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Hanzhong 汉中市 Hanchung | |
|---|---|
 Hanzhong City with Han River flowing through | |
.png) Location of Hanzhong City jurisdiction in Shaanxi | |
| Coordinates (Hanzhong municipal government):33°03′59″N107°01′24″E / 33.0664°N 107.0232°E /33.0664; 107.0232 | |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Province | Shaanxi |
| Established | c. 800 BC |
| Municipal seat | Hantai District |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Zhong Hongjiang (钟洪江) |
| • Party Secretary | Vacant |
| Area | |
| 27,246 km2 (10,520 sq mi) | |
| • Urban | 3,359 km2 (1,297 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 3,359 km2 (1,297 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 511 m (1,677 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 2,038 m (6,686 ft) |
| Population (2020 census)[1] | |
| 3,211,462 | |
| • Density | 117.87/km2 (305.28/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 1,084,448 |
| • Urban density | 322.8/km2 (836.2/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 1,084,448 |
| • Metro density | 322.8/km2 (836.2/sq mi) |
| GDP[2] | |
| • Prefecture-level city | CN¥ 106 billion US$ 17 billion |
| • Per capita | CN¥ 30,849 US$ 4,953 |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (China Standard) |
| Postal code | 723000 |
| Area code | 0916 |
| ISO 3166 code | CN-SN-07 |
| Licence plates | 陕F |
| Website | www |
| Hanzhong | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 漢中 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 汉中 | ||||||||
| Literal meaning | middle of theHan (River) | ||||||||
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Hanzhong (simplified Chinese:汉中;traditional Chinese:漢中;lit. 'middle of theHan River'; abbreviation: Han) is aprefecture-level city inthe southwest ofShaanxi province, China, bordering the provinces ofSichuan to the south andGansu to the west.
The founder of theHan dynasty,Liu Bang, was once enfeoffed as the king of the Hanzhong region after overthrowing theQin dynasty. During theChu-Han contention, Liu Bang shortened his title to the King of Han (漢王), and later used it as the name of his imperial dynasty. In this way, Hanzhong was responsible for the naming of the Han dynasty, which was later hailed as the firstgolden age in imperial Chinese history and lends its name tothe principal ethnic group in China.
Hanzhong is located at the modernheadwater of the Han River, the largest tributary of theYangtze River. Hanzhong city covers 27,246 square kilometres (10,520 sq mi) and is centered around theHantai District. The prefecture-level city consists of two urban district and nine rural counties. As of the 2020 census, its population was 3,211,462, of whom 1,084,448 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of Hantai and Nanzheng districts.
There are few references to Hanzhong before theQin dynasty's unification of China in 221 BC. TheBook of Documents refers to an area called Liangzhou (梁州), whileSima Qian's bookRecords of the Grand Historian speaks of a "Bao state" (褒國; where the ancient beautyBao Si came from), both of which are believed to refer to the area now called Hanzhong.
From 900 BC, the area has been called Nanzheng (Chinese:南鄭;lit. 'southern Zheng'). The ancient geographical treatise entitledShui Jing Zhu records thatDuke Huan of Zheng, a vassal lord from theWestern Zhou dynasty, was slain in a battle with the nomadicQuanrong people, and some of the Zheng citizens fledthe capital to establish a new settlement to the south, giving rise to the area's name.[3] However, the veracity of this story is controversial.[4]
._Hanzhong_City.jpg)
In theQin dynasty the area was governed as the Hanzhong Commandery, whoseseat was in current dayNanzheng County, south of the Hanzhong urban area.[5] In 207 BC, the Qin dynasty collapsed.Liu Bang, who would later become the founding emperor of theHan dynasty, was made lord of Hanzhong. He spent several years there before raising an army to challenge his arch-rival,Xiang Yu, during theChu–Han Contention. In 206 BC, after thevictory at Gaixia, Liu Bang named his imperial dynasty after his native district, as was customary. However, he chose Hanzhong rather than his birthplacePei County (present-dayXuzhou,Jiangsu Province).[6] Thus, Hanzhong gave its name to the Han dynasty.
In the second century AD, the Eastern Han dynasty gradually weakened. Outsiders from theBa region attacked the Hanzhong area, as they had in the past. The Han dynasty lost power.Zhang Lu, supported by followers of aTaoist sect,Way of the Celestial Masters, led an independent theocratic government in Hanzhong.[7] Thirty years later, after theBattle of Yangping, Zhang Lu surrendered Hanzhong to the warlord,Cao Cao.
Prior to and during theThree Kingdoms period, Hanzhong was a militarily strategically important site. It was located at a critical point along the route an army would take from theCentral Plain to the Sichuan Basin. At this time, Cao Cao lost control of Hanzhong toLiu Bei, who assumed the title of King of Hanzhong. Ruins and landmarks of the Three Kingdoms era remaining in Hanzhong include the tomb of theShu Han chancellorZhuge Liang. Much of this period of Hanzhong's history is retold in the historical novelRomance of the Three Kingdoms.
In Hanzhong, between the end of the Han dynasty and the beginning of theTang dynasty there was political turmoil. In 784, when the capital,Chang'an (modern Xi'an) was captured, theEmperor Dezong of Tang fled to Hanzhong. During theNorthern Song dynasty (960–1127), however, Hanzhong became economically wealthy with city tax revenue just behind that of regional capitals such asKaifeng andChengdu.
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In 1331, during theMing dynasty in the reign of theHongwu Emperor, extensive renovations were made to Hanzhong's infrastructure. This work brought Hanzhong to its present layout and form.
TheWanli Emperor (r. 1572–1620) installed his fifth son, Zhu Changhao (Chinese:朱常浩), as king of Hanzhong. Changhao built a large, luxurious palace in what is now the Children's Park.[8] The palace's Radiant Glass Wall (Chinese:玻璃照壁) was demolished during road construction in 1935. Since then, a 13.6 m section has been rebuilt on the eastern end of Sanpu Street (Chinese:伞铺街;pinyin:Sǎnpù Jīe).
In 1643, Zhu Changhao fled south to Sichuan ahead ofLi Zicheng's rebel army. As he departed, his Hanzhong palace was looted.Qing dynasty historians remembered the massive but empty palace.
In December 1949, in theChinese Civil War, Hanzhong was captured by thePeople's Liberation Army as theChinese Communist Party (CCP) expelled theKuomintang.
The governance of Hanzhong, including the municipal executive, the legislature and thejudiciary are located inHantai District (汉台区). The offices of the CCP and thePublic Security Bureau are also located in Hantai District.
Hanzhong consists two urban districts and nine rural counties.
| Map | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Chinese | Hanyu Pinyin | Population (2004 est.) | Area (km2) | Density (/km2) |
| Hantai District | 汉台区 | Hàntái Qū | 530,000 | 556 | 954 |
| Nanzheng District | 南郑区 | Nánzhèng Qū | 550,000 | 2,849 | 193 |
| Chenggu County | 城固县 | Chénggù Xiàn | 510,000 | 2,265 | 225 |
| Yang County | 洋县 | Yáng Xiàn | 440,000 | 3,206 | 137 |
| Xixiang County | 西乡县 | Xīxiāng Xiàn | 400,000 | 3,204 | 125 |
| Mian County | 勉县 | Miǎn Xiàn | 420,000 | 2,406 | 175 |
| Ningqiang County | 宁强县 | Níngqiáng Xiàn | 330,000 | 3,243 | 102 |
| Lueyang County | 略阳县 | Lüèyáng Xiàn | 200,000 | 2,831 | 71 |
| Zhenba County | 镇巴县 | Zhènbā Xiàn | 280,000 | 3,437 | 81 |
| Liuba County | 留坝县 | Liúbà Xiàn | 50,000 | 1,970 | 25 |
| Foping County | 佛坪县 | Fópíng Xiàn | 30,000 | 1,279 | 23 |
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In 2021, the Hanzhong regionalgross domestic product was 176.87 billionyuan. The annual gross domestic product per capita was 55279 yuan.
The 012 base was established in Hanzhong in the 1960s. It is responsible for military transport aircraft andAir-to-air missiles in Yangxian County.
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Hanzhong is located in southwestern Shaanxi, near the border withGansu andSichuan Provinces. It is part of theShannan region. Hanzhong lies in the centre of theHanzhong Basin, on the banks of theHan River (Hanshui).
TheDaba Mountains rise to the south of the city. To the north are theQin Mountains. These mountains make a northern geographical limit of southern China. However, officially, Shaanxi is part ofthe northwest.[10][11] For more on the divisions between northern and southern China, seeNorthern and southern China.
The coordinates of the city's prefecture ranges in latitude from 33° 02' to 33° 22' N and in longitude from 106° 51' to 107° 10' E. It covers 27,246 square kilometres (10,520 sq mi).[12] The northern part of the prefecture is elevated while the southern part is generally low lying. Height above sea level varies from around 500 metres (1,600 ft) in the urban area to 2,038 metres (6,686 ft) in the Qin Mountains.
TheWuchiapingianAge in thePermian Period of geological time is named from Wuchiaping (fromChinese:吴家坪;pinyin:Wújiāpíng;lit. 'Wu Family Flatland') in the Liangshan area of Hanzhong.[13]
Hanzhong has a temperate and humid climate. It is classified ashumid subtropical (KöppenCwa), with cool, damp winters and hot, humid summers.
The Qin Mountains to the north help shield the city from coldSiberian winds in the winter. Hence, the winter in Hanzhong is warmer than that at similar latitudes east of Shannan. This is despite Hanzhong's elevation and inland location.
In contrast, because of its elevation, Hanzhong summers are temperate, with average highs in July and August about 30 °C (86 °F). The area is far more humid thancentral andnorthern Shaanxi. In Hanzhong, there is 853 mm (33.6 in) precipitation annually, as compared to 553 mm (21.8 in) inXi'an, the provincial capital.[14] The chance of sunshine days per month varies from twenty-six percent in November and December to fifty percent in August. Hanzhong receives 1,569 hours of bright sunshine each year. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from 2.8 °C (37.0 °F) in January to 25.6 °C (78.1 °F) in July. The annual mean is 14.67 °C (58.4 °F). Record extremes there have ranged from −10.1 °C (13.8 °F) on 14 January 1957 to 41.1 °C (106.0 °F) on 16 July 2025.
| Climate data for Hanzhong, elevation 510 m (1,670 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–present) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.3 (68.5) | 22.7 (72.9) | 30.9 (87.6) | 34.4 (93.9) | 37.4 (99.3) | 40.5 (104.9) | 41.1 (106.0) | 40.6 (105.1) | 37.8 (100.0) | 31.4 (88.5) | 24.8 (76.6) | 18.4 (65.1) | 41.1 (106.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.5 (45.5) | 10.7 (51.3) | 16.1 (61.0) | 22.3 (72.1) | 26.1 (79.0) | 29.0 (84.2) | 30.9 (87.6) | 30.6 (87.1) | 25.0 (77.0) | 19.3 (66.7) | 13.4 (56.1) | 8.2 (46.8) | 19.9 (67.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.2 (37.8) | 6.1 (43.0) | 10.8 (51.4) | 16.4 (61.5) | 20.4 (68.7) | 24.1 (75.4) | 26.3 (79.3) | 25.7 (78.3) | 20.8 (69.4) | 15.3 (59.5) | 9.3 (48.7) | 4.2 (39.6) | 15.2 (59.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.2 (32.4) | 2.8 (37.0) | 6.9 (44.4) | 11.9 (53.4) | 16.1 (61.0) | 20.1 (68.2) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.0 (71.6) | 17.8 (64.0) | 12.7 (54.9) | 6.6 (43.9) | 1.5 (34.7) | 11.8 (53.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −10.1 (13.8) | −8.4 (16.9) | −4.8 (23.4) | −1.1 (30.0) | 5.7 (42.3) | 10.0 (50.0) | 15.1 (59.2) | 14.1 (57.4) | 7.9 (46.2) | −1.3 (29.7) | −3.9 (25.0) | −10.0 (14.0) | −10.1 (13.8) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 6.3 (0.25) | 11.2 (0.44) | 28.2 (1.11) | 53.9 (2.12) | 87.4 (3.44) | 99.5 (3.92) | 144.3 (5.68) | 118.2 (4.65) | 141.1 (5.56) | 77.1 (3.04) | 33.1 (1.30) | 7.9 (0.31) | 808.2 (31.82) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 4.7 | 5.3 | 8.2 | 9.5 | 11.6 | 11.8 | 12.6 | 11.2 | 13.2 | 12.4 | 8.5 | 5.2 | 114.2 |
| Average snowy days | 3.2 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 7.3 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 77 | 74 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 75 | 78 | 78 | 83 | 86 | 86 | 81 | 78 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 74.4 | 78.3 | 120.7 | 155.0 | 169.4 | 170.2 | 191.7 | 188.2 | 108.9 | 87.6 | 72.5 | 74.8 | 1,491.7 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 23 | 25 | 32 | 40 | 39 | 40 | 44 | 46 | 30 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 33 |
| Source:China Meteorological Administration[9][15][14]NOAA[16] all-time extreme temperature[17][18][19][20] | |||||||||||||
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Hanzhong's transport needs are served by theHanzhong Chenggu Airport andYangpingguan–Ankang Railway.Hanzhong Airport provides air access toBeijing, Xi'an,Shanghai andShenzhen with daily flights to each.
Hanzhong railway station lies in downtown Hanzhong, and is served by theXi'an–Chengdu high-speed railway andYangpingguan–Ankang railway lines.
Hanzhong is also part of a national system of highways. It joins theG5 Beijing-Kunming expressway and theG7011 Shiyan-Hanzhong-Tianshui expressway.National Highway 108,China National Highway 316,China National Highway 210 and the provincial roads 211 and 309 constitute the developed traffic network of Hanzhong.
At the end of 2012, Hanzhong had two hundred and seven middle schools and several centres of higher education.
Places adjacent to Hanzhong | |
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| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
