Located
in the vicinity of the North China Plain, Shijiazhuang, the capital
of Hebei Province,
neighbors Beijing and Tianjin in the north, Bohai Sea in the east,
and lies against the continuous Taihang Mountain in the west. Covering
an area of 15.8 thousand square kilometers (6100.4 square miles),
it has 6 districts, 12 counties, 5 county-level cities and 1 national-level
new and high-tech development zone under its prefecture. Shijiazhuang
has a population of 9.395 million, 2.313 million of whom live in
the urban area.
Shijiazhuang is often referred to as being lucky
in recent Chinese history. Once a small village, it developed under
modern railway construction. A century ago, when the Lu-Han Railway
stretched to the former Shijiazhuang Village, it brought with it
new opportunities, opening an industrial chapter in Shijiazhuang.
No one could have predicted that this small, unknown village would
have developed rapidly into the modern capital city of Hebei Province.
Though it is a relatively
young city, it is located on fertile land that boasts splendid
cultural history. As such, Shijiazhuang is home to many significant
cultural relics, such as the oldest stone-arch bridge in China, Zhaozhou Bridge, and
one of China's three hanging temples Qiaoloudian Hall (Bridge-Tower
Hall).
Moreover, the grand Taihang Mountain, which lies to the west, provide
charming natural scenery. Mt. Cangyan Scenic Area
and Zhangshiyan Scenic Area also attract visitors
from all over China and the world.
As the economic, political, cultural and scientific center
of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang is becoming more and more beautiful
with recent urban development. A jade-like moat embraces the city
gently, bordered by 20 charming parks. This beautiful city is filled
with culture and development, attracting visitors with new features
daily.