Chinese Name: 聊城市 (liáo chéng shì)

Population: 5,630,000  

Area: 8,715 square kilometers (10,425 square miles) 

Nationalities: Han 

Administrative Division: 1 district (Dongchangfu); 6 counties (Yanggu, Shenxian, Chiping, Dong'e, Guanxian, Gaotang); 1 county-level city (Linqing)  

Seat of the City Government: 24, Dongchang Xi Lu, Dongchangfu District, Liaocheng City 

Useful Telephone Numbers: Tourist Complaints: 0635-6982885
                                           Weather Forecast: 121
                                            Zip Code Inquiry: 184

Bank of China Liaocheng Branch: 135, Dongchang Xi Lu, Dongchangfu District, Liaocheng City 

China Post Liaocheng Branch: 99, Xinghua Dong Lu, Dongchangfu District, Liaocheng City

Location: Liaocheng City is situated in the west of Shandong Province on the north bank of the Yellow River. It is separated from Hebei Province by the Zhangwei River to the west and from Henan Province by the Yellow River to the south. Within Shandong, Liaocheng borders on Jining, Tai'an and Jinan to the southeast and Dezhou to the north.         

History: During the late days of Prehistoric Times, Liaocheng belonged to Yanzhou. It subsequently partly belonged to several states before the Qin (221BC-206AD) Court brought it into the territory of Dong (East) Shire. In the early years following the liberation of China, Liaocheng was brought into Shandong Province when the former Pingyuan Province was dissolved.    
 
Physical Features: The terrain of Liaocheng is flat, mostly being an alluvial plain formed by the Yellow River, except for some fragmentary hills along the Yellow River in Dong'e County. The city slopes roughly from southwest to the northeast.              

Climatic Features: Liaocheng is situated in the temperate monsoon climatic zone with a distinct semi-arid continental climate. It is dry and windy in spring when the temperature turns warm rapidly. Summer in Liaocheng is torrid and rainy. It is cool and the sky is clear in autumn after which it cools quickly. Its annual average temperature is around 13℃ (55.4℉).   
     
When to Go: Liaocheng is favorable for visiting all the year round.   

Special Local Products: Chinese dates, donkey-hide glue, dough sculpture, woodcut

 Attractions:
China Canal Culture Museum: China is one of first countries to use canals having one of the greatest projects in the world, the Grand Canal. Liaocheng was influenced by the canal culture long ago. The city constructed a museum in the Dongchang Lake Scenic Area to show the historical function and culture of the Grand Canal. 

Jingyang Hillock is known throughout China as the place where Wusong, a well known character in one of the four Chinese ancient classics the Water Margin (Shuiwu Zhuan), beat the tiger to death. The hillock is also the locality of Longshan Culture Site. 

Shanshan Guild Hall is a magnificent old building group on the west bank of the Grand Canal. Shanshan refers to Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces. The Guild Hall that was built for merchants from Shanxi and Shaanxi in 1734 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) is a combination of temple and assembly hall. 

Haiyuan Pavilion is one of the most famous private libraries in Chinese history, holding 220 thousand books collected by four generations of the Yang Family.

Travel Tips:
The city is very accessible being a well developed transport hub in Shandong. Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport is one hour from Liaocheng by expressway. The Port of Qingdao is four hours drive away. It is also four hours to Beijing on the Beijing-Kowloon Railway.

At the intersection of Liuyuan Bei Lu and Jianshe Xi Lu, Liaocheng Central Bus Station is the largest passenger station of Liaocheng. Bus No.1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 17, 19, 23, 27, 329 and 436 can take visitors to the station.