Jiangxi

Jiangxi is an inland province in east China. It stretches from the banks of the Yangtze river in the north to hillier areas in the south and east. Jiangxi shares borders with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to the northwest. Some of its major cities include the capital Nanchang, Ganzhou, and Jiujiang.

The area has an important history. Jiangxi was one of the earliest bases for the Communist Party in China. The Nanchang uprising began there on 1 August 1927, marking the start of the Chinese Civil War. Later, in 1931, the Chinese Soviet Republic set up its government in Ruijin, a place sometimes called the "Former Red Capital."

The southern part of Jiangxi is filled with hills and mountains, including famous spots like Mount Lu, the Jinggang Mountains, and Mount Sanqing. The northern part is lower and flatter. The Gan River runs through the whole province.

Most people in Jiangxi are Han Chinese, but the province has many different languages. It is known as the center of Gan Chinese, and many also speak Hakka Chinese. Jiangxi is also rich in valuable minerals. It has more copper, tungsten, gold, silver, uranium, thorium, tantalum, niobium, and lithium than any other area in China.

History

Main article: History of Jiangxi

Jiangxi is centered around the Gan River valley, which has been an important path for travel and trade in southern China. This river valley is one of the few easy routes through the mountains of southeastern China, making Jiangxi important throughout history.

Long ago, Jiangxi was home to people known as the Baiyue. Later, it became part of different Chinese states. During the Han dynasty, a region called Yuzhang Commandery was set up in Jiangxi, and many towns that are still important today began to grow. Over time, Jiangxi changed from being part of larger areas to becoming its own province.

During the 1930s, Jiangxi was an important place for the Communists during the Chinese Civil War. In 1931, they set up a government in Ruijin. Later, they had to leave during the Long March to Yan'an. After World War II, Jiangxi became part of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

Geography

Jiangxi is surrounded by mountains on three sides. These include the Mufu Mountains, Jiuling Mountains, and Luoxiao Mountains to the west; the Huaiyu Mountains and Wuyi Mountains to the east; and the Jiulian Mountains and Dayu Mountains to the south. The southern part of Jiangxi is hilly with ranges and valleys, while the northern part is flatter.

The Gan River runs through the whole province from south to north. It flows into Lake Poyang, China's largest freshwater lake, which then empties into the Yangtze River. Jiangxi has a humid subtropical climate, with mild winters and very hot, humid summers. The provincial capital, Nanchang, is a major city and the most crowded in the area. Ganzhou is the largest area in Jiangxi.

Administrative divisions

Main articles: List of administrative divisions of Jiangxi and List of township-level divisions of Jiangxi

See also: List of administrative divisions of Jiangxi, county-level division, and List of cities in China

Jiangxi is divided into eleven prefecture-level divisions, which are all prefecture-level cities:

These cities are further split into 100 county-level divisions, including 27 districts, 12 county-level cities, and 61 counties. These divisions are then broken down into 1,566 township-level divisions, such as towns, townships, ethnic townships, and subdistricts.

Politics

Main articles: Politics of Jiangxi and List of provincial leaders of the People's Republic of China

Jiangxi has a special way of governing itself, just like other places in mainland China. The most important leader in Jiangxi is called the Governor. But there is also another important leader called the Party Chief, who has more power than the Governor. Together, they help make decisions for the province.

Economy

Jiangxi received a lot of investment during a big project in China called the Third Front. Rice is the main crop grown there, along with cotton and rapeseed. Jiangxi is the top place in China for growing kumquats, especially in Suichuan County.

Mining is very important to Jiangxi's economy. The province has lots of valuable minerals like copper, tungsten, gold, silver, and uranium. Important mining areas include Dexing for copper and Dayu County for tungsten.

Jiangxi is close to very rich provinces like Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Fujian. It has some of the lowest wages and property prices in China. In 2016, Jiangxi's economy was worth about US$276 billion.

Economic and technological development zones

• Nanchang Export Processing Zone

This zone in Nanchang was approved in 2006 and helps with quick and easy customs for goods being sent out of the country.

• Nanchang National High-tech Industrial Development Zone

This is the only national high-tech zone in Jiangxi. It was set up in 1991 and helps support electronics and other advanced industries.

• Nanchang Economic and Technological Development Zone
• Jiujiang Free Trade (Tariff-free) Zone
• Jiujiang National Economical and Technological Development Zone
• Jiujiang Gongqingcheng National High-tech Industrial Development Zone

Demographics

Jiangxi has a population of about 45 million people, according to a count from 2020. Most of these people are Han Chinese, and many belong to the Gan and Hakka groups. Ganzhou, the biggest city in Jiangxi, has many Hakka people. There are also some ethnic minorities, like the She people.

Jiangxi has more boys than girls in some age groups. In children aged 1 to 4, there are over 140 boys for every 100 girls.

In 2019, the most common family name in Jiangxi was Liu. This makes Jiangxi special because Liu is not the most common name in any other province. Overall, Liu is the fourth most common family name in all of China.

Religion

See also: Christianity in Jiangxi

Religion in Jiangxi

1. Chinese folk religion (24.1%)
2. Christianity (2.31%)
3. Other religions or not religious people (73.6%)

Many people in Jiangxi practice Chinese folk religions, Taoist traditions, and Chinese Buddhism. Surveys from 2007 and 2009 show that about 24% of people believe in and practice ancestor veneration, while about 2% identify as Christian. The rest of the population may not follow a specific religion or may practice other beliefs, like nature worship, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, or folk religious sects.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Jiangxi

Jiangxi is where many people speak the Gan language, especially in the northern part of the province. Some common dialects include Nanchang, Yichun, and Ji'an. In the southern part, people often speak Hakka. You can also hear Mandarin, Huizhou, and Wu dialects near the northern border.

The area is known for Ganju, a type of Chinese opera performed there. Jiangxi cuisine is special and very tasty, using lots of chili peppers and pickled or fermented foods. Jingdezhen is famous for making the best porcelain in China and is called the "porcelain capital." Jiangxi has also been an important place for Chan Buddhism and features beautiful examples of Hakka architecture.

Transportation

Jiangxi has connections to the Yangtze River through two crossings, both located in Jiujiang.

The province has many important railways. The Beijing–Kowloon Railway and Shanghai–Kunming Railway cross Jiangxi and meet in Nanchang. Nanchang also has a fast train line to Jiujiang. Jiangxi is linked by rail to nearby areas such as Anhui, Hubei, and Fujian through several railway lines.

Tourism

Jiangxi Province has many beautiful places to visit, including Mount Lu in Jiujiang, the Jinggang Mountains near the border with Hunan, and Mount Sanqing in Yushan county.

Near Jiujiang is Mount Lu, a famous resort area with the important Donglin Temple, a special Buddhist temple. Close to the city of Yingtan is Longhushan, a place important to followers of Taoism with many temples and mountains. The Mount Lu National Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

Flora and fauna

Jiangxi's hilly lands and big forests have kept it as one of the wilder places in central China. Some people have seen South China tigers there just fifteen or twenty years ago, and scientists are looking for any proof that tigers might still live there.

The area also has many kinds of birds, especially near Lake Poyang's marshes. Animals such as muntjac deer, wild boar, civet cats, and pangolins can still be found, even though they are protected. Sometimes these animals might appear in markets or forests.

Education

Colleges and universities

Main article: List of universities and colleges in Jiangxi

Jiangxi has many places where students can study. Some of the main schools include:

• University of Jiujiang
• Jiangxi College of Foreign Studies
• East China University of Technology
• East China Jiaotong University
• Jiangxi Agricultural University
• Jiangxi Institute of Education
• Jiangxi Normal University
• Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University
• Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics
• Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute
• Jinggangshan University
• Nanchang Institute of Technology
• Nanchang Hangkong University
• Nanchang University
• Xinyu University
• Yichun University

Sister provinces

Jiangxi has sister provinces and regions around the world. These include:

• Lapland, Finland
• Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand
• Okayama Prefecture, Japan
• Bohol, Philippines
• Hesse, Germany
• Kentucky, United States
• Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
• Sabah, Malaysia
• Siem Reap, Cambodia