Zibo

Geography

Zibo is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong province. It located at the conjunction of Luzhong mountain area and Lubai plain while borders Jinan to the west, Weifang to the east, and Binzhou the north. Zibo is an important transportation hub in Shandong province with the well-developed railway system and the city has been granted by the state council as the economic open city.

History

Zibo has significant historic statues in ancient China. It was once the capital of the ancient State of Qi, the most prosperous state during the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States Periods 2,000 years ago. By the time, Load Huan was a judicious ruler and he appointed Guan Zhong, the reputed thinker and economist in ancient China, to carry on the reform across the state. The state of Qi became the strongest state for its military and economic strength after the reform. Zibo referred to as Linzi District during the period remained as capital for more than 600 years, and was the biggest city in the orient.

Having the splendid culture of Qi, Zibo has numerous cultural scenic spots and is abundant of cultural relics. There are many archaeological sites in the city and it won the title of the” Underground Museum” as a result. Zibo has lots of tourist attraction spots, the ruins of the ancient Qi city and the relics of Great wall of Qi, for example, are both the must-go for visitors to Zibo. In 2004, FIFA President Sepp Blatter visited Zibo to celebrate FIFA’s 100 year anniversary. FIFA has since then recognized Zibo as the birthplace of football.
 
Economy

Zibo is an important industrial base of China and it has a diverse industrial system. Chemical industry and pharmaceutical industry are the backbone of Zibo’s economic while other light industries like textile production etc also enjoy tremendous reputation on the market both at home and abroad.

Education

Tianjin University and Beijing Forestry University has set research institutes in Zibo respectively. Shandong University of Science and Technology is Zibo’s largest national university and it is based in Zhangdian district.