Shijiazhuang facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shijiazhuang 石家庄市 Shihkiachwang, Shimen
Prefecture-level city
Skyline of Shijiazhuang from Xinbai Plaza Shijiazhuang TV Tower Tomb of Zhongshan state Anji Bridge Linji Temple Hebei Provincial Museum Ancient wall of Zhengding
Location of Shijiazhuang City jurisdiction in Hebei
Shijiazhuang Location in Hebei Show map of Hebei Shijiazhuang Location in North China Plain Show map of North China Plain Shijiazhuang Location in China Show map of China
Country	China
Province	Hebei
Settled	204 B.C. (Changshan Commandery)
Established	June 24, 1925
Municipal seat	Chang'an District
Government
• Type	Prefecture-level city
• Body	Shijiazhuang Municipal People's Congress
Area
• Prefecture-level city	14,072 km2 (5,433 sq mi)
• Urban	2,256.6 km2 (871.3 sq mi)
• Metro	2,664.2 km2 (1,028.7 sq mi)
Elevation	83 m (272 ft)
Population  (2020 census)
• Prefecture-level city	11,235,086
• Density	798.400/km2 (2,067.85/sq mi)
• Urban	5,758,403
• Urban density	2,551.80/km2 (6,609.14/sq mi)
• Metro	6,230,709
• Metro density	2,338.68/km2 (6,057.15/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Shijiazhuangnese, Villager (colloq.)
GDP
• Prefecture-level city	CN¥ 710 billion US$ 84.2 billion
• Per capita	CN¥ 52,859 US$ 7,664
Time zone	UTC+8 (China Standard)
Postal code	050000
ISO 3166 code	CN-HE-01
Licence plate prefixes	冀A
City Flower	Rosa Chinensis
City Tree	Styphnolobium
GaWC World City level classification	Sufficiency
Rapid transit
Website	www.SJZ.gov.cn

Shijiazhuang
"Shijiazhuang" in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters
Simplified Chinese	石家庄
Traditional Chinese	石家莊
Postal	Shihkiachwang
Literal meaning	"Shi Family Village"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shíjiāzhuāng Bopomofo ㄕˊ   ㄐㄧㄚ   ㄓㄨㄤ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Shyrjiajuang Wade–Giles Shih2-chia1-chuang1 Yale Romanization Shŕjyājwāng IPA [ʂɻ̩̌.tɕi̯á.ʈʂu̯áŋ] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Sehk-gāa-jōng IPA [sɛ̀ːk̚.káː.tsɔ́ːŋ] Jyutping Sek6-gaa1-zong1 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Chio̍h-ka-chng Tâi-lô Tsio̍h-ka-tsng
Shimen
Simplified Chinese	石门
Traditional Chinese	石門
Literal meaning	"Shi family's village and Xiumen village Portfolio"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shímén

Shijiazhuang is a big city in China. It is the capital of Hebei Province. The city is located about 266 kilometres (165 mi) southwest of Beijing.

In 2020, over 11 million people lived in Shijiazhuang. About 6.2 million of them lived in the main city area. This makes it one of the largest cities in mainland China.

Shijiazhuang grew a lot after 1949. Its population increased quickly due to new industries and buildings. The city has opened a new railway station, airport, and subway system. Shijiazhuang is located east of the Taihang Mountains. These mountains are over 400 km (250 mi) long.

Understanding the City's Name

The name Shijiazhuang (Chinese: 石家庄) was first used during the Ming dynasty. It means "Shi family's village." The name became common after the Shijiazhuang station was built in 1907.

There are different ideas about where the name came from. One story says an emperor sent families to the area. They formed two groups: "village of 10 families" and "village of 14 families." The Chinese words for "ten" (Chinese: 十; pinyin: shí) and "stone" (Chinese: 石; pinyin: shí) sound similar. So, the name might have changed over time. Another idea is that the village was named after an important official with the last name Shi.

The city was first called "Shijia." The "zhuang" part just meant it was a village. In 1925, it was officially named Shijia. Later, it merged with another village, Xiumen. The city was then renamed Shimen (Chinese: 石门). But many people still called it "Shijiazhuang." To avoid confusion, the city's name was changed back to Shijiazhuang in 1947. People sometimes call it "international village" or "villagers."

A Look at Shijiazhuang's Past

Early Times and Dynasties

Long ago, this area was home to the Xianyu people. It later became part of the Zhongshan and Zhao states. Before the Han dynasty (before 206 BC), a city called Shiyi was here. During the Han dynasty, the area was known as Changshan. It was an important county seat until the Sui dynasty (581–618).

In the Tang dynasty (618–907), the area was reorganized. It was renamed Zhen Prefecture. The city of Zhengding was a very large city nearby. Even Marco Polo wrote about it in his travels!

The name "Shijiazhuang" first appeared in 1535. At that time, it was a small market town. It was much smaller than the nearby city of Zhengding.

Growth with Railways

Old platform of Shijiazhuang in 1907

Shijiazhuang started to grow into a major city in 1905. This happened when the Beijing–Wuhan railway reached the area. This railway helped trade and encouraged farmers to grow more crops. Two years later, a new railway line connected Shijiazhuang to Taiyuan. This made the town a very important transportation hub. It became a key route from Beijing and Tianjin to other parts of China.

City seal during the Japanese occupation

Before World War II, Shijiazhuang was a big railway town. It was a center for trade and collecting farm products. By 1935, it was much more important than Zhengding. After World War II, the city became an important administrative and industrial center. Some industries like match making and glass making were already there.

On November 12, 1947, Communist forces took control of the city. Xibaipo, a village near Shijiazhuang, was the headquarters for the Chinese Communist Party. This was during an important time of the Chinese Civil War. Today, Xibaipo is a memorial site.

Modern Development

After the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, Shijiazhuang grew even more. Many government groups started here. For example, the People's Bank of China was created here in 1948. It even printed the first Chinese money.

The city also became very industrial. It was chosen as one of 14 cities for major development. Its population grew more than three times between 1948 and 1958. In the 1950s, the textile industry grew a lot. Factories processed cotton and made fabrics. In the 1960s, new chemical industries started. Shijiazhuang also became a center for engineering. There are coal mines nearby that provide power for local factories.

In 1968, Shijiazhuang became the capital of Hebei province. This helped the city grow even faster. Since the 1990s, Shijiazhuang has continued to develop quickly.

Over the years, the city's areas have changed. Some county-level cities like Gaocheng and Luquan became urban districts. This means they are now more closely part of the main city.

Exploring Shijiazhuang's Geography

Map including Shijiazhuang (labeled as SHIH-MEN (SHIHKIACHWANG) 石門) (AMS, 1954)

Shijiazhuang is in the south-central part of Hebei province. It is part of the Bohai Economic Rim. The city stretches about 148 kilometres (92 mi) from north to south and 175 kilometres (109 mi) from east to west. Its total area is about 15,722 square kilometres (6,070 sq mi). It shares borders with other cities in Hebei like Hengshui and Baoding. To the west, it borders the province of Shanxi.

The city is located at the edge of the North China Plain. To the west, the land rises into the Taihang Mountains. The Hutuo River flows south of the city. The land changes from mountains in the west to flat plains in the east.

Shijiazhuang's Climate

Shijiazhuang has a continental climate. This means it has hot, humid summers because of the East Asian monsoon. Winters are usually cold, windy, and very dry. This is due to the influence of cold air from Siberia.

Spring can bring sandstorms from the Mongolian steppe. Temperatures rise quickly, but it stays dry. Autumn is similar to spring, with mild temperatures and little rain. January is the coldest month, averaging −1.4 °C (29.5 °F). July is the warmest, averaging 27.7 °C (81.9 °F). The average temperature for the whole year is 14.3 °C (57.7 °F).

The city gets about 2,163 hours of sunshine each year. Most of the rain falls in July and August. The highest temperature ever recorded was 42.8 °C (109.0 °F). The lowest was −26.5 °C (−15.7 °F).

Air Quality in Shijiazhuang

A park in Shijiazhuang during a smoggy day

Shijiazhuang has faced challenges with air pollution. In 2013, it was listed among the most air-polluted cities globally. Many cities in northern China, including Shijiazhuang, have experienced periods of thick smog.

In 2020, the average PM2.5 air pollution in Shijiazhuang was 56 μg/m³. This is higher than the World Health Organization's guideline of 5 μg/m³. These pollution levels can affect people's health.

Sometimes, a dense wave of smog covers parts of China, including Shijiazhuang. This happens when there is not much wind. Industrial emissions and car exhaust can get trapped in the air. Officials have also pointed to coal heating systems as a cause.

City Leaders

Leaders of the Chinese Communist Party and state institutions in Shijiazhuang

Departments	Secretary of the Shijiazhuang Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party	Director of the Standing Committee of the Shijiazhuang People's Congress	Mayor of Shijiazhuang People's Government	Chairman of Shijiazhuang Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
Name	Zhang Chaochao	Li Xuerong	Ma Yujun	Zhang Ye
Ethnic Group	Han	Han	Manchu	Han
Native place	Shangcai County, Henan	Zhangjiakou,Hebei	Luanping County,Hebei	Xinji,Hebei
Birth date	December 1967 (age 57)	June 1963 (age 62)	June 1965 (age 60)	August 1963 (age 61)
Date of assumption of duty	April 2021	February 2021	January 2021	February 2021

City Areas and Divisions

Shijiazhuang is divided into different administrative areas. These include city districts, county-level cities, and counties.

Map
Chang'an Qiaoxi Xinhua Yuhua Luancheng Gaocheng Luquan Jingxing Jingxing County Zhengding County Xingtang County Lingshou County Gaoyi County Shenze County Zanhuang County Wuji County Pingshan County Yuanshi County Zhao County Xinji (city) Jinzhou (city) Xinle (city)
Name	Chinese	Pinyin	Population (2010)	Area (km2)	Density (/km2)
City proper
Chang'an District	长安区	Cháng'ān Qū	560,643	110	4,362
Qiaoxi District	桥西区	Qiáoxī Qū	596,164	53	11,248
Xinhua District	新华区	Xīnhuá Qū	625,119	92	6,795
Yuhua District	裕华区	Yùhuá Qū	574,572	101	4,888
Luancheng District	栾城区	Luánchéng Qū	328,933	347	948
Gaocheng District	藁城区	Gàochéng Qū	775,110	836	927
Luquan District	鹿泉区	Lùquán Qū	432,936	603	718
Suburban
Jingxing Mining District	井陉矿区	Jǐngxíng Kuàngqū	95,170	56	1,699
Zhengding County	正定县	Zhèngdìng Xiàn	466,807	568	822
Satellite cities
Xinji City	辛集市	Xīnjí Shì	615,919	951	648
Jinzhou City	晋州市	Jìnzhōu Shì	537,679	619	868
Xinle City	新乐市	Xīnlè Shì	487,652	625	780
Rural
Jingxing County	井陉县	Jǐngxíng Xiàn	309,882	1,381	224
Xingtang County	行唐县	Xíngtáng Xiàn	406,353	1,025	396
Lingshou County	灵寿县	Língshòu Xiàn	333,558	1,546	216
Gaoyi County	高邑县	Gāoyì Xiàn	186,478	222	840
Shenze County	深泽县	Shēnzé Xiàn	250,264	296	845
Zanhuang County	赞皇县	Zànhuáng Xiàn	244,799	1,210	202
Wuji County	无极县	Wújí Xiàn	502,662	524	959
Pingshan County	平山县	Píngshān Xiàn	433,429	2,951	147
Yuanshi County	元氏县	Yuánshì Xiàn	418,466	849	493
Zhao County	赵县	Zhào Xiàn	571,077	714	800

People and Population

Many people have moved to Shijiazhuang over the years. This has helped its population grow a lot. In 1947, the city had 120,000 people. By 1949, it had more than doubled to 270,000.

By 1960, the city's population reached 650,000. In 1968, it grew even more when it became the capital of Hebei. By 1980, over one million people lived in the city. By the end of 2017, the urban population was over 4.5 million.

In just 60 years, the city's population has grown more than 20 times! In 2009, the non-migrant population was about 9.7 million. The birth rate was 14.65%, and the death rate was 6.25%.

The 2010 census showed a total population of over 10 million. This was an increase of 8.76% from ten years before. There were slightly more males than females. About 15% of the population was aged 0-14. About 76% were aged 15-64.

The most common last names in Shijiazhuang are Zhang, Wang, and Li. In 2011, a survey found that people in Shijiazhuang were very happy.

Shijiazhuang's Economy

In 2014, Shijiazhuang's economy was worth about CN¥510.02 billion (around $80.45 billion USD). This showed a 12% increase from the year before. The city is a major industrial hub in North China. It is seen as an economic center for Hebei province.

Shijiazhuang is known as the "medicine hub of China." It has big pharmaceutical companies and factories. The textile industry is also very important to the city's business. Other industries include machinery, chemicals, building materials, and electronics.

The city has lots of farms. It has 590,000 hectares of farmland. It is a main source of cotton, pears, dates, and walnuts in Hebei. In 2008, the city's imports reached US$1.393 billion. Exports grew to US$5.596 billion.

Special Development Zones

• Shijiazhuang High-Tech Industrial Development Zone

This zone was created in 1991. It is a special area for new high-tech businesses. Major highways pass through the zone. It is close to the railway station and Tianjin Port. Industries here include medicine, electronics, machinery, and chemicals.

The Eastern District of the zone focuses on new high-tech companies. The Western District helps smaller tech businesses. The Liangcun District focuses on the pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries. By 2009, about 2,600 businesses had set up in the zone. Many of these were foreign companies.

Getting Around Shijiazhuang

Highways and Railways

Shijiazhuang has many expressways. These include the Shitai, Beijing–Shenzhen, and Taiyuan–Cangzhou Expressways.

Shijiazhuang railway station.

The city is a major railway hub. It is where the Beijing–Guangzhou, Taiyuan–Dezhou, and Shuozhou–Huanghua railways meet. The new Shijiazhuang railway station opened in 2012. It is special because both regular and high-speed trains use it. A 5 km (3.1 mi) long tunnel was built under the city for the high-speed railway. This was the first time a high-speed train ran under a Chinese city. There is also a smaller station, Shijiazhuang North railway station, for trains going west.

Metro System

Shijiazhuang has a subway system called the Shijiazhuang Metro. Lines 1, 2, and 3 are currently running. The system is 76.5 km (47.5 mi) long. Plans include a total of 6 metro lines.

Airport and Cycling

The Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport is the main airport for the province. It is about 30 kilometers northeast of the city. The airport has flights to many cities in China and 12 international destinations. It is being expanded to help with flights to and from Beijing. The airport also has its own train station.

Shijiazhuang is great for cycling. Most large roads have special bike lanes. The city is flat, which makes cycling easy. Thousands of people ride bikes here every day.

Military Presence

Shijiazhuang is home to the headquarters of the 27th Group Army. This is part of the People's Liberation Army. This group helps protect China's capital, Beijing.

Culture and Fun in Shijiazhuang

City Center Attractions

Lerthai Shopping Complex in downtown

Shijiazhuang's roads mostly run north-south and east-west. This makes the city easy to get around. Many roads have bike paths, making it bike-friendly. In the city center, you'll find the Hebei Museum. It was updated in 2013 and 2014. The museum often shows traditional Chinese art.

The Yutong International Sports Centre hosts football matches for the Shijiazhuang Ever Bright team. It also holds pop concerts.

The Shijiazhuang Zoo is on the west side of the city. It has 3,000 animals from 250 different types. You can see flamingos, golden monkeys, and pandas. Near the zoo are the Botanical Gardens (Chinese: 石家庄植物园). They have many different kinds of plants. The Martyrs Memorial (Chinese: 烈士纪念馆) is in the city center. It honors soldiers who died in wars.

Main Sights to See

Nantianmen (南天门), the main entrance to Baodu Zhai.

Baodu Zhai (Chinese: 抱犊寨; pinyin: Bàodúzhài) is an old hilltop fort on the west side of the city. It has walking paths and Buddhist statues. Close by is Fenglong Mountain (Chinese: 封龙山). This mountain offers walks and a large stone Buddha statue. Mount Cangyan (Chinese: 苍岩山; pinyin: Cāngyán Shān; literally "Green Cliff Mountain") is a beautiful area in Jingxing County. It is known for its mix of nature and old buildings. A scene from the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was filmed here.

Mount Cangyan in 2007

The Longxing Temple (Chinese: 隆興寺; pinyin: Lóngxīng Sì) is an ancient Buddhist temple just outside the city. It is called the "First Temple south of Beijing." The Anji Bridge (also known as Zhaozhou Bridge) (Chinese: 安濟橋; pinyin: Ānjì Qiáo; literally "Safe crossing bridge") is the oldest open-spandrel stone arch bridge in the world. It was built between 595 and 605 AD. It is the oldest standing bridge in China. The Pagoda of Bailin Temple (Chinese: 從諗禪師舍利塔; pinyin: Cóngshěn Chánshī Shělìtǎ or Chinese: 趙州塔; pinyin: Zhàozhōu Tǎ) is a brick pagoda built in 1330.

City Parks for Fun

Shijiazhuang has many parks in its downtown area. The biggest is Chang'an Park (Chinese: 长安公园). It has an underground shopping mall, a theater, a museum, a lake, and restaurants. Century Park (Chinese: 世纪公园) is on the southeast side. It has a lake and an amusement park. Water Park (Chinese: 水上公园) is on the northwest side. It features a large lake, rides, and restaurants. There are also many smaller parks around the city.

Shopping and Food

The largest mall in the city is the Wanda shopping mall. It is in the southeast and has an IMAX theater. Other big malls include the Lerthai Shopping Complex downtown and Wondermall.

In summer, many barbecue restaurants (Chinese: 烧烤) open. They sell different foods, with lamb kebabs (Chinese: 羊肉串) being very popular. You can find thousands of restaurants in the city. They offer Chinese and Western food, often open all day and night.

Famous People from Shijiazhuang

• Li Deyu: A Chinese poet and politician from the Tang dynasty.
• Zhou Dongyu: An actress, one of the famous "Four Dan actresses" of her generation.
• Kang Hui: A news anchor for China Central Television.
• Deng Lun: A popular actor.
• Omnipotent Youth Society: A Chinese alternative rock band.
• Han Xu: A WNBA basketball player for the New York Liberty.
• Sun Yingsha: A talented table tennis player.
• Zheng Yuanjie: A Chinese fairy tale author.
• Zhao Yun: A military general from ancient China.
• Feng Zhang: A Chinese-American biochemist known for CRISPR technology.

Sports in Shijiazhuang

Shijiazhuang Gongfu F.C. (Chinese: 石家庄功夫; pinyin: Shíjiāzhuāng Gōngfu) is a football club from Shijiazhuang. They play in the China League One. Their home stadium is the Yutong International Sports Centre, which holds 37,000 people.

The Yutong International Sports Center (Chinese: 裕彤国际体育中心) is a large stadium. It is mostly used for football games and can hold 38,500 people. Fumei Shijiazhuang FC is a futsal club from the city. They play in the Futsal Premier League.

Hospitals in the City

Norman Bethune

• Hebei General Hospital
• The First Hospital of Shijiazhuang City
• The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University
• Bethune International Peace Hospital Chinese: 白求恩国际和平医院; pinyin: Báiqiú'ēn'Hépíng'Yīyuàn: Named after Norman Bethune, a Canadian doctor. He is remembered for bringing modern medicine to rural China.

Education and Universities

Universities and Colleges

Shijiazhuang has several universities and colleges:

• Shijiazhuang University
• Hebei GEO University
• Shijiazhuang Tiedao University
• Hebei Normal University
• Hebei Medical University

Sister Cities Around the World

Shijiazhuang has many sister cities in different countries:

Images for kids

• 

  Old platform of Shijiazhuang in 1907

• 

  City seal during the Japanese occupation

See also

In Spanish: Shijiazhuang para niños