhou-Jiawang (Xuzhou-Jiawang District) Express Corridor. The Xuzhou-Pei (Xuzhou-Pei County) Express Corridor and Xuzhou-Xiao (Xuzhou-Xiao County) Express Corridor are under construction.

6.4 Water Transport

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is navigable. The Xuzhou Port on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is one of China's top ten inland river ports. Wanzhai Port is a national-level inland port. Pizhou Port, Shuanglou Port, and Mengjiagou Port play a crucial role in the national north-to-south coal transfer and are important distribution centers for energy resources in East China. Within Xuzhou, there are 213 rivers, including 51 classified waterways totaling 1,065.2 kilometers in length, with one national-level and one provincial-level waterway. In 2011, the transformation project for Xuzhou Port to become a 100-million-ton port commenced. In 2014, Xuzhou Port handled a total cargo throughput of 92.02 million tons.

6.5 Aviation

Xuzhou Guanyin International Airport is a national Category I airport. Civilian flights connect directly to cities such as Osaka, South Korea, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Kunming, Harbin, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Dalian, Haikou, Wuhan, Chongqing, Changsha, Sanya, Urumqi, Guiyang, Taiyuan, and others. Xuzhou Guanyin International Airport is one of the three major airports in Jiangsu Province. As of 2020, it has two terminals: Terminal 1 (International Terminal) and Terminal 2 (Domestic Terminal), covering a total area of 58,000 square meters. It serves as a base airport for Guilin Airlines and Lucky Air. Additionally, major global airlines such as China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Capital Airlines, Thai Lion Air, and China Airlines operate flights here.

6.6 Urban Rail Transit

Xuzhou Metro officially began operations on September 28, 2019. Currently, Line 1, Line 2, and Line 3 are in service, with a total network length of 64.1 kilometers. Fares are distance-based, ranging from 2 to 6 yuan, with an average daily passenger flow of approximately 180,000. Xuzhou Metro Line 1 runs from Xuzhou East Station to Luwo, covering 21.97 km in 40 minutes. Stations with high passenger flow include Pengcheng Square, Xuzhou Railway Station, and Qingfeng Road. Line 2 opened in November 2020, running from North Passenger Station to East New Town, covering 24.25 km in 45 minutes, passing through Pengcheng Square, Jiangsu Normal University Yunlong Campus, and the Municipal Administrative Center. Line 3 (from South High-tech Zone to Xiadian, passing through Xuzhou Railway Station, Jiangsu Normal University Quanshan Campus, and China University of Mining and Technology Wenchang Campus Station) opened in June 2021. It is projected that by 2025, Xuzhou Metro Line 4, Line 5, Line 6, and Line 3 (Phase 2) will commence operations.

7. Education

7.1 Higher Education Institutions

• China University of Mining and Technology
• Jiangsu Normal University
• Xuzhou Medical University
• Xuzhou University of Technology
• Xuzhou Air Force College of the People's Liberation Army
• Engineering Corps Command College of the People's Liberation Army
• Jiangsu Vocational Institute of Architectural Technology
• Xuzhou College of Industrial Technology
• Jiuzhou Polytechnic
• Xuzhou Kindergarten Teachers College
• Xuzhou Vocational College of Bioengineering

7.2 Secondary Schools

• Affiliated High School of China University of Mining and Technology
• Xuzhou No.1 Middle School
• Xuzhou No.2 Middle School
• Xuzhou No.3 Middle School
• Xuzhou Senior High School
• Xuzhou No.13 Middle School
• Affiliated High School of Jiangsu Normal University
• Xuzhou No.37 Middle School
• Xuzhou No.35 Middle School
• Xuzhou No.5 Middle School
• Xuzhou No.7 Middle School
• Xuzhou No.31 Middle School
• Xuzhou Jiawang Middle School
• Affiliated Experimental School of Jiangsu Normal University
• Jiangsu Tangzhang Middle School
• Jiangsu Zhengji Middle School
• Jiangsu Houji Middle School
• Jiangsu Daxu Middle School
• Jiangsu Wangji Middle School
• Jiangsu Qiuzhi Middle School
• Jiangsu Canal Middle School
• Jiangsu Suining Senior High School
• Jiangsu Suining Wenhua Middle School
• Jiangsu Suining Wangji No.2 Middle School
• Peixian No.1 Middle School
• Jiangsu Fengxian Middle School
• Fengxian Ethnic Middle School
• Datun Coal and Electricity Company No.1 Middle School

7.3 Secondary Specialized Schools

• Xuzhou Huichuan Secondary Specialized School

7.4 Primary Schools

• Minzhu Road Primary School (established in 1955)

8. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 9,083,790. Compared with the 8,577,225 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was an increase of 506,565 people over the ten years, a growth of 5.91%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.58%. Among them, the male population was 4,579,072, accounting for 50.41% of the total population; the female population was 4,504,718, accounting for 49.59% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 101.65. The population aged 0–14 was 2,031,308, accounting for 22.36% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 5,280,046, accounting for 58.13% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 1,772,436, accounting for 19.51% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 1,337,126, accounting for 14.72% of the total population. The urban population was 5,961,888, accounting for 65.63% of the total population; the rural population was 3,121,902, accounting for 34.37% of the total population.

At the beginning of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 9.0285 million, including a male population of 4.5512 million and a female population of 4.4773 million; the population aged 0–14 was 1.9330 million, the population aged 15–59 was 5.2913 million, the population aged 60 and above was 1.8042 million, and the population aged 65 and above was 1.406 million. The annual birth rate was 7.1‰, the death rate was 6.8‰, and the natural growth rate was 0.3‰. The pace of new urbanization accelerated, with the urbanization rate of the permanent resident population reaching 66.2% at the end of the year, an increase of 0.6 percentage points from the previous year. At the end of the year, the city's registered household population was 10.3529 million.

8.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 9,061,972, accounting for 99.76%; the population of various ethnic minorities was 21,818, accounting for 0.24%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic group population increased by 497,041, a growth of 5.8%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.1 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 9,524, a growth of 77.47%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.1 percentage points.

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9. Culture

The jurisdiction of Xuzhou City largely falls under the Xuhuai cluster of the Central Plains Mandarin dialect. This area encompasses the main distribution region of Central Plains Mandarin within Jiangsu Province, differing in cultural characteristics from the Jianghuai culture and Wu culture found in the central and southern parts of the province. Historically serving as a regional central city, its dialect and local culture share some similarities with but are distinct from those of neighboring provinces and cities, belonging to the typical Northern Central Plains cultural zone. Except for the area east of the Yi River in Xinyi, the region is part of the Xuzhou sub-cluster of the Xuhuai cluster of Central Plains Mandarin, specifically the Xuzhou dialect.

9.1 Tourism

9.1 Attractions

• Su Causeway, Yellow Tower, Xima Terrace, Crane-Releasing Pavilion, Kuaizai Pavilion, Yunlong Mountain
• Jiuli Mountain, Yunlong Lake, Swallow Tower, Guishan Han Tomb, Lion Mountain Chu King Mausoleum
• Huaihai Campaign Memorial Cemetery, Gefeng Terrace, Qiji Garden, Weishan Lake

9.2 National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

• Han Dynasty Chu King Tombs
• Dadunzi Site
• Huating Site
• Xuzhou Tomb Complex
• Hubushan Ancient Architectural Complex
• Liulin Site
• Liangwangcheng Site

9.3 National-Level Intangible Cultural Heritage

• Liuqin Opera, Xuzhou Bangzi (clapper opera), Xuzhou Qinshu (storytelling with string accompaniment), Xuzhou Paper-Cutting, Pizhou Paper-Cutting, Xuzhou Sachets, Feng County Sugar Figurine Tributes, Pizhou Paper Sculpture Lion Heads, Pizhou Bamboo Horse Dance

9.4 Cuisine

• Chinese Chives
• Lamb with Hidden Fish
• Turtle Sauce Dog Meat
• Spicy Soup
• Rice Noodles
• Lamb Paomo (bread soaked in lamb soup)
• Xuzhou Baked Flatbread
• Xuzhou Barbecue Children's Crispy Candy Bazirou (Braised Pork Slices)

10. Sister Cities

10.1 International

• Saint-Étienne, France
• Newark, United States
• Handa, Japan
• Leoben, Austria
• Bochum, Germany
• Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine
• City of Greater Dandenong, Australia
• Ryazan, Russia
• Osasco, Brazil
• Jeongeup, South Korea
• Erfurt, Germany
• Lanciano, Italy
• La Matanza Partido, Argentina
• Hawke's Bay Region, New Zealand
• Oldenburg, Germany
• Oryol, Russia
• Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden
• Guelph, Canada
• Hamilton, Canada
• Toledo, Province of Toledo, Spain
• Turku, Finland
• Giza Governorate, Egypt
• Cañete Province, Peru
• Bangalore, India
• Luleå, Norrbotten County, Sweden
• Barbacena, Brazil
• San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Łowicz, Łódź Voivodeship, Poland
• Érd, Hungary
• Krefeld, Germany
• Brampton, Canada
• Barrie, Canada

10.2 Domestic

• Fushun City, Liaoning Province
• Weinan City, Shaanxi Province
• Jincheng City, Shanxi Province
• Tongchuan City, Shaanxi Province
• Hefei City, Anhui Province
• Huaibei City, Anhui Province
• Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province
• Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province
• Tacheng City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
• Pingliang City, Gansu Province
• Bengbu City, Anhui Province
• Shangqiu City, Henan Province
• Hengyang City, Hunan Province
• Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province

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"The Book of Documents: The Tribute of Yu": From the sea and Mount Dai to the Huai River is the region of Xuzhou.

1 Kunlun Avenue, Xincheng District, Yunlong District

Pizhou City

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