Zigong (自贡)

1. Introduction

Zigong City (Chinese Pinyin: Zìgòngshì), also known as the "Salt Capital" and "Lantern City", and abbreviated as "Zi" or "Jing", is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China. It is located in the south-central part of Sichuan Province. The city borders Luzhou to the east, Yibin to the south, Leshan to the west, and Neijiang to the north. Situated in the low mountainous and hilly region of southern Sichuan Basin, the Tuo River runs through the eastern part of the city, converging with the Fuxi River in the southeast, while the Yuexi River, a tributary of the Min River, flows through the western part. It covers a total area of 4,372 square kilometers, with a permanent population of 2.4892 million.

Zigong City is one of the second batch of National Historical and Cultural Cities, renowned as the "Millennium Salt Capital", "Hometown of Dinosaurs", "China's Lantern City", and "Culinary Capital". It was one of the earliest 23 cities established during the Republic of China era, the earliest provincial-administered city and industrial hub in Sichuan Province, and has now developed into a Type II large city with a built-up urban area exceeding 100 square kilometers and an urban population of over one million.

Zigong City is also a UNESCO Global Geopark, a National Historical and Cultural City, an Excellent Tourism City of China, a National Garden City, a National Civilized City, a National Sanitary City, a pilot city for the National Youth Development-Oriented City Initiative, an Open City, a National Intellectual Property Pilot City, a nationally designated key protected area for concentrated paleontological fossil sites, one of the first batch of national demonstration zones for industrial transformation and upgrading in old industrial cities and resource-based cities, a National Cultural Export Base, an important node city in the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, a pivotal city along the Chengdu-Chongqing development axis, and the geographical center of southern Sichuan. Currently, Zigong is building a strategic emerging industrial cluster in southern Sichuan and western Chongqing and a demonstration city for deepening reform, opening up, and expanding openness in the new era.

Zigong City boasts a 2,000-year history of salt production. The city derives its name from salt—Zigong is actually a combination of the names of two famous salt-producing areas, Ziliujing and Gongjing. All aspects of the city, including transportation, commerce, finance, culture, education, healthcare, municipal administration, as well as its occupational composition, social consciousness, political dynamics, and lifestyle, bear the profound imprint of the salt economy. It was salt that shaped Zigong. Salt production in Zigong originated during the reign of Emperor Zhang of the Eastern Han Dynasty, earning it the reputation of the "Millennium Salt Capital". It once became the center of well and mine salt production in China and the largest manual workshop. Zigong is also the earliest place in the world to exploit and utilize natural gas. Due to the prosperity of its salt industry, Zigong was "the wealthiest in Sichuan", hailed as the "Essence of Sichuan Province", and once one of the wealthiest cities in China. It also contributed the highest amount of donations nationwide during the War of Resistance Against Japan, as recorded in the military archives of the Nationalist Government. The stone inscription "Return Our Rivers and Mountains" on the north bank of the Fuxi River was written by Nationalist General Feng Yuxiang in recognition of the charitable donations made by Zigong's wealthy merchants. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, Zigong became an important chemical industry city during the Third Front construction. In the "2013 China City Competitiveness Ranking—City Rankings from the Perspective of Listed Companies", Zigong ranked first among the top ten prefecture-level administrative regions in terms of growth competitiveness.

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2. History

Zigong has a long history, having been established as a town, county, and city due to salt. Zigong is a twin-city area composed of Ziliujing and Gongjing. Before its establishment as a city, Zi and Gong belonged to Fushun County and Rong County, respectively. Zigong is renowned for its abundant well salt production and has been known as the "Salt Capital" since ancient times. The documented history of well salt production in Zigong dates back to the Eastern Han period when the Liao people were active. It gradually expanded in scale after the "Migration of the Liao People into Shu" during the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties (during which the town also formally took shape), gained fame during the Tang and Song dynasties, and reached its peak in the late Qing and early Republic of China eras. During the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement and the War of Resistance against Japan, Sichuan salt, primarily from Zigong's salt industry, was supplied to Chu twice, highlighting the importance of Sichuan salt, dominated by Zigong, in China.

2.1. Before the Northern Zhou Dynasty

In ancient times, the eastern and western parts of Zigong belonged to the Ba and Shu states, respectively, with Rong County under Shu and Fushun under Ba. However, Zigong was not effectively governed by either state and remained a frontier region.

The origins of Zigong's historical civilization stem from the migration of the salt industry civilization of the Yong State. In 611 BC, the Yong State was destroyed by King Zhuang of Chu in alliance with the Qin and Ba states. One of the main reasons for Yong's destruction by Chu was its control over the Bao Yuan Mountain salt spring in Wuxi, which it used to contain Qin. Consequently, descendants of the Yong State, who mastered salt mining techniques, migrated south from Yunmengze (the hinterland of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River) in search of salt resources. They integrated with groups such as the Huaxia people, Ba people, Pu people, Bo people, and Liao people, forming Zigong's earliest indigenous population, collectively referred to by the Huaxia people as "Liao Yi" or "Tu Liao." The techniques for boiling spring salt and rock salt also developed during their introduction to Zigong.

In the 22nd year of King Zhaoxiang of Qin (285 BC), Marquis Wan of Shu was executed, the state was abolished, and a commandery was established, marking the beginning of the Shu Commandery. Rong County was under the jurisdiction of Shu Commandery. During the reign of King Hui of Qin, the Jinchuan Temple and Jinchuan Post Station were established on the west bank of the lower reaches of the Luo River (ancient name of the Tuo River) in Ba Commandery, within present-day Fushun territory. The name derived from an alternative name for the Luo River, "also called Fu Chuan, because it winds around the county seat like a fu (cauldron) shape," and it was strategically important for transportation, "south reaching Rong and Lu, north leading to Pu and Zi."

During this period, the Yelang Kingdom in the south of Qin gradually grew stronger, with its northern border reaching the south of present-day Zigong City. At that time, the eastern part of Zigong's territory belonged to Ba Commandery, the west to Shu Commandery, and the south to the Yelang Kingdom, primarily within the range of Liao people's activities (one of the main ethnic groups of Yelang). Archaeologists have discovered numerous cliff tombs from the Qin and Han periods in Gongjing District, Yantan District, and surrounding areas, consistent with the burial customs of the Liao people.

After the Qin dynasty unified China, to effectively control areas like Yelang and Baiyue, Qin Shi Huang constructed the Five Chi Road leading to the southwestern tribes. The starting point of the Five Chi Road at that time was roughly located at the junction of Ba Commandery, Shu Commandery, and the Yelang Kingdom, near present-day Dengguan Town in Zigong City. The Five Chi Road later expanded into the Southern Silk Road, Tea Horse Road, or Salt Horse Road, becoming an important trade route for Zigong's foreign trade.

In the 6th year of Emperor Gaozu of Han (201 BC), Guanghan Commandery was established by dividing parts of Ba and Shu, encompassing present-day Zigong. In the 6th year of the Jianyuan era of Emperor Wu of Han (135 BC), the southern part of Guanghan Commandery and the newly conquered northern part of the Yelang Kingdom were used to establish Qianwei Commandery. "Qianwei" derives from the name of a mountain. Qianwei Commandery governed counties including Jiangyang, Nan'an, Wuyang, Zizhong, Fu, Nanguang, Hanyang, Zhudi, and Tanglang. Fushun belonged to Jiangyang County, and Rong County (including Ziliujing and Gongjing at that time) belonged to Nan'an County. During the Western Han period, the development of the local iron smelting industry in Zigong laid the foundation for later salt mining. Archaeologists have discovered the Tieluzui iron smelting site on the northeastern slope downstream from Caojiaping Reservoir, dated to the Western Han.

The excavation of the Fushi Salt Well during the reign of Emperor Zhang of the Eastern Han marks the starting point of Zigong's salt industry history. Under the jurisdiction of Qianwei Commandery, due to the widespread use of iron tools and the development of handicrafts and smelting, a salt well was dug on the banks of the Luo River (present-day Tuo River) in Zigong (present-day Fushun County seat town). Legend has it that it was discovered by the Liao leader Mei Ze while hunting in present-day Fushun. Thus, the Zigong area began producing well salt and gradually prospered due to the salt industry. Therefore, Mei Ze is revered as the progenitor of Zigong's salt industry and the god of salt wells. During the Eastern Han, Cui Yin also mentioned this in his Discourse on Gamblers.

During the Shu Han period, the government highly valued the salt-making industry; even Zhuge Liang personally went to salt wells to boil salt. The salt industry became a pillar of Shu's military. Due to the gradual development of the salt industry, in the 18th year of the Jian'an era (213 AD), Liu Zhang, the Governor of Yizhou, further established Jiangyang Commandery from Qianwei Commandery, allocating parts of the eastern territory of Nan'an County (roughly present-day Zigong urban area) to Jiangyang Commandery. Rong County territory still belonged to Nan'an County. In the 1st year of the Taikang era of Emperor Wu of Jin (280 AD), the salt well in present-day Fushun territory produced the most salt at the time, bringing significant economic benefits, hence it was named "Fushi Salt Well." According to the Old Book of Tang · Treatise on Geography, the depth of the Fushi Salt Well at that time reached 77.5 meters. Around 310 AD, due to the "Upheaval of the Yongjia era," the villages of Jiangyang County in Jiangyang Commandery were reduced to ruins.

After Li Xiong of Cheng Han occupied Shu, large numbers of Liao people migrated into the Ba-Shu basin, living intermingled with Han people and becoming the main ethnic group in Zigong. Numerous "Manzi Caves" (Liao people's stone caves) still exist today in Dengguan, Suo'erpo in Gongjing, Dafo Rock, and Leigongpo. During the same period, the Liao people excavated the "Dagong Well," the earliest salt well in the main urban area of Zigong, as famous as the Fushi Well.

In the 10th year of the Yixi era of Emperor An of Jin (414 AD), to consolidate salt and iron resources, Yeguan County was established, encompassing parts of the western territory of present-day Rong County and the eastern territory of present-day Qianwei County, with its seat at Jinjing. "Having salt and iron, hence called Yeguan (Smelting Official)." This laid the foundation for Zigong's administrative establishment.

In the early years of the Southern Qi (479 AD), the Liao people occupied the Tieshan (Iron Mountain) area. Utilizing the rich salt and iron resources there, they captured Han people to develop salt and iron production, rapidly growing powerful and becoming the renowned "Tieshan Liao." In the 3rd year of the Yongyuan era of the Marquess of Donghun in the late Southern Qi (501 AD), the "Nan'an Commandery" was temporarily established in Laimou Town in the western territory of Rong County, governing five counties: Nan'an, Huayang, Baishui, Le'an, and Xingdao. During the Liang dynasty, Luzhou was established, with both Fushun County and the Zigong urban area belonging to Jiangyang County of Luzhou.

2.2. Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties

During the Northern Zhou period, due to the excavation, production, and trade of salt wells, large numbers of artisans and merchants gathered around the Dagong Well and Fushi Well, forming densely populated markets around the salt wells. This was the prototype of Gongjing urban area and Fushun county town. In the 2nd year of the Tianhe era (567 AD), Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Yuwen Yong, separated the northern part of Jiangyang County, including the Fushi Salt Well and its surrounding area, to establish Luoyuan Commandery and Fushi County (named after the well), separating it from Jiangyang. This marked the beginning of establishing a commandery and county in present-day Fushun territory. During the same period, Nan'an Commandery was abolished, and Gongjing Town was established in present-day Ziliujing and Gongjing (named after the nearby famous salt well called Dagong Well), still belonging to Fushi County. This was the beginning of the urban area of Zigong City, with Gongjing Town being the earliest established administrative unit in present-day Zigong City.

In the 2nd year of the Kaihuang era of Sui (582 AD), Luoyuan Commandery was abolished, and Fushi County was again incorporated into Luzhou. In the 3rd year of Kaihuang (583 AD), Weiyuan Garrison was established northwest of Zigong, with troops stationed to break the Liao people's monopoly over the Tieshan resources essential for Zigong's salt mining. In the 10th year of Kaihuang (590 AD), Dalao Town was established in Nan'an County (in present-day Jinshan Town, Wutongqiao). In the 13th year (593 AD), the town was upgraded to a county. At that time, Rong County territory was within Dalao County, separated from Nan'an County (present-day Leshan), marking the beginning of establishing a county in present-day Wutongqiao territory. In the 3rd year of the Daye era of Emperor Yang of Sui (607 AD), Luzhou was changed to Luchuan Commandery, governing five counties: Luchuan, Fushi, Jiang'an, Hejiang, and Mianshui.

In the 1st year of the Wude era of Tang (618 AD), to consolidate control over the strategic salt and iron resources of Tieshan, Dalao and Weiyuan counties were separated from Zizhou to establish Rongzhou, with its seat at Gongjing Town (present-day Gongjing District, Zigong City). Gongjing was upgraded from a town to a county, and present-day Zigong urban area was again separated from Fushi County of Luzhou. Gongjing County and Rongzhou mark the beginning of establishing a county and a prefecture in present-day Zigong urban area. In the 9th year of the Wude era of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, the establishment of Laifeng County (in present-day Shuangfengyi area, northern part of Longchang County) was abolished, and it was merged into Fushi County. In the 1st year of the Zhenguan era (627 AD), Xuchuan County was established by dividing Dalao (named after a nearby salt well called Xuchuan), with its seat at present-day Rong County seat town. Present-day Rong County was separated from the Wutongqiao area (Dalao), with Xuchuan County marking the beginning of establishing a county in present-day Rong County. At that time, Rongzhou governed six counties: Gongjing (present-day Zigong urban area, also including northern parts of present-day Yibin and Nanxi), Xuchuan (present-day Rong County urban area), Yingling (present-day Wutongqiao), Weiyuan, Ziguan (part of present-day Qianwei County), and Heyi (established to pacify the Yi and Liao; now divided among Zigong, Weiyuan, and Neijiang; the old county seat in Sui was in Longmen Town, Neijiang; the new seat in Tang was in present-day Hoshi Town and Xianshi Town, Da'an District, Zigong City). In the same year, Weiyuan County was divided into Pori and Zhiru counties, named after the rich salt and iron resources within Rongzhou. "Pori" means "Iron Mountain" in the Liao language, with its territory roughly equivalent to present-day Yanling Town in Weiyuan County and its northwestern region; "Zhiru" means "Salt" in the Liao language, with its territory roughly equivalent to the northwestern part of present-day Zigong City and the southeastern part of Weiyang County. In the 6th year of Zhenguan of Tang (632 AD), the seat of Rongzhou was moved from Gongjing County to Xuchuan County, shifting the central area of Rongzhou from Zigong urban area to Rong County seat town. In the 8th year of Zhenguan (634 AD), Pori and Zhiru counties were merged into Weiyuan, leaving the county town with the alternative name "Po City." In the 23rd year of Zhenguan (649 AD), to avoid the taboo of Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, Fushi County was renamed Fuyi County. In the 2nd year of the Jinglong era of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Yunzhou and its three counties—Luoyong, Yunchuan, and Hulian—in the northern territory of Yibin and the Yerong Mountain area (Rong County mountains divide into two main ranges: north called Tieshan, south called Yerongshan) were abolished and incorporated into Dalao County of Rongzhou.The iron smelting industry in Zigong during the Tang Dynasty reached its peak. According to Li Jifu's Yuanhe Junxian Zhi from the Tang Dynasty, "Rongzhou contributed iron." The Rong County Annals from the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty recorded: "Tiechangpu... where Zhuge Wuhou cast weapons, and the Tang Dynasty contributed sharp iron, making it an ancient smelting site." The Republican-era edition of Rong County Annals: Mountains also noted: "Tiechangpu... where the Tang Dynasty contributed sharp iron, making it an ancient smelting site." The development of iron tools greatly facilitated the extraction of well salt. The rulers placed great importance on Zigong's salt industry. In March of the twelfth year of the Kaiyuan era (724), Li Wan, the sixth son of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, changed his name to Li Huang and was enfeoffed to Zigong, becoming the first Prince of Rong. In the first year of the Tianbao era (742), Emperor Xuanzong changed Rongzhou to Heyi Commandery, with its jurisdiction unchanged. Subsequently, eight imperial princes were enfeoffed as Princes of Heyi Commandery. In the first year of the Qianyuan era (758) under Emperor Suzong, Heyi Commandery was restored to Rongzhou. In the third year of the Xiantong era (862), Li Ce was enfeoffed as the Prince of Rong by his nephew, Emperor Yizong of Tang. During the Tang Dynasty, salt produced in Rongzhou and Fuyi was sold as far as Hubei and Jiangxi. After Emperor Xuanzong, the Military Commissioner of Xichuan was appointed to oversee the Fuyi Militia and Training Camp.

During the Former Shu and Later Shu periods, the salt industry remained prosperous and was highly valued by the rulers. The Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs was appointed to oversee the Fuyi Militia, Training, and Transportation, meaning that a chancellor concurrently served as a local government official in Zigong.

2.3. Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties

In the early Northern Song Dynasty, Fuyi County was elevated to Fuyi Supervisorate, under the jurisdiction of Tongchuan Circuit. This marked the second time present-day Fushun was separated from Luzhou and upgraded to a supervisorate, equal in status to Luzhou, with a jurisdiction roughly equivalent to today's Fushun County and Longchang County. Rongzhou still governed the five counties of Xuchuan, Gongjing, Yingling, Weiyuan, and Ziguan, under the jurisdiction of Dongchuan Circuit. In the fifth year of the Qiande era (967), Heyi County in Rongzhou was abolished, with parts of its territory incorporated into Fuyi Supervisorate. In the first year of the Taiping Xingguo era (976), to avoid the taboo of Emperor Taizong of Song's given name, Zhao Guangyi, Fuyi Supervisorate was renamed Fushun Supervisorate. In the third year of the Jingyou era (1036) under Emperor Renzong of Song, the court appointed Zhou Yanjun, a Doctor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, as the Supervisor of Fushun. He repaired the Confucian Temple, established academies, and Confucianism began to spread vigorously in Zigong. Subsequently, the indigenous Liao people were gradually culturally assimilated by the Han Chinese. In the first year of the Zhiping era (1064), Fushun County (the origin of the present county name) was established, subordinate to Fushun Supervisorate. In the fourth year of the Zhiping era (1067), to avoid the taboo of the newly enthroned Emperor Shenzong of Song's given name, Zhao Xu, Xuchuan County was renamed Rongde County. In the first year of the Xining era (1068), Fushun County was abolished, leaving only Fushun Salt Supervisorate. In the fourth year of the Xining era (1071), Gongjing County was abolished and merged into Rongde County, with the name "Gongjing" retained as a town. The mountainous areas south of the county, such as Chiyan (now northern Yibin and Nanxi), were also incorporated into Fuyi Supervisorate. During the Qingli era, the invention of the Zhuotong well transformed salt extraction from wide, shallow wells to narrow, deep wells, leading to the continuous growth and expansion of Zigong's well salt industry. The salt-producing area of Fushun Supervisorate began to expand northwestward, gradually forming the Lower Five Dang salt industry concentration area centered on Dengjing. The Gongjing salt-producing area in Rongzhou also extended southeastward, forming the initial prototype of Zigong City.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, due to the prosperity of Zigong's salt industry, the court restored the title of Prince of Rong in Zigong. In May of the first year of the Kaixi era (1205), Emperor Ningzong of Song, Zhao Kuo, summoned Zhao Yan, the Duke of Wei, to become an imperial prince, bestowed upon him the name Guicheng, enfeoffed him in Rongzhou, and established him as the Prince of Rong (a "Prince of Rong Administration Stele" from the Song Dynasty originally existed on the campus of Rong County Middle School in Zigong, but the stele pavilion was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and the stele's whereabouts are unknown). The old city of the Prince of Rong was built. In October of the third year of the Kaixi era (1207), Prince Yan entered the Eastern Palace and changed his name to Zhao Xun. In August of the thirteenth year of the Jiading era (1220), Crown Prince Xun died young. In the seventeenth year of the Jiading era (1224), Emperor Ningzong of Song passed away. The powerful chancellor Shi Miyuan, together with Empress Yang, deposed Crown Prince Zhao Hong to the title of Prince of Ji, changed the name of the imperial clansman Zhao Yugu to Zhao Yun, and established him as emperor, known as Emperor Lizong of Song. After Emperor Lizong ascended the throne, he posthumously honored his father, Zhao Xilu, as the Prince of Rong, while Emperor Lizong's brother, Zhao Yurui, inherited the title of Prince of Rong in Zigong. In the sixth year of the Shaoding era (1233) under Emperor Lizong of Song, because Emperor Guangzong of the Southern Song, Zhao Dun, had once served as the Prefect of Rongzhou in Zigong, Rongzhou was later upgraded to a prefecture as the emperor's "former residence," and it was renamed Shaoxi Prefecture using Emperor Guangzong's era name. This was the first time Zigong was upgraded to a prefecture in history. Shaoxi Prefecture was a specially established administrative institution due to the prosperity of Zigong's salt industry, once becoming a "major metropolis." In the second year of the Duanping era (1235), the Mongols launched a military campaign to destroy the Song, and Shaoxi Prefecture also suffered from warfare, resulting in "disorder among the population." Prince of Rong Zhao Yurui (whose son Zhao Qi later became Emperor Duzong of Song) also fled from Shaoxi Prefecture (Zigong) to Shaoxing and Lin'an (Hangzhou). From then on, the Prince of Rong was no longer in the territory of Rongzhou. Because Shaoxi Prefecture (Zigong) was an important city in the Southern Song politically and economically, and the Prince of Rong enfeoffed in Zigong held a high seniority within the Song imperial clan and had the closest relationship with the royal family, there was a saying: "If Shu is not held, Jiang and Zhe will shake on their own." Therefore, in the third year of the Duanping era (1236), Shaoxi Prefecture relocated eastward to Honghe Town (present-day Hongheba in Ziliujing District). However, in the sixth year of the Baoyou era (1258), the Mongol army launched a second full-scale offensive against the Southern Song. Möngke Khan led the main force in a fierce attack, and both Shaoxi Prefecture and the old city of the Prince of Rong were abandoned.

In the first year of the Xianchun era (1265), the Mongol army occupied most of the basin. At that time, Fushun was a prefecture-level supervisorate and could not withstand the Mongol cavalry charges. Therefore, the supervisorate government moved to Hutou Mountain, built high walls, and constructed inner and outer cities. They resisted the Mongol army bravely, fighting to the death without surrender. Fushun held out against the Yuan for a full ten years (1265–1274), making Fushun's Hutou City a world-renowned city of resistance against the Yuan. In the first year of the Deyou era (1275) of the Southern Song, Supervisor Wang Zongyi surrendered the city to the Yuan, the supervisorate was abolished, and the administrative seat moved back to its original location from Hutou City.

After the Yuan Dynasty seized the Sichuan Basin through violent massacres, they established the province system. In the eighth year of Emperor Xianzong's reign (1258), Shaoxi Prefecture was completely abolished, and its territory was incorporated into Jiading Prefecture. This was the second time in history that the urban area of Zigong and Rong County were merged into the present-day Leshan area (Jiading). In the twelfth year of the Zhiyuan era (1275), the Fushun Pacification Commission was established. In the twentieth year of the Zhiyuan era (1283), the Pacification Commission was abolished, and it was elevated to Fushun Subprefecture, subordinate to Xuzhou Route of the Sichuan Branch Secretariat of the Xingzhongshu Sheng. The people of the former Shaoxi Prefecture area, in resistance to Mongol rule, privately opened salt wells and killed government patrols. Yuan official Zhan Si captured their leaders and requested the court to pacify them. In the fourth year of the Zhiyuan era (1338), the Yuan Dynasty established the Shaoxi Prefecture Military and Civilian Pacification Commission and the Shaoxi Route Chief Administrator, concurrently establishing the Chief Military Command. The urban area of Zigong and Rong County were once again separated from the present-day Leshan area. In November of the sixth year of the Zhiyuan era (1340) under Emperor Shunzong of Yuan, the Shaoxi Military and Civilian Pacification Commission was abolished. By the end of the Yuan Dynasty, Rongzhou was re-established, belonging to Jiading Route.

In the fourth year of the Hongwu era (1371) of the Ming Dynasty, Fushun Subprefecture was downgraded to a county, belonging to Xuzhou Prefecture. The mountainous area of Nanchiyan was also transferred to Yibin County and Nanxi County. In the ninth year of the Hongwu era (1376), Rongzhou was downgraded to a county (including present-day Rong County and the urban area of Zigong), belonging to Jiading Subprefecture. In May of the tenth year of the Hongwu era (1377), Weiyuan was abolished and merged into Rong County. In October of the thirteenth year of the Hongwu era (1380), Weiyuan County was re-established. During the Yongle era (1403–1424) of the Ming Dynasty, Zhaohua Town, Luolai Town (present-day Huaide Town), and Luyang Town (present-day Changtan Town in Fushun County) south of Qingshan Gorge were transferred to Fushun County, and the Zhaohua Inspection Office was established to manage local military, civilian, and administrative affairs. After the Ming Dynasty destroyed the Great Xia regime of the Ming clan and unified Sichuan, a large number of farmers from Huguang migrated to Fushun and Rong County, introducing advanced farming techniques and superior crops, leading to a leap in agricultural economy. By the Chenghua era (1465–1487) of the Ming Dynasty, the population of Fushun had surged to 123,000, making it the largest county in the Sichuan Basin at that time. In the eighth year of the Jiajing era (1529) of the Ming Dynasty, because the salt from Gongjing Town in Rong County was presented to the imperial court, it was renamed "Gongjing" (Tribute Well). Later, due to the Xinluo Well, the Xinluo Salt Tax Office was established, and it was renamed Xinluo Town. The Ziliujing and Gongjing areas east of Rongxi, which belonged to Xinluo Town, were then separated from Rong County and placed under Fushun. At that time, because the Fuyi salt wells suffered from "freshwater seepage and overflow, and the salt workers had to dig distant wells to compensate for the tax, leading to the abandonment of these wells," the center of salt production shifted westward from the Fushun and Dengjingguan area. The Ziliujing Salt Field began to rise, eventually rivaling Gongjing. The number of salt households expanded, hired workers gradually increased, and a labor force of wage workers began to form. During the Jiajing era (1522–1566) of the Ming Dynasty, Zigong witnessed the earliest "sprouts of capitalism" in inland China. In the first year of the Longqing era (1567) under Emperor Muzong of Ming, an area centered on Donglai Fengqian and Longqiao Post, covering fourteen li (approximately 15% of the county's area), was separated from Fushun County to establish Longchang County, with the county seat near Longqiao Post. This is the origin of today's Longchang County. The establishment of Fushun Supervisorate was also abolished but was quickly restored. In the forty-fourth year of the Wanli era (1616) under Emperor Shenzong of Ming, Zhu Zhi, the third legitimate son of Prince Gong of Shu, Zhu Fengquan, was enfeoffed as the "Prince of Fushun," but he only received a stipend and did not take up his fief. It was rare for the Ming Dynasty to enfeoff princes within county-level administrative regions, precisely because Ziliujing and Gongjing were becoming increasingly important politically and economically. With the development of the well salt industry, finance, and commerce, Fushun (including present-day Zigong urban area and Fushun County) became the most productive and populous affluent region in the basin, earning the reputation "Golden Qianwei, Silver Fushun" (Qianwei actually refers to Wutongqiao, and Fushun actually refers to Zigong). Culture and education flourished, producing Yan Duo, one of the "Ten Talents of the Jingtai Era," and Xiong Guo, one of the "Eight Talents of the Jiajing Era."In the late Ming Dynasty, the nation's strength declined. In the first year of the Dashun era (1644), the Gongjing Town was re-established, known as the Fuyi Salt Field. The "Zhang Xianzhong Rebellion" during the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty (or the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty) led to severe military devastation in Zigong, resulting in widespread suffering, desolate households, and a hundred miles without smoke. The population was nearly wiped out, with a few survivors fleeing to the Linbo mountainous area (present-day Zunyi City) for refuge. After the Qing Dynasty eliminated Zhang Xianzhong's regime, uprisings against the Qing erupted again in the basin. Following the great victory at Xuzhou, Zigong was incorporated into the territory of the Southern Ming. During the Yongli era of the Southern Ming, Qing forces re-entered Sichuan and established authority in northeastern Sichuan, while Fushun and Rong County in southern Sichuan remained under Southern Ming control. However, these areas were unstable, with officials neglecting governance, people living in hardship, salt fields ceasing operations, and widespread panic among the populace.

2.4. Qing Dynasty

In the early Qing Dynasty, Zigong experienced a sharp decline in population, leading to the exemption of taxes. In the later years of the Shunzhi reign, certain fees began to be levied on salt, known as "small tickets," but the salt fields remained in a state of decline. In the nineteenth year of the Kangxi reign, when the newly appointed magistrate of Fushun, Qian Shaolong, arrived at his post, he witnessed "no pedestrians on the roads, only thorns in the pathways, empty cities left unguarded, and no smoke from kitchen fires"—essentially a ghost town. To the north, as far as Ziliujing, "the salt workers had fled dozens of miles away to Weiyuan and Rong County. Beds and tables were all used as firewood, and rice was exhausted as horse feed; the salt workers had stopped production for over five months." After the suppression of the Revolt of the Three Feudatories, the Qing court organized immigrants from Huguang, Jiangxi, Guangdong, and Fujian to enter Zigong, re-establishing civilization on the barren land.

During the Kangxi reign, Zigong's population grew, and the scale of salt transportation and sales expanded, leading to discussions about "reforming tickets and issuing licenses." Salt merchants needed to purchase "salt licenses" from the government to transport and sell salt. In the sixth year of the Kangxi reign (1667), Weiyuan was abolished and merged into Rong County. In the twelfth year of the Kangxi reign (1673), Jiading Prefecture was elevated to Jiading Fu, which still governed Rong County. In the thirteenth year (1674), Weiyuan was re-established. In the twentieth year (1681), Weiyuan was merged into Rong County for the third time. In the sixth year of the Yongzheng reign (1728), Weiyuan County was re-established for the third time. During the Yongzheng reign, the Qing court formally established and implemented the "licensed monopoly" salt administration system, which involved "investigating the actual production quantities of salt wells and furnaces, allocating licenses for sales. Local officials were also ordered to verify the population size, allocate salt based on household numbers, set quotas for license sales, to curb private trafficking and ensure smooth official distribution." In the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign (1729), the development of Zigong's salt industry attracted the attention of Emperor Yongzheng, who personally issued an edict to separate Ziliujing from the jurisdiction of Gongjing, keeping it under Fushun County, while Gongjing west of the Fuxi River was placed under Rong County. Additionally, a Gongjing County Deputy Office (sub-county) was established under Rong County, and a Ziliujing County Deputy Office was established under Fushun County, both dedicated to salt administration. From the Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, Fushun (including present-day Ziliujing, Da'an, Yantan districts of Zigong City, Xiaoxi Town of Gongjing District, and Fushun County) flourished in culture and education, earning the title "Land of Talents" (Fushun talents, Neijiang officials) by the mid-Qing Dynasty. During the Qianlong reign, Zigong had already become a nationally significant salt field. During this period, China's earliest stock—the "Tongsheng Well Contract"—was born in Zigong.

Due to the parallel existence of Ziliujing and Gongjing, around the Jiaqing and Daoguang reigns, the term "Zigong" began to appear in the Furong Salt Field. After the Qing government's defeat in the Opium War, the British and French allied forces forced the Qing court to pay substantial reparations, part of which was extracted from the salt taxes of Ziliujing. From then on, British and French salt tax collection officials were stationed in Ziliujing, and both countries established deputy offices locally. Consequently, many foreign merchants and missionaries flocked to Ziliujing, building French Catholic churches, Christian churches, gospel halls, and gospel hospitals.

However, the licensed monopoly system implemented since the Qing Dynasty not only delayed Zigong's capitalist development but also divided the country into several regions, each allowing only a few hereditary salt merchants to monopolize sales, prohibiting cross-regional free trade under penalty of smuggling charges. This restricted the sales volume of salt produced in Zigong's salt fields and hindered further development of the salt industry. For a long time, the salt required in the Hunan and Hubei regions was dominated by Huai salt. Except for the eight districts of Shihe in Hubei Province, which historically belonged to the Sichuan salt sales region in Chu, the rest were all Huai salt licensed areas, with Sichuan salt occupying a very small market share. Objectively speaking, Sichuan salt had multiple competitive advantages over Huai salt. Even Zeng Guofan, the long-time governor of Liangjiang who suppressed Sichuan salt and promoted Huai salt, had to admit that Sichuan salt had more advantages than Huai salt.

In the mid-Qing Dynasty, the entire nation was in turmoil, with all cultural and institutional systems undergoing drastic changes. On the Mid-Autumn Festival in the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign (1859), Li Yonghe and Lan Chaoding launched an uprising in Yunnan. Starting from the ninth month of the Gengshen year, the rebel forces gathered in Niufo Town, Fushun County. At this time, Zhang Datong, the Qing army commander of Chongqing Prefecture who was originally sent to suppress the uprising in Fushun, also initiated an uprising at the Shaanxi Temple in Ziliujing. On the sixth day of the tenth month, Li and Lan's rebel forces established their capital in Niufo Town, following the system of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, with Li Yonghe proclaiming himself the Shuntian King at the Tianhou Temple. In the late Xianfeng reign, the salt gentry of Ziliujing launched the fierce "Battle of Da'an Fortress" to resist the "Li-Lan Rebel Army." As Ziliujing was a city without walls, Zigong salt merchants had to build the "Sanduo Fortress" to defend against the peasant army's invasion. During the same period, the Hong-Yang uprising and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement emerged, causing significant impacts on the salt administration, particularly in the Lianghuai salt region. After the Taiping Army captured Jiangning (Nanjing) and established it as their capital, they held the natural barrier of the Yangtze River for defense. At that time, river transportation was blocked, making it impossible for Huai salt to reach Hunan and Hubei provinces. If no Huai salt licenses arrived, the people faced the risk of salt shortages. Under these circumstances, Hunan and Hubei had to borrow salt from other regions to meet the people's needs. The Qing court ordered the substitution of Sichuan salt for Chu, giving Sichuan salt access to the vast markets of Hunan and Hubei, leading to "Sichuan Salt Aiding Chu." The implementation of "Sichuan Salt Aiding Chu" was quite effective, sparing the Chu region from salt shortages. The first "Sichuan Salt Aiding Chu" provided an opportunity for the rapid development of the Zigong salt industry. Abundant resources, sophisticated technology, broad markets, and high profits propelled the Zigong well salt industry to its peak, dominating the Sichuan well salt industry. Ziliujing rapidly developed into the "Salt Capital," renowned as the "essence of Sichuan Province" and "the most prosperous area in Sichuan." For a time, Zigong's economy experienced unprecedented prosperity, with all industries flourishing. A large number of salt merchants rose to prominence during this period, with "over 1,700 families accumulating vast wealth through the salt industry."

During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi reigns of the Qing Dynasty, Zigong became China's largest handicraft workshop, earning the title "Salt Capital." In western China, its economic status was highly prominent. In the mid-19th century (during the Xianfeng and Tongzhi reigns of the Qing Dynasty), the renowned German geologist Ferdinand von Richthofen traveled to Sichuan for investigation. Although he regretted not being able to conduct on-site research in the longed-for Ziliujing, he excitedly told people that the "most important production site for well salt is Ziliujing," and this area "is the most densely populated and prosperous region in Sichuan." As a scholar and traveler, he earnestly "advised travelers to visit these incredible ancient sites from the main roads! Where else in the world can we find an enterprise of such antiquity and scale?"

In the fourteenth year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1888), American missionary Virgil C. Hart followed in Richthofen's footsteps and investigated Zigong. Hart, in "this extraordinary hilly town," "saw here a display of wealth and commercial prosperity unseen in other towns," and further informed people that "the importance of this city is undeniable. At this time, there are thousands of money merchants from Shaanxi, hundreds of merchants from Jiangxi, and thousands of businessmen from other parts of China. These facts fully demonstrate that this is a huge trade center. There is a strong army here protecting the government's interests in the salt trade." Deeply moved, he wrote "Notes on a Visit to Tzu-liu-ching," widely publicizing it to the world.

After the abolition of the licensed monopoly system, the wealthy Zigong salt merchants, seeking to break free from the provincial government's political constraints, began to resist the provincial and county control over the Zigong salt fields through practical actions. In the second year of the Tongzhi reign, the Furong Salt Field established a Water Tax Bureau to increase water tax levies, which naturally added to the salt merchants' burdens. The wealthy salt merchant Wang Yuzhao (Wang Langyun), who had already donated for an expectant official position, conspired with another major salt merchant, Yan Xiaofan, and others to instruct salt workers to destroy the Water Tax Bureau. The magistrate of Fushun County summoned Wang Yuzhao for questioning, but Wang Yuzhao responded arrogantly. Enraged, the magistrate imprisoned him. However, at that time, several provinces across the country were suffering from disasters. Wang Yuzhao donated 70,000 taels of silver to the Qing court for disaster relief, and the court immediately added the rank of Provincial Judicial Commissioner (head of provincial legal affairs) to his expectant official position, awarding him the second-rank official hat. As soon as the imperial decree reached Fushun County, Wang Yuzhao, wearing a red-tasseled hat and a purple court robe, strode out of prison. The water tax incident was left unresolved. In the third year of the Guangxu reign (1877), Ding Baozhen, the Governor of Sichuan, citing the need to regulate sales and suppress smuggling, successively established official transportation bureaus in the Qianle and Furong salt fields, implementing the system of "official transportation and merchant sales." This greatly harmed the interests of major salt merchants led by Wang Langyun. Relying on his connections with Beijing officials, Wang Langyun continuously petitioned the Ministry of Revenue and the Censorate. Ding Baozhen, citing Wang Langyun's previous obstruction of water tax collection, which had gone unpunished, and now his repeated accusations against the official transportation system, decided to severely punish him. He reported all of Wang Langyun's misconduct to the court, angering Empress Dowager Cixi, who issued an edict: "Such abuse of power and arrogance must be severely punished. He is hereby dismissed from his post and handed over to Ding Baozhen for thorough interrogation and punishment as a warning."In ancient China, "one tael of silver for one tael of salt," the enormous profits of the salt industry attracted merchants from various provinces to flock to Zigong, forming a historical peak of immigration in Zigong's history. Merchants from all over competed in Zigong's "silver trade," thus shaping Zigong into a city of immigrants. As recorded in the Fushun County Annals: "Many Shu residents are of immigrant descent, yet they long remember their homelands, often pooling funds to establish temple fairs as public property, each worshipping their local deities." These temple fairs, also known as guildhalls, though nominally dedicated to deities, were actually hometown organizations aimed at uniting people from the same region to help each other and resolve disputes, achieving the purpose of "uniting in joyful gatherings, supporting righteous causes, and strengthening hometown bonds." At this time, guildhall and temple architecture in Zigong's districts, counties, and towns rapidly developed, giving rise to a large number of such structures, including the Western Qin Guildhall, Chuanzhu Temple, Huguang Temple, Jiangxi Temple, Nanhua Palace, Tian Shang Palace, and Tianhou Palace.

Zigong saw continuous and intense military presence and conflicts throughout history. Its rich salt industry profits and taxes made it an undefended military special zone. Armies such as the Anding Battalion during the Qing Dynasty also engaged in fierce battles over salt profits. To protect the salt fields and safeguard the interests of salt merchants, local salt police forces and private armed militias emerged in large numbers. Their main functions were to combat illegal salt, protect salt boats and convoys, and provide armed escorts for silver shipments. The annual expenses of these local or private armed forces were all paid by the salt industry capitalists.

2.5. The Mainland Period of the Republic of China

Zigong was the hometown of Wu Yuzhang, a revolutionary of the Xinhai Revolution, and the first place in China to initiate modern revolution, being the first region to declare independence from Qing Dynasty rule. After returning to China in 1911, Wu Yuzhang went back to Sichuan and, together with Wang Tianjie, led and instigated the independence of Rong County. The independence of Rong County was the first success of the Xinhai Revolution, establishing the first democratic regime in Chinese history, half a month earlier than the Wuchang Uprising, "truly pioneering the revolution under heaven."

In 1904, influenced by Wu Yuzhang's Letter Encouraging Study Abroad, 15 Zigong natives, including Xie Fengqi, Long Mingjian, Lei Tieya, and Dan Maoxin, traveled east to study at universities such as Waseda University in Japan. Many Zigong students studying in Japan gradually developed democratic revolutionary ideas and, influenced by Sun Yat-sen and others, joined the struggle against the Manchu Qing Dynasty and for democratic independence. They successively joined revolutionary groups such as the "Revive China Society," "China Revival Society," "Restoration Society," and "Tongmenghui." In April 1906, Wu Yuzhang joined the Tongmenghui and, together with Dan Maoxin, was elected as a member of the评议部 (Review Department). That winter, Sun Yat-sen dispatched Xie Fengqi, Xiong Kewu, and She Ying to return to China, appointing Xie Fengqi, Xiong Kewu, and Huang Fusheng as the chief organizers in Sichuan Province to plan armed uprisings. Twenty-two people, including Cao Du from Ziliujing, Wang Tianjie from Rong County, and Lai Junqi, were organized and developed by Xie and others to join the Tongmenghui. That year, Lei Tieya founded the magazine Juansheng in Japan, actively advocating revolution. In 1907, Wu Yuzhang founded the magazine Sichuan in Tokyo. Lei Tieya was a major contributor to Sichuan and wrote extensively in publications such as Min Bao and Fu Bao to promote democratic revolutionary theories. In 1908, Xie Fengqi led the launch of the Yibin Uprising, but due to poor secrecy, it was brutally suppressed by the Qing court. Later, Sun Yat-sen, the Provisional President of the Republic of China, posthumously awarded Xie Fengqi the rank of Lieutenant General in the Army, with the posthumous title "General Zhang Zuo." That same year, Long Mingjian was ordered to return to China to organize the Tongmenghui's struggle in Yunnan. In 1909, Long Mingjian returned to Chengdu, Sichuan, to organize the Tongmenghui's struggle. That year, Lei Tieya was also ordered to return to China, developing members and promoting revolution in Shanghai. In 1910, the Sichuan Railway Protection Movement emerged. From March to May 1911, Long Mingjian, Wang Tianjie, and others extensively organized militias in Rong County, Gongjing, Changtu, Yaojiashan, Aiye, Zhaiziling, and other areas, forming revolutionary armed forces in preparation for an uprising. From June to July, the Railway Protection Comrades' Associations were established in Fushun and Rong counties. On September 7, the Chengdu massacre occurred when Zhao Erfeng slaughtered petitioning crowds. Long Mingjian and Cao Du from Ziliujing descended from the city walls and released hundreds of "water telegrams" into the Jinjiang River, calling for "comrades everywhere to quickly rise for self-protection and self-rescue." On September 25, Wang Tianjie and Wu Yuzhang opened the prison in Rong County to release arrested party members, led a team to expel Qing officials, organized the public to hold a meeting at the学衙门 (educational office), announced the establishment of a military government, assumed county administration, and declared independence from the Qing court. By the end of September that year, the Comrades' Army attacked Zigong, and the magistrate of Fushun fled. On November 25, the patrol commander Xu of Ziliujing was forced to announce independence from the Qing court. On November 29, various units of the Comrades' Army entered Ziliujing.

After the Comrades' Army entered Ziliujing, they stationed at the Shaanxi Temple under the leadership of Zhou Hongxun, who claimed the title "Governor of Southern Sichuan." At this time, to sustain his troops' expenses, he forcibly auctioned salt from the salt boats along the Fuxi River. This angered the Zigong salt merchants. The salt merchants of Ziliujing secretly elected the salt merchant Wang Yuping as their representative to go to Xufu to collude with the Yunnan Army, driving out all the Comrades' Army from Ziliujing. At that time, most of Chengdu's financial resources relied on the salt tax from Ziliujing. After the Yunnan Army occupied Ziliujing, they monopolized the salt tax, greatly angering Chengdu. At this point, the Chengdu Military Government dispatched their First Division, led by Zhou Jun, to march into Ziliujing. The Provincial Assembly and other parties intervened to mediate, and the Chongqing-based Shu Military Government also sent representatives to Ziliujing to mediate with the Yunnan Army. After the Yunnan Army left Ziliujing, Zhou Jun's forces from Chengdu stationed in Ziliujing and collected military expenses from the Ziliujing salt merchants.

After Zigong's independence, with the development of the salt industry economy and the growth of salt industry capitalists and new nobles, they demanded political power and economic development of capitalism. By the late Qing and early Republic of China, Zigong's municipal management had become a merchant-dominated system. On December 30, 1911, Tongmenghui members and local figures from the Zi and Gong regions, after consultations, established the Zigong Local Provisional Council, linking Zi and Gong for the first time. The Zigong Local Council took the lead in the province by proposing the salt administration reform of "breaking monopolies and equalizing taxes" and consistently maintained salt production at over 4 million dan, making it a leading special zone for reform during this period. All sectors held a meeting at the Ziliujing Well God Temple, electing 60 council members from the Zi and Gong factories, including 12 permanent members. The council imitated Western administrative methods, establishing a tripartite separation of powers, and dispatched专人 (special personnel) to manage the eight major salt yards under its jurisdiction in the Zi and Gong wells. The three yards of Gou Shipo, Huangshikan, and Xicaotian in Gongjing (now in the areas of Gongjing Street, Aiye Town, Xiaoxi Street, and Changtu Town in Gongjing District) were included in its jurisdiction. A notable feature of the Provisional Council period was that the salt industry bourgeoisie of Zigong attempted to fully transplant the form of the Western bourgeois state's tripartite separation of powers onto this inland land of China. Upon its establishment, the legislative, judicial, and administrative organs of the Provisional Council took shape. The Zigong Local Council was China's first local democratic parliament and the only merchant government in Chinese history. Established at the end of 1911, the Zigong Local Council was formed earlier than the Nanjing Provisional Government of 1912, thus becoming the first dawn of democracy in Chinese society or the first successful practice of China's democratic system.

Shortly after the establishment of the Republic of China, the Zigong Local Council sought to achieve local autonomy and democratic independence by separating Zi and Gong from Fushun and Rong counties, merging to form a unified economic and administrative entity—"Xinhe County." "Xinhe County" centered on the Ziliujing and Gongjing factories, incorporating parts of nearby Weiyuan County and Yibin County. However, in July of the first year of the Republic (1912), on the eve of the "Provincial Provisional Assembly" meeting, representatives from Fushun, Rong, Weiyuan, and Yibin counties, unwilling to be outdone, "vigorously distributed leaflets, fiercely attacking the establishment of Zigong County," engaging in tit-for-tat struggles with Zigong's representatives in the province because they "feared that after Zigong became a county, their county territories would shrink, increasing their respective burdens." Thus, the establishment of the county failed. However, considering the importance of Zigong's salt industry economy and the strength of the Zigong salt industry bourgeoisie, the Provincial Assembly, to ease conflicts between the government's tax source supply area and the four counties, had to compromise and adopted a折中 (compromise) measure, appointing members of the Zigong Local Council as the local administrative heads of Zigong. In the autumn of the third year of the Republic (1914), the "provincial" authorities explicitly abolished the Zigong local administrative heads and the independent Zigong Local Council, re-establishing separate Zi and Gong sub-counties, and appointing the Ziliujing County佐 (deputy) of Fushun County and the Gongjing County佐 (deputy) of Rong County to manage affairs in this region respectively. Although Zigong's efforts for independence failed, the tripartite separation of powers model discussed and established by the council had already taken root in people's minds. Thus, from then on, the peculiar situation of "locally called Zigong, salt fields called Furong" was formed.

After the Railway Protection Movement, Zigong fell into a situation of warlord fragmentation and warfare. Starting from the year before the Republic (1911) when the Yunnan Army entered Sichuan, until the 24th year of the Republic (1935) when Chiang Kai-shek gained control over all of Sichuan, the Sichuan Basin experienced numerous large and small warlord conflicts. The most fundamental economic reason was that warlords from Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou competed to occupy the prized lands of Ziliujing and Gongjing to conveniently extract salt taxes for military use. The Yunnan Army entered Sichuan twice, targeting Ziliujing directly. According to incomplete statistics, the military forces stationed in Zigong during this period included: the First Division of the Sichuan Army, the Zheng Jiting Battalion of the Jingfang Army, the Third Division of the Sichuan Army, the First Echelon of the Yunnan Army, the Liu Fakun Brigade of the Yunnan Army, the Zhang Pengwu Regiment of the Sichuan Army, the Jin Hanchang Brigade of the Yunnan Army, the Lü Chao Unit of the Sichuan Army, the Zhao Zongfan Brigade of the Sichuan Army, the Liu Chengxun Unit of the Sichuan Army, the Liu Wenhui Unit of the Sichuan Army, the Yang Sen Unit of the Sichuan Army, the Liu Xiang Unit of the Sichuan Army, and the Cai Yulong Unit of the Sichuan Army. At that time, Zigong was heavily garrisoned with frequent troop rotations, which was indeed rare. Other major players in the混战 (chaotic warfare) over Zigong's salt taxes included Huang Yucheng of the Yunnan Army, Zhou Jun under Yin Changheng who once served as the Governor of Sichuan, and Liu Cunhou, who first依附 (attached himself to) the Beiyang warlords and later投靠 (defected to) Chiang Kai-shek. The battlefields were either along the Chengdu-Chongqing line or in other areas, but often centered around Ziliujing and Gongjing.Apart from Chinese warlords, foreign colonists also cast covetous eyes on Zigong. On April 26, 1913, Yuan Shikai signed the "Post-Revolution Rehabilitation Loan Agreement" with the banking consortium of Britain, France, Germany, Japan, and Russia, totaling 2,500 gold pounds. This "agreement" stipulated that "the entire revenue from China's salt tax shall serve as collateral." The colonists continued the privileges from the late Qing Dynasty and further encroached upon Zigong's salt industry. In the same year, foreign colonists established the "Salt Revenue Inspectorate" in Beijing and the "Southern Sichuan Salt Revenue Sub-Inspectorate" in Ziliujing (Zigong), engaging in frenzied plunder of the salt industry. The sub-inspectorate had one Chinese manager and one foreign associate manager, jointly responsible for collecting and storing salt revenue. On the surface, the power of this institution seemed equally shared between Chinese and foreigners. In reality, however, the foreign associate manager acted according to the will of the colonists, while the Chinese manager had no say and no authority over the salt tax revenue. The position of foreign associate manager was rotated among representatives of the six countries. Successive associate managers of the Southern Sichuan Salt Revenue Sub-Inspectorate included: German Knapp, British Lokey and Berriwen, Russian Diedesen, British Zhukaifu, Japanese Kitayoshi Omura, Norwegian Baker, and British Pukezhashi. They built villas known as the "Associate Manager's Residence" on Futai Mountain in Zigong, currying favor with bureaucrats, flattering warlords, plundering salt merchants, suppressing salt workers, and amassing wealth.

After the National Protection War, the Yunnan Army once again occupied Ziliujing. In February 1918, after the war, Zhu De (first from left in the back row) attended the Yunnan Army's Second Army officers' meeting held in Ziliujing. He took a group photo with eight colleagues at the Fushui military camp, including Zhao Suisheng (first from left in the front row), Yang Ximin (second from left in the front row), Lan Fu (fourth from left in the front row), Jin Handing (fifth from left in the front row), Yang Ruxuan (third from left in the back row), and Tang Fochuan (fourth from left in the back row). After more than two years of fighting, only the nine individuals in the photo remained as military commanders.

In 1916, the Yunnan Army occupied Ziliujing again, forcibly collecting salt taxes. Even after the National Protection War ended, the Yunnan Army continued to occupy the area. Meanwhile, the Guizhou Army seized Chongqing, the strategic chokehold for Zigong's salt transportation and sales. In the spring of 1918, the Yunnan Army stationed in Sichuan levied an insurance fee of 800 yuan per shipment from Ziliujing to Chongqing, marking the beginning of warlords imposing additional taxes. As the number of troops increased significantly, additional taxes gradually proliferated, leading to a chaotic situation where "some taxes were established today and abolished tomorrow, some were imposed by the former army and repealed by the latter, some were newly created without prior existence, and some were temporarily increased. There were even fees for arrival and passage... the variety of names and the number of checkpoints were too numerous to count." At that time, Xiong Kewu, who served as the commander-in-chief of the Sichuan National Protection Army and oversaw civil affairs, launched a campaign in the summer of 1920 to drive out the Yunnan and Guizhou armies. Eventually, the Sichuan Army expelled the Yunnan and Guizhou forces, reclaiming the lower southern Sichuan region, Chongqing, and Zigong's salt tax revenue.

In 1924, Yang Sen was appointed by the Beijing government as the Military Governor of Sichuan, embarking on large-scale military expansion and war preparations. Struggling with insufficient military funds and unable to achieve his goals, he attempted to monopolize the salt tax revenue of Ziliujing. Meanwhile, Liu Wenhui rose to prominence by garrisoning the Ziliujing and Yibin areas, eventually becoming a military commander. Yang Sen's target was directly aimed at Liu Wenhui. In 1925, Yang Sen launched a civil war under the banner of "Unifying Sichuan by Force." His goal was not to unify and develop Sichuan but to keep other armies away from Zigong, allowing his governor's office to "uniformly" station troops and "uniformly" collect salt taxes to bolster his strength. After Yang Sen's forces captured Ziliujing, the Sichuan armies of Liu Chengxun, Liu Wenhui, Lai Xinhuī, Tian Songyao, Deng Xihou, Liu Xiang, and the Guizhou Army under Yuan Zuming organized an anti-Yang coalition in Chongqing. They launched a coordinated attack from multiple directions, defeating Yang Sen and forcing him to flee from Fengjie to Hankou, where he sought refuge with Wu Peifu. After the war, warlords from various factions gathered in Ziliujing for a "Post-War Conference," collectively dividing the salt tax revenue of Ziliujing. During the conference, the relationship between Liu Xiang and Yuan Zuming rapidly deteriorated due to an uneven distribution of spoils. In June 1926, the National Revolutionary Army from Guangzhou launched the Northern Expedition, advancing deep into Hunan, capturing Changsha and Yueyang, and threatening Wuhan, which shook Sichuan. Intimidated by the Northern Expeditionary Army's power, Sichuan warlords also opportunistically joined the revolution, sending representatives to contact the Northern Expeditionary Army. By the end of the year, all Sichuan armies had changed their flags to the Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth flag, coming under the jurisdiction of the Nationalist Government.

After the Sichuan armies changed their flags, although the Nationalist Government nominally unified Sichuan, the province remained fragmented under warlord rule. Consequently, the Kuomintang intensified its efforts to win over Zigong and actively promoted the establishment of Zigong as a city. In April 1927, the Kuomintang "Left" faction's Zigong Municipal Party Headquarters Preparatory Office, based on the national merchant association charter issued by the Central Party Department's Merchant Department of the Kuomintang, reorganized the original "Zigong Chamber of Commerce" into the "Zigong Municipal Merchant Association." The prestige of the old chamber of commerce plummeted, and its actual power was taken over by newly emerging merchants. The "Zigong Municipal Merchant Association Charter" was drafted and promulgated, adding the word "Municipal" to the original "Zigong Chamber of Commerce" name and consistently using the term "Zigong City" (the name 'Zijingshi Chamber of Commerce' had been used in 1923). After establishing the Zigong Municipal Party Committee and the Zigong Municipal Chamber of Commerce, discussions about establishing Zigong as a city resurfaced. Later, the Sichuan Provincial Government dispatched personnel to prepare for city establishment, but due to severe disasters in Zigong at the time, it was "temporarily postponed." After the initial proposal to establish a city failed, the functions of the local government were performed by the "Zigong Municipal Chamber of Commerce," which represented the city's public authority. The "Zigong Municipal Merchant Association" took the lead in raising the banner of "Zigong City," expressing the desire and courage of merchants from various industries in Zigong and Gongjing to establish a city, while also legitimizing its role as the de facto "government" for both areas. In 1927, the Kuomintang (Right faction) took over the Kuomintang "Left" faction's Zigong Party Headquarters Preparatory Office, establishing the Kuomintang (Right faction) Party Affairs Registration Office, later renamed the Party Affairs Preparatory Committee. In 1928, the Kuomintang conducted a general registration. Subsequently, the Kuomintang Zigong Municipal Party Affairs Guidance Committee and the Kuomintang Zigong Municipal Party Affairs Reorganization Committee were established successively.

In 1932, Liu Xiang attacked Liu Wenhui out of dissatisfaction with the latter's long occupation of the fertile land of Ziliujing. After the war between the two Lius, Liu Wenhui was driven out of Ziliujing and fled to Xikang, while Liu Xiang gained complete control over the Zigong salt fields. To intensify the exploitation of military funding sources, Liu Xiang and Wang Zanxu issued a proclamation in the name of the 21st Army Headquarters and the Sichuan Salt Commissioner's Office, forcing Zigong salt merchants to contribute 800,000 yuan. Even after multiple levies, Liu Xiang remained unsatisfied and further "pre-collected" 6.36 million yuan in regular salt tax for 1935 in 1934. Before the Nationalist Government actually controlled Zigong, Sichuan warlords employed various tactics to seize salt taxes, exploiting and colonizing Zigong by every possible means. Through withholding, surcharges, and additional taxes, the warlords plundered Zigong's salt tax revenue far beyond what the Zigong salt industry could bear, severely constraining Zigong's development.

In May 1935, Chiang Kai-shek's main forces entered the Sichuan Basin, establishing a situation where the Central Army controlled Sichuan, freeing Zigong from the grip of Sichuan warlords. In 1935, the Central Party Department of the Kuomintang designated Zigong and the counties of Rongxian, Weiyuan, Fushun, Jingyan, and Nanxi as a single party affairs district, the Zigong District, and set up an Instructor's Office in Zigong. The Kuomintang Central directly treated "Zigong City" as an independent central city and county, also governing the surrounding five counties. This high-level treatment was the greatest advancement in the issue of establishing a city. In January 1937, in Directive No. 1809 from the Sichuan Provincial Government, Miu Qiujie, then the Sichuan Salt Transport Commissioner, suggested: "Propose the establishment of a power plant in Zigong and set up a Municipal Administration Bureau there." Meanwhile, the Kuomintang Zigong Municipal Party Affairs Guidance Committee petitioned for: "the establishment of the Zigong Municipal Government." The Kuomintang's approach was more direct and forceful, constructing and providing a practical platform for Zigong's city establishment.

After the Central Army entered Sichuan, the Inspectorate took over the Transport Commissioner's Office, integrating administration and taxation, abolishing most specialized systems, and implementing "regulated freedom." Due to Zigong's unique and paramount importance in Sichuan's salt industry, it welcomed the入驻 of key players for city establishment. In the first year after the Central Army entered Sichuan, the Southern Sichuan and Northern Sichuan Salt Revenue Sub-Inspectorates and the Chongqing Inspectorate merged to form the Sichuan Salt Revenue Sub-Inspectorate, which入驻 Ziliujing. The Sichuan Salt Transport Commissioner's Office also moved from Chongqing to Ziliujing. After the Sichuan salt administration organs入驻, they actively participated in various economic and social development projects in the Zigong area based on considerations for their own salt industry development. In January 1937, the Sichuan Salt Transport Commissioner's Office stationed in Zigong, the Zigong Municipal Kuomintang Party Affairs Guidance Committee, and the Zigong Municipal Chamber of Commerce proposed to the Military Commission Chairman's Field Headquarters the establishment of a Zigong Municipal Administration Bureau or Municipal Government. Subsequently, the Sichuan Salt Administration Bureau and the Zigong Municipal Party Affairs Guidance Committee repeatedly petitioned for the establishment of Zigong City. Due to continuous demands from political dignitaries, wealthy merchants, and local celebrities, the establishment of Zigong as a city, which had long been morally and conditionally mature, attracted sufficient attention from higher authorities. In January 1937, Chiang Kai-shek, Chairman of the Military Commission, instructed the Sichuan Provincial Government through his Field Headquarters: "Review and respond regarding the establishment of the city." Accordingly, the Sichuan Provincial Government, following the instructions of the Military Commission Chairman's Field Headquarters, decided to assign Xu Jianqiu from the Provincial Civil Affairs Department and Liu Danwu, a section chief from the Provincial Construction Department, to conduct an on-site inspection in Zigong. On January 5, 1937, the Sichuan Provincial Government held its 131st committee meeting, where Xu and Liu reported on their on-site inspection of Zigong. The committee unanimously agreed that Zigong met the conditions for city establishment and initiated all preparatory work for establishing the city.On July 7, 1937, the War of Resistance Against Japan broke out. Within less than a year, China's coastal regions fell into enemy hands. Japan not only gained control over all sea salt production but also severed the salt transportation routes to the interior, attempting to create nationwide panic through a brutal "salt blockade" and ultimately force China to surrender without a fight. The disruption of sea salt supply soon triggered a large-scale "salt famine," once again subjecting the people of Hunan and Hubei to the hardship of bland diets. To stabilize public morale and persist in the resistance, the Nationalist government had to initiate the "Sichuan Salt Aid to Chu" program, restoring Zigong's salt supply to Huguang and completely breaking Japan's "salt blockade." Zigong's salt industry flourished once again, with water transport routes fully operational. Salt from Zigong could travel from the Fuxi River into the Tuo River and down the Yangtze River, marking the revival of Zigong's salt industry and ushering in an unprecedented "golden age." At this time, Zigong thrived in all sectors and became a crucial base in the rear area of the War of Resistance. With economic development and the prosperity of the salt fields, the establishment of a city became an urgent necessity.

In April 1938, Mr. Sun Mingjing, invited to Zigong to film Zigong Well Salt, captured the birth of this emerging industrial city through his lens. At that time, Zigong was dotted with towering derricks, crisscrossed with dense pipelines for brine and gas transport, and chimneys belching columns of smoke from salt boiling. The banks of the Fuxi River were crowded with "crooked-headed" salt transport boats, making it a veritable "city of salt wells everywhere." The documentary filmed by Mr. Sun Mingjing in Zigong boosted the morale of the resistance, showing the world that deep within China's interior, there was still a large-scale industrial center supporting the fight for national salvation.

On September 1, 1939, as World War II broke out, the preparatory work for establishing the city had been completed. With approval and confirmation by Chairman Chiang Kai-shek, the Nationalist government delineated six townships and five towns from the Fifth District of Fushun County—including Tongdang Town (the core of the Zijin District), Xindang Town (Dafenbao-Longjing Street, Da'an Street), Changqiu Town (High-tech Zone), Shangqiu Town (Xiaoxi Street, Changtu Town), Gaodong Township, Dashan Township (Dashanpu Town), and Xinyou Township (Lianggaoshan Street)—and from the Second District of Rong County—including Gongjing Town (Xicaotian, Gongjing District), Aiye Township (Aiye Town), Dunqi Township (Aiye Town), and Dunmu Township (Jianshe Town). These areas, centered around major salt yards such as Ziliujing and Gongjing, formed a twin-city domain, officially establishing Zigong City. Zigong thus became one of China's earliest twenty cities. From the establishment of the Zigong Municipal Preparatory Office by the Sichuan Provincial Government in June 1938 to the approval of Zigong's city status by the Nationalist government in September 1939, the so-called "city establishment controversy" occurred. The conflict mainly centered between the Kuomintang Zigong City Party Headquarters and the region's actual administrative authority, the Sichuan-Sikang Salt Administration, revolving around competition for new political resources and economic interests. The controversy ended with the dismissal of Miao Qiujie, Director of the Sichuan-Sikang Salt Administration, by the Control Yuan, and the appointment of Cao Renyuan from the CC Clique as mayor. Most personnel of the newly established administrative body, the Zigong Municipal Government, were filled by Kuomintang party workers, with both the municipal government and the party headquarters controlled by the CC Clique. During the eight-year War of Resistance, despite relentless bombing by enemy aircraft, Zigong produced over 1.9 million tons of salt, supplying one-third of the military and civilian needs nationwide. According to The Cambridge History of the Republic of China, before the outbreak of the war, 80% of the Nationalist government's revenue came mainly from tariffs, salt taxes, and commercial taxes. Zigong City generated nearly 2.1 billion yuan in salt taxes, enough to support the annual salaries of 27 standard army divisions, providing strong financial support for the wartime government.

From October 10, 1939, to August 19, 1941, within less than two years, the Japanese military dispatched aircraft to invade Zigong seven times in 17 batches. On October 10, 1939, while various sectors in Zigong were celebrating National Day at Fuxi Park, 27 Japanese Zero bombers took advantage of the weak defenses to carry out the "Double Ten indiscriminate bombing" of Zigong. The bombings on July 28 and 29, 1942, were part of consecutive large-scale air raids. The Japanese military's "salt blockade bombings" inflicted heavy disasters on the people of Zigong's salt fields. Japanese warplanes bombed areas such as Guangda Street and Guojiagou northwest of the Ziliujing Salt Field, leaving residents homeless and without food. The salt fields provided congee for disaster relief, with over 600 people coming for each meal. In addition to the suffering of ordinary civilians, the fire brigade of the air defense command, tasked with disaster relief, lost three officers and 34 soldiers, with one officer and 23 soldiers injured. Two fire trucks were destroyed. The Renji Hospital, run by Canadians, was bombed, with three basement areas destroyed, resulting in an estimated property loss of 1.5 million French francs. Preliminary statistics show that over two years, the Japanese military conducted seven salt blockade bombings on Zigong, dropping 1,544 bombs, causing 622 deaths, 365 injuries, the destruction of 2,785 houses, and losses amounting to 124 million French francs. At the end of 1939, the Nationalist government transferred an anti-aircraft artillery company stationed in Chongqing to Zigong to assist the existing anti-aircraft artillery battalion in defense. Due to the company's relatively advanced equipment, it shot down an enemy aircraft on August 17, 1941, forcing the Japanese military to abandon further bombings of Zigong. In 1939, Japan's Asahi Shimbun reported on the Japanese military's bombing of Ziliujing in Zigong.

In 1942, Zigong salt merchants purchased the "Salt Merchant" fighter plane, and salt workers generously donated funds to buy two aircraft for China, the "Salt Worker" and the "Salt Boat," in support of the resistance and national salvation. In November 1943, General Feng Yuxiang, Vice Chairman of the Nationalist Government's Military Commission, initiated the "Donation Movement" in Zigong to support the frontline of the war. The people of Zigong enthusiastically contributed donations. From June to August the following year, Feng Yuxiang returned to Zigong to launch a second "Donation Movement." At Zigong's Beiyuan, Feng Yuxiang inscribed the four large characters "Return Our Rivers and Mountains" in clerical script, which were later engraved at the foot of the mountain by the Fuxi River. During this movement, Zigong donated a total of 120 million French francs, becoming the city with the highest donations during the War of Resistance. The famous Zigong salt merchant Yu Shuhuai donated 10 million French francs, setting a national record for individual donations at the time. General Feng Yuxiang's "Frugality and Donation for National Salvation Movement" achieved the greatest results among various donation movements throughout the War of Resistance. In this movement, the people of Zigong gave their all, setting 22 national records. Zigong's donation efforts also earned special commendation from Mr. Chiang Kai-shek in a national circular order. Chiang repeatedly praised, "Zigong stands in the first-class position in terms of national defense and economy!"

During the War of Resistance, China experienced skyrocketing prices and the devaluation of the French franc, prompting the Nationalist government to implement macroeconomic controls. Due to Zigong's unique economic status, the Kuomintang Central Committee decided to establish an "Economic Inspection Team" (abbreviated as "Jingjian Team") in Zigong, directly under the Secretariat of the Executive Yuan's Economic Conference. This team was specifically composed of members from the Central Statistics Bureau, the Military Statistics Bureau, and the Three People's Principles Youth League. In the summer of 1941, Qi Yaorong from the Central Statistics Bureau arrived in Zigong, expelled the Military Statistics Bureau and the Three People's Principles Youth League, and monopolized the power of the Zigong Economic Inspection Team, with the Central Statistics Bureau taking full control. Subsequently, the Zigong Investigation and Statistics Office of the Central Statistics Bureau, under the pretext of unified leadership and coordinated action, sought approval from the Central Statistics Bureau to reorganize the Zigong Investigation and Statistics Office, separating it from the leadership of the Sichuan Provincial Investigation and Statistics Office and elevating it to direct jurisdiction under the Central Statistics Bureau, parallel to the provincial level. In the winter of 1941, Xu En, Director of the Central Statistics Bureau, inspected the Zigong urban area under the direct jurisdiction of the Central Statistics Bureau (also visiting the salt fields, accompanied by Kuomintang Central Committee member Lai Lian) and delivered a roll-call speech to nearly 100 Central Statistics Bureau personnel. The establishment of the Zigong Economic Inspection Team and the direct jurisdiction of the Central Statistics Bureau over Zigong effectively marked Zigong's elevation from a "provincially administered city" to a "centrally bureau-administered city," second only to "centrally ministry-administered cities," directly under the leadership of the Executive Yuan's agencies. Politically, this was equivalent to a sub-provincial status, with certain powers at the provincial level.

In December 1941, the Pacific War broke out, and the Chinese government organized expeditionary forces to enter India and Burma to fight against Japan. In 1943, 137 students from Zigong joined the Youth China Expeditionary Force; in 1944, another 570 youths participated in the Youth Expeditionary Force. According to incomplete statistics, from this city of only 220,000 people at the time, nearly 30,000 volunteered to join the military and head directly to the frontline of the War of Resistance. According to the Directory of Loyal and Martyred Soldiers of the Republic of China, 1,942 "Zigong-native" officers and soldiers sacrificed their lives in battles such as the Battle of Shanghai, the Battle of Wuhan, the Battle of Taierzhuang, the Defense of Changsha, the Battle of the Nu River, and the India-Burma theater during the eight-year War of Resistance.

On August 9, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender. When the news reached Zigong, every household celebrated wildly, fireworks sold out in the markets, shops and residences were illuminated with candlelight, and various community groups paraded with drums and gongs, while those without drums or gongs shook copper bells through the streets and alleys. According to statistics from the Executive Yuan, after the victory of the War of Resistance, Zigong City became China's 19th largest city, reaching its peak with unprecedented political and economic prominence. Such a city was also full of confidence in its developmental prospects. In the 1940s, plans for its future as a major city began to take shape. Qiu Zhizhong drafted the Sichuan-Sikang Economic Construction Plan, aiming to make Zigong the industrial center of the Sichuan region. The Zigong industrial center would encompass 32 counties and cities across the entire southwestern region of Sichuan, developing industries such as salt, iron, coal, wool and cotton textiles, silk weaving, acid-base chemicals, and mechanical transport, all revolving around Zigong like stars around the moon, attracting widespread attention.

In 1946, the Chinese Civil War broke out. Leaders of the Kuomintang, Democratic Socialist Party, and Youth Party frequently held "Three-Party Liaison Meetings" in the rear area of Zigong to discuss "suppression of rebellion and contingency" plans, making it resemble a "little auxiliary capital." However, the then-mayor, Gan Jipi, was actually a spy planted by the Chinese Communist Party within the Kuomintang. Upon taking office, Gan actively cooperated with the so-called "peaceful liberation" efforts of the Chinese Communist Party.After relocating the capital back to Nanjing, the Nationalist government, in the face of controlling the central treasury and the interests of the Four Families' Huai salt merchants, issued an order for Huai salt to re-enter the Hunan and Hubei regions, while Sichuan salt was forced to retreat to its original sales areas, marking the end of Zigong's golden age. As early as 1945, seven individuals including Hou Ceming, Xiong Zuozhou, and Luo Xiaoyuan proposed organizing the Sichuan Salt Industry Company, aiming to merge Zigong's two major salt fields into one, seeking a way out for Sichuan salt after the War of Resistance. Subsequently, Wang Jiliang, Wang Deqian, and others from the Ziliujing East Salt Field formed the "Southwest Salt Industry Company," while Yu Shuhuai and others from the West Gongjing Salt Field formed the "China Salt Industry Company," competing with each other. By the end of 1946, as the depreciation of the legal tender intensified, the capital raised and investments made by the Sichuan Salt Industry Company were far from sufficient to offset the devaluation, resulting in significant losses. Both the Southwest and China companies also suffered similar devastating defeats.

In July of the 37th year of the Republic of China (1948), Niu Jianxia, the newly appointed director of the Sichuan-Sikang Salt Affairs Bureau, convened a meeting with Zigong’s salt producers and merchants to convey the authorities' policy of "supporting Huai salt and suppressing Sichuan salt." At the meeting, he announced the immediate cessation of official salt purchases. At the time, hyperinflation was rampant, with interest rates rolling over every three days or even daily. As a result, merchants were unwilling to purchase salt, and with official purchases halted, the income sources for salt wells and workshops dried up. Zigong salt merchants quickly shifted from lenders to borrowers, becoming heavily indebted. After the legal tender was replaced by the gold yuan certificate, the handling of documentary bills was suspended, and Zigong's salt transportation essentially came to a standstill. The revenue from selling a dan of salt in the sales regions was insufficient to purchase an equivalent amount of salt in the production areas. Additionally, vast areas of Hunan and Hubei were flooded with low-priced Huai salt shipped upstream, causing the nominal value of funds held by merchants to increase while their actual purchasing power diminished, worsening day by day. By April 1949, after the fall of Nanjing, the situation became even more chaotic, forcing Zigong salt merchants to gather and discuss "collective debt clearance." The mayor, Gan Jipi, suppressed the wave of debt defaults by threatening the salt merchants.

On December 3, 1949, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) entered southern Sichuan. At 5:00 PM on December 4, 1949, the PLA arrived at Dengguan in Fushun County. Gan Jipi and Deputy Commander Yang Xuyun of the Nationalist government’s garrison command decided to send Xu Zhicheng as a representative to surrender to the PLA. On the evening of December 4, the PLA had already passed Yantan. At 10:00 AM on December 5, the 83rd Regiment of the 28th Division of the 10th Army of the Third Corps of the Second Field Army of the PLA reached East Street in Fushun County, crossed the Tuo River, and occupied Fushun County. At 23:00 on December 5, the PLA vanguard, guided by underground Communist Party members, advanced to Dongxingsi and crossed the Cement Bridge. At 1:00 AM on December 6, on Binjiang Road entering the city via the Cement Bridge, the Communist forces arrived at the Republic of China’s Zigong Municipal Government from Ziliujing Binjiang Road. Gan Jipi led government agencies, the garrison command, the police bureau, and chamber of commerce representatives to receive the Communist forces. Gan Jipi issued a public letter declaring an uprising, and from then on, Zigong was peacefully taken over by the Communist regime. After the Communist Party took over Zigong, they established the Zigong Military Control Commission.

2.6. The People's Republic of China Era

In January 1950, the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China divided Sichuan Province into four administrative offices: Southern Sichuan, Northern Sichuan, Eastern Sichuan, and Western Sichuan. These four offices, along with Chongqing City, Xikang Province, Yunnan Province, and Guizhou Province, were directly under the jurisdiction of the Southwest Administrative Region. The Southern Sichuan Administrative Office was initially stationed in Zigong before relocating to Luzhou. Zigong City administered the first to fifth districts. In 1952, Sichuan Province was re-established, and Zigong City was placed directly under the jurisdiction of Sichuan Province. In 1953, the first, second, and third districts of Zigong City were renamed Ziliujing, Gongjing, and Dafenbao districts, respectively, while the fourth and fifth districts were merged to form the suburban district. In 1955, Dafenbao District was renamed Da'an District.

In early 1958, the resolution made at the first party congress of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to "fully utilize salt brine and natural gas resources to build Zigong into a chemical industry base" led the Zigong Municipal Committee of the CPC to propose the slogan "Ride the Thousand-Mile Horse, Rush to the Chemical City." This initiated a mass movement to develop the chemical industry, sparking a wave of comprehensive construction for the chemical city. The "Construction of the Chemical City" in 1958 marked Zigong's first industrial restructuring, as the salt industry began to extend into the chemical sector. Thirteen enterprises were established or expanded, including the Honghe Chemical Plant, Dengguan Salt Factory, and Zigong Carbon Black Factory, with the expansion of the Zigong Zhangjiaba Salt Chemical Plant. The carbon black project at Zigong Carbon Black Factory was completed and put into operation. At the same time, Zigong's chemical production achieved remarkable accomplishments. For instance, the barium chloride produced by the Zhangjiaba Salt Chemical Plant was exported, with product quality surpassing British first-grade standards and reaching world-class levels. The bromine recovery rate at the Zigong Chemical Plant reached 96%, exceeding U.S. standards at the time. The dilute acetylene concentration at the Zigong Natural Gas Comprehensive Utilization Experimental Station reached 6.12%, achieving international advanced levels. The Dengguan Salt Factory, completed in 1959, was the first and only large-scale salt factory established by the Communist government. In August 1959, the provincial government transferred 13 people's communes to Zigong City, including the entire Yong'an District of Fushun County, parts of Yantan and Yongnian districts, Rongbian of Rong County, and Nongtuan, Qishu, and Zhongquan of Yibin.

According to statistics, the variety of chemical products in the city increased from 8 in 1957 to 60 in 1960. The proportion of chemical industry output value in the total output value of the salt industry (including chemicals) rose from 22.46% in 1957 to 83.89% in 1960, making it another pillar industry in Zigong after salt. In 1965, the chemical industry output value of Zigong reached 36.023 million yuan, 31 times that of 1952. Zigong's light chemical industry, primarily based on salt, expanded into heavy chemicals. Barium chloride produced by the Zhangjiaba Salt Chemical Plant was exported to the United Kingdom; dozens of chemical products such as soda ash and caustic soda were introduced; and domestically produced dichloromethane was born. During this period, central leaders such as Liu Shaoqi, Deng Xiaoping, Chen Yi, He Long, Nie Rongzhen, and Dong Biwu inspected Zigong. The high level, large number, and frequency of these visits underscored Zigong's significant industrial status at the time.

In 1965, Zigong embraced the "Third Front Construction" with an open mind, advancing its second industrial restructuring. With the relocation of 21 enterprises and institutions from Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Northeast China, and other regions—such as Dongfang Boiler, Changzheng Machine Tool, Zigong Cemented Carbide, Chenguang Chemical Research Institute, Carbon Black Industry Research and Design Institute, the Seventh Prospecting Brigade of the Ministry of Geology, High-Pressure Valve Factory, Sichuan Flat Glass Factory, and East China Institute of Chemical Technology (now East China University of Science and Technology)—and the completion of supporting infrastructure, Zigong's单一的盐化工产业 (single salt-chemical industry) added machinery, building materials, metallurgy, and other industries, initially forming a multi-category industrial system. The gross output value of the secondary industry exceeded that of the tertiary industry for the first time in 1965, reaching 96.97 million yuan, and surpassed the primary industry in 1975, reaching 168.37 million yuan.

In March 1972, the Second Prospecting Brigade of the Ministry of Geology discovered dinosaur caudal vertebrae fossils in the Wanniandeng area of Dashanpu. The discovery of the Dashanpu dinosaur fossil group enhanced Zigong's reputation and created important conditions for building Zigong into a tourist city and destination. At the same time, the state approved the construction of an on-site dinosaur museum, which became the only dinosaur museum in the Eastern Hemisphere at the time.

In 1979, the central government transferred Rong County from the former Neijiang Prefecture to Zigong City. In 1983, Fushun County from the former Yibin Prefecture was also transferred to Zigong City. In the same year, the suburban district of Zigong City was renamed Yantan District. By then, the administrative division of Zigong City had formed into four districts and two counties. The period from 1979 to 1988 marked the peak of Zigong's economic development, particularly in industry. The Third Front Construction relocated a number of machinery, light industry, metallurgical enterprises, and research institutions to Zigong, making machinery and light industry strong sectors. Zigong's total industrial output ranked third in Sichuan Province, behind only Chengdu and Chongqing. In July 1979, three communes from Ziliujing were transferred to Da'an District, making Ziliujing District a purely urban area.

On November 30, 1986, Zigong City was approved as an open city. On December 8, Zigong City was designated by the State Council as one of the second batch of "Chinese Historical and Cultural Cities." Zigong's designation as a "Chinese Historical and Cultural City" was full recognition of the city's charm and also served as a bright名片 (name card) for Zigong. Starting in 1987, Zigong officially named its lantern festival the "Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival Economic and Trade Fair." The first Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival Economic and Trade Fair was held from January 20 to March 10, 1987.

On May 27, 1992, the Sichuan Provincial People's Government approved the establishment of the Zigong High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, making it the third high-tech industrial development zone established in Sichuan.

Since the 1990s, Zigong's industrial economy has faced difficulties, with the salt industry being particularly prominent, severely constraining and affecting economic development and social stability. In 1995, Zigong experienced its most severe economic crisis in history. From 1995 to 1999, the economy experienced five consecutive years of negative growth, and the salt industry suffered eight consecutive years of losses. Zigong's total industrial output fell from third place in the province (including the then non-municipality Chongqing) in 1988 to eighth place in 1999. The 1990s were Zigong's "lost decade," during which it formally lost the tripartite balance established in the late Qing and early Republic of China (early 20th century) among "Rong (Chengdu), Yu (Chongqing), and Jing (Zigong)," and even began to widen the development gap with emerging cities. Under the basic line centered on economic development, Zigong's leaders no longer served as members of the Standing Committee of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee. Additionally, bureaucratization and corruption became significant triggers for prominent social contradictions at the time.On June 27, 1997, Zigong was struck by a catastrophic rainstorm and flood of a magnitude not seen in a century. Within 15 hours, the total precipitation in the urban area reached 301.1 mm, causing the Fuxi River to exceed the warning water level by 5.78 meters and submerge Binjiang Road for 31 hours. The city experienced disruptions in water, electricity, gas, and communication services, with industrial enterprises halting production entirely. A total of 19,300 houses collapsed in urban and rural areas, vast swathes of crops were inundated, markets, shops, and storefronts were flooded, thousands of people were trapped by the floodwaters, 19 lives were lost, and direct economic losses exceeded 1.1 billion yuan.

In 1998, the economic recession worsened, and social conflicts intensified. The city had 316 enterprises either fully or partially shut down, with 137 loss-making enterprises accounting for 55% of the total, incurring losses of 241 million yuan. Over 80,000 workers were laid off, and a significant number of enterprises defaulted on wages, living allowances for laid-off workers, and pensions for retired employees. Incidents such as workers from struggling enterprises blocking traffic and surrounding party and government offices became frequent. As numerous enterprises closed down or underwent restructuring, large numbers of workers were laid off. The hardships faced by workers led to heightened social tensions, resulting in multiple demonstrations and protests.

From the turbulent era of the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China at the turn of the first century to China's rapid development at the turn of the second century, Zigong's 20th-century history began with brilliance and glory but ended in decline and silence.

Entering the 21st century, factors of social instability persisted. Prominent social and environmental issues included the major traffic accident on March 31, 2004, caused by corruption in the bus company, the Huivishi major pollution incident, and the land enclosure movement in Huidong. Protests by taxi drivers and laid-off workers blocking streets became commonplace. In 2009, nearly a thousand workers from the Zigong Textile Factory went on strike and demonstrated in front of the municipal government. On March 22, 2011, the "Diary Gate" incident exposed shocking corruption within Zigong's official circles.

During the 11th Five-Year Plan period, Zigong adhered to a new path of industrialization, implemented a strategy of strengthening the city through industry, seized opportunities to undertake industrial transfers, and strengthened regional economic cooperation. Gradually, a comprehensive industrial economic system took shape, dominated by three advantageous industries—machinery, salt chemicals, and new materials—while also encompassing electronics, metallurgy, light industry, textiles, building materials, and other sectors. Zigong's industrial economy entered a phase of rapid development, becoming one of the regions with the strongest comprehensive processing and manufacturing capabilities in the province and ushering in a period of recovery and development in the new century. Simultaneously, Zigong embarked on a strategy for large-city development.

In 2001, the Zigong Municipal Party Committee and Government proposed the "Eastward Expansion and Southward Shift" urban development strategy. In 2004, the regulatory detailed plan for the Nanhu Ecological City was formulated, shifting the focus of Zigong's urban development to the Nanhu area.

On June 22, 2011, the Zigong High-Tech Industrial Park was officially approved by the State Council, successfully upgrading to a national high-tech industrial development zone.

In 2013, Zigong's built-up urban area reached 109 square kilometers, with an urban population of 1.06 million. It became the first "dual-hundred" megacity in southern Sichuan, with a main urban area exceeding 100 square kilometers and a population surpassing 1 million.

In January 2014, Zigong was officially designated as a National Garden City by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

In 2016, construction began on Zigong's Eastern New City. In 2018, the regulatory detailed plan for the Eastern New City, spanning the Ziliujing, Da'an, and Yantan districts, was formulated.

In 2018, Zigong and Neijiang officially signed the "Cooperation Agreement on Promoting Integrated Development of Neijiang and Zigong." The provincial party committee and government made the decision to "support the integrated development of Neijiang and Zigong, and collaboratively build industrial parks and new urban areas."

On February 25, 2019, a magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck Rong County in Zigong, resulting in 2 deaths and 12 injuries (including 3 severe cases).

By 2021, the built-up area of Zigong's central urban district had reached 132 square kilometers, with a permanent population of 1.287 million. Over the decade from 2012 to 2021, the urbanization rate of the permanent population increased by an average of over 1 percentage point annually, reaching 56.2% by the end of 2021.

On June 28, 2021, the Neijiang-Zigong-Luzhou section of the Mianlu High-Speed Railway opened, and the Zigong High-Speed Railway Station was put into operation, officially ushering Zigong into the "high-speed rail era."

On October 20, 2021, the Sichuan Provincial Government approved the "Overall Plan for the Integrated Development of Neijiang and Zigong," covering the entire areas of both cities. The plan aims to significantly enhance the economic strength of the two cities by 2025, with the combined GDP of the integrated region exceeding 420 billion yuan.

3. Geography

3.1. Geographical Location

Zigong City is situated in the southern part of the Sichuan Basin, between 28°55′37″N to 29°38′25″N and 104°02′57″E to 105°16′11″E. It borders Longchang and Luxian counties to the east; Jiang'an, Nanxi, and Yibin to the south; Qianwei and Jingyan to the west; and Weiyuan and Neijiang to the north. The city covers a total area of 4,372.6 square kilometers. The territory of Zigong stretches 119.6 kilometers from east to west and 97.2 kilometers from north to south. The urban area covers 1,440.2 square kilometers, with the built-up urban area exceeding 100 square kilometers.

3.2. Human Geography

Zigong City is a UNESCO Global Geopark, a National Historical and Cultural City of China, an Excellent Tourism City of China, a National Sanitary City, an Open City, a National Garden City, a National Intellectual Property Pilot City, a National Youth Development City, as well as a nationally designated key protected area for concentrated paleontological fossil sites. It is also one of the first batch of national demonstration zones for industrial transformation and upgrading in old industrial cities and resource-based cities. Zigong enjoys the reputations of "Millennium Salt Capital," "Hometown of Dinosaurs," "Lantern City of the South," and "Culinary Capital." It has long been praised as the "Essence of Sichuan Province" and "The Most Prosperous Area in Sichuan."

The old Zigong City was originally a twin-city domain primarily consisting of Ziliujing and Gongjing. Currently, the four districts of Ziliujing, Gongjing, Da'an, and Yantan have merged into an integrated urban development.

3.3. Topography and Landforms

The terrain of Zigong City is higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast. The highest point is the main peak of Dingjia Mountain in Rong County, with an elevation of 901 meters. The lowest point is the water surface of the Tuo River exiting Fushun County, at an elevation of 240 meters. The landforms are divided into low mountains, hills, and flatlands. Low mountains are mainly distributed in 13 townships west of the line connecting Zhengan, Baohua, and Lijia in Rong County, and east of the line connecting Shuangguzhen, Changshan, and Liujia, as well as in areas like Qingshanling and Longguan Mountain in Fushun County. They cover about 17% of the city's total area, with elevations ranging from 500 to 1,000 meters. Hills are the most widespread, covering over 80% of the city's area, with elevations between 350 and 500 meters. Flatlands account for only 3% of the total area, scattered sporadically, mostly as river terraces or flatlands between hills. Additionally, there are various types of valleys, covering nearly 45% of the city's area, including alluvial valleys, gullies, erosion gullies, as well as karst trough valleys, basins, and river valleys. The density of these valleys is 2.85 kilometers per square kilometer. Consequently, Zigong's urban landscape features the scenery of "Half the city embraced by green hills, half the city filled with buildings, with gentle rivers winding around."

The rivers within Zigong City belong to the Min River and Tuo River systems. The Yuexi River and Mangxi River in the west belong to the Min River system, with a basin area of 1,207 square kilometers within the city. The remaining rivers belong to the Tuo River system. Within the city, the Tuo River system includes important tributaries such as the first-level tributary Fuxi River, and second-level tributaries like the Xushui River, Weiyuan River, Changtan River, and Zhenxi River. There are 142 rivers with a basin area exceeding 5 square kilometers, of which 17 have a basin area over 50 square kilometers. Most rivers exhibit feather-like or dendritic shapes. Zigong is extremely water-scarce, with total water resources of approximately 1.6 billion cubic meters, ranking it among the 50 most severely water-deficient cities in China. Water shortage is particularly acute in the densely populated, industrially concentrated, and commercially prosperous urban center.

3.4. Climate

The climate is under the influence of the East Asian monsoon circulation and is a subtropical monsoon climate. The annual average temperature ranges from 17.5°C to 18.0°C, with annual sunshine hours between 1,150 and 1,200, and annual precipitation between 1,000 and 1,100 mm. Zigong experiences four distinct seasons. Spring arrives early, with temperatures rising quickly after the Spring Festival. Summers are hot with heavy and concentrated rainfall. Autumn in Zigong is relatively short, often characterized by continuous drizzles. Winters are not very cold, with little rainfall. Overall, Zigong has a warm climate, abundant rainfall, relatively short sunshine duration, distinct seasons, and cloudy weather is quite common.

Zigong City Meteorological Data (1981–2010)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Record high °C (°F) | 18.1 (64.6) | 24.0 (75.2) | 32.0 (89.6) | 35.1 (95.2) | 37.3 (99.1) | 37.6 (99.7) | 38.1 (100.6) | 41.1 (106.0) | 38.3 (100.9) | 31.3 (88.3) | 26.3 (79.3) | 18.8 (65.8) | 41.1 (106.0) | | Average high °C (°F) | 10.1 (50.2) | 12.8 (55.0) | 17.5 (63.5) | 23.1 (73.6) | 27.3 (81.1) | 28.7 (83.7) | 31.2 (88.2) | 31.2 (88.2) | 26.7 (80.1) | 21.1 (70.0) | 16.9 (62.4) | 11.3 (52.3) | 21.5 (70.7) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) | 9.8 (49.6) | 13.7 (56.7) | 18.6 (65.5) | 22.7 (72.9) | 24.6 (76.3) | 26.9 (80.4) | 26.7 (80.1) | 23.0 (73.4) | 18.2 (64.8) | 14.0 (57.2) | 8.9 (48.0) | 17.9 (64.2) | | Average low °C (°F) | 5.7 (42.3) | 7.6 (45.7) | 10.9 (51.6) | 15.3 (59.5) | 19.3 (66.7) | 21.6 (70.9) | 23.8 (74.8) | 23.6 (74.5) | 20.5 (68.9) | 16.2 (61.2) | 11.9 (53.4) | 7.2 (45.0) | 15.3 (59.5) | | Record low °C (°F) | -1.2 (29.8) | 0.6 (33.1) | 0.8 (33.4) | 6.6 (43.9) | 10.4 (50.7) | 15.3 (59.5) | 18.5 (65.3) | 17.6 (63.7) | 14.4 (57.9) | 5.5 (41.9) | 2.5 (36.5) | -1.8 (28.8) | -1.8 (28.8) | | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 12.7 (0.50) | 18.5 (0.73) | 31.1 (1.22) | 62.4 (2.46) | 95.7 (3.77) | 176.5 (6.95) | 204.9 (8.07) | 180.9 (7.12) | 113.0 (4.45) | 52.9 (2.08) | 28.0 (1.10) | 13.0 (0.51) | 989.6 (38.96) | | Average relative humidity (%) | 83 | 80 | 75 | 74 | 73 | 80 | 81 | 80 | 83 | 85 | 82 | 83 | 80 |

3.5. Natural Resources

The main mineral resources proven in Zigong City include salt and coal, among 18 types in total. Currently, 12 types are being exploited and utilized, mainly including rock salt, bituminous coal, limestone, shale for bricks, ceramic clay, kaolin, and mineral water.### 3.6. Global Geopark In 2008, Zigong successfully applied to UNESCO for designation as a Global Geopark. Zigong City is China's first world-class geopark named after a city. The Zigong Geopark consists of the Dashanpu Dinosaur Fossil Site Park, the Qinglongshan Dinosaur Fossil Site Park, and the Zigong Salt Industry Park, covering a total area of 56.6 square kilometers. Zigong is characterized by its world-renowned Middle Jurassic dinosaur fossil sites and its historically significant well salt sites, complemented by the landscape of the relict plant community of Cyatheaceae, known as "living fossils."

4. Administrative Divisions

Zigong City administers 4 municipal districts and 2 counties.

• Municipal Districts: Ziliujing District, Gongjing District, Da'an District, Yantan District
• Counties: Rong County, Fushun County Additionally, the Zigong High-Tech Industrial Development Zone is a national-level high-tech industrial development zone established by Zigong City.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (sq km) | Resident Population (Census Year) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | |----------|------------|------------|----------------|------------------|----------|----------|------------|------|------| | 510300 | Zigong City | Zìgòng Shì | 4,372.46 | 2,489,256 | Ziliujing District | 643000 | 25 | 64 | 2 | | 510302 | Ziliujing District | Zìliújǐng Qū | 154.99 | 481,981 | Dangui Subdistrict | 643000 | 9 | 3 | | | 510303 | Gongjing District | Gòngjǐng Qū | 409.02 | 226,704 | Xiaoxi Subdistrict | 643000 | 3 | 7 | | | 510304 | Da'an District | Dà'ān Qū | 399.82 | 291,645 | Longjing Subdistrict | 643000 | 6 | 9 | | | 510311 | Yantan District | Yántān Qū | 469.13 | 297,365 | Yantan Town | 643000 | 2 | 9 | 1 | | 510321 | Rong County | Róng Xiàn | 1,606.31 | 469,488 | Qingyang Subdistrict | 643100 | 2 | 20 | | | 510322 | Fushun County | Fùshùn Xiàn | 1,333.19 | 722,073 | Fushi Subdistrict | 643200 | 3 | 16 | 1 |

Note: The figures for Ziliujing District include 4 subdistricts under the jurisdiction of the Zigong High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, and the figures for Yantan District include Bancang Subdistrict under the jurisdiction of the Zigong High-Tech Industrial Development Zone.

5. Economy

During the Republic of China era, Zigong was one of the most economically developed and densely populated regions in Sichuan. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, although it maintained a tripartite balance of power with Chengdu and Chongqing for a considerable period, Zigong's economic standing within the province has significantly wavered in recent years. The combined economic output of its municipal districts (Ziliujing District, Gongjing District, Da'an District, and Yantan District) ranks among the top in the province, with its per capita GDP placing fifth in Sichuan.

5.1. Industry

5.1.1. Historical Evolution

Zigong is one of China's old industrial cities, possessing a very solid industrial foundation.

Historically, the salt industry was the pillar of Zigong's industrial development. In ancient China, around the Eastern Han Dynasty (76–88 AD), the Liao people mined salt deposits, extracted brine, and produced salt here, a history spanning two thousand years. Since the mid-Qing Dynasty, Zigong has consistently been the center of well salt production in China. From the late Qing and Republic of China periods, production further developed, with output long maintained at around "one-fifth of the national total." The renowned scientist Zhu Kezhen wrote: "Shops and salt wells/works are intermingled, stretching over forty li connecting countryside and city," and "travelers arriving here for the first time, hearing the clanging sounds of machinery from various salt wells, think they have entered a European or American factory. This is rare in China and virtually unheard of in the interior." According to Chiang Ching-kuo's diary, "Ziliujing resembles the Baku oil region of the Soviet Union, with thousands of tall wooden frames extracting brine. The depth of the salt wells there is about three hundred zhang, but the diameter of the opening is only five cun... Many foreigners have visited, and none fail to be amazed. They all say this is Chinese science, but exactly how it works, they are utterly baffled." The famous British scientist Joseph Needham, in his Science and Civilisation in China, asserted that Zigong's drilling technology was internationally advanced by several hundred to a thousand years. This technology is hailed as "China's fifth great invention" and the "father of modern industry," directly inspiring the Western petroleum extraction industry. In 2006, Zigong's deep-drilling and brine extraction techniques for well salt were listed as a "Chinese National Intangible Cultural Heritage."

As early as the Republic of China period, there were plans to develop Zigong into an industrial center for Sichuan. Zigong's industry is led by salt production, chemicals, and machinery manufacturing, and includes sectors such as building materials, chemical fiber textiles, metallurgy, electronics, coal, and food processing. Its economy, science & technology, and social undertakings were relatively developed. During the Third Front construction period, the Dongfang Boiler Factory, established in 1966, was a key central state-owned enterprise in Zigong during this era.

Entering the 21st century, Zigong has developed into a national new materials industrialization base, a national sci-tech trade innovation base, and a high-end equipment manufacturing base. It hosts a number of nationally renowned enterprises and research institutes and is an industrial city with pillars in machinery, chemicals, salt, textiles, light industry, food processing, lanterns, and new building materials. Since 2020, leveraging industrial parks, Zigong has been focusing on building three 100-billion-yuan industrial clusters: new energy, drones & general aviation, and new materials & new chemicals.

5.1.2. Industrial Parks

• Zigong National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone

Established in May 1992, Zigong High-Tech Zone is the third provincial-level high-tech zone in Sichuan and was approved as a national high-tech industrial development zone in June 2011. Its planned area is 132 square kilometers, with a current administrative area of 66 square kilometers. It hosts a National Industrial Transformation and Upgrading Demonstration Zone for Old Industrial Cities; leading research institutions like Zhonghao Heiyuan Chemical Research & Design Institute, Zigong Advanced Carbon Materials Industry Technology Research Institute, and Zigong Xinrui Advanced Materials Research Institute; top-tier national innovation and entrepreneurship platforms like the Zhejiang University Zigong Innovation Center (Zhejiang University Zigong Industrial Research Institute) and the Harbin Institute of Technology (Zigong) Technology Transfer Center; and Sichuan's only comprehensive university in southern Sichuan, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering.

Zigong High-Tech Zone has formed a "3+1" leading industrial structure focusing on new energy, intelligent manufacturing, advanced materials industries, and modern services. In new energy, leading companies like China National Building Material (CNBM), Xingchu Century, Shenzhen Changying, and Jiangsu Tianjun have established strong presence. The first photovoltaic glass production line in western China, the first phase of the Kaisheng New Energy Solar project, is operational. In intelligent manufacturing, an energy-saving and environmental protection equipment manufacturing cluster represented by companies like Huaxi Energy and Chuanrun Co., Ltd. has taken shape. In services, it features large urban commercial complexes like Huashang International City, Wanda Plaza, and Aegean Sea Shopping Park. Greenland Ocean World and Hilton Garden Hotel are set to open soon, accelerating the development of modern services focused on consumer services and tourism.

• Sichuan Zigong Aviation Industrial Park

Located in Gongjing District, Zigong, the Zigong Aviation Industrial Park was established in 2015 and approved as a provincial-level development zone in January 2019. It is a National New Industrialization Industrial Demonstration Base, a Provincial UAV Industry Innovation Center, one of China's first batch of Civil Unmanned Aircraft Test Zones, and a pilot area for national low-altitude airspace collaborative management reform. It is striving to become a National General Aviation Industry Comprehensive Demonstration Zone and a National Economic and Technological Development Zone, serving as a main battlefield and key support for Zigong's industrial transformation and upgrading.

The Zigong Aviation Industrial Park represents Zigong's determined strides in building a 100-billion-yuan industrial cluster for drones and general aviation. The park features Sichuan's "first approved and first built" A1-class Fengming General Airport with a 1200m x 30m runway, and the B-class Lantian General Airport with a 2500m x 40m runway dedicated to large UAVs. It also hosts Sichuan's first B-class Flight Service Station interconnected with the Provincial Low-Altitude Operation Center. Operational facilities include a 17,000-square-meter apron, a 12,000-square-meter standardized hangar, and a 250,000-square-meter target drone recovery field, capable of meeting the takeoff, landing, parking, and testing needs of various UAVs and general aircraft.

The park has attracted over 50 key enterprises and institutions, including major military UAV leader AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group; military electronics leader CETC Special Aircraft; top civilian large UAV private enterprise Tengden; the world's largest flight training organization, Civil Aviation Flight University of China; as well as Sichuan Airlines and Guanglian Aviation, initially forming a new development pattern for the entire UAV and general aviation industry chain.

• Yantan High-Tech Industrial Park (Including Southern Sichuan New Materials & Chemical Park)

Established in April 2009, Yantan High-Tech Industrial Park has a total planned area of 20 square kilometers, with a developed area of 10 square kilometers. It has been successfully recognized as a provincial high-tech industrial park and rated as a National Industrial Transformation and Upgrading Demonstration Zone and a second-batch Industrial Cooperation Demonstration Park within the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle.

Yantan High-Tech Park has formed a "one park, three zones" development pattern: The Zigong Southern Sichuan New Materials & Chemical Park was officially recognized as one of Sichuan's first batch of chemical parks on April 1, 2022. Aiming to build a 100-billion-yuan chemical park, it focuses on salt-fluorine chemicals, supplemented by new energy materials and fine chemicals. It has successfully attracted a group of "national team" and leading industry enterprises like Zhonghao Chenguang, Sinochem, China National Building Material (CNBM), and Jiangsu Guotai. The Mechanical Equipment Industrial Park, located in the central part of Yantan Provincial High-Tech Zone, primarily serves the Zigong Southern Sichuan New Materials & Chemical Park, upgrading industries like cemented carbide and power equipment, and vigorously developing energy equipment and oil & gas extraction equipment. The Zigong Food Industrial Park leverages the distinctive "Yanbang Cuisine" brand, capitalizes on local resources and industrial foundation, undertakes the transfer of food industries from eastern China, and promotes the agglomeration of local food enterprises.

• Fushun Chenguang Economic Development Zone

Established in 2003, it has a planned area and reserved space of 17.66 square kilometers. It is a provincial-level economic and technological development zone, a provincial circular economy transformation demonstration pilot park, and a key park within the provincial industrial transformation and upgrading demonstration zone.

Chenguang Economic Development Zone primarily focuses on three categories of chemical industries while accommodating categories one and two. It can host projects in chemicals & new materials, new energy, high-end electronics, and machinery manufacturing. Relying heavily on the Chenguang Chemical Research Institute, it is dedicated to building a chemical new materials industrial base characterized by fluorine-silicon chemicals & new materials and fine chemicals, integrating manufacturing and application of chemical new materials, and prospectively developing shale gas and new energy industries. It forms a complementary, synergistic, and coordinated development pattern with the Yantan Southern Sichuan New Materials Industrial Base through differentiated positioning.

5.2. Tertiary Industry

5.2.1. Finance

As a region with a prosperous salt-based economy, Zigong historically also had a quite developed financial sector. Historical records from the Republic of China period state: "The Furong Salt Field was extremely prosperous for a time. Great merchants and wealthy businessmen gathered here. The local wealth and prosperity were unmatched within the province... It was regarded by the government as the sole source of revenue... It remained Sichuan's only industrial center and a rare port with a trade surplus. Those engaged in financial services, banks and native banks, operated side by side, which could also be considered quite developed." Although the fortunes of the financial industry in different historical periods were influenced by the salt economy, the level of development in pawnshops, native banks, silver shops, banks, securities, funds, and insurance in this land was enough to astonish the financial sectors of countless major cities. In the 44th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign (1779), the oldest stock certificate in Chinese history—the "Tongsheng Well Contract," a type of salt industry contract—was born in the Ziliujing Salt Field.After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the financial industry in Zigong was severely suppressed, and the financial innovation model that began in the Qing Dynasty encountered significant obstacles. This marked a major regression in the history of Zigong's financial development. Following the reform and opening-up, the Chinese Communist Party began to rebuild the financial system. However, due to the decline of the real economy, the former glory of Zigong's financial industry could not be restored. Today, the urban area of Zigong hosts commercial banks such as the Agricultural Development Bank of China, Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications, Zigong Bank, China Postal Savings Bank, China Everbright Bank, Hengfeng Bank, Leshan City Commercial Bank, Panzhihua City Commercial Bank, Sichuan Tianfu Bank, and Zigong Zhongcheng Rural Bank (formerly Zigong Rural Commercial Bank). In total, there are 19 banking financial institutions (including 1 policy bank branch, 8 national commercial bank branches, 4 city commercial banks, 5 rural credit cooperatives, and 1 municipal rural bank). However, the number of banks is less than one-fifth of what it was during the Republic of China era. Additionally, there are 8 securities financial institutions, including Huaxi Securities, China Investment Securities, Guodu Securities, Haitong Securities, Yingda Securities, Wanlian Securities, Everbright Securities, and Guoxin Securities. There are also 19 insurance financial institutions, such as PICC Property and Casualty, PICC Life, Pacific Insurance, and Ping An Insurance (including 10 property insurance institutions and 9 life insurance institutions). Furthermore, there is 1 microfinance company and 3 financing guarantee companies. In 1992, Zigong publicly issued "Dongxin Electric Carbon Stock," and in 1993, Dongtan became the first listed company in Zigong after the founding of the People's Republic of China. Starting in 1994, stocks issued by companies such as "Dongbo," "Changzheng," and "Daxiyang" were managed electronically without paper. In 2008, the first privately listed enterprise, "Chuanrun Shares," was successfully listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Although the Zigong High-Tech Industrial Park was upgraded to a national high-tech industrial development zone in 2011 and a high-tech incubation park has been established, the development of private equity investment funds and venture capital remains significantly lagging. The financial market is underdeveloped, with insufficient development of a multi-level capital market and a low proportion of direct financing. The financial market structure is highly unbalanced. In terms of organizational structure, state-owned commercial banks dominate the banking industry, with low levels of business innovation and weak local financial strength. There is also a shortage of financial talent support.

5.2.2. Commerce

• Late Qing Dynasty

Commerce in Zigong flourished alongside the development of the salt industry. During the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty, wealthy merchants from other regions gathered in Zigong, and some salt merchants invested in commerce. Salt industry capital and commercial capital interpenetrated, forming the "Eight Major Merchant Houses." In the late Qing and early Republic of China periods, rock salt was developed, and the salt industry grew. Merchants dealing in goods formed trade associations. In the first year of the Xuantong era (1909), there were 18 trade associations. On Zheng Street in Ziliujing, there were famous associations such as the Beijing Association, Leshan Association, and Jing Association. In Gongjing, there were seven provincial guildhalls for merchant associations, serving as gathering and trading places for merchants from various regions. Centered on the salt industry, commerce in the Zigong region was characterized not only by salt trade as its main commercial activity but also by numerous commercial activities of different categories revolving around salt production and the lives of salt industry capitalists, workers, their families, and ordinary citizens.

During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi periods of the Qing Dynasty, the charcoal market thrived. In the late Qing Dynasty, "there were 1,650 coal boats on the Weiyuan River, transporting over 100,000 tons of coal annually. Weiyuan coal merchants were commonly known as 'Shangheke,'" and large quantities were sold in the Gaotong charcoal market. The Dashanpu market, established as a town during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, was a crucial hub on the route from Ziliujing to Niufo and Longchang, serving as an important distribution center for agricultural and sideline products. There was a folk saying: "The Niuer Ferry can never be emptied, and Dashanpu can never be filled." The streets were lined with commercial shops, and market trade was exceptionally lively. Salt transported eastward from Ziliujing and various mountain products, local specialties, non-staple foods, fruits, and vegetables entering Zigong were mostly traded in the markets. Agricultural and sideline products such as rice, corn, peanuts, sugarcane, and jute produced in the surrounding rural areas were also traded in the markets. From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China period, the commercial center of Zigong was the Zhupengzi Market, located in the area from Sansheng Bridge to Xinglong'ao in Ziliujing. Historical records of Ziliujing from the mid-19th century state: "Commerce in Ziliujing was extremely prosperous. From Badian Street downward, money shops and merchant houses stood in close succession, creating a scene of splendor and prosperity. Every evening as the sun set, laughter filled the air. Financial activities were brisk, and millions in cash could be mobilized instantly. Traveling merchants and sedentary traders crowded the streets, no less than in major trading ports."

• Republic of China Period

During the Republic of China period, the commercial center shifted to Shawan. Zhongzheng Road, Zhongshan Road, and Linsen Road were the commercial centers of Zigong. The old road names were numerous: from the intersection connecting Tanmulin to the Tianxiang Grand Hotel, the small locality was called "Shiguitai," and the road section was called Zhupengzi Road; from the Tianxiang Grand Hotel to the Xiqin Guildhall (now the Salt Museum), the road section was called Xinglong Street; from the Xiqin Guildhall to the Salt Spring Sculpture intersection, it was called Sansheng Bridge; from the Salt Spring Sculpture to the intersection with Zhonghua Road (i.e., the section up to Shitashang), it was called Badian Street; from the Zhonghua Road intersection to Shizikou, it was called Zheng Street; from Shizikou to the west side of the Computer Digital City (the section of Holiday Plaza), it was called Xinjiezi; from the west side of the Computer Digital Plaza to the Gome Electric Appliance Building, it was called Sandao Guai; from the Gome Electric Appliance Building to the west side of the Ziliujing District Local Taxation Bureau (formerly the Luchangba intersection), it was called Zhuanjiao Jing; from the west side of the Ziliujing District Local Taxation Bureau to Xinqiao Tou, it was called Huilong Street. In 1943 (the 32nd year of the Republic of China), the Zigong Municipal Government of the Republic of China, in its "32nd Year Public Works Administration Plan," merged the road section from Shizikou to Xinqiao Tou and renamed it Zhongshan Road, renamed Zheng Street as Zhongzheng Road, and combined the two sections of Badian Street and Sansheng Bridge into Linsen Road. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the Zigong Municipal People's Government merged Zhongshan, Zhongzheng, and Linsen Roads and renamed them Jiefang Road.

• People's Republic of China Period

After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the commercial center of Zigong underwent several changes. In the early 1980s, the city cinema was the most bustling commercial area in Zigong; from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, it shifted to Shizikou and Xinjie; in 1997, with the opening of Jiuding Department Store, Wuxing Street became the commercial center of Zigong. In 2002, the first premium clothing pedestrian street in southern Sichuan, Dongfang Plaza, opened. By around 2010, a dual-center for high-end goods such as branded clothing, footwear, hats, and leather goods had formed, centered on Dongfang Plaza-Dihao Building (later Qiansheng Department Store) and Dangui North Street.

Since 2015, with the launch of the first phase of Huashang International City—the first one-stop leisure, entertainment, and shopping park in the city center of southwestern China—in the Nanhu New Town of the High-Tech Zone, followed by the opening of the second phase "Aegean Shopping Center" in 2020, the completion of the third phase "Fuxili Block" in 2022, and the commencement of the Hilton Garden Hotel in 2023, the Nanhu-Huashang area has become an unshakable commercial center in Zigong. Currently, Huashang International City is located in the southern part of the city, Wuxing Street-Fanhua 1939 in the northern part, and Wanda Plaza in the western part, forming a commercial pattern of "Huashang in the south, Fanhua in the north, and Wanda in the west."

Additionally, there are numerous commercial markets such as Tongxing Road, Yangjiachong, the eastern section of Huidong Road, the eastern section of Huixing Road, Qingganglin Food Street, Huichuan Road Southern Sichuan Agricultural Trade Center, Machishui, Huali Building Materials and Decoration Center, Longjing Auto Parts Center, Dashanpu Southern Sichuan Leather Center, and G348 Shuping Section Southern Sichuan Steel Center. Today, large supermarket brands in Zigong include Walmart, Renrenle, Moerma (Macy's), Qiansheng, Jiuding Department Store, Jiahe, New Mart, Parkson, and Yonghui.

6. Transportation

6.1. Railway

The railway stations within Zigong City include Zigong North Station, Zigong South Station, Yuchong Station, Dashanpu Station, Zigong Station, Yantan Station, Fushun Station, Rongxian Station (planned), etc. Among them, Zigong Station, Yantan Station, Fushun Station, and Rongxian Station (planned) are high-speed rail stations.

• Dismantled Railways

The first railway in Zigong was a light railway built in the 29th year of the Republic of China (1940) from Dongxingsi to Yantan, primarily used for salt transport. Refer to the introduction of Zigong Light Rail for more details.

• Urban Railways

  • Dashanpu Railway Logistics Park Railway Dedicated Line

  A logistics track within the city. It connects to the Dashanpu Railway Station on the Neiliu Line (Neijiang to Liupanshui), with a total length of 9.5 kilometers. Upon completion and operation, it will be integrated into the national backbone railway network. Together with the Zigong South Railway Logistics Base, it will form a "one north, one south" layout for Zigong's railway freight functions, providing extended services for railway freight. The dedicated line extends northward to Neijiang via the Neijiang-Kunming Railway's Neiliu section and then connects to the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway.

  • Neikun Railway Zizhang Branch Line

  This railway branch line is a dedicated railway line. Construction began on October 20, 1956, and was entrusted to the Neikun Railway Project Section 1 for construction. The branch line is 6.8 kilometers long, starting from Ziliujing Railway Station, passing through Da'an District to Zhangjiaba, with one station (Zhoujiachong) along the way.

• Neikun Railway

Built to Zigong in 1956, with stations including Zigong North Station, Zigong South Station, Yuchong Station, and Dashanpu Station. Zigong North Station is located in Ziliujing District. In the past, one could travel from Zigong North Station by train to important cities such as Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Guiyang, Kunming, Chengdu, and Zhuzhou. With the operation of high-speed railways, the passenger train service on the Zigong section of the Neikun Railway is now limited to only one slow train, the 5635/5636 from Neijiang via Zigong to Zhaotong. Currently, it primarily serves freight functions.

• Mianlu High-Speed Railway

The Mianlu High-Speed Railway starts from Mianyang Station on the Xicheng Passenger Dedicated Line, passes through Zigong Station, and ends at Luzhou Station, with a total length of approximately 439 kilometers. The railway is classified as a passenger-dedicated line, double-tracked, with a design speed of 250 km/h. The Neijiang-Zigong-Luzhou section includes seven stations: Neijiang North, Sanyuan, Baima West, Zigong Station, Fushun, Luxian, and Luzhou.

• Chengyi High-Speed Railway

The Chengyi High-Speed Railway runs from Chengdu East Station to Yibin Station, with a total length of 261 kilometers (double-track) and a design speed of 350 km/h. The entire line has five stations and connects at its terminus to the Chenggui Passenger Dedicated Line and the Yukun High-Speed Railway.

• Rongkun High-Speed Railway (Chengdu-Zigong Section)

The Rongkun High-Speed Railway is an important component of the Beijing-Kunming Corridor, one of the "Eight Vertical" corridors in the national high-speed railway network. It starts from Chengdu, passes through Chengdu Tianfu International Airport to Zigong, where it connects with the Chengyi High-Speed Railway. The design speed is 350 km/h throughout. Upon the full opening of the Rongkun High-Speed Railway, the rail travel time from Chengdu to Kunming will be shortened to 3 hours, and from Chengdu to Zigong to 40 minutes. The main line of the Chengdu-Zigong section starts from the newly built Tianfu Station, passes through Tianfu International Airport, Ziyang, Weiyuan, and ends at Zigong Station, where it connects to the Chengyi High-Speed Railway and links with the planned Yukun High-Speed Railway in Yibin. It connects the Chengdu-Chongqing High-Speed Railway, Chenggui High-Speed Railway, and Yukun High-Speed Railway trunk lines, forming a rapid passenger transport channel from Zigong directly to Tianfu Airport, Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, and Guiyang.

• Yuziya High-Speed Railway (Yameilezi Intercity Railway) (Planned)

The Yameilezi High-Speed Railway starts from Ya'an in the west, passes through Hongya into Meishan, reaches Leshan where it intersects with the Chenggui Passenger Dedicated Line, and enters Rongxian County and Gongjing District of Zigong City. It is positioned as a regional trunk railway with a design speed of 350 km/h, making it the fastest intercity railway currently designed in Sichuan. The line is approximately 200 kilometers long, with an estimated project investment of 28 billion yuan and an expected construction period of 4 years.

6.2. Highway

The existing expressways within Zigong City include G85 Neiyi Expressway, G4215 Chengzilu Expressway, Lezi Expressway, Zilong Expressway, and Neiweirong Expressway. It takes about 2 hours to travel to Chongqing via Zilong Expressway connecting to G85 Chengdu-Chongqing Expressway, and to Chengdu via G4215 Chengzilu Expressway. The under-construction S4 Chengyi Expressway passes through Zigong's Rongxian County and is expected to open by the end of 2020 to 2021.

Additionally, national highways include G348 and Chuanyun Middle Road, while provincial highways include Suijun Road, Zigong Road, and Longya Road, etc. These roads form a comprehensive transportation network throughout Zigong City.

Currently, there are two large long-distance bus stations in the urban area: Zigong Bus Passenger Terminal (referred to as the Main Bus Terminal) and Zigong East Bus Passenger Station (referred to as the East Bus Station).

Zigong Bus Passenger Terminal (Main Bus Terminal) is located in the southern section of Dan Gui North Street, Huidong New District, Zigong High-tech Zone. It is a first-class passenger station, the largest in the urban area with the highest passenger flow and departure frequency. It is accessible by multiple bus routes (including a total of 16 lines: 1, 10, 16, 18, 28, 32, 33, 35, 37, 41, 61, 301, 306, 308, 309, 808).

Zigong East Bus Passenger Station (East Bus Station) is located on Beihuan Road, Eastern New Town, Da'an District, Zigong City. Currently, only long-distance coach services and some routes to Chengdu and Chongqing depart or have stops here. Five bus lines originate from the East Station bus stop: 7, 15, 35, 306, and 308.

6.3. Aviation

Zigong has 2 general aviation airports (Fengming Airport, Lantian Airport) and plans to build 2 more (Fushun Airport, Rongxian Airport). Residents primarily use five nearby civil airports for travel (Yibin Wuliangye Airport, Luzhou Yunlong Airport, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Chengdu Tianfu International Airport), which offer multiple routes to major domestic and international cities. There are plans to cooperate with Neijiang City to promote the construction of the Neijiang (Zigong) Airport. Additionally, there is one airport under construction in the neighboring area (Leshan Heping Airport).

• Zigong Fengming General Aviation Airport

Zigong has the Fengming General Aviation Airport. The Southern Sichuan General Aviation Industry Project officially settled in Zigong in 2013, located in the Zigong Aviation Industrial Park, Chengjia Town, Gongjing District, Zigong City. By 2016, Zigong already had a general aviation airport. The project covers a total area of 1,185 acres with a total investment of 590 million yuan. The main construction includes one 1200-meter runway, three taxiways, an office terminal building, a control tower, an apron, and a parking lot, along with supporting communication and navigation facilities. In line with the unified planning of AVIC, aircraft production assembly lines and aircraft component production lines have been introduced. Several short-haul general aviation routes, including one to Jintang, Chengdu, have been opened.

• Zigong Lantian General Aviation Airport

Zigong has the Lantian General Aviation Airport. It is located within the Zigong Aviation Industrial Park, Chengjia Town, Gongjing District, Zigong City. It became operational in March 2022. The airport runway is 2500 meters long and 40 meters wide, dedicated for the takeoff and landing of large and medium-sized UAVs.

• Neijiang (Zigong) Airport

A key construction project for transport airports during China's 14th Five-Year Plan period, it is a 4C-level civil aviation passenger and cargo airport. In 2022, the temporary meteorological station for Neijiang Airport was completed and put into use in Chaoyang Town, Shizhong District, Neijiang City.

• Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport

Located north of Shuangliu County, Chengdu, to the northwest of Zigong's urban area, approximately 150 kilometers from the center of Zigong. In terms of annual passenger traffic, it is the fourth largest airport in mainland China. The airport's flight area is rated at the highest 4F level, featuring two parallel runways each 3600 meters long, two passenger terminals, and other facilities. It is accessible by coach from Zigong's urban area.

• Chengdu Tianfu International Airport

Located in Lujia Town, Jianyang City, to the northwest of Zigong's urban area, approximately 100 kilometers from the center of Zigong. The planned land area is 52 square kilometers. Construction began in May 2016, with completion expected by the end of 2020 and operation in the first half of 2021. The first phase of the airport plans to build three runways, with six planned for the long term. Upon completion, Zigong will be connected to the airport via the high-speed rail from the new Chengdu airport to Zigong (from Zigong East Station to Tianfu Airport Station), taking about half an hour. It can also be reached via the under-construction Chengyi Expressway. The airport plans to build a city terminal and an off-site terminal building in Zigong.

• Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport

Located in Lianglu Subdistrict, Yubei District, Chongqing, to the northeast of Zigong's urban area, approximately 160 kilometers from the center of Zigong. It is positioned as one of China's gateway hub airports and the first airport in central and western China to operate with three terminals and three runways simultaneously. The airport's flight area is rated 4F. The Chongqing Airport Zigong City Terminal is located next to the main counter of the Zigong Bus Passenger Terminal. It allows for pre-handling of basic aviation services such as remote check-in, flight route inquiries, ticket purchase, boarding pass exchange, and luggage check-in. The entire process can be completed in just three steps: exchanging the boarding pass, completing luggage check-in procedures, and security check. The Zigong Bus Passenger Terminal also offers a luxury coach service on the "Chongqing Fly" airport premium line from Zigong to Chongqing Jiangbei Airport.

• Yibin Wuliangye Airport

Located in Zongchang Township, Cuiping District, Yibin City, it is a 4C-level civil airport, relocated from the original Yibin Caiba Airport, and began operations at the end of 2019. It is about 50 kilometers from Zigong's urban area, approximately a 45-minute drive via expressway. Yibin Airport has opened a Zigong City Terminal and provides free shuttle service for passengers traveling between Zigong and Yibin Airport.

• Luzhou Yunlong AirportLocated in Yunlong Town, southeast of Zigong's urban area, it is a 4C-class civil airport, constructed to 4D standards. It was relocated from Luzhou Lantian Airport and commenced operations in September 2018. It is approximately 70 kilometers from Zigong's urban area, with a driving time of about 60 minutes. Currently, it operates 34 routes to various regions across the country and is actively working to open international routes.

6.4. Ports

Zigong Port is situated on the Tuo River in Niufo Town, Zigong City, and is a key port within the basin's inland river system known as "one horizontal, two verticals, and six lines." From Zigong Port, vessels can navigate downstream along the Tuo River and enter the Yangtze River via Luzhou Port. After comprehensive development, the 159-kilometer waterway from Zigong Niufo to the estuary of Luzhou has been classified as a Class IV channel. It routinely accommodates 500-ton vessels and can handle 1,000-ton vessels during peak flood periods.

6.5. Public Transportation

The main modes of public transportation within Zigong City are buses and taxis.

6.5.1. Buses

Zigong Public Transport Group is the sole operator of urban public transportation in Zigong City. It currently operates nearly 800 buses across 146 routes. Public transport in Zigong began in the 1950s and is a leader in Sichuan's bus services. Leveraging abundant natural gas resources, Zigong became the birthplace of natural gas buses in Asia and an important base for CNG vehicle equipment in China. A large number of buses and taxis operate using compressed natural gas (CNG), a clean energy source. In recent years, newly purchased buses are predominantly electric-powered.

6.5.2. Taxis

After the 2010 Provincial Games, the livery of taxis in Zigong's urban area was updated to a three-layer paint scheme: a youthful green metallic paint for the body, a silver-gray belt paint, and an emblem paint on the hood. The emblem features an olive branch encircling a dinosaur pattern and starlight (a stylized version of the character "井"), symbolizing Zigong's welcoming spirit to visitors from all directions, reflecting its characteristics as a landscape garden city and its rich cultural heritage of salt, dinosaurs, and lanterns. The taxi models have also been gradually updated, primarily to Volkswagen New Bora. Taxis in Fushun and Rongxian counties feature blue and white striped liveries, distinguishing them from urban taxis.

6.5.3. Rail Transit

• Republican-era Light Railway

Zigong City is one of the earliest cities in China to have rail transit. The Zigong Light Railway was initially constructed in the 28th year of the Republic of China (1939). At that time, the Zigong salt fields used electricity to operate eight brine extraction wells, with eight companies transporting brine via electricity. In addition to roads and bridges, a light railway was also built for transportation within the salt fields. During the Republican era, the light rail was primarily used for resource transport, making Zigong the first city to extend light rail into its urban area.

In December 1939, construction began on Zigong's first light rail transit line—the Ziliujing to Dengguan Light Railway. It quickly reached Yantan and was eventually extended from No. 1 Xiguancang in Dongxingsi urban area to Huangtianba Guancang in Yantan, spanning 15 kilometers. It opened in January 1940 for salt transport and coal return trips. In 1942, when the ship lock became navigable and the Huangjinggou Coal Mine urgently needed rails, the light railway was dismantled for other uses and subsequently abandoned. The Zigong Light Railway was managed by the Chuankang Salt Affairs Management Bureau at the time.

The designer of the Zigong Light Railway was Zeng Yangfeng, courtesy name Jingnan, a native of Minhou, Fujian. He graduated from the Civil Engineering Department of Beiyang University in the third year of the Xuantong reign (1911) and studied abroad in the United States in the fifth year of the Republic of China (1916), continuing his studies in civil engineering. In the 16th year of the Republic of China (1927), he served as the manager of the Southern Sichuan Salt Affairs Audit Office in Ziliujing. In July 1940, after Liao Qiujie left Ziliujing for personal reasons, Zeng Yangfeng was transferred to serve as the director of the Chuankang Salt Affairs Management Bureau, where he remained until October 1945, holding the position for over five years. With his long tenure and familiarity with salt affairs, Zeng developed a deep affection for Ziliujing. In 1936, at the invitation of the Commercial Press, he authored The History of Chinese Salt Administration. In the 38th year of the Republic of China, he moved to Taipei and later served as the director of the Salt Affairs General Bureau.

• Zigong Urban Rail Transit Plan

The Zigong Municipal Government planned to formulate an urban light rail construction plan during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, reserving space for future lines. The Zigong City Master Plan (2012–2030) mentions rail transit, outlining a total of three planned lines:

(1) East-West Line: From Changtu eastward via Nanhuan Road, Machishui, Huidong, Dongyandu Avenue, and the planned eastern new town to the originally planned Zigong Station of the Neijiang-Yibin Intercity Railway.

(2) North-South Line: From Machishui via Nanhu Stadium, Bancang, Shaping, to Yantan.

(3) Loop Line: From the Nanhu Exit of the Neijiang-Yibin Expressway via Nanhu, the Municipal Government, Bomiwan, Tanmulin, Da'an, Shenhaijing Road to Dashanpu, intersecting with the North-South Line along Donghuan Road. Extensions to Fushun and Rongxian are also planned.

Zigong's urban rail transit is listed as a major project reserve in the National Development and Reform Commission's "13th Five-Year Plan for Western Development." Currently, Zigong City is preparing the Zigong Urban Rail Transit Preliminary Planning Research Report. The Zigong Urban Rail Transit project is planned to span approximately 53 kilometers, including Line 1, Line 2, and the Loop Line, with a total estimated investment of 9.3 billion yuan. It is proposed to adopt a light rail (monorail) system, with a total construction period of six years, divided into two phases.

Due to the State Council's increased requirements for cities applying to build rail transit in 2018, Zigong City falls significantly short of the standards in terms of general public budget revenue and urban permanent population. Therefore, there is practically no possibility of constructing light rail in the short term.

• Plan for Operating Bus-like Train Services Using Existing Railway Resources in Zigong City

In December 2022, the Zigong Municipal Development and Reform Commission issued the Competitive Consultation Announcement for the Plan to Operate Bus-like Train Services Using Existing Railway Resources in Zigong City. The plan aims to utilize existing Neikun Railway and Neiliu Railway lines to operate bus-like train services, with a trial run scheduled for early 2023 on the Zigong-Zhang Branch Line of the Neikun Railway.

7. Education

Zigong has always valued education and culture, boasting a comprehensive range of schools. In the late Qing and early Republican era, many Zigong salt merchants, after amassing fortunes, did not simply indulge in luxury. Instead, they extensively established academies and schools to cultivate talent, leading to a flourishing educational scene in Zigong. In 1902, students from Zigong accounted for over half of the Sichuan natives studying abroad under the Qing government, highlighting the city's profound educational foundation. These Zigong students from the late Qing period traveled overseas and, upon their return, participated in leading major historical events such as the 1911 Revolution, leaving a brilliant mark on China's modern history.

In the 27th year of the Guangxu reign (1901), the Qing court abolished the imperial examination system and promoted modern schools. The Wang Sanwei Tang, a prominent Zigong salt merchant family, promptly established the private Shuren Two-Level School in the Yuchuan Ancestral Temple, also accepting students from other surnames. This was Zigong's first modern Western-style school and a cradle of modern Chinese education. More than ten descendants of the Wang Sanwei Tang, including Wang Zuogan and Wang Yuping, studied in Japan. Admiring Japan's national strength and prosperity, they sought to expand the Shuren Two-Level School into Shuren Middle School, modeling its educational approach on Japan's system. In 1904, Wang Zuogan petitioned the Qing government's envoy to Japan to forward a request for official approval. After approval, he purchased books and instruments for over thirty thousand yen. In 1907, Wang Zuogan and others, emulating the new educational policies, hired Japanese teachers: Okamoto Tsunejiro for physics and chemistry, Takano Kaikichi for natural sciences and Japanese, and Yamane Hanako, a graduate of Tokyo Women's Higher Normal School's music and gymnastics program, for music and gymnastics. This also marked one of the beginnings of modern physical education in China.

During the War of Resistance against Japan, China's first national middle school, the Northeast Zhongshan Middle School, relocated to Zigong. Operating for eight years at the Jingning Temple in Ziliujing, it nurtured future leaders such as Lu Ping, who later became president of Peking University, and Liu Da, who later became president of Tsinghua University.

7.1. Higher Education Institutions

• National Zigong Industrial College

The origin of higher education in Zigong, a college that existed in the history of the Republic of China. In June 1943, the Ministry of Education of the National Government approved the establishment of the Zigong Industrial College Preparatory Committee. In January 1944, the Ministry of Education sent a telegram to the Zigong Municipal Government stating, "To promote industrial technical education and meet national and social needs, it has been decided to establish a school of applied chemistry in Zigong City, to be named 'Branch School of the National Central Technical College'." At that time, the War of Resistance was intense, the Ministry of Education faced severe funding shortages, and existing institutions, having relocated to the rear areas, had no surplus funds. Establishing a new school seemed financially impossible. In August of the same year, the preparatory committee decided that local donations would cover the construction of all school buildings, while the Ministry of Education would be responsible for annual operating expenses. At that time, much of China's territory was occupied, leaving only the southwestern region. Facing backwardness and humiliation, saving the nation through science and technology became the goal of Zigong's salt industry merchants. The Eastern and Western salt fields actively pledged donations: Ziliujing in the Eastern Field pledged 30 million yuan, and Gongjing in the Western Field pledged 20 million yuan. For this purpose, the Zigong salt industry established the "National Zigong Industrial College Local Donated Asset Fund Management Committee," approved by the Ministry of Education. In October of the same year, the first batch of over one hundred students began their studies at a temporary campus located at the Salt Cliff Well Company on Yiduishan, marking the start of higher education history in Zigong. Ma Jie served as the first president. Leveraging his influence in educational circles, he invited renowned professors such as Liu Guangwen, Cai Mingfang, Wang Zhongzhe, Li Shaode, and Wang Guanying to Zigong Industrial College. Using various connections, he acquired machine tools, tools, equipment, and even aircraft engines from post-war接管物资, establishing a practice factory at the school. In July 1945, the Ministry of Education renamed the "Branch School of the National Central Technical College" to "National Zigong Industrial College." By the end of 1946, new school buildings were completed in Daijiaba, and the college relocated there. In 1950, when the seat of the Southern Sichuan Administrative Office (provincial capital) moved from Zigong to Luzhou, the National Zigong Industrial College also moved and was renamed "Southern Sichuan Industrial College." Later, through two national higher education adjustments in 1952 and 1955, Southern Sichuan Industrial College was merged into Chongqing University and Chengdu Institute of Technology respectively. A "National Zigong Industrial College Memorial Pavilion," funded by alumni donations, stands at the school's original site, now within the Hongqi Township Primary School on Yiduishan. During the 60th anniversary celebration, alumni installed black granite plaques inscribed with "National Zigong Industrial College Founded in 1943" on the classroom and office buildings at the old campus site in Daijiaba.

• Sichuan University of Science & Engineering

The only comprehensive university in southern Sichuan. Its registered address is in Zigong City, Sichuan Province. It is a full-time regular higher education institution jointly established by the Sichuan Provincial People's Government and the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. It is part of the Midwest Higher Education Revitalization Plan. It is among the first batch of bases for the transformation and transfer of scientific and technological achievements in higher education institutions, the Secretary-General unit of the China Brewing Universities Alliance, a council member of the Tianfu University Foreign Affairs Alliance, and the Vice Chairman unit of the Southern Sichuan Universities Alliance. It currently has four campuses: Huidong (Zigong High-tech Zone), Li Baihe (Zigong Eastern New City), Yibin (Yibin Sanjiang New Area), and Huangling (Yan Tan District, Zigong).

The university's predecessor was the Southwest Branch of East China Institute of Chemical Technology (now East China University of Science and Technology), established in Zigong by relocating some confidential majors from the parent institute, externally referred to as the "652 Project." It was renamed Sichuan Institute of Chemical Technology in 1980, Sichuan Institute of Light Industry and Chemical Technology in 1983, and merged with Zigong Teachers College, Zigong College, and Zigong Education College to form Sichuan University of Science & Engineering in 2003. It was renamed Sichuan University of Science & Engineering in May 2018.

Currently, the university coordinates the development of nine major disciplines: Engineering, Science, Management, Education, Literature, History, Arts, Law, and Economics. It has established 16 secondary schools/departments and one continuing education college. It offers 70 undergraduate programs covering five major discipline categories: Engineering, Science, Management, Social Sciences, and Humanities. It holds authorization for 4 first-level discipline master's programs, 24 second-level discipline master's programs, 4 professional master's degree fields in engineering, and the right to confer the Graduate Certificate in Teaching (GCT) degree. It has built five major discipline clusters: Materials & Chemical Engineering, Biology & Food, Electronic Information, Mechanical Engineering, and Management. It possesses 4 national-level characteristic specialties.

• Zhejiang University Zigong Industrial Technology Research Institute (Zhejiang University Zigong Innovation Center)

Located in the Bancang Industrial Park within the Zigong High-tech Zone, it is the first institutional legal entity established by Zhejiang University in Southwest China. In 2013, Zhejiang University and the Zigong National High-tech Industrial Development Zone jointly established the Zhejiang University Zigong Innovation Center. The Innovation Center engages in multi-field cooperation in technology R&D, project collaboration, technical problem-solving, achievement transformation, talent cultivation, and introduction. It is a concrete practice of Zhejiang University's "Six Highs Strengthening University Strategy." It was upgraded to the Zhejiang University Zigong Industrial Technology Research Institute in 2016.

The Zhejiang University Zigong Innovation Center focuses on high-tech, is based in Zigong, serves the Chengdu-Chongqing region, and radiates to western China. It has established eight public technology platforms, including the Energy Clean Utilization R&D Center, Environmentally Friendly Materials and Application Technology R&D Center, Electromechanical Equipment and Intelligent Control R&D Center, and High-end High-efficiency Intelligent Direct Drive Technology and Equipment Research Center.

• Harbin Institute of Technology (Zigong) Innovation Technology Industrial Park

On November 15, 2018, Zigong City and Harbin Institute of Technology signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement. Based on the principles of "strengthening collaboration, complementing advantages, mutual support, and mutual benefit," and considering Zigong's resource endowment and the needs of "promoting revitalization and development and achieving comprehensive well-off society," both parties aim to deepen university-city collaborative innovation, establish a deeply integrated industry-university-research technological innovation system, and promote the construction of Zigong National Old Industrial City Industrial Transformation and Upgrade Demonstration Zone.

• Civil Aviation Flight University of China Zigong Training Base

Located in the Sichuan Zigong Aviation Industrial Park in Gongjing District, Zigong City. In November 2016, the Zigong Municipal Government and the Civil Aviation Flight University of China formally signed a cooperation agreement for the university to establish a branch campus in Zigong. The base was inaugurated and began operations on May 16, 2019. It is managed by the Xinjin分院 of the Civil Aviation Flight University of China and is the first flight training base under the university's "Branch + Base" model.

• Sichuan Vocational College of Health and Rehabilitation

Located in the Eastern New City of Zigong. Its predecessor was the Renji Nursing School founded in 1918 on Yutaishan, Ziliujing, by the Canadian Christian Church. In February 2012, it was upgraded and renamed Sichuan Vocational College of Health and Rehabilitation with the approval of the Sichuan Provincial People's Government. It is a public regular higher education institution at the college level, primarily offering higher vocational education at the college level, while also providing multi-level education (secondary vocational, college, undergraduate) and non-degree education. It is among the first batch of pilot institutions for the "1+X Certificate System" by the Ministry of Education.

As of November 2021, the college has 18 Party and administrative management departments and 7 secondary departments/schools. It offers 19 majors and 2 specializations, including Clinical Medicine, Acupuncture and Tuina, Nursing, and Rehabilitation Therapy Technology.

• Zigong Vocational and Technical CollegeLocated in the Eastern New Town of Zigong City. Established on February 8, 2021, it is a comprehensive full-time regular higher vocational college approved by the People's Government of Sichuan Province and registered with the Ministry of Education of China. It is supervised by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Education and operated by Sichuan Mianyang Shuren Education Investment Co., Ltd. The college comprises five secondary schools: the School of Aviation, School of Information Engineering, School of Health and Wellness, School of Culture and Tourism, and School of Marxism. It offers 11 majors, including Drone Application Technology, Civil Aviation Transport Services, Emergency Rescue Technology, Electronic Information Engineering Technology, Digital Media Technology, Computer Application Technology, Artificial Intelligence Technology Application, New Energy Vehicle Technology, Art Design, Community Rehabilitation, and Infant and Toddler Care Services and Management.

• Zigong Vocational College of Science and Technology (Planned)

• Southwest Tourism Vocational College (Planned)

The project is located in the Northeast New Town of Zigong, with a total estimated investment of 1.05 billion yuan. It covers an area of over 1,000 mu, with approximately 750 mu allocated for educational and scientific purposes. The designed enrollment capacity is 15,000 registered students, including 9,000 on-campus junior college students. Southwest Tourism Vocational College will establish a "land, sea, and air" professional model college integrating majors such as seafarer, maritime affairs, cruise service, shipping, high-speed rail attendant, flight attendant, aviation security, general aviation, drone operation, and airport special vehicle driving. It aims to inherit the rich cultural charm of Zigong's "salt, dinosaurs, and lanterns," creating a distinctive "big tourism" professional college that integrates education, scientific research, tourism, and sightseeing.

• Sichuan Gaoxin Vocational College (Planned)

A junior college built in collaboration with Guangzhou Gaoxin, with an investment of 1 billion yuan.

7.2 Secondary Education

Zigong City has a large number of secondary schools, among which Zigong Shuguang High School, Zigong No. 1 Middle School, Fushun No. 2 Middle School, and Rongxian Middle School have been selected as national exemplary regular high schools.

• Zigong Shuguang High School

A member of the Nankai series of schools and the Nankai Alumni Association, the first national exemplary regular high school in southern Sichuan, a first-tier exemplary regular high school in Sichuan Province, and a secondary school directly under the Zigong Municipal Education Bureau. Located on the banks of the Fuxi River in Wujiaba, Ziliujing District, Zigong City, it was founded in the 13th year of the Republic of China (1924) and is the only school in the Nankai series without "Nankai" in its name. In the 26th year of the Republic of China (1937), after the renowned educator Zhang Boling became the chairman of Shuguang, the school motto was revised by Yu Chuanjian, principal of Chongqing Nankai High School and a graduate of the first class of Nankai, to "Serve the Public Wholeheartedly, Strive to Enhance Capabilities." During the Republican era, the school's buildings, facilities, and faculty were among the top-tier standards for secondary schools nationwide, with many subjects already using English textbooks at that time. The school covers an area of over 600 mu, bordered by the Fuxi River in front and Tingzi Mountain behind, surrounded by green bamboo and fragrant throughout the four seasons, earning it the reputation of a "garden-style school."

• Zigong No. 1 Middle School (Affiliated High School of Sichuan University of Science & Engineering)

A national exemplary regular high school, a first-tier exemplary regular high school in Sichuan Province, a secondary school directly under the Zigong Municipal Education Bureau, and the affiliated high school of Sichuan University of Science & Engineering. Located in the old city center of Ziliujing District, Zigong City, the school was founded in 1918. Its predecessors were the private Christian Peide Middle School established by the Canadian church and the municipal normal school and municipal middle school founded by the Republic of China Zigong Municipal Government. In 1953, after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the three schools merged and adopted the current name. Currently, the school operates across "one school, three campuses," covering a total area of 96,549 square meters. In 2023, it was approved to be jointly managed by the Zigong Municipal Education Bureau and Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, with the high school division relocating to the former North Campus of Sichuan University of Science & Engineering.

• Zigong Xuchuan Middle School

A second-tier exemplary regular high school in Sichuan Province. Its predecessor was the Xuchuan Academy, founded in 1817 (the 22nd year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty). In 1938, it was established as Zigong Xuchuan Middle School by Yu Shuhuai, a renowned patriotic salt merchant and model donor during the War of Resistance Against Japan, along with other salt merchants such as Zhang Zefu. The school is located at the foot of Tianchi Mountain and on the banks of the Xushui River in Gongjing District, Zigong City. Notable alumni include Xie Fengqi, a pioneer of the 1911 Revolution who was awarded the title of "Left General" by Sun Yat-sen, and Wu Yuzhang, one of the founders of Renmin University of China.

• Fushun No. 1 Middle School

A second-tier exemplary regular high school in Sichuan Province. The school was founded in 1925, with its predecessor being "Fushun County Girls' Middle School," making it a school with a long history. The east campus is located at No. 136, East Section of Fujiang Avenue, Fushun County, Zigong City, while the west campus is at No. 152, Dongguashan Street, Fushun County, Zigong City.

• Fushun No. 2 Middle School

A national exemplary regular high school and a first-tier exemplary regular high school in Sichuan Province. The school originated from the Fushun County Official Middle School Hall established in 1903 (the 29th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty). It is located on the banks of the Tuo River at Shiziling in northern Fushun County.

• Rongxian Middle School

A national exemplary regular high school and a first-tier exemplary regular high school in Sichuan Province. Its predecessor was the "Fengming Academy" of the Qing Dynasty, renamed "Rongxian County Middle School" in 1913. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, it was named Sichuan Rongxian Middle School. It is located on Wenmiao Street, Xuyang Town, Rong County.

• Zigong Chengdu Foreign Languages School

A private school jointly operated by Chengdu Foreign Languages School and Sichuan Purun Holding Group. It began enrollment in 2017, offering programs from kindergarten, primary school, junior high school, to senior high school. Located at No. 2 Danyang Street, E-commerce Expo City, Ziliujing District, it covers an area of approximately 350 mu.

• Zigong Da'an Jiaxiang Foreign Languages School

A 12-year private boarding school established by Sichuan Jiaxiang Industrial Co., Ltd. upon the invitation of the Zigong Municipal People's Government, following the successful operation of Chengdu Jiaxiang Foreign Languages School and other branch schools. It was fully completed and put into use in August 2018.

• Zigong Hengchuan Experimental School

A school jointly operated by Fushun County, Guangzhou Gaoxin Investment Management Co., Ltd., and Hebei Hengshui No. 1 Middle School. It began enrollment in 2018. Located north of Ruixiang Trade City and east of the Fuxi River in the western district of Fushun County, it covers an area of approximately 300 mu and includes primary school, junior high school, and regular high school divisions.

8. Population

By the end of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 2.452 million. Among them, the urban population was 1.3895 million, and the rural population was 1.0625 million. The urbanization rate of the permanent resident population was 56.67%, an increase of 0.47 percentage points from the previous year.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 2,489,256. Compared with the 2,678,899 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was a decrease of 189,643 people over the ten years, a decline of 7.08%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.73%. Among them, the male population was 1,238,475, accounting for 49.75% of the total population; the female population was 1,250,781, accounting for 50.25% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 99.02. The population aged 0–14 was 392,456, accounting for 15.77% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 1,416,113, accounting for 56.89% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 680,687, accounting for 27.34% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 530,075, accounting for 21.29% of the total population. The population living in urban areas was 1,379,139, accounting for 55.4% of the total population; the population living in rural areas was 1,110,117, accounting for 44.6% of the total population.

8.1. Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic population was 2,476,092, accounting for 99.47%; the population of various ethnic minorities was 13,164, accounting for 0.53%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic population decreased by 198,018, a decline of 7.41%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.35 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 8,375, a growth of 174.88%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.35 percentage points.

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9. Culture

9.1. Zigong's Three Major Wonders

9.1.1. The Millennial Salt Capital: Salt Culture

Zigong Well Salt Deep Drilling and Drawing Technique

People's Republic of China

National-Level Intangible Cultural Heritage | Applicant Region or Unit | Zigong City, Daying County, Sichuan Province | |----------------|----------------------| | Category | Traditional Skills | | Serial Number | 414 | | Project Number | VIII—64 | | Inscription Year | 2006 |

Historically, Zigong City was renowned for its abundant production of well salt. Salt workers throughout the dynasties drilled over 13,000 salt wells in Zigong, some reaching depths of 1,000 meters. The salt economy generated by well salt production has always been the primary driving force behind the formation and development of Zigong. Over a thousand years of salt production has shaped Zigong's unique salt culture. The city's existing rich and extensive well salt cultural heritage—including salt merchants' guildhalls, salt workers' guildhalls, trade association halls, salt merchants' residences, stockaded villages, ancestral halls, public offices, and cliff carvings—collectively constitutes the city's cultural identity and forms its living soul.

To centrally showcase Zigong's salt culture, in 1959, following a proposal by Deng Xiaoping during an inspection visit, the Zigong Salt History Museum was established. It is China's only museum dedicated to the salt industry. The museum is housed in the Xiqin Guildhall, built between 1736 and 1752, which is not only a masterpiece among ancient Chinese architectural treasures but also a rare and precious relic in the history of salt industry development. It was designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1988. With its unique ancient architecture and rich historical exhibitions, the museum is widely recognized as one of China's most representative specialized museums, receiving 150,000 to 200,000 visitors annually. In recent years, the Salt History Museum has been successively designated as a "National Historical and Cultural Relics Protection Unit," a "National Excellent Museum," a National "AAAA"-level Tourist Attraction, and a "National Science Education Base," becoming a research center and science education base for world salt history, Chinese salt history, and Sichuan salt history.

Additionally, there are derricks (Tianche), guildhalls, salt merchants' mansions, mountain strongholds, salt transport routes, ancient streets, various ancient towns, and well salt production sites. The Fuxi River area in the city and the Xianshi Ancient Town, where salt culture is most concentrated and tourism and leisure facilities are well-developed amidst beautiful landscapes, have become a tourism, sightseeing, and leisure belt.

9.1.2. Home of Dinosaurs: Dinosaur Culture

The Dashanpu Dinosaur Fossil Group site in Zigong is one of the largest dinosaur fossil group sites in China today and the place where the most Jurassic dinosaur fossils have been excavated and preserved in the world, earning it the title "Frozen Jurassic Park." Covering an area of over 17,000 square meters, authorities continue to conduct archaeological excavations to understand the role of dinosaurs in Earth's historical evolution.

The site was first discovered in 1972, with the first excavation in 1977. Between 1979 and 1984, three large-scale cleaning and excavation projects were organized, yielding tens of thousands of fossil bone specimens from over 200 individual dinosaurs and other vertebrates within an area of about 2,800 square meters. It is estimated that the concentrated burial area of the entire fossil group covers about 17,000 square meters, containing over 100,000 fossil bones, and is hailed as a "Dinosaur Graveyard." In the mid-1980s, China's first large-scale dinosaur site museum—the Zigong Dinosaur Museum—was built on this site. The museum covers an area of over 66,000 square meters, and its fossil collection almost encompasses all known dinosaur species from the Jurassic period 205 to 135 million years ago. It is currently the place with the world's largest collection and display of Jurassic dinosaur fossils. It was rated by National Geographic magazine as "the world's best dinosaur museum." In 2008, UNESCO officially approved the inclusion of Zigong in the Global Geoparks Network.

9.1.3. China's Lantern City: Lantern Culture

Zigong Lantern Festival People's Republic of China National-Level Intangible Cultural Heritage | Applicant Region or Unit | Zigong City, Sichuan Province | |----------------|--------------| | Category | Folk Customs | | Serial Number | 988 | | Project Number | X—81 | | Inscription Year | 2006 |

The Zigong Lantern Festival is a large-scale folk cultural activity held in Zigong City from the Spring Festival to the Lantern Festival. It primarily features lanterns, fireworks, decorations, and light/shadow displays. The content is mainly based on traditional Chinese culture and local Sichuan customs, but also incorporates some fashionable, modern elements, showcasing the rich and colorful folk life.

The Zigong Lantern Festival began in the Tang Dynasty and flourished during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In modern times, 29 sessions of the Zigong Lantern Festival have been held locally. From 1964 to 2019, the venue was the Caideng Park in Ziliujing District, Zigong City. Since 2020, it has moved to the China Lantern World located in the eastern new town of Zigong City. As Zigong has unearthed a large number of ancient dinosaur fossils and is known as the "Home of Dinosaurs in China," the lantern festival has been named the "Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival" since 1987.

The Zigong Lantern Festival is one of the most completely preserved and largest-scale traditional lantern-viewing folk activities in China. Today, the annual output value of the Zigong Lantern Festival is approximately 1.5 billion RMB, driving employment for 70,000 people. The lantern festival has formed a distinctive cultural industry for Zigong. Zigong lanterns have become one of China's name cards in foreign cultural trade. Over the past 30 years, Zigong lanterns have lit up the globe, accounting for 85% of the domestic lantern market and 92% of the foreign lantern market share. Characteristic cultural exports led by lanterns and simulated dinosaurs are accelerating, with trade partners spanning over 80 countries and regions worldwide. The annual lantern festival, starting on the first lunar month, attracts tourists from all over the world and is frequently exhibited in various countries, such as Japan, South Korea, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, and the United States, which have repeatedly invited Zigong lantern artisans to create lantern sets, receiving unanimous acclaim from local people. Lantern festival exhibitions have been held in places like Beijing's Beihai Park and Chaoyang Park, and the festival organizers also hold long-term New Year exhibitions in Southeast Asia.

9.2. Salt Gang Cuisine Culture

Zigong cuisine is famous for its delicious flavors, and authentic Zigong dishes require no monosodium glutamate (MSG). Sichuan cuisine is divided into the Shanghe Gang centered on Chengdu, the Xiahe Gang centered on Chongqing, and the Xiaohe Gang centered on Zigong. Zigong Salt Gang cuisine can be considered part of the Xiaohe Gang Sichuan cuisine. However, some experts and scholars believe that Salt Gang cuisine and Sichuan cuisine are two independent culinary schools. This is because the formation of Zigong Salt Gang cuisine is a cultural amalgamation brought by immigrant salt merchants from other provinces (especially Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi) throughout history, not solely rooted in Sichuan culture. Salt Gang cuisine pursues an extreme flavor profile, skillfully uses chili peppers and ginger, and is particularly adept at "Shuizhu" (water-boiled) and "Huodu" (live-poached) cooking methods.

Zigong Salt Gang cuisine is divided into three major branches: Salt Merchant cuisine, Salt Worker cuisine, and Guildhall cuisine. It features three major flavor categories: numbing-spicy (mala), pungent-spicy, and sweet-sour, adhering to the concept of "one dish, one style; a hundred dishes, a hundred flavors." Salt Gang cuisine is distinctly characterized by rich, strong, and abundant flavors, placing the utmost importance on seasoning. In addition to possessing the Sichuan cuisine traditions of "a hundred dishes, a hundred flavors" and diverse cooking techniques, it also features "thick, fragrant, spicy, fresh, and stimulating" characteristics. Salt Gang cuisine skillfully uses chili peppers and ginger, employs a wide range of ingredients in generous quantities, selects ingredients meticulously, and has developed its own unique styles for frying, stir-frying, braising, and quick-frying; boiling, stewing, deep-frying, and quick-frying in sauce each have their own methods, with particular expertise in "Shuizhu" (water-boiled) and "Huodu" (live-poached).

9.3. Zigong's Three Minor Wonders

9.3.1. Gong Fan

Fan Making Technique (Gong Fan) People's Republic of China National-Level Intangible Cultural Heritage | Applicant Region or Unit | Zigong City, Sichuan Province | |----------------|--------------| | Category | Traditional Skills | | Serial Number | 431 | | Project Number | VIII—81 | | Inscription Year | 2008 |Gong Fan is one of the famous fans in Sichuan. The Zigong Bamboo Silk Fan (Zigong Gong Fan) is praised as "brilliant as brocade and thin as a cicada's wing." The fan surface is mostly peach-shaped, resembling a round silk fan, meticulously woven from bamboo filaments as fine as silk threads. It has a tender yellow color, is thin and translucent, soft and delicate, almost like woven brocade. The patterns, whether landscapes and figures, or flowers, birds, insects, and fish, are all incredibly lifelike. Combined with an ivory or ox bone fan handle and a silk tassel, it appears exquisitely carved and utterly magnificent, hailed as a national treasure of divine craftsmanship. The bamboo silk fan originated from the Gong family, hence it is commonly known as the "Gong Fan." With a history of over a hundred years, it is one of Zigong's famous "Three Minor Treasures." During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, it was created by folk artist Gong Yuzhang, who inherited the skills of his father, Gong Juewu. In 1886, at the "Treasure Competition" held by the Baoju Bureau under Sichuan's Quanyedao official Zhou Xiaohuai, it won first place and was selected for presentation to the imperial palace. Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi were greatly pleased, officially bestowing the name "Gong Fan" and awarding a "Gold Medal." In 1937, the "Gong Fan" gained the appreciation of warlord Liu Xiang, who requested a "Galloping Horse" fan patterned after Xu Beihong's galloping horse painting to be given to the British envoy for presentation to the Queen of England. In 1944, salt merchant Yu Shuhe paid a hefty sum to commission Gong Yuzhang to weave a bamboo silk fan with a jade handle and a landscape painting. Gong Yuzhang spent several months completing it. Yu Shuhe presented this fan to Chiang Kai-shek, who received it with both hands, smiled, and said, "Gong Fan, I know it, I know it!" He cherished it immensely, playing with it all day long. This fan is still collected in the Lushan Museum today. As an artistic treasure, the "Gong Fan" has been used by leaders as precious gifts for foreign heads of state. In 1953, it was presented to former Soviet leaders; in the same year, it participated in the Leipzig International Fair in Germany and received a blue commemorative medal; in 1972, it was gifted to British leaders; in 1991, the documentary "China's Unique Art" featuring it was broadcast on CCTV-1 and CCTV-2. Multiple media outlets in Taiwan have filmed and broadcast the entire production process of the "Gong Fan" several times, and it has been extensively reported and praised by the People's Daily, People's Pictorial, Workers' Daily, and various local media. It has been exhibited and sold in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other countries and regions, receiving widespread international acclaim.

9.3.2 Tie-Dye

Tie-Dye Craft (Zigong Tie-Dye Craft) People's Republic of China National Intangible Cultural Heritage | Application Region or Unit | Zigong City, Sichuan Province | |----------------|--------------| | Category | Traditional Craftsmanship | | Serial Number | 376 | | Project Number | VIII—26 | | Listing Year | 2008 |

Known anciently as "Shu Jie," the art of tie-dye is a unique craft of Zigong and one of the "Three Minor Treasures." "Zigong Tie-Dye" originated during the Qin and Han periods around 221 BC and spread throughout the Ba-Shu region. By the Tang Dynasty, tie-dye was already widely used. According to historical records, high-grade fabrics such as Shu Xie entered the imperial court at that time. Numerous poets and scholars throughout history have praised tie-dye in enduring verses, such as "with purple grape tie-dye" and "Chengdu's new twisted tie-dye" (Bai Juyi), indicating that Zigong tie-dye has long been renowned. Zigong tie-dye possesses unique artistic value. Its works primarily use needles as brushes, employing over ten tying techniques such as twisting, sewing, tying, bundling, gathering, folding, binding, and clamping. After tie-dyeing various patterns (such as geometric patterns, freehand patterns, including figures, animals, flowers, birds, calligraphy, etc.), they are magically expressed, with patterns faintly visible and vividly emerging, showcasing strong local characteristics. In 1992, the Shanghai Science and Education Film Studio filmed the educational film "Zigong Tie-Dye" in Zigong, which received strong反响 both domestically and internationally. Over the years, Zigong tie-dye has won twenty-two ministerial awards, including the "International Fair Silver Award" and "National Tourism Quality Product," in various exhibition and evaluation activities. It is listed among the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage extension projects.

9.3.3. Paper-Cutting

Paper-cutting, one of Zigong's "Three Minor Treasures," also known as paper carving or cut-painting, is an excellent traditional folk art. The development of Zigong's salt industry and the prosperity of lantern festivals greatly promoted the growth of Zigong paper-cutting. With the rise of Zigong's salt industry, a large rural population moved to the city to work as salt laborers, bringing paper-cutting craftsmanship into the urban area. People often held lively "Lantern Lifting Festivals" and "River Lantern Festivals" during celebrations. Since paper-cutting decorations were highly effective on lanterns, folk artists gradually increased the use of paper-cutting on lanterns, leading to the rapid development of folk paper-cutting. In the 1940s, Yu Manbai, a native of Hubei, drifted to Zigong for livelihood and gradually became fascinated with paper-cutting art. Due to his long-term practice and attainment in carving, calligraphy, and painting, he quickly mastered paper-cutting techniques, and his creative style matured over time. Over decades, through the inheritance and innovation by Yu Manbai's students, Zigong paper-cutting has produced many excellent works, winning numerous national, provincial, and municipal awards. It has been exported in large quantities to Japan and sold to over ten countries and regions including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, receiving widespread acclaim. Currently, Zigong paper-cutting faces some crises, particularly in terms of inheritors. Most practitioners can only replicate existing cuttings but cannot create independently, let alone produce high-level, high-quality "masterpiece" works. However, the Zigong paper-cutting community has always taken the inheritance and protection of paper-cutting as its responsibility. It is actively collecting and organizing "Zigong Paper-Cutting" along with textual and image materials, preparing to establish a literary and image archive of Zigong paper-cutting artists, and planning to include it in folk museum exhibitions. Additionally, efforts are being made to promote folk art into classrooms. Today, Zigong paper-cutting art has been incorporated into middle school labor skills courses and the curriculum of Zigong vocational schools, greatly enhancing the living transmission of intangible cultural heritage.

9.4. Zigong Sichuan Opera

From the Xianfeng period (1851) of the Qing Dynasty to the end of the dynasty, many guild halls and temples were erected in Zigong. In Ziliujing, seven temples were built: the Huguang Temple built by people from Hunan and Hubei, dedicated to Yu the Great; the Nanhua Palace built by fellow Guangdong natives, dedicated to the Nanhua Immortal; the Jiangxi Temple built by fellow Jiangxi natives, dedicated to Xu Zhenjun; the Tianhou Palace built by fellow Fujian natives, dedicated to the Tianhou Goddess; the Shaanxi Temple built by fellow Shaanxi natives, dedicated to Guan Yu; the Guizhou Temple built by fellow Guizhou natives, dedicated to the Black God; and the Chuanzhu Temple built by Sichuan natives, dedicated to Li Bing and his son. In Fushun County, major market towns were commonly referred to as having "Nine Palaces and Eighteen Temples." In Rong County, Nanhua Palace, Yuwang Palace, Dongyue Temple, Tianhou Palace, Chuanzhu Temple, etc., were built in the urban area and forty-eight market towns. Each temple had a stage facing the main hall, commonly known as the "Wannian Tai" (Everlasting Stage), for theatrical performances during temple fairs or regular times. Most Wannian Tai had book towers on both sides; during performances, audiences were separated by gender, with men on the left and women on the right, watching from the towers. The center of the stage roof featured designs like the Eight Trigrams, spiral shapes, or flat surfaces. During the Xianfeng to Xuantong periods of the Qing Dynasty, as Zigong's salt industry continuously flourished and prospered, Sichuan Opera, as one of the main local cultures, also thrived alongside the development of Zigong's salt industry. During this period, Zigong Sichuan Opera, like Zigong's salt industry, reached its peak. Many people called Ziliujing a "nest of opera" and a "Pinxian Tai" (Stage for Appraising Immortals). The insiders of "Pinxian Tai" aimed to "appraise" opera immortals from among the mortals in the Sichuan Opera circle, which could also be considered a contemporary代称 for Sichuan Opera activities in the Zigong area.

Sichuan Opera People's Republic of China National Intangible Cultural Heritage | Application Region or Unit | Sichuan Province, Chongqing City | |----------------|----------------| | Category | Traditional Drama | | Serial Number | 156 | | Project Number | IV-12 | | Listing Year | 2006 |

The main actors and musicians of Zigong Sichuan Opera are mostly artistic inheritors of the Ziyang River School (the Ziyang River School of Sichuan Opera represents the southern Sichuan style of Sichuan Opera. Its formative period coincided with the economic prosperity of southern Sichuan. During this time, the traditional culture of the Tuojiang River basin was both popularized and impacted by commercial culture. The diversity of its audience, especially the increase in literate merchant-class viewers, promoted the rich integration of gongs, drums, music, and vocal styles in this school, maintaining masculine beauty while also incorporating feminine grace. It skillfully infused the folk performing arts of the Tuojiang River basin with established Sichuan Opera formats, making the audience feel格外亲切. Simultaneously, its lyrics absorbed the意境 of literati poetry; some literati, such as the famous lyricist and Rong County imperial scholar Zhao Xi, who wrote "Qing Tan" (The Temptress), greatly enhanced the literary quality of this school's operas). Notable figures include Xie Haichao, Tang Jinlian, Peng Huating, Huang Bingnan, Luo Guiyuan, Gong Jisheng, Zhang Mingde, Zhang Decheng, Cao Juncheng, etc.

After the founding of the People's Republic, the Zigong City Sichuan Opera Troupe was commended by the Ministry of Culture and gained nationwide fame. After the reform and opening-up, Zigong's Sichuan Opera became renowned across the land. With several consecutive hit plays, it caused a sensation in Beijing and shocked Taiwan and Hong Kong. One Sichuan Opera, "Princess Turandot of China," even influenced Italy in Europe. After years of沉寂, at the 12th China Theatre Festival, the large-scale Sichuan Opera "Sunset Over Qishan," created and submitted by Zigong City, won the Outstanding Play Award, the highest award at the national theatre festival.### 9.5. Zigong's Immigrant Culture Zigong is an immigrant city, a city with an open mind that embraces all rivers, a city that has never had city walls. After the wars, the original inhabitants of Zigong were nearly extinct. The Ming and Qing governments organized large-scale immigration waves known as "Huguang Fills Sichuan." Immigrants poured into the city from all directions, forming an inclusive culture.

The well salt industry is a practical enterprise that requires a pragmatic, pioneering, and adventurous spirit to succeed and prosper. This industry brought the people of Zigong out of tradition, yet they were not confined by it. The city didn't even need the symbolic enclosure of city walls. The essence of the well salt industry is its practical nature; pioneering and adventure, in a cultural sense, reflect the rational relationship between salt and this city. With the development of production and the city, Zigong continuously and peacefully welcomed people from all directions with an open heart. Thus, the ancestors of the "Wang Sanwei Hall" came from Hubei, the ancestors of the "Li Siyou Hall" came from Henan, the ancestors of the "Hu Shenyi Hall" and "Li Taoshu Hall" came from Jiangxi, and the ancestors of the "Yan Guixin Hall" came from Guangdong. Since the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, within just two to three hundred years, people from Shaanxi built the "Xiqin Guild Hall," people from Hunan and Hubei built the "Yuwang Palace," people from Guizhou built the "Jiyun Palace," people from Fujian built the "Tianhou Palace," and people from Guangdong built the "Nanhua Palace." For a time, guild halls sprang up across the land of Zigong, and dialects converged. People from all directions came, bringing social capital from all directions. More importantly, cultures from different regions gathered, blended, and sublimated here, forming this immigrant city's open temperament, extraordinary wisdom, and innovative spirit.

People from other provinces loved this land. They wrote the couplet, "Drifting for miles, I've become a long-time guest; My hometown lacks such beautiful lakes and mountains," and hung it on both sides of the doors of their new homes, becoming masters here. The ancient cities, towns, gate towers, and buildings—these testimonies to thousands of years of Chinese history—are memories in the blood of every descendant of the Chinese nation, evoking lingering nostalgia. Hometown is a place that haunts the dreams of every wanderer, and the salt merchants who immigrated to Zigong were no exception. To gather fellow townspeople, share hometown sentiments, and support each other, people from other provinces or regions built a large number of guild halls on this land of Zigong. Guild hall architecture is a complex综合体, and as an important type of public building during the Ming and Qing periods, it reflects various aspects of social politics, economy, life, and culture. As a type of guild hall architecture born under a special urban economic system, Zigong's guild hall architecture has its unique forms and cultural connotations. Zigong's guild halls can be divided into native-place guild halls, trade guild halls, and combined native-place and trade guild halls. Zigong's guild hall culture was quite famous during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era.

The proportion of immigrants in Zigong City is far higher than the average level in Sichuan Province, with the population structure primarily consisting of immigrants from other provinces. However, today, Zigong has transformed from a city with net immigration to a city with net emigration. Approximately 400,000 people from the city's four districts and two counties work or study elsewhere.

9.6. Related Cultural Works

9.6.1. Literary and Film/TV Works

• Thick Black Theory
• Ziliujing: A long-form documentary novel by Wang Yuqi in 1944. Based on the author's family, it recreates the process and reasons for the rise and fall of the Zigong salt industry family "Wang Sanwei Hall" during the Republic of China period. This novel is also the first work in the history of new literature to comprehensively展现 salt culture. It is housed in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
• Old Site: A novel by Li Rui. It tells the story of the rise and fall of the Zigong salt industry family "Jiusi Hall," spanning from the revolutions of the 1920s to the Cultural Revolution. It ranked 45th in Asiaweek's list of the top 100 Chinese novels of the 20th century.
• The Story of Silver City: Li Rui's quasi-new historicist novel, telling a story of love, hate, and conflict within a Zigong salt industry family.
• The Left Ear: A youth novel by Rao Xueman, adapted into a 2015 film of the same name directed by Alec Su (starring Duling Chen, Oho Ou, Yang Yang, Xia Hu, Sichun Ma, Bowen Duan, etc.) and a TV series of the same name directed by Huiling Chen. It portrays a group of young people with distinct personalities in a southern city (using the author's hometown Zigong as原型素材), showcasing the pains and beauties of youth growing up.
• Rush to the Dead Summer: A 2005 youth novel by Guo Jingming, adapted into a 2017 TV series of the same name. It tells the story of a girl named Li Xia who goes to high school alone, her experiences of love and loss, her pursuit of dreams, and her quiet守护 of a small love in her heart. The city described in the novel, Qianchuan, is filled with camphor trees, which are precisely the city tree of Zigong. The story is set against the backdrop of the author's青春记忆 of his hometown Zigong, yet transcends it.
• Ying Liang's Zigong film series: Taking Father Home, The Other Half, Good Cats, When the Breeze Blows Away, Condolences.
• The Great Salt Merchant: A TV series aired in 2005, directed by Zhuang Hongsheng, starring Zhengjun He, Li Zhou, Kaimin Guo, Wenlu Zuo. It focuses on the Ziliujing salt merchants of Zigong during the Qing Dynasty.
• Salt Magnate: A TV series directed by Shen Haofang, distributed by China Film Group and Beijing Hualu Baina Film & TV Co., Ltd. It is set against the backdrop of the Furong Salt Field (Fujing) in Zigong during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period of the Qing Dynasty. The Taiwanese version is titled 豪门金枝.
• Time: An urban emotional TV series aired in 2007, with Zigong City as the main filming location. Starring Jun Hu and Ting Mei.
• Sichuan Past: A TV series directed by Fan Yuan, starring Jing Ning, Qi Lu, Ping Tang, Hu Gao, Xiaoyi Wang, Lei Cao, Xiaoran Guo. It tells the story of a Zigong salt merchant family during the Republic of China era. In 2012, during filming, it failed to secure financial support from the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department and production investors, ultimately被迫宣告流产. Only trailers of the unfinished series can be found online.
• Fingers Linked to the Heart: A family emotional励志剧 aired in 2012, starring Hsueh-hua Liu, Song Sun, Junyi Shen. It tells a story about a mother in 1980s Zigong who brings her son Daman into a "blended" family. The entire series was filmed in Zigong, with the timeline spanning from 1983 to 1997, covering 14 years.
• Brothers: A TV series aired in 2014, directed by Fan Yuan, starring Jianbin Chen, Siqin Gaowa, Man Huang, Jing Ye, etc. It tells the story of the children of the Meng family mansion in Ziliujing facing the changes of turbulent times, experiencing the vicissitudes of life among brothers for the ideals of saving the nation, family business, and亲情爱情.

9.6.2. Documentaries

• University of Nanking's Zigong Well Salt;
• Hidden China (China's Museums: Stories from One Hundred Museums);
• Shanghai Science and Educational Film Studio's Zigong Tie-Dye;
• Zigong's Application for UNESCO Global Geopark Documentary – Ancient Life, Prehistoric Miracle;
• CCTV's Talking About History, Exploration and Discovery – The Mystery of Dinosaurs' "Collective Death" in Zigong, Tracing Ancient Paths, A Bite of China 2 – Encounters, China Along the 30° North Latitude, My Taste of China, China's Local Records – Fushun Chapter, Chasing Salt Under Heaven;
• CTV (Taipei) Exploring Mainland China – Zigong, Fushun, Rongxian Chapters;
• FTV (Taipei) Taiwanese Feet Traveling Mainland China – Zigong Chapter;
• TVB (Hong Kong) China's Blessed Lands – Zigong;
• Sun TV China's Historical and Cultural Cities – Zigong;
• BBC Around the World – Zigong Chapter;
• KBS Zigong Documentary.

11. International Friendship Cities

Midland, Michigan, USA (1988) Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan (1990) Goseong County, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea (October 19, 2006) Gaillac, France (2018)

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10. 著名人物

自贡历来文教兴盛，人物杰出。陆游就曾在诗中评价自贡荣县说，“其民简朴士甚良，千里郁为诗书乡”。而自贡富顺县素有“才子之乡”的美誉。古代，富顺县曾孕育出了238名进士、807名举人和863名贡生。

Ziliujing and Gongjing

Ziliujing District

Fushun County

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Camphor tree

Crape myrtle flower