Taiyuan

Geography and Climate

Taiyuan is the capital of Shanxi province and is one of the great industrial cities of China. Situated on the banks of the Fen River, it is best known for its coal industries and numerous size quarries. The city is embraced by mountains on its east, west and north; the Fen River running through its urban area from north to south. The city was once heavily polluted while as the local and national authority pour resources into cleaning up the environment and things are getting better during recent years. The city can be divided in to three major parts and the most populated area is Yingze District which is the downtown of Taiyuan City. Wanbailing and Xinhualing Districts are the other major residential districts. The total urban area of Taiyuan covers 6,988 square kilometers with a population of 3.4 million. Because of its location in the temperate zone and away from sea, the city has a moderate monsoon climate with continental feature. Neither too hot in summer nor too cold in winter, the annual average temperature in Taiyuan is around 9.5 centi-degrees with the even precipitation is about 456mm.

Economy

Taiyuan has been an important industrial base since the establishment of the PRC and had made great contribute to the nation’s economy during the early days of the new born country. After a series of macroscopic readjustment and control by the central government at the end of the 20th century, Taiyuan has solidified its provincial leading position in the process of industrial restructuring. At present, Taiyuan has developed an industrial system with complete range and its major industries include coal energy, machinery, chemical, and metallurgy etc. As the largest mining center in China, the city houses several large companies like the Taiyuan Iron and Steel Company which is the largest steel production in Asia.

According to the figures presented by the bureau of statistics, in 2009, the city’s GDP reached 154.5 billion RMB, increased by 2.6% year-on-year. Also, Taiyuan is an important base of the nation’s defense industry and the renowned Shanxi Heavy Machinery Factory and Fenxi Machinery Factory are the main producers for the PLA.

Tourism and Food

Taiyuan is a city rich in culture and history. It has a 2,500-year history which can be traced back to period of Pre-Qin. Be abundance of historical and cultural heritages made the city an attractive destination for tourists. Some of the most renowned tourist attractions in Taiyuan include the Liu Xiang Lane, which contains numerous of ancient houses and temples, such as the Jinci Temple and the Twin Pagoda Temple etc. Another famed tourist spot is the Tianlongsi Grotto where numerous stone carvings have revealed the glamour of ancient Jin Culture. There are five bridges situated in Taiyuan’s urban area, which are the Shengli Bridge, the Yifen Bridge, the Yingze Bridge, the Nanneihuan Bridge and the Changfeng Bridge.

Taiyuan is famous for its cooked wheaten foods; some of the most famous are the Lian Fen (bean jelly in sour flavor), Dao Xiao Mian (Knife-cut Noodles), and a renowned vinegar called Lao Chen Cu etc.

Education

Shanxi University is the most famous educational institute in the region and it’s a comprehensive university which offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate coursework and research programs, including PhD.