Hebei's economy is based on agriculture and manufacturing; it is China's premier steel producer, which has contributed to serious air pollution.[9][10][11]
"Hebei" means 'north of the river', derived from the province's location north of theYellow River in theNorth China Plain.[12][13][14][15] In theYu Gong, the province is recorded as "Jizhou", lending to its traditional abbreviation of "Ji" (冀).
The province's nickname is "Yanzhao" (燕赵), which is the collective name of theYan andZhao states that controlled the region during theSpring and Autumn andWarring States periods (771–221 BC).[16] In 1421, theYongle Emperor of theMing dynasty (1368–1644) moved the capital fromNanjing toBeijing, and the province surrounding the new capital was first calledNorth Zhili orZhili, meaning 'directly ruled'.[17][18] When Nanjing became the capital of theRepublic of China in 1928, the province of Zhili was abolished and given its present name of Hebei.[19]
During theSpring and Autumn period (722–476 BC), Hebei was under the rule ofYan in the north andJin in the south. Also during this period, a nomadic people known asDí invaded the plains of northern China and establishedZhongshan in central Hebei. In theWarring States period (403–221 BC), Jin was partitioned and much of its territory in Hebei went toZhao.
TheQin dynasty unified China in 221 BC. TheHan dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) ruled the area under two provinces,You Prefecture in the north andJi Province in the south. At the end of the Han dynasty, most of Hebei was under the control ofwarlordsGongsun Zan in the north andYuan Shao further south. Yuan Shao emerged as the victor of the two, but he was defeated byCao Cao in theBattle of Guandu in 200. Hebei came under the rule of theKingdom of Wei, established by the descendants of Cao Cao.
During theTang dynasty (618–907), the area was officially called Hebei for the first time. TheGreat Yan State was established in Hebei from 756 to 763 during theAn Lushan Rebellion. After the rebellion,Lulong Jiedushi retained its autonomy from Tang during most of the 9th century. During the lateFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Lulong was fragmented among several regimes including the short-livedYan. It was eventually annexed in 913 byLi Cunxu, who established theLater Tang (923–936). EmperorGaozu of the Later Jin dynasty ceded much of northern Hebei to theKhitanLiao dynasty. This territory, called theSixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, became a weakness in the Chinese defense against the Khitans for the next century because it lay within theGreat Wall.
During theNorthern Song dynasty (960–1127), the sixteen ceded prefectures continued to be an area of contention between Song China and the Liao dynasty. Later, theSouthern Song dynasty abandoned all ofNorth China, including Hebei, to theJurchen Jin dynasty after the 1127Jingkang Incident of theJin–Song wars. Hebei was heavily affected by the flooding of the Yellow River; between 1048 and 1128, the river ran directly through the province rather than to its south.[22]
TheMongolYuan dynasty divided China into provinces but did not establish Hebei as a province. Instead, the area was directly administrated by the Secretariat at the capitalDadu.
TheMing dynasty ruled Hebei as Beizhili, meaning Northern Directly Ruled because the area contained and was directly ruled by the imperial capital inBeijing. The "Northern" designation was used because there was a southern counterpart covering present-dayJiangsu andAnhui. When theManchuQing dynasty came to power in 1644, they abolished the southern counterpart, and Hebei became known asZhili or Directly Ruled. During the Qing dynasty, the northern borders of Zhili extended deep intoInner Mongolia and overlapped in jurisdiction with theleagues of Inner Mongolia.
The Qing dynastycollapsed in 1912 and was replaced by theRepublic of China. In a few years, China descended into a civil war, with regional warlords vying for power. Since Zhili was so close to the capital ofBeijing, it was the site of theZhiwan War, theFirst Zhifeng War, and theSecond Zhifeng War. With the success of theNorthern Expedition in 1926 and 1927 by theKuomintang, the capital was moved from Beijing toNanjing. As a result, the province's name was changed to Hebei, reflecting the relocation of the capital and its standard provincial administration.
The founding of thePeople's Republic of China saw several changes. The region aroundChengde, previously part ofRehe Province (historically part ofManchuria), and the region aroundZhangjiakou, previously part ofChahar Province (historically part ofInner Mongolia), were merged into Hebei. This extended its borders northwards beyond the Great Wall. Meanwhile, the city ofPuyang was carved away, causing Hebei to lose access to theYellow River. The city became part of the short-livedPingyuan Province before eventually being annexed intoHenan.[23]
The capital was also moved fromBaoding to the new city ofShijiazhuang, and, for a short period, toTianjin. On July 28, 1976,Tangshan was struck by theTangshan earthquake, the deadliest earthquake of the 20th century, killing over 240,000 people. There were a series of smaller earthquakes in the following decade.
Today, Hebei, along withBeijing andTianjin municipalities which it includes, make up theJing-Jin-Ji megalopolis region. With a population of 130 million, it is about six times the size of theNew York metropolitan area and is one of the largest megalopolis clusters in China.[24] Beijing had also unloaded some of its non-capital functions to the province with the establishment of theXiong'an New Area, which integrates the three municipalities.[25]
Hebei is the only province in China to contain plateaus, mountains, hills, shorelines, plains, and lakes.[26] Most of central and southern Hebei lies within theNorth China Plain. Western Hebei rises into theTaihang Mountains (Taihang Shan), while theYan Mountains (Yan Shan) runs through northern Hebei. Beyond the mountains are thegrasslands ofInner Mongolia. The highest peak isMount Xiaowutai inYu County in the northwest of the province, with an altitude of 2,882 m (9,455 ft).[1]
Hebei borders theBohai Sea on the east. TheHai Riverwatershed covers most of the province's central and southern parts; theLuan River watershed covers the northeast. Excluding manmade reservoirs, the largest lake in Hebei isBaiyangdian, located inAnxin County,Baoding.
Hebei has amonsoon-influenced humidcontinental climate. Its winters are cold and dry, while its summers are hot and humid. Temperatures average −16 to −3 °C (3 to 27 °F) in January and 20 to 27 °C (68 to 81 °F) in July. The annualprecipitation ranges from 400 to 800 mm (16 to 31 in), concentrated heavily in summer.
Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected locations in Hebei Province, China[27][28][29][30]
As with other provincial-level divisions in mainland China, Hebei is governed under a dual party-government system. The Governor of Hebei is the highest-ranking official in the People's Government of Hebei and is responsible for the provincial administration. However, the most powerful official in the province is the Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Hebei Provincial Committee, commonly known as the "Party Secretary", who holds greater influence than the governor within the province's political structure.
The following table lists major urban areas in Hebei based on the 2020 census, along with historical comparisons and total city populations. "Urban area" refers to built-up zones and may exclude newer administrative districts established since the 2010 census.
Hebei is one of northern China's major industrial provinces, with a diverse economy shaped by its strategic location surrounding Beijing and Tianjin, and a strong manufacturing base—though by national standards, it ranks relatively low in per capita income and development indicators. As of 2023, Hebei'sgross domestic product (GDP) was approximately 4.394 trillion yuan (about US$624 billion), ranking it 12th among China's provincial-level regions.[37] The province'sGDP per capita was around 59,300 yuan (roughly US$8,420), placing it 26th nationally.[37]
In terms of economic structure, Hebei's economy in 2023 was composed of a primary sector (agriculture, forestry, and fisheries) contributing 446.6 billion yuan, a secondary sector (manufacturing and construction) contributing 1.397 trillion yuan, and a tertiary sector (services) contributing 2.551 trillion yuan.[38] The registered urban unemployment rate was 3.08% as of the latest available data from 2021.[39]
Hebei's economy is supported by a robust industrial base, with mining and heavy industry playing a central role. The province is a key hub forcoal andiron ore mining, as well as forsteel production. Other important industries includepetroleum refining, chemical manufacturing,ceramics, power generation, food processing, andtextiles.
Hebei possesses significant mineral resources, which form the backbone of its industrial development. TheKailuan coal mine inTangshan, with origins dating back to the late 19th century, is one of China's oldest and most historically important modern mines. It remains operational today, producing over 20 million tonnes of coal annually.[40] In addition to coal, the province is rich in iron ore. Major deposits are found inHandan andQian'an, both of which supply raw materials to nearby steel plants.[41]
Hebei is also home to a portion of theNorth China Oilfield, one of China's largest inland oilfields, which supports the province's petroleum and petrochemical industries.[42]
Despite its industrial strength, Hebei also retains a significant agricultural workforce, with about 40% of the labor force engaged in agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry. A large portion of Hebei's agricultural output supplies the neighboring cities ofBeijing andTianjin. Principal crops includewheat,maize,millet, andsorghum, while cash crops such ascotton,peanuts,soybeans, andsesame are also cultivated.
Hebei Province was known as Zhili Province until 1928. Beijing was part of Hebei Province[17] until 1928. Tainjin was part of Hebei Province until 1928 and from 1954 to 1967. Rehe Province dissolved in 1955. Parts of it were incorporated into Hebei Province. Qahar Province dissolved in 1952. Parts of it were incorporated into Hebei Province.
The population in Hebei is mostlyHan Chinese. There are 55 ethnic minorities in Hebei, representing 4.27% of the total population. The largest ethnic groups areManchu (2.1 million people),Hui (600,000 people), andMongol (180,000 people).[54] Population totals do not include those in active service with thePeople's Liberation Army.[55]
In 2019, thebirth rate was 10.83 births per 1,000 people, while thedeath rate was 6.12 deaths per 1,000 people.[56] The male population is 37,679,003 (50.50%), the female population is 36,931,232 (49.50%). The gender ratio of the total population was 102.02, decreasing by 0.82 from 2010.[57]
Hebei has the largest Catholic population in China, with one million members and 1.5 million Catholics according to the Catholic Church.[60][61] In 1900,apparition of the Virgin Mary was said have appeared in the town ofDonglu inBaoding. As a result, Donglu is "one of the strongholds of the unofficial Catholic Church in China".[62] Many Catholics in Hebei remain loyal to the Pope and reject the authority of the Catholic Patriotic Church. Four of Hebei's underground bishops have been imprisoned in recent years: BishopFrancis An Shuxin of Donglu since 1996; BishopJames Su Zhimin since October 1997; BishopHan Dingxiang of Yongnian who died in prison in 2007, and BishopJulius Jia Zhiguo of Zhengding since late 1999.[60][63]
People speak dialects ofMandarin across the Hebei, with most classified as part of theJi Lu Mandarin subdivision of Chinese. Along the western border withShanxi, dialects are distinct enough for linguists to consider them as part ofJin, another subdivision of Chinese. In general, the dialects of Hebei are similar to theBeijing dialect, which forms the basis forStandard Chinese and the official language of the nation. However, there are also some distinct differences, such as the pronunciation of some words, made byentering tone syllables (syllables ending on aplosive) inMiddle Chinese.
Traditional forms ofChinese opera in Hebei includePingju,Hebei Bangzi (Hebei Clapper Opera), andCangzhouKuaiban Dagu. Pingju is especially popular because it tends to use colloquial language which is easier for audiences to understand. Originating from northeastern Hebei, Pingju was influenced by other forms of Chinese opera such asBeijing opera. Traditionally Pingju has axiaosheng (young male lead), axiaodan (young female lead), and axiaohualian (young comic character), though it has diversified to include other roles.[64]
Quyang County, in central Hebei, is noted forDing ware, a type ofChinese ceramics which includes various vessels such as bowls, plates, vases, and cups, as well as figurines. Ding ware is usually creamy white, though it is also made in other colors.
Hebei cuisine is typically based on wheat, mutton, and beans. Thedonkey burger, originating from the cities ofBaoding andHejian,Cangzhou, is a staple in provincial cuisine and has spread into the two municipalities. Other dishes include local variants ofshaobing.
TheMing Great Wall crosses the northern part of Hebei, and its eastern end is located on the coast atShanhaiguan (Shanhai Pass), nearQinhuangdao. Informally known as the First Pass of The World, Shanhaiguan Pass was where Ming generalWu Sangui opened the gates to Manchu forces in 1644, beginning nearly 300 years of Manchu rule.
TheChengde Mountain Resort and its outlying temples are aWorld Heritage Site. Also known as the Rehe Palace, this was the summer resort of the ManchuQing dynasty emperors. The resort was built between 1703 and 1792. It consists of a palace complex and a large park with lakes, pavilions, causeways, and bridges. There are also several Tibetan Buddhist and Han Chinese temples in the surrounding area.
There are Qing dynasty imperialtombs atZunhua (Eastern Qing Tombs) andYixian (West Qing Tombs). The Eastern Qing Tombs are the resting place of 161 Qing emperors, empresses, and other members of the Qing imperial family, while the West Qing Tombs have 76 burials. Both tomb complexes are part of aWorld Heritage Site.
TheZhaozhou, orAnji Bridge, was built by Li Chun during theSui dynasty and is the oldest stonearch bridge in China. It is one of the most significant examples of pre-modern Chinesecivil engineering.Baoding, the old provincial capital, contains the historic Zhili governor's residence and the former court.
During theEleventh Five-Year Plan, Beijing and Hebei collaborated on a new passenger railway. The RMB 82.6 billion network will add 844 kilometres (524 mi) to the system. Current railway systems for Hebei are also being upgraded and will soon be able to travel at speeds of between 160 and 200 kilometres (99 and 124 mi) per hour.
The recent expressway boom in China included Hebei. There are expressways to every prefecture-level city in Hebei, totaling approximately 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi). The total length of highways within Hebei is around 40,000 kilometres (25,000 mi).[citation needed]
There are several ports along theBohai Sea, includingHuanghua,Jingtang, andQinhuangdao. Qinhuangdao is the second busiest port in China and has a capacity of over 100 million tons.
Hebei is served by the province-wideHebei Television, abbreviated HEBTV. Shijiazhuang Radio & Television is a regional network that covers the provincial capital. Hebei is also served by three major newspapers:Hebei Daily,Yanzhao Metropolis Daily, andYanzhao Evening News. Hebei Daily Newspaper Group publishes all three newspapers.
Zu Chongzhi (429–500) – astronomer, mathematician, politician, inventor, and writer known for calculatingpi to an accuracy that was not surpassed for 800 years
Feng Dao (881–954) – inventor, printer, and politician
^The data was collected by the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) of 2009 and by the Chinese Spiritual Life Survey (CSLS) of 2007, reported and assembled by Xiuhua Wang (2015)[58] to confront the proportion of people identifying with two similar social structures: ① Christian churches, and ② the traditional Chinese religion of the lineage (i.e. people believing and worshipping ancestral deities often organized intolineage "churches" andancestral shrines). Data for other religions with a significant presence in China (deity cults, Buddhism, Taoism, folk religious sects, Islam, et al.) was not reported by Wang. The number of Muslims is taken from a survey reported in the year 2010.[59]
^Zhang, Ling (2016).The River, the Plain, and the State: An Environmental Drama in Northern Song China, 1048-1128. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–4.ISBN9781107155985.
^中华人民共和国县以上行政区划代码 (in Simplified Chinese). Ministry of Civil Affairs.
^Shenzhen Bureau of Statistics.《深圳统计年鉴2014》 (in Simplified Chinese). China Statistics Print. Archived fromthe original on 2015-05-12. Retrieved2015-05-29.
^河北省少数民族及宗教概况. Hebei People's Government. Archived fromthe original on 2017-04-19. Retrieved2014-08-28.
^{{Source: Department of Population, Social, Science, and Technology Statistics of the National Bureau of Statistics of China and Department of Economic Development of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, eds.Tabulation on Nationalities of 2000 Population Census of China. 2 vols. Beijing: Nationalities Publishing House (民族出版社), 2003. (ISBN7-105-05425-5)}}
^abMin Junqing.The Present Situation and Characteristics of Contemporary Islam in China. JISMOR, 8.2010 Islam by province, page 29. Data from: Yang Zongde,Study on Current Muslim Population in China, Jinan Muslim, 2, 2010.
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