Shaanxi

Shanxi is a province in Northwestern China. It borders Inner Mongolia to the north, Shanxi and Henan to the east, Hubei, Chongqing, and Sichuan to the south, and Gansu and Ningxia to the west. The province covers an area of over 205,000 km² and is home to about 37 million people.

Xi'an, the capital, is one of the oldest cities in China and has been an important center for many dynasties, including the Western Zhou, Western Han, Sui, and Tang. The city also contains the famous site where ancient emperors once ruled. Another important city, Xianyang, was the capital of the Qin dynasty.

Shaanxi is divided into three main parts: Northern, Central, and Southern. The Central part, known as Guanzhong, is where most people live and includes the Wei River valley. The Northern part is dry and hilly, while the Southern part is mountainous.

Historically, Shaanxi has been very important. During a time of great change in China, the city of Yan'an became a key place for leaders planning the country's future. Today, Shaanxi is known for its strong industries, especially in making airplanes and other advanced technology.

Name

The name of the province means "west of Shan" and has been used since around 1000 BC. Long ago, leaders from places called Shao and Zhou marked their borders along a flat area called the Shan plateau.

In Chinese writing, the name of this place is sometimes mixed up with another word. Over time, the two words were written the same way.

People in Beijing sometimes have trouble saying the names of this province and its neighbor, Shanxi, because they sound very similar. To help avoid confusion, special rules were made for writing the name. Older ways of writing the name, like "Shensi," were used by Europeans many years ago but are no longer common.

History

Shaanxi is one of the important places where Chinese civilization began. Over more than 1,100 years, thirteen ancient dynasties made their capitals here, from the Zhou dynasty to the Tang dynasty.

The main city today, Xi'an, is one of China's four ancient capitals and the end point of the Silk Road, which connected China to Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa. During the Han dynasty, a northern route of the Silk Road was expanded from Xi'an westward for trade and exploration.

An important prehistoric discovery was made near Xi'an, where fossils of early humans, called Lantian Man, were found. These fossils, dating back about one million years, are kept in the Shaanxi History Museum in Xi'an.

Geography

Shaanxi is a big area in China that has many different landscapes. In the north, near the border with Inner Mongolia, you can find parts of the Ordos Desert. The central part of Shaanxi has the Loess Plateau, and the Qin Mountains run from east to west in the south central area. South of the Qin Mountains, the climate becomes warmer.

The province borders several other areas. Moving clockwise, Shaanxi touches Shanxi to the east and northeast, Henan to the east, Hubei to the southeast, Chongqing to the south, Sichuan to the southwest, Gansu to the west, Ningxia to the northwest, and Inner Mongolia to the north.

Shaanxi has many different climates because it stretches over a large area. The northern parts, including the Loess Plateau, have cold, dry winters and hot, humid summers. The area called Guanzhong is mostly dry but has a few spots with cooler winters and hot, humid summers. The southern part of Shaanxi is more humid with milder winters and very hot, humid summers.

Besides the capital city of Xi'an, other cities in Shaanxi include Baoji, Hanzhong, Lintong, Tongchuan, Xianyang, Yan'an, and Ankang.

Administrative divisions

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

Shaanxi has ten main areas called prefecture-level divisions. All of these are cities, including one very important city. These cities are further divided into 107 smaller areas. These smaller areas include 30 districts, four smaller cities, and 73 counties.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Shaanxi

Shaanxi has a special way of governing where three important groups work together, just like in other parts of China.

The most important leader in Shaanxi is called the Governor. But even though the Governor is very important, there is another leader who has even more power. This leader is the top person in the local group that helps run the province.

Shaanxi has had its own government since ancient times. The current way of governing started on January 10, 1950, in the city of Xi'an. At that time, a man named Ma Minfang became the first Governor of Shaanxi.

Economy

Shaanxi has been an important place for trade for a long time. In the past, it sent out animal skins, wine, and special products like musk. It also brought in things like European animal skins, watches, books, and cloth.

Today, Shaanxi is known for its big industries, especially in energy like coal and oil, and in high-tech areas like airplanes and space. Many important universities and research centers are there, helping these industries grow.

The province has special areas for businesses to grow, like the Baoji Hi-Tech Zone and Xi'an Export Processing Zone. These areas help make things like car parts, electronics, and new materials. The Western Triangle, which includes cities like Xi'an, aims to boost the economy by using its strong technology industries.

Demographics

Most people in Shaanxi are ethnic Han Chinese, with some Hui people living in the northwest near Ningxia. The central part of Shaanxi, called Guanzhong, where the capital city Xi'an is located, has more people than other areas like Shaannan and Shaanbei.

Religion

People in Shaanxi practice different beliefs. Some follow Chinese ancestral religion, Christianity, or Islam. Most people, however, do not follow a specific religion or practice beliefs like Chinese folk religions, Taoist traditions, or Chinese Buddhism. There are also small groups of Muslims.

You can find places of worship such as the Temple of the Chenghuangshen (City God) in Weinan, the Guangren Temple of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition in Xi'an, and the Road to the stupa of the Famen Temple. There are also temples like the Temple of Xuanyuan in Huangling, Yan'an, and a Daoist temple by the Yellow River.

Culture

Shaanxi has its own special ways of cooking and enjoying food, known as Shaanxi cuisine. The area is also famous for Qinqiang, a traditional style of folk opera. People in Shaanxi enjoy shadow plays and a folk song called Xintianyou. To learn more about the culture and traditions, you can also explore the culture and religion of Xi'an.

• Shaanxi cuisine
• Qinqiang
• Shaanxi shadow play
• Xintianyou
• Also see Xi'an#Culture and religion

Media

Shaanxi Radio brings music and news to Xi'an and the rest of the Shaanxi province.

An old storybook called The Story of Yue Fei tells about a famous general from the Song dynasty. It mentions that his teacher in fighting skills came from Shaanxi.

Sports

Shaanxi is home to some professional sports teams. In basketball, the Shaanxi Wolves play in the National Basketball League, and the Shaanxi Red Wolves compete in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association. These teams bring excitement to fans across the region.