Dalian () is a major
sub-provincial
A sub-provincial division () in China is a prefecture-level city governed by a province promoted by half a level. Thus, it is half a level under the provincial level (hence the name sub-provincial) but half a level above the prefecture-level.
T ...
port city
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
in
Liaoning province
Liaoning () is a coastal provinces of China, province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and i ...
,
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, and is Liaoning's second largest city (after the
provincial capital
A capital city or capital is the municipality holding primary status in a country, state, province, department, or other subnational entity, usually as its seat of the government. A capital is typically a city that physically encompasses the g ...
Shenyang
Shenyang (, ; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), formerly known as Fengtian () or by its Manchu language, Manchu name Mukden, is a major China, Chinese sub-provincial city and the List of capitals in China#Province capitals, provincial capital of Lia ...
) and the third-most populous city of
Northeast China
Northeast China or Northeastern China () is a geographical region of China, which is often referred to as "Manchuria" or "Inner Manchuria" by surrounding countries and the West. It usually corresponds specifically to the three provinces east of t ...
. Located on the southern tip of
Liaodong peninsula
The Liaodong Peninsula (also Liaotung Peninsula, ) is a peninsula in southern Liaoning province in Northeast China, and makes up the southwestern coastal half of the Liaodong region. It is located between the mouths of the Daliao River (the ...
, it is the southernmost city in both Liaoning and the entire Northeast. Dalian borders the
prefectural cities of
Yingkou
Yingkou () is a coastal prefecture-level city of central southern Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, on the northeastern shore of Liaodong Bay. It is the third-smallest city in Liaoning with a total area of , and the ninth most populo ...
and
Anshan
Anshan () is an inland prefecture-level city in central-southeast Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, about south of the provincial capital Shenyang. As of the 2020 census, it was Liaoning's third most populous city with a population ...
to the north and
Dandong to the northeast, and also shares
maritime boundaries
A maritime boundary is a conceptual division of the Earth's water surface areas using physiographic or geopolitical criteria. As such, it usually bounds areas of exclusive national rights over mineral and biological resources,VLIZ Maritime Bound ...
with
Qinhuangdao
Qinhuangdao (; ) is a port city on the coast of China in northern Hebei. It is administratively a prefecture-level city, about east of Beijing, on the Bohai Sea, the innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea. Its population during the 2020 national ...
and
Huludao
Huludao (), formerly known as Jinxi () until 1994, is a coastal prefecture-level city in southwestern Liaoning province, People's Republic of China. Its name literally means "Gourd Island", referring to the fiddle-shaped contour of the peninsu ...
across the
Liaodong Bay
Liaodong Bay () is largest and longest of the three main bays (along with Laizhou Bay to the south and the Bohai Bay to the southwest) of the Bohai Sea, the innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea.
Although named after the Liaodong Peninsula (which ...
to west and northwest,
Yantai
Yantai, Postal Map Romanization, formerly romanization of Chinese, known as Chefoo, is a coastal prefecture-level city on the Shandong Peninsula in northeastern Shandong province of People's Republic of China. Lying on the southern coast of ...
and
Weihai
Weihai (), formerly called Weihaiwei (), is a prefecture-level city and major seaport in easternmost Shandong province. It borders Yantai to the west and the Yellow Sea to the east, and is the closest Chinese city to South Korea.
Weihai's popula ...
on the
Shandong peninsula
The Shandong (Shantung) Peninsula or Jiaodong (Chiaotung) Peninsula is a peninsula in Shandong Province in eastern China, between the Bohai Sea to the north and the Yellow Sea to the south. The latter name refers to the east and Jiaozhou.
G ...
across the
Bohai Strait
The Bohai Sea () is a marginal sea approximately in area on the east coast of Mainland China. It is the northwestern and innermost extension of the Yellow Sea, to which it connects to the east via the Bohai Strait. It has a mean depth o ...
to the south, and
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
across the
Korea Bay
The Korea Bay, sometimes the West Korea Bay (; ; or ), is a bight and the northern extension of the Yellow Sea, between the southeastern coastline of China's Liaoning province and the western coastline of North Korea's North Pyongan, South P ...
to the east.
As of the 2020 census, its total population was 7,450,785 inhabitants whom 5,106,719 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of 6 out of 7 urban districts, Pulandian District not being conurbated yet.
Today a financial, shipping, and logistics center for
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
, Dalian has a significant history of being used by foreign powers for its ports. Dalian was previously known as "
Dalniy" (russian: Дальний; ), "
Dairen
Dalian () is a major sub-provincial port city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, and is Liaoning's second largest city (after the provincial capital Shenyang) and the third-most populous city of Northeast China. Located on the ...
" ( ja, 大連), and "Lüda" or "Luta" (). The city used to be better known as "Port Arthur" and "Ryojun" ( ja, 旅順, links=no) from the original Port Arthur, now the city's
Lüshunkou district
Lüshunkou District (also Lyushunkou District; ) is a district of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also formerly called Lüshun City () or literally Lüshun Port (), it was formerly known as both Port Arthur (russian: Порт-Артур, trans ...
.
In 2016, Dalian ranked 48th in the
Global Financial Centres Index
The Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI) is a ranking of the competitiveness of financial centres based on over 29,000 financial centre assessments from an online questionnaire together with over 100 indices from organisations such as the World ...
.
In 2012, Dalian ranked 82nd in the
Global City Competitiveness Index. In 2006, Dalian was named China's most livable city by ''
China Daily
''China Daily'' () is an English-language daily newspaper owned by the Central Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party.
Overview
''China Daily'' has the widest print circulation of any English-language newspaper in China. T ...
''. It is now a "
Beta - Global City" according to the
Globalization and World Cities Research Network
The Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) is a think tank that studies the relationships between world cities in the context of globalization. It is based in the geography department of Loughborough University in Leicestershi ...
.. The large amount of port traffic makes Dalian a Large-Port Metropolis .
Dalian is one of the top 50
science cities in the world by scientific research as tracked by the
Nature Index The Nature Index is a database that tracks institutions and countries and their scientific output since its introduction in November, 2014. Each year, Nature Index ranks the leading institutions (which can be companies, universities, government agen ...
, ranking 49th in the world as of 2022. The city is home to
several major universities, notably
Dalian University of Technology
Dalian University of Technology (DUT) (), colloquially known in Chinese as Dagong (), is a public research university located in Dalian, Liaoning, China, with an additional campus in Panjin, Liaoning. Established in April 1949, it is the ...
and
Dalian Maritime University
Dalian Maritime University () is a university located in Dalian, Liaoning, China. It is a key maritime institution under the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China, and is a Chinese state Double First Class University Plan univ ...
, members of
China's prestigious universities in the
Project 211
Project 211 () was an abolished project of developing comprehensive universities and colleges initiated in 1995 by the Ministry of Education of China, with the intent of raising the research standards of comprehensive universities and cultivat ...
, and the
Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the
Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); ), known by Academia Sinica in English until the 1980s, is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for natural sciences. It has historical origins in the Academia Sinica during the Republ ...
.
Etymology
Modern Dalian originated from Qingniwa () or
Qingniwaqiao
Qingniwaqiao () is the downtown area of Dalian, Liaoning, China, located front of the Dalian Railway Station. The area gives its name to a subdistrict in Zhongshan District, Qingniwaqiao Subdistrict ().
History
Qingniwaqiao was originally a ...
(), a small Chinese fishing village. The
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
built a commercial town after coercing a lease of the area from the
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
in 1898 and called it "Dalniy" (russian: Дальний, translit= Dal'nii — "a remote one" or "far-away", in reference to the town's location,
[
]
rendered as ) from 1898 to 1905. After the
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War ( ja, 日露戦争, Nichiro sensō, Japanese-Russian War; russian: Ру́сско-япóнская войнá, Rússko-yapónskaya voyná) was fought between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire during 1904 and 1 ...
of 1904–1905, Japan occupied the area as the
Kwantung Leased Territory
The Kwantung Leased Territory ( ja, 關東州, ''Kantō-shū''; ) was a leased territory of the Empire of Japan in the Liaodong Peninsula from 1905 to 1945.
Japan first acquired Kwantung from the Qing Empire in perpetuity in 1895 in the Trea ...
and renamed the city
after the Chinese name for
Dalian Bay
Dalian Bay (), known historically as Talienwan, Talien-wan and Talien-hwan, is a bay on the southeast side of the Liaodong Peninsula () of Northeast China, open to the Korea Bay in the Yellow Sea () in the east. Downtown Dalian lies along the so ...
() — a name in use since at least 1879. English-language sources called the city "Dairen" in this period (1905-1945), from Japanese.
In 1950 Dalian, back in Chinese control, merged with the nearby town called
Lüshun () (formerly "Ryojun" and before that, "Port Arthur") to form the city of Lüda
(), a name (formed from the first syllable of each constituent's name) which was usually rendered as Luta in English during that era. In 1981, the Chinese
State Council State Council may refer to:
Government
* State Council of the Republic of Korea, the national cabinet of South Korea, headed by the President
* State Council of the People's Republic of China, the national cabinet and chief administrative auth ...
again renamed the city, from Lüda back to "Dalian" (), effective 5 March 1981.
History
Ancient
In the
Qin Qin may refer to:
Dynasties and states
* Qin (state) (秦), a major state during the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China
* Qin dynasty (秦), founded by the Qin state in 221 BC and ended in 206 BC
* Daqin (大秦), ancient Chinese name for the Roman Emp ...
and
Han
Han may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group.
** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...
periods (221 BC–AD 220), the Chinese state expanded its territories into northern
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
through the Dalian region, then under the jurisdiction of
Liaodong
The Liaodong Peninsula (also Liaotung Peninsula, ) is a peninsula in southern Liaoning province in Northeast China, and makes up the southwestern coastal half of the Liaodong region. It is located between the mouths of the Daliao River (the ...
county.
During the
Sixteen Kingdoms
The Sixteen Kingdoms (), less commonly the Sixteen States, was a chaotic period in Chinese history from AD 304 to 439 when northern China fragmented into a series of short-lived dynastic states. The majority of these states were founded by ...
era (3rd through 5th centuries), the Korean kingdom of
Goguryeo
Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most ...
controlled this region. In the early
Tang dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
(618–907), the Dalian region formed part of
Andong
Andong () is a city in South Korea, and the capital of North Gyeongsang Province. It is the largest city in the northern part of the province with a population of 167,821 as of October 2010. The Nakdong River flows through the city. Andong is a m ...
Prefecture in Jili state; during the
Liao dynasty
The Liao dynasty (; Khitan: ''Mos Jælud''; ), also known as the Khitan Empire (Khitan: ''Mos diau-d kitai huldʒi gur''), officially the Great Liao (), was an imperial dynasty of China that existed between 916 and 1125, ruled by the Yelü ...
(916–1125), it was part of Dong Jing Tong Liaoyang county. Dalian was named Sanshan in the period of
Wei Jin (220–420), San Shanpu in the Tang dynasty (618–907), Sanshan Seaport in the
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
(1368–1644), and Qingniwakou during the
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
(1644–1911).
Qing dynasty
In the 1880s, Jinzhou, the north of downtown Dalian, now
Jinzhou District, was a walled town and a center for political intrigue and economic activity. The Qing government built bridges and heavily fortified the peninsula. Mining camps on the northern coast of
Dalian Bay
Dalian Bay (), known historically as Talienwan, Talien-wan and Talien-hwan, is a bay on the southeast side of the Liaodong Peninsula () of Northeast China, open to the Korea Bay in the Yellow Sea () in the east. Downtown Dalian lies along the so ...
became the small town of Qingniwa () or
Qingniwaqiao
Qingniwaqiao () is the downtown area of Dalian, Liaoning, China, located front of the Dalian Railway Station. The area gives its name to a subdistrict in Zhongshan District, Qingniwaqiao Subdistrict ().
History
Qingniwaqiao was originally a ...
(), near what became the downtown core of modern-day Dalian.
British, Russian, and Japanese occupations
![Dalian Hotel 大连宾馆](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Dalian_Hotel_%E5%A4%A7%E8%BF%9E%E5%AE%BE%E9%A6%86.jpg)
The British briefly occupied Qingniwa during the
Second Opium War
The Second Opium War (), also known as the Second Anglo-Sino War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a colonial war lasting from 1856 to 1860, which pitted the British Empire and the French Emp ...
in 1858, but returned it to Chinese (Qing) control in 1860. Port Arthur at the tip of the Liaodong Peninsula took its English name from Royal Navy Lieutenant
William Arthur, though the area's Chinese name had always been
Lüshun. Although China heavily fortified the area, in which it allowed trade with foreigners, in the
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a conflict between China and Japan primarily over influence in Korea. After more than six months of unbroken successes by Japanese land and naval forces and the loss of the po ...
Japan swiftly overcame those defenses on 21 November 1894 in the
Battle of Lüshunkou
The Battle of Lüshunkou (; Japanese: ) was a land battle of the First Sino-Japanese War. It took place on 21 November 1894 in Lüshunkou, Manchuria (later called Port Arthur, in present-day Liaoning Province, China) between the forces of ...
, committing the
Port Arthur massacre afterwards. In April 1895 China conceded defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War, ceding
Liaodong Peninsula
The Liaodong Peninsula (also Liaotung Peninsula, ) is a peninsula in southern Liaoning province in Northeast China, and makes up the southwestern coastal half of the Liaodong region. It is located between the mouths of the Daliao River (the ...
,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
and
Penghu
The Penghu (, Hokkien POJ: ''Phîⁿ-ô͘'' or ''Phêⁿ-ô͘'' ) or Pescadores Islands are an archipelago of 90 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait, located approximately west from the main island of Taiwan, covering an area ...
, and making many other concessions in the
Treaty of Shimonoseki
The , also known as the Treaty of Maguan () in China and in the period before and during World War II in Japan, was a treaty signed at the , Shimonoseki, Japan on April 17, 1895, between the Empire of Japan and Qing China, ending the Firs ...
(17 April 1895).
In the
Triple Intervention
The Tripartite Intervention or was a diplomatic intervention by Russia, Germany, and France on 23 April 1895 over the harsh terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki imposed by Japan on the Qing dynasty of China that ended the First Sino-Japanese War. ...
of 23 April 1895, Russia, France and Germany forced Japan to return the
Liaodong Peninsula
The Liaodong Peninsula (also Liaotung Peninsula, ) is a peninsula in southern Liaoning province in Northeast China, and makes up the southwestern coastal half of the Liaodong region. It is located between the mouths of the Daliao River (the ...
to China, despite the treaty's terms; instead the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
coerced a lease of the peninsula from the Qing dynasty in 1898. Russia had a particular interest in the region of the peninsula as one of the few areas in the region that had the potential to develop
ice-free ports. The Russians built a modern commercial port city, which they wanted to become the Paris of the Far East, and called it Dal'niy (russian: Дальний, links=no). Linked by 1902 with the
Trans-Siberian Railway
The Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR; , , ) connects European Russia to the Russian Far East. Spanning a length of over , it is the longest railway line in the world. It runs from the city of Moscow in the west to the city of Vladivostok in the ea ...
via the branch line
Chinese Eastern Railway
The Chinese Eastern Railway or CER (, russian: Китайско-Восточная железная дорога, or , ''Kitaysko-Vostochnaya Zheleznaya Doroga'' or ''KVZhD''), is the historical name for a railway system in Northeast China (als ...
through
Harbin
Harbin (; mnc, , v=Halbin; ) is a sub-provincial city and the provincial capital and the largest city of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China, as well as the second largest city by urban population after Shenyang and largest ...
, Dal'niy became Russia's primary port-city in Asia, and also served Western traders. Russia signed the
Pavlov Agreement (1898) with China, which granted Russia a 25-year lease on Dalian and Lüshun and exclusive right to build a branch of the Chinese Eastern Railway—what would become from 1905 the Japanese-operated
South Manchurian Railway
The South Manchuria Railway ( ja, 南満州鉄道, translit=Minamimanshū Tetsudō; ), officially , Mantetsu ( ja, 満鉄, translit=Mantetsu) or Mantie () for short, was a large of the Empire of Japan whose primary function was the operatio ...
. Russia spent more than 10 million golden rubles (equivalent to 11.5 billion of today's
rubles
The ruble (American English) or rouble (Commonwealth English) (; rus, рубль, p=rublʲ) is the currency unit of Belarus and Russia. Historically, it was the currency of the Russian Empire and of the Soviet Union.
, currencies named ''rub ...
) building the new ice-free port city.
Russia heavily fortified both Dalniy (Qingniwaqiao of Zhongshan District) and the Port Arthur naval base (Lüshunkou) before and after the
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, the Boxer Insurrection, or the Yihetuan Movement, was an anti-foreign, anti-colonial, and anti-Christian uprising in China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by ...
of 1899-1901. Missionaries and converts were killed in the peninsula during the insurrection, although the massive massacres of ethnic Chinese Christians including
Metrophanes, Chi Sung
Metrophanes, Chi Sung (Cháng Yángjí,常楊吉, his Chinese name is also sometimes translated as Tsi Chung) or Mitrophan (December 10, 1855 – June 10, 1900) was the first Chinese Eastern Orthodox priest to be martyred. He was killed with ...
occurred at
Harbin
Harbin (; mnc, , v=Halbin; ) is a sub-provincial city and the provincial capital and the largest city of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China, as well as the second largest city by urban population after Shenyang and largest ...
.
Western expeditionary forces suppressed the
Boxers across the Yellow Sea in
Shandong
Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region.
Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizati ...
.
During the
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War ( ja, 日露戦争, Nichiro sensō, Japanese-Russian War; russian: Ру́сско-япóнская войнá, Rússko-yapónskaya voyná) was fought between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire during 1904 and 1 ...
of 1904-1905, the Liaodong Peninsula became a major battleground. Major-General Baron
Anatoly Stoessel
Anatoly Mikhaylovich Stessel (russian: Анато́лий Миха́йлович Сте́ссель; german: Anatolij Stößel; –) was a Russian baron of German descent, military leader, and general.
Biography
Anatoly Stessel, born in 1848 a ...
defended a
besieged Port Arthur, for five months (August 1904 to January 1905), but the Japanese army, using long-distance fire, sank several Russian ships at the Port Arthur naval base in early December 1904. Admiral
Eugene Alexeyeff was blamed for splitting precious resources shipped across the single tracked Trans-Siberian Railway and
Manchurian Railway between Dalniy and Port Arthur. After the
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...
crippled the remaining Russian battleship ''
Sevastopol
Sevastopol (; uk, Севасто́поль, Sevastópolʹ, ; gkm, Σεβαστούπολις, Sevastoúpolis, ; crh, Акъя́р, Aqyár, ), sometimes written Sebastopol, is the largest city in Crimea, and a major port on the Black Sea ...
'' in three weeks of constant attacks, and explosives detonated in tunnels destroyed Port Arthur's remaining defenses in the final days of 1904, Russia negotiated a ceasefire and surrendered Port Arthur in January 1905.
The
Treaty of Portsmouth
A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal perso ...
(signed 5 September 1905) ceded Port Arthur to Japan, which set up the
Kwantung Leased Territory
The Kwantung Leased Territory ( ja, 關東州, ''Kantō-shū''; ) was a leased territory of the Empire of Japan in the Liaodong Peninsula from 1905 to 1945.
Japan first acquired Kwantung from the Qing Empire in perpetuity in 1895 in the Trea ...
or ''Guandongzhou'' (), on roughly the southern half (Jinzhou District and south) of present-day Dalian. Japanese invested heavily in the region, which became the main trading port between
Manchuria
Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer Manc ...
and Japan. Japan leased the area from
Manchukuo
Manchukuo, officially the State of Manchuria prior to 1934 and the Empire of (Great) Manchuria after 1934, was a puppet state of the Empire of Japan in Northeast China, Manchuria from 1932 until 1945. It was founded as a republic in 1932 afte ...
after establishing that puppet state in 1932. In 1937, as the
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
began, Japan enlarged and modernized the trade zone as two cities: the northern Dairen (Dalian) and the southern Ryojun (Lüshun or Port Arthur).
Post-World War II
![China Railways SY in Dalian](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/China_Railways_SY_in_Dalian.JPG)
With the unconditional
surrender of Japan
The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally signed on 2 September 1945, bringing the war's hostilities to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy ...
in August–September 1945, Dairen passed to the
Soviets
Soviet people ( rus, сове́тский наро́д, r=sovyétsky naród), or citizens of the USSR ( rus, гра́ждане СССР, grázhdanye SSSR), was an umbrella demonym for the population of the Soviet Union.
Nationality policy in th ...
, whose
Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation
The Soviet invasion of Manchuria, formally known as the Manchurian strategic offensive operation (russian: Манчжурская стратегическая наступательная операция, Manchzhurskaya Strategicheskaya Nastu ...
had liberated the city on 22 August 1945. The Soviets and
Chinese Communists
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Ci ...
cooperated to develop the city, relatively undamaged during the war,
especially its industrial infrastructure and the port. The Soviet government rented the port and in 1945 the first Chinese Communist mayor of the new Lüda Administrative Office () was appointed.
In 1950 the
USSR
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
presented the city to the Chinese Communist government without any compensation. Dalian and
Lüshun (former Port Arthur) merged as Lüda on 1 December 1950. From 12 March 1953 to 1 August 1954 it was a
direct-controlled municipality
A direct-controlled municipality is the highest level classification for cities used by unitary states, with status equal to that of the provinces in the respective countries. A direct-controlled municipality is similar to, but not the same as, a ...
and not part of Liaoning. Soviet troops left the city in 1955.
After the Soviets left, the PRC made Lüda a major shipbuilding center.
In 1981 the city was renamed Dalian, with
Lüshunkou becoming a constituent district.
In 1984 the Chinese Government designated the city a
Special Economic Zone
A special economic zone (SEZ) is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country. SEZs are located within a country's national borders, and their aims include increasing trade balance, employment, increas ...
. At the time, Dalian was China's largest foreign-trade port.
1990 to present
The city was upgraded from a
prefecture-level city
A prefecture-level city () or prefectural city is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China (PRC), ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure.
During the Republican era, many of China' ...
to a
sub-provincial city
A sub-provincial division () in China is a prefecture-level city governed by a province promoted by half a level. Thus, it is half a level under the provincial level (hence the name sub-provincial) but half a level above the prefecture-level.
T ...
in May 1994, with no change in its administrative subdivisions. In the 1990s the city benefited from the attention of
Bo Xilai
Bo Xilai (; born 3 July 1949) is a Chinese former politician who was convicted on bribery and embezzlement charges. He came to prominence through his tenures as Mayor of Dalian and then the governor of Liaoning. From 2004 to November 2007, ...
(later Party secretary of
Chongqing
Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), Postal Romanization, alternately romanized as Chungking (), is a Direct-administered municipalities of China, municipality in Southwes ...
). Bo served both as the mayor of the city and as one of the major leaders in the province; among other things, he banned motorcycles and planted large, lush parks in the city's many traffic circles. He also preserved much of Dalian's
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
and
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
architectural heritage. He also worked as the former
Minister of Commerce
A Commerce minister (sometimes business minister, industry minister, trade minister or international trade minister) is a position in many governments that is responsible for regulating external trade and promoting economic growth (commercial polic ...
of China.
Since 2007 Dalian has hosted the
Annual Meeting of the New Champions ("Summer Davos"), organized by the
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab. The foundation, ...
, in alternating years with
Tianjin
Tianjin (; ; Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Tientsin (), is a municipality and a coastal metropolis in Northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the nine national central cities in Mainland China, with a total popul ...
. The venue for the forum is the Dalian International Conference Center in Donggang CBD. In 2008 about 1,000 people protested and blocked traffic as a response to the
2008 Tibetan anti-Chinese protests, and forced the temporary closure of the local
Carrefour
Carrefour () is a French multinational retail and wholesaling corporation headquartered in Massy, France. The eighth-largest retailer in the world by revenue, it operates a chain of hypermarkets, groceries stores and convenience stores, which ...
store.
In 2010
one of the worst recorded oil-spills in China's history occurred in Dalian. The
Dalian PX protest
The Dalian PX protest (locally called the 8–14 event; ) was a peaceful public protest in People's Square, Dalian, to protest against a paraxylene (PX) chemical factory—Dalian Fujia Dahua Petrochemical (大連福佳大化石油化工)—built i ...
occurred on 14 August 2011. In June 2014, China's tenth
state-level new area, the Dalian Jinpu New Area was officially established. On 5 August 2016, the Dalian
huabiao
Huabiao () is a type of ceremonial column used in traditional Chinese architecture. ''Huabiao'' are traditionally erected in pairs in front of palaces and tombs. The prominence of their placement have made them one of the emblems of traditional ...
incident occurred. A huabiao in the center of
Xinghai Square
Xinghai Square (), is a city square in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China. It is located to the north of Xinghai Bay. It covers a total area of , created entirely through land reclamation, making it the largest city square in the world. Its name li ...
was demolished, which was believed to be out of political reasons related to the
downfall of Chinese politician
Bo Xilai
Bo Xilai (; born 3 July 1949) is a Chinese former politician who was convicted on bribery and embezzlement charges. He came to prominence through his tenures as Mayor of Dalian and then the governor of Liaoning. From 2004 to November 2007, ...
, who oversaw the construction of Xinghai Square and the central huabiao during his tenure as the mayor of Dalian. The site of the huabiao was later replaced with a musical fountain, the largest one in
Northeast China
Northeast China or Northeastern China () is a geographical region of China, which is often referred to as "Manchuria" or "Inner Manchuria" by surrounding countries and the West. It usually corresponds specifically to the three provinces east of t ...
.
Geography
![Dalian, China, satellite image, LandSat-5, 2010-08-03](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Dalian%2C_China%2C_satellite_image%2C_LandSat-5%2C_2010-08-03.jpg)
One of the most heavily developed industrial areas of China, Dalian municipal area today consists of Dalian proper and the smaller
Lüshunkou (formerly Lüshun city, known in Western and Russian historic references as Port Arthur), about farther along the
Liaodong Peninsula
The Liaodong Peninsula (also Liaotung Peninsula, ) is a peninsula in southern Liaoning province in Northeast China, and makes up the southwestern coastal half of the Liaodong region. It is located between the mouths of the Daliao River (the ...
. Historical references note that the Russian designed city of Dalniy (Alt. Dalney), on the south side of
Dalian Bay
Dalian Bay (), known historically as Talienwan, Talien-wan and Talien-hwan, is a bay on the southeast side of the Liaodong Peninsula () of Northeast China, open to the Korea Bay in the Yellow Sea () in the east. Downtown Dalian lies along the so ...
was from Port Arthur/Lüshun (known today as Lüshunkou or literally, Lüshun Port).
Dalian is located on
Korea Bay
The Korea Bay, sometimes the West Korea Bay (; ; or ), is a bight and the northern extension of the Yellow Sea, between the southeastern coastline of China's Liaoning province and the western coastline of North Korea's North Pyongan, South P ...
north of the
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour terms ...
and roughly in the middle of the Liaodong peninsula at its narrowest neck or
isthmus
An isthmus (; ; ) is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water by which they are otherwise separated. A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar, and a strait is the sea counterpart of an isthmu ...
. With a coastline of , it governs the majority of the Liaodong Peninsula and about 260 surrounding islands and reefs. It is seated at south-south-west of the
Yalu River
The Yalu River, known by Koreans as the Amrok River or Amnok River, is a river on the border between North Korea and China. Together with the Tumen River to its east, and a small portion of Paektu Mountain, the Yalu forms the border between ...
, and its harbor entrance forms a sub-bay known as
Dalian Bay
Dalian Bay (), known historically as Talienwan, Talien-wan and Talien-hwan, is a bay on the southeast side of the Liaodong Peninsula () of Northeast China, open to the Korea Bay in the Yellow Sea () in the east. Downtown Dalian lies along the so ...
.
Climate
Dalian has a
monsoon
A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
-influenced
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Dwa''), characterized by warm wet summers due to the
East Asian monsoon, and cold, windy, dry winters that reflect the influence of the vast
Siberian anticyclone
The Siberian High (also Siberian Anticyclone; russian: Азиатский антициклон (''Aziatsky antitsiklon'')) is a massive collection of cold dry air that accumulates in the northeastern part of Eurasia from September until April. It ...
. Except for winter, the city experiences a one-month seasonal lag due to its position on the Liaodong Peninsula. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from in January to in August. Annual precipitation averages but is heavily concentrated in the summer months and can vary greatly from year to year. Due to the coastal location, the mean
diurnal temperature variation
In meteorology, diurnal temperature variation is the variation between a high air temperature and a low temperature that occurs during the same day.
Temperature lag
Temperature lag is an important factor in diurnal temperature variation: peak d ...
annually is small, at . The monthly percent of possible sunshine ranges from 49% in July to 68% in September and October, with 2,740 hours of bright sunshine annually. The annual mean temperature is . Extremes since 1951 have ranged from on 4 January 1970 to on 14 July 2015.
[
]
Administration
Dalian is the second largest city of Liaoning province, after Shenyang
Shenyang (, ; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), formerly known as Fengtian () or by its Manchu language, Manchu name Mukden, is a major China, Chinese sub-provincial city and the List of capitals in China#Province capitals, provincial capital of Lia ...
, the provincial capital. The city of Dalian is governed by the Dalian Municipal People's Government.
Municipal government
The municipal government is located in the main building on the north side of People's Square on Zhongshan Road
Zhongshan, Chungshan, or Jhongshan () is a common name of Chinese roads, usually in honor of Sun Yat-sen, better known in Chinese as "Sun Chungshan (Zhongshan)", who is considered by many to be the "Father of Modern China".
In Chinese cities, "Zho ...
, originally built as the Administrative Office of Kwantung Leased Territory
The Kwantung Leased Territory ( ja, 關東州, ''Kantō-shū''; ) was a leased territory of the Empire of Japan in the Liaodong Peninsula from 1905 to 1945.
Japan first acquired Kwantung from the Qing Empire in perpetuity in 1895 in the Trea ...
, and other buildings in downtown Dalian. There are the Commerce, Foreign Economy & Trade, Health, Information Industry, Police, Religion, Science & Technology, Transportation and other city-level bureaus, which work closely with the corresponding agencies at the district level.
There are, in addition, 4 national leading open zones ():
* The Development Zone ()
* The Free Trade Zone ()
* The Hi-Tech Industrial Zone ()
* The Jinshitan (''"Golden Pebble Beach"'') National Holiday Resort ()
Administrative divisions
(see Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China
The administrative divisions of China have consisted of several levels since ancient times, due to China's large population and geographical area. The constitution of China provides for three levels of government. However in practice, there a ...
)
The city administers 7 districts
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
, 2 county-level cities
A county-level municipality (), county-level city or county city, formerly known as prefecture-controlled city (1949–1970: ; 1970–1983: ), is a county-level administrative division of the People's Republic of China. County-level ...
, and 1 county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
:
* There are 92 sub-districts and 69 towns and townships.[Dalian Statistics Yearbook 2008]
* Zhongshan, Xigang, Shahekou and Ganjingzi Districts make up the urban core. Changhai County is made up entirely of islands east of the peninsula.
Demographics
The population of Dalian according to the 2010 census totaled 6.69 million. The total registered population on household at year end 2014 was 5.943 million, with a net increase of 29,000 over the previous year.
Economy
The city has had a continuous annual double-digit percentage increase in GDP since 1992. In 2014, the city's GDP registered a 5.8% increase, reaching RMB 765.56 billion, while per capita GDP hit RMB 109,939. According to a nationwide appraisal by the National Bureau of Statistics, Dalian ranks eighth among Chinese cities in terms of overall strength. The city's main industries include machine manufacturing, petrochemicals and oil refining, and electronics.
Agriculture and aquaculture
Dalian was originally an agriculture and aquaculture-based area, which, after the opening of the ferry between Yantai
Yantai, Postal Map Romanization, formerly romanization of Chinese, known as Chefoo, is a coastal prefecture-level city on the Shandong Peninsula in northeastern Shandong province of People's Republic of China. Lying on the southern coast of ...
and Lüshun during the early 20th century, began to be populated by the farmers and fishers of Shandong
Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region.
Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizati ...
, across the Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour terms ...
during the Chuang Guandong
''Chuang Guandong'' (; IPA: ; literally "Crashing into Guandong" with ''Guandong'' being an older name for Manchuria) is descriptive of the rush of Han people into Manchuria, mainly from the Shandong Peninsula and Zhili, during the hundred-year per ...
era.
Heavy, light and distribution industries
Even before and during the Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
, the shipbuilding and locomotives industries were located in the city such as the companies which later became Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company
Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC), located in Dalian, Liaoning province, China. It is part of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), which has since been merged into China State Shipbuilding Corporation to form China's lar ...
and Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock Works (DLoco). After the WWII, Dalian became an important center of the heavy and light industries, including companies such as Dalian Heavy Industry Co., Dalian Chemical Group, and Wafangdian Bearing Co.; and of the distribution industry, such as the Dashang Group
Dashang Group (), headquartered in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China, operates department stores, Xinmate (New Mart) supermarkets and other retail business. It is the largest retailer in Northeast China.
General
Dashang Group with its headquarter ...
.
Dalian Port is an important port for international trade. It has established trading and shipping links with more than 300 ports in 160 countries and regions of the world. There are over 100 international and domestic container shipping
Containerization is a system of intermodal freight transport using intermodal containers (also called shipping containers and ISO containers). Containerization is also referred as "Container Stuffing" or "Container Loading", which is the pro ...
routes. A harbor for oil tankers (the largest by tonnage in China), at the terminus of an oil pipeline
Pipeline may refer to:
Electronics, computers and computing
* Pipeline (computing), a chain of data-processing stages or a CPU optimization found on
** Instruction pipelining, a technique for implementing instruction-level parallelism within a s ...
from the Daqing oilfields
The Daqing Oil Field (), formerly romanized as "Taching", is the largest oil field in the People's Republic of China, located between the Songhua river and Nen River in Heilongjiang province. When the Chinese government began to use to pinyin fo ...
, was completed in 1976. Dalian is the 6th largest port in China; and according to AAPA world port ranking data, Dalian is the 8th busiest port in the world by cargo tonnage in 2012, and the 12th busiest container port in the world by total number of TEUs handled in 2013. Accordingly, Dalian is a major center for oil refineries
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into useful products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, liquefie ...
, diesel engineering, and chemical production.
Also completed in 1993 is a newer port called Dayaowan Port (), on Dagushan () Peninsula in the northern suburbs, specializing in import-export of mining and oil products. Together with the Dalian Railway Station
Dalian railway station () is a railway station of the Harbin–Dalian section of the Beijing–Harbin High-Speed Railway. It is located in the city of Dalian, Liaoning.
History
The station opened in 1903. The new station was constructed and mov ...
, Dalian North Railway Station
Dalianbei (Dalian North) railway station is a railway station of the Harbin–Dalian section of the Beijing–Harbin High-Speed Railway. It is located in Dalian, in the Liaoning province of China. Construction of the station started on April 1, 2 ...
, Dalian International Airport
Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport is the airport serving the city of Dalian in Liaoning Province, China. It is located in Ganjingzi District, about northwest of the city center. In 2018 the airport handled 18,758,171 passengers, making i ...
and two major express roads to Shenyang
Shenyang (, ; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), formerly known as Fengtian () or by its Manchu language, Manchu name Mukden, is a major China, Chinese sub-provincial city and the List of capitals in China#Province capitals, provincial capital of Lia ...
(Shenda Expressway Shenda may be:
*Shenda highway, running between Shenyang and Dalian, Liaoning, China
*A colloquial name for Shenzhen University, Guangdong, China
**Shenda Station, Shenzhen Metro Line 1, which is named for the university
People with the name Shenda ...
), Changchun
Changchun (, ; ), also romanized as Ch'angch'un, is the capital and largest city of Jilin Province, People's Republic of China. Lying in the center of the Songliao Plain, Changchun is administered as a , comprising 7 districts, 1 county and 3 c ...
( Changda Expressway), Harbin
Harbin (; mnc, , v=Halbin; ) is a sub-provincial city and the provincial capital and the largest city of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China, as well as the second largest city by urban population after Shenyang and largest ...
(Hada Expressway Hada may refer to:
* Hada, or Khata, traditional ceremonial scarf used in Tibet and Mongolia
* Hada (surname), a Japanese and Romanian surname
* Hada (activist), Mongol activist advocating for the separation of Inner Mongolia from the People's Repu ...
) in the north and to Dandong to the east, Dalian has been an important distribution center.
![Donggang Dalian](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Donggang_Dalian.jpg)
Industrial zones
Dalian has been given many benefits by the Chinese government, including the title of "open-city" (1984), which allows it to receive considerable foreign investment (see Special Economic Zone
A special economic zone (SEZ) is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country. SEZs are located within a country's national borders, and their aims include increasing trade balance, employment, increas ...
). The Development Zone was established in Jinzhou District, to which many Japanese companies, such as Canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western ca ...
, Mitsubishi Electric
, established on 15 January 1921, is a Japanese multinational electronics and electrical equipment manufacturing company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi. The products from MELCO include elevators an ...
, Nidec
is a Japanese manufacturer and distributor of electric motors. Their products are found in hard-disk drives, electric appliances, automobiles and commercial and manufacturing equipment. The company has the largest global market share for the tin ...
, Sanyo Electric
, stylized as SANYO, is a Japanese electronics company and formerly a member of the ''Fortune'' Global 500 whose headquarters was located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo had over 230 subsidiaries and affiliates, and was founded by ...
and Toshiba
, commonly known as Toshiba and stylized as TOSHIBA, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Its diversified products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure system ...
, followed by South Korean, American and European companies (such as Pfizer
Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered on 42nd Street in Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs, Charles Pfizer ...
). In 2007, Intel
Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It is the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the developers of the x86 seri ...
announced plans to build a semiconductor fabrication facility (commonly known as a fab) in the Development Zone, Dalian. It is Intel's first fab to be built at an entirely new site since 1992. The facility began operation in October 2010. Dalian also houses auto-manufacturing plants for Chery
Chery Automobile Co. Ltd., trading as Chery and sometimes known by the pinyin transcription of its Chinese name, ''Qirui'' (), is a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer headquartered in Wuhu, Anhui, China. Founded in 1997, it is curre ...
, Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company, and BYD Automobile
BYD Auto Co., Ltd. ("Build Your Dreams") is the automotive subsidiary of the publicly-listed Chinese multinational manufacturer BYD Company, headquartered in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. It was founded in January 2003, following BYD Co ...
(a production base for BYD K9 electric buses).
Other zones in the city include the Dalian Economic and Technological Development Zone, Dalian Export Processing Zone, Dalian Free Trade Zone, and Dalian Hi-Tech Industrial Zone.
Financial and IT industry
Dalian is the financial center of Northeast China
Northeast China or Northeastern China () is a geographical region of China, which is often referred to as "Manchuria" or "Inner Manchuria" by surrounding countries and the West. It usually corresponds specifically to the three provinces east of t ...
. There are the Dalian branches of China's five major banks: Bank of China
The Bank of China (BOC; ) is a Chinese majority state-owned commercial bank headquartered in Beijing and the fourth largest bank in the world.
The Bank of China was founded in 1912 by the Republican government as China's central bank, repl ...
, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited (ICBC; ) is a Chinese multinational bank.
Founded as a limited company on 1 January 1984, ICBC is a state-owned commercial bank. With capital provided by the Ministry of Finance of China, the b ...
, China Construction Bank
China Construction Bank Corporation (CCB) is one of the " big four" banks in China. In 2015, CCB was the 2nd largest bank in the world by market capitalization and 6th largest company in the world. The bank has approximately 13,629 domestic bra ...
, Bank of Communications
Bank of Communications Limited (BoComm) (; often abbreviated as ), is the fifth-largest bank in mainland China.
Established in 1908, the Bank of Communications claims a long history in China and is one of the banks to have issued banknotes in mo ...
, and Agricultural Bank of China
Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), also known as AgBank, is one of the " Big Four" banks in China. It was founded on 10 July 1951, and has its headquarters in Dongcheng District, Beijing. It has branches throughout mainland China, Hong Kong, Lond ...
. Dalian City Commercial Bank is now called Bank of Dalian
Bank of Dalian Co., Ltd. is a Chinese urban commercial bank, with its headquarters in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China. On March 28, 1998, it was established as Dalian City Commercial Bank and opened its branches only in Dalian. In 2007, it chan ...
, which among other things handles processing of the Dalian Mingzhu IC Card for public transportation
Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...
. Bank of Dalian has opened branches in Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
, Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
and Shenyang
Shenyang (, ; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), formerly known as Fengtian () or by its Manchu language, Manchu name Mukden, is a major China, Chinese sub-provincial city and the List of capitals in China#Province capitals, provincial capital of Lia ...
, among five other cities.
Founded in 1993, Dalian Commodity Exchange
The Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) () is a Chinese futures exchange based in Dalian, Liaoning province, China. It is a non-profit, self-regulating and membership legal entity established on February 28, 1993.
Dalian Commodity Exchange trades in ...
(DCE) is the only futures exchange
A futures exchange or futures market is a central financial exchange where people can trade standardized futures contracts defined by the exchange. Futures contracts are derivatives contracts to buy or sell specific quantities of a commodity or f ...
in Northeast China. The futures industry leaped forward in its development. Among its 19 listed futures products approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) are corn, corn starch, soybeans, soybean meal, soybean oil, RBD palm olein, polished round-grained rice, linear low-density polyethylene
Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) is a substantially linear polymer (polyethylene), with significant numbers of short branches, commonly made by copolymerization of ethylene with longer-chain olefins. Linear low-density polyethylene differs ...
(LLDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene
Polypropylene (PP), also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications. It is produced via chain-growth polymerization from the monomer propylene.
Polypropylene
belongs to the group of polyolefins and ...
(PP), ethylene glycol
Ethylene glycol (IUPAC name: ethane-1,2-diol) is an organic compound (a vicinal diol) with the formula . It is mainly used for two purposes, as a raw material in the manufacture of polyester fibers and for antifreeze formulations. It is an odo ...
(EG), ethenylbenzene
Styrene () is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5CH=CH2. This derivative of benzene is a colorless oily liquid, although aged samples can appear yellowish. The compound evaporates easily and has a sweet smell, although high conce ...
(EB), metallurgical coke, coking coal, iron ore, egg, fiberboard and blockboard. 3 options are also listed for trading, which includes soybean meal, corn and iron ore options. In 2019, DCE achieved 1,331 million lots and RMB 68.92 trillion respectively in trading volume and turnover. According to the Futures Industry Association
The Futures Industry Association (FIA) is a trade association in the United States composed of futures commission merchants. A futures commission merchant is analogous to a broker; they are entities that accept orders and payment for commodity ...
(FIA) of the U.S., DCE was 11th largest exchange in the world by trading volume in 2019.
Since the 1990s, Dalian has emphasized the development of the IT industry, especially in Dalian Hi-Tech Zone
Dalian Hi-tech Zone ( or ) or DHZ (variant officially used spellings include Dalian High-tech Zone) is an industrial district in the western suburbs of Dalian, Liaoning, China. It extends about 30 kilometres along Lüshun South Road and Guoshui ...
and Dalian Software Park
Dalian Software Park (), also called DLSP, is an industrial zone, created in 1998 in the western suburbs of Dalian City, Liaoning Province, China, where many of the world's large and medium-sized IT-related companies have set up shop to do soft ...
in the western suburbs near Dalian University of Technology
Dalian University of Technology (DUT) (), colloquially known in Chinese as Dagong (), is a public research university located in Dalian, Liaoning, China, with an additional campus in Panjin, Liaoning. Established in April 1949, it is the ...
. Dalian High-Tech Zone is the base of high-tech industries, housing more than 4,700 enterprises, including 80 Fortune Global 500
The ''Fortune'' Global 500, also known as Global 500, is an annual ranking of the top 500 corporations worldwide as measured by revenue. The list is compiled and published annually by ''Fortune'' magazine.
Methodology
Until 1989, it listed onl ...
companies. Not only Chinese IT companies, such as Dalian Hi-Think Computer, DHC, hiSoft Technology International, Hisoft and Neusoft Group, but also American, European, Indian and Japanese IT companies are located there, including Wipro, Infosys, IBM, Dell, HP_Inc., HP, Ericsson, Panasonic, Sony, Accenture, Oracle Corporation, Oracle, Hitachi and Cisco. Nine professional business incubators are also located in the area, including the Hi-tech Business Incubator, animation and software incubators, with over 400 companies incubated. Currently, the "Lushun South Road, Lüshun South Road Software Industry Belt" Plan is proceeding, including Dalian Software Park Phase 3.
Intel
Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It is the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the developers of the x86 seri ...
's List of Intel manufacturing sites#Fab sites, Fab 68 is located in Dalian. The plan was announced on 26 March 2007, and operations started on 26 October 2010. It is Intel's first chip-manufacturing fabrication in East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
.
Tourism
Dalian is a popular destination among domestic tourists and foreign visitors, especially from Japan, South Korea and Russia. Its mild climate and multiple beaches as well as its importance in the modern history of China have attracted tourists. Some of the most famous beaches are Jinshitan Golden Coast () beach, Fujiazhuang () beach, Bangchuidao () beach, Xinghai Park () beach, Xinghai Bay () beach, and Xiajiahezi () beach. In 2007, it was one of the three cities named "China's best tourist city", along with Hangzhou and Chengdu, recognized by the National Tourism Administration and the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
Four inner-city districts
* Zhongshan Square (Dalian), Zhongshan Square
:Originally designed by Russians in the 19th century, Zhongshan Square () is especially noted for the Modern Buildings on Zhongshan Square in Dalian, several classical buildings located around the square built during the first half of the 20th century by the Japanese.
* Laohutan Ocean Park: the park contains the Polar Region Marine Animals World, the Coral Aquarium, and the World of Birds. The white whale and dolphin show is a major attraction in the Polar Region Marine Animals World. The Tigers Sculpture Square is nearby, whose tiger sculpture is the symbol of Tiger Beach (). A retired Anshan-class destroyer, ''Anshan''-class destroyer ''Taiyuan'' is open to visitors.
* Xinghai Square
Xinghai Square (), is a city square in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China. It is located to the north of Xinghai Bay. It covers a total area of , created entirely through land reclamation, making it the largest city square in the world. Its name li ...
: situated at the Xinghai Bay, Xinghai Square () was built at the centennial of the City of Dalian (1998) and is the List of city squares by size, largest city square in the world.
* Heishijiao Geological Park and Dalian Natural History Museum
* Sunasia Ocean World
* Dalian Forest Zoo
* Bangchuidao Scenic Area: a well-maintained park used as a State Guesthouse since 1960, the Bangchuidao Scenic Area is now open to the public with upgraded features including lavish greens, Chinese and Western style villas, hot spring, tennis courts, badminton courts, a recreation center, a golf course and the Bangchuidao beach. The Bangchui Island (, named for an islet in the shape of an ancient washing tool Bangchui) can be seen from the beach. As a State Guesthouse, the scenic area has received numerous Chinese and foreign leaders and high-profile officials, including Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong-un, Henry Kissinger, Boris Yeltsin, Gerhard Schröder, Juan Antonio Samaranch and so on.
* Dalian Sightseeing Tower
* Donggang Music Fountain
* Fujiazhuang Beach
Jinzhou District and Development Zone (in the northern suburbs)
* Dahei Mountain
* Jinshitan National Holiday Resort and the Dalian Discovery Kingdom, Discoveryland () is composed of eastern peninsula, western peninsula, open ground between two peninsulas and the Golden Coast beach. Major sightseeing points include, Golden Pebble Waxworks Museum, Geological Museum, Coastal National Geopark, International Vehicle Campsite, Tang Dynasty Hot Spring Resort, Golden Rock Park, Wanfuding Park, China Martial Arts Hall, Dalian Discovery Kingdom, Discoveryland Theme Park, Chairman Mao badge, Mao Zedong Badge Exhibition Hall, Model Movie & TV Art Center, Golden Pebble Hunting Club, Golden Pebble Equestrianism Base, Golden Pebble International Convention Center & Resort, Golden Pebble Golf Club, and Golden Gulf Golf Course. Several themed events, such as Dalian International Beach Carnival, International Winter Swimming Festival and Grape Festival, take place in Jinshitan annually.
:The Dalian Discovery Kingdom, Discoveryland Theme Park (, also translated as "the Discovery Kingdom") was built in 2006 and covers an area of . It was designed by Romero Petrilli VanRell Associates who participated in the design of the Disney theme park.
Lüshunkou District (in the southwestern suburbs)
* Lushun Museum, Lüshun Museum
* Lushun Railway Station, Lüshun Railway Station
* East Jiguan Mountain (), 203 Hill and Shuishiying Meeting Place
:The fiercest battle site and the signing site of the ceasefire treaty, of the Battle of Lüshun during the Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War ( ja, 日露戦争, Nichiro sensō, Japanese-Russian War; russian: Ру́сско-япóнская войнá, Rússko-yapónskaya voyná) was fought between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire during 1904 and 1 ...
(1904–05).
* Japanese and Russian Prison Site Museum in Lüshun
:The prison was built by Russians in 1902 and later expanded by the Japanese. During World War II, the prison was used to detain people of various nationalities who were against the Japanese invasion. An Jung-geun, the Korean independence movement, Korean independence activist who assassinated Itō Hirobumi, was imprisoned and killed there.
* Lüshun Snake Museum, and Lüshun Bird Port and Snake Island Reservation
* Hengshan Temple and Longwangtang Cherry Blossom Park
:Hengshan Temple () is near Longwangtang Reservoir (). The temple dates back to the Han dynasty, and was rebuilt in 2003.
Pulandian District
* Anbo Hotspring and Ski Course (), in Pulandian District
Wafandian
* Changxing Island (Dalian), Changxing Island International Golf Course, in Wafangdian
Zhuanghe
* Bingyu Valley Scenic Area and Buyun Mountain Hot Spring (), in Zhuanghe
Changhai County
* Islands of Changhai County
Hot Spring and Ski Resorts
There are various hot spring hotels in Dalian. Notable ones include Laotieshan Hot Spring Hotel in Lüshunkou District, Tang Dynasty Hot Spring Resort in Jinshitan, Minghu Hot Spring Hotel in Wafangdian, Chengyuan Hot Spring Villa in Ganjingzi District, and Tianmu Hot Spring Hotel in Lüshunkou District.
Skiing has become increasingly popular in Dalian. Famous ski resorts are Linhai Ski Resort in Ganjingzi District, Anbo Ski Resort in Pulandian District, Minghu Ski Resort & Minghu International Skiing Holiday Village in Wafangdian, and Dalian Happy Snow World in Ganjingzi District near the airport.
Environment
![Sunset in Dalian](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Sunset_in_Dalian.jpg)
Ecological conservation
Despite being in a period of economic and industrial growth, Dalian has placed an emphasis on environmental protection. Dalian's ecological restoration and protection efforts are ongoing and expanding. In 2021, Dalian set a five-year-plan for the marine environment that included targets for conserving populations of the endangered Black-faced spoonbill, back-faced spoonbill. In 2019, 49 nests were built for the black-faced spoonbill on nearby uninhabited islands. There has also been conservation and rescue efforts targeting spotted seal populations. Dalian also maintains the National Spotted Seal Nature Reserve within Lioadong Bay. This reserve is home to a spotted seal population and is a breeding ground for multiple marine species.
Environmental issues
In 2001, the United Nations Environment Programme awarded the Dalian Municipal Government for its outstanding contribution to the protection of the environment.[Dalian Municipal Government of China, one of 18 Individuals and Organizations, to Receive United Nations Environment Award – United Nations Environment Programme](_blank)
. Unep.org (28 May 2001). Retrieved on 2 January 2013.
The average content of the four pollutants in the air reached Class II of National Ambient Air Quality Standards and there were 353 days with Air Pollution Index (API) over Class II (Good), including 108 excellent days with Class I (Superior). Dalian frequently ranks Grade 2 for air pollution according to State Environmental Protection Administration. However, the environmental effects of economic growth are of concern, according to Dalian Environmental Protection Agency, during the first half of 2011, respirable particles in the air increased significantly, with an average 40% higher than 2010.
The water quality of offshore marine space remained stable overall. The annual average content of monitoring indicators for water quality met Class-II of the National Seawater Quality Standard, with the exception of Inorganic Nitrogen in Dalian Bay
Dalian Bay (), known historically as Talienwan, Talien-wan and Talien-hwan, is a bay on the southeast side of the Liaodong Peninsula () of Northeast China, open to the Korea Bay in the Yellow Sea () in the east. Downtown Dalian lies along the so ...
and the city's southern coast. The water quality of drinking water sources is considered good and complies with Class-III of Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water.
Recent events have had a major environmental impact on the city. In July 2010, the Xingang Port oil spill, explosion of two petroleum pipelines released 11,000 barrels of oil into the Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour terms ...
, according to official statements. Rick Steiner, an American marine conservationist working with Greenpeace, says that the figure could be upwards of 400,000. It was reported as the largest oil spill to occur in China,[1st details on China oil spill's cause emerge](_blank)
. The China Post (24 July 2010). Retrieved on 2 January 2013. and involved 2,000 firefighters. The oil spill stretched for at least . 800 fishing boats were mobilized for the cleanup. The incident caused President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao to intervene, and Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang moved in to help direct the rescue work.[China port city cleans up pollution belt after fire – People's Daily Online](_blank)
. English.peopledaily.com.cn (18 July 2010). Retrieved on 2 January 2013. A researcher with the China Environmental Science Research Institute, said that "the impact on marine life and on humans – as the pollution enters the food chain – could last 10 years."[Martin, Dan (22 July 2010]
Clean-up crews use bare hands against China oil spill
. AFP via mysinchew.com This has compounded aquatic pollution, affecting the city's fishing industry.
In August 2011, a Levee, dike protecting the petrochemical Fujia Factory in Jinzhou District was breached due to a typhoon. Authorities have ordered the plant to be shut down. Around 12,000 residents protested as the factory, which originally was intended to be based in Xiamen, did not receive official approval to operate in Dalian.[Thousands protest against Chinese chemical plant](_blank)
. BusinessWeek (14 August 2011). Retrieved on 2 January 2013. Municipal authorities ruled that the facility must move, leaving taxpayers to pay the expensive cost of relocation.[Tang Hao (6 September 2011]
Public storm in Dalian
. chinadialogue. Retrieved on 2 January 2013.
Concerns have been raised over mounting traffic due to "bad urban design" and that the growing rate of car ownership is affecting air quality.[In Fast-Growing China, a Warning About When Prosperity Isn't Enough – Christina Larson – International](_blank)
. The Atlantic. Retrieved on 2 January 2013. The United States National Academy of Engineering have raised concern about rising traffic in Dalian stating that "rapid growth of traffic in Dalian and in similar Chinese cities will repeat the air quality and energy consumption mistakes of Los Angeles and other U.S. cities, if not better managed."[Energy Futures and Urban Air Pollution: Challenges for China and the United States](_blank)
. Nap.edu (1 June 2003). Retrieved on 2 January 2013.
Transportation
![Dalian Liaoning China Historical-Tramway-01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Dalian_Liaoning_China_Historical-Tramway-01.jpg)
Local transportation
Cycling is not as popular in Dalian as in other Chinese cities because of the hilly roads. Dalian is also one of the many cities in China where there are few motorcycles in the downtown core, where motorcycle riding is prohibited by the local law. The city has a comprehensive bus system and an efficient metro system. As of November 2015, the Dalian Metro consists of the underground Line 1, Dalian Metro, Line 1, Line 2, Dalian Metro, Line 2, and the overground Line 12 (Dalian Metro), Line 12 (Formerly called Line R2, Dalian Metro, line R2) and Line 3, Dalian Metro, Line 3. New lines and expansion of the metro system are under way. The Trams in Dalian, Dalian Tram system is the second oldest in China. Most of the public transportation in the city can be accessed using the Mingzhu Smart card, IC Card ().
Domestic and international
In 2005 Dalian expanded the international airport, Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport, with direct flights to the most major cities in China, and to cities in South Korea and Japan as well as countries in Southeast Asia. In 2014, the airport was the List of the busiest airports in China, 20th busiest airport in China with 13,551,223 passengers. The airport is the hub of Dalian Airlines.
The city's location means that train trips to most Chinese cities outside China's northeastern region require changing trains in Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
or Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
. With the High-speed rail in China, high-speed rail system, trips from Dalian to Shenyang
Shenyang (, ; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), formerly known as Fengtian () or by its Manchu language, Manchu name Mukden, is a major China, Chinese sub-provincial city and the List of capitals in China#Province capitals, provincial capital of Lia ...
can be completed in 1.5 hours, to Changchun
Changchun (, ; ), also romanized as Ch'angch'un, is the capital and largest city of Jilin Province, People's Republic of China. Lying in the center of the Songliao Plain, Changchun is administered as a , comprising 7 districts, 1 county and 3 c ...
2.5 hours and to Harbin
Harbin (; mnc, , v=Halbin; ) is a sub-provincial city and the provincial capital and the largest city of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China, as well as the second largest city by urban population after Shenyang and largest ...
3.5 hours. The city has two railway stations, namely Dalian railway station and Dalian North railway station , the latter being part of the Harbin–Dalian high-speed railway.
In addition to local and express bus services to Beijing and other areas in the northeast, Dalian is connected by passenger ship service to neighboring coastal cities, including Tianjin
Tianjin (; ; Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Tientsin (), is a municipality and a coastal metropolis in Northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the nine national central cities in Mainland China, with a total popul ...
, Yantai
Yantai, Postal Map Romanization, formerly romanization of Chinese, known as Chefoo, is a coastal prefecture-level city on the Shandong Peninsula in northeastern Shandong province of People's Republic of China. Lying on the southern coast of ...
, Weihai
Weihai (), formerly called Weihaiwei (), is a prefecture-level city and major seaport in easternmost Shandong province. It borders Yantai to the west and the Yellow Sea to the east, and is the closest Chinese city to South Korea.
Weihai's popula ...
, Penglai City, Penglai and Dongying, as well as Incheon, South Korea.
Culture
In 2006, Dalian was selected as the most liveable city in China according to ''China Daily
''China Daily'' () is an English-language daily newspaper owned by the Central Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party.
Overview
''China Daily'' has the widest print circulation of any English-language newspaper in China. T ...
''.
Dalian dialect
Standard Mandarin is usually spoken in Dalian because it is a city with people from various locations. But Dalian natives use Dalian dialect, which belongs to the Jiaoliao Mandarin subgroup spoken in parts of Shandong
Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region.
Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizati ...
and Liaoning provinces. Most of the residents of Dalian were farmers and fishermen who had come from Shandong Province in a large population move, the ''Chuang Guandong
''Chuang Guandong'' (; IPA: ; literally "Crashing into Guandong" with ''Guandong'' being an older name for Manchuria) is descriptive of the rush of Han people into Manchuria, mainly from the Shandong Peninsula and Zhili, during the hundred-year per ...
'', during which era Dalian was occupied by the Japanese as the Kwantung Leased Territory
The Kwantung Leased Territory ( ja, 關東州, ''Kantō-shū''; ) was a leased territory of the Empire of Japan in the Liaodong Peninsula from 1905 to 1945.
Japan first acquired Kwantung from the Qing Empire in perpetuity in 1895 in the Trea ...
. The Dalian dialect incorporates a few loanwords from Japanese language, Japanese and Russian language, Russian (very rare in Chinese), reflecting the history of foreign occupation. Dalian dialect is mostly distinguishable from Standard Mandarin based on a low-falling Yinping (31), and it is often referred to as being "oyster flavored" () by the locals.
Cuisine
Dalian cuisine is a branch of Shandong cuisine, with influence from Northeastern Chinese cuisine, and is widely known for its unique style of seafood dishes. The variety of seafood in Dalian includes fish, prawns, clams, crabs, scallops, sea urchins, oysters, sea cucumbers, mussels, lobsters, conches, abalone, algae, Razor shell, razor clams, urechis unicinctus, mantis shrimps, jellyfish and so on. During the winter, many seafoods such as clams, mussels and abalone gain the most fat.
Colorful Snowflake Scallops () is a local seafood dish, where egg white is made into snowflake-shape to embrace the scallops, with seasonal greens, carrot and hot pepper cut into small pieces as decorations on top.
Another popular local dish is Salted Fish with Corn Cake (), where steamed or fried corn cake is served with fried salted fish. Legend goes that, in the old days fishermen going out fishing in the morning couldn't return home to have lunch, so they baked fresh fish to eat with corn cakes, and the habit passed down from generation to generation and eventually became a famous food among local people.
Dalian-style Grilled Squid () is also a local delicacy. It originated in Dalian, where the squid is produced. It is made by frying the squid on an iron plate, then cutting the squid into sections with a spatula, and sprinkling it with special sauce.
Menzi(food), Menzi () is a traditional local snack. A protein-rich starch paste coagulated from an extract of potatoes is cut into pieces and fried on a pan to create a crisp cover. A mixed seasoning of smashed garlic, sesame, and sauces is added on eating.
Other popular local specialties include seafood noodles, roast full prawns, salt baked conches, lantern-shaped steamed abalone, and so on.
Theaters
Well-known theaters in Dalian are: Dalian People's Culture Club (mainly for music), Hongji Grand Stage (for Beijing Opera), Working People's Theater-Doudou Grand Stage (, mainly for Errenzhuan) and Dalian Development Area, Development Area Grand Theater ().
Sports
Sports play a big role in the local culture. Dalian's former association football, football club, Dalian Shide (formerly known as Dalian Wanda as the club was originally sponsored by the Dalian Wanda Group), achieved a total of Chinese Super League#Most successful clubs, eight titles from China's top-tier football league, the Chinese Jia-A League and the later rebranded Chinese Super League, and was widely considered one of the most successful clubs in Chinese football history. In the Asian Football Confederation, the club reached the 1997–98 Asian Club Championship and 2000–01 Asian Cup Winners' Cup finals. Several of China's greatest players, including Sun Jihai, Hao Haidong and Li Ming (footballer, born 1971), Li Ming, made their names with Dalian Shide F.C., Dalian Shide. Dalian also produced many top Chinese football players thanks to its youth training system and grassroots football culture. As of the 2014 Chinese Super League, 2014 season of the Chinese Super League, out of the 448 registered Chinese players, a total of 71 players are from Dalian. Therefore, Dalian earned its nickname of China's "Football City" (), and a giant football statue was placed in the Labor Park near downtown Dalian in its honor. Current football clubs in the city are Dalian Professional F.C., Dalian Pro playing in the Chinese Super League and Dalian Professional W.F.C., Dalian Pro W.F.C. playing in the Chinese Women's Football League. Both of their home stadiums are the Dalian Sports Centre Stadium.
The 60,663-capacity Dalian Sports Centre Stadium, the 30,777-capacity Jinzhou Stadium, the 30,000-capacity Puwan Stadium and the 8,000-capacity Dalian Medical University Stadium are notable stadiums in Dalian.
Other popular sports enjoyed by the local Dalianese include swimming, skiing, golf, cycling, bowling and billiards. The government organizes various events every year in Dalian, like marathon, tennis and so on.
As part of the 2013 National Games of China in Liaoning in 2013, Dalian was a host city for 12 events, including synchronized swimming, field hockey, gymnastics, sailing and canoeing.
In February 2018, Dalian Wanda Group decided to take over Dalian Pro (then Dalian Yifang), after a lapse of 20 years before Wanda Group decided to reinvest in a Dalianese football club. Wanda Group announced a long-term investment plan to help Dalian build more advanced football infrastructure, improve on youth training, and revitalize local football culture and Chinese football culture as a whole.
City-wide festivals and events
Xinghai Square
Xinghai Square (), is a city square in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China. It is located to the north of Xinghai Bay. It covers a total area of , created entirely through land reclamation, making it the largest city square in the world. Its name li ...
, Dalian Xinghai Convention & Exhibitions Center, the Dalian World Expo Center and the hotels on Renmin Road are the main places where Dalian's major annual events are held.
Every year from January to February, the Bingyugou Ice Lantern Festival is held in Bingyugou Scenic Area in Zhuanghe, Zhuanghe City. The event features a large number of ice sculptures, snow sculptures and colorful ice lanterns. Visitors can also participate in a series of ice-sports including ice-skating, ice hockey and iceboating.
From late April to May, the Lüshun International Cherry Blossom Festival is held. The main site is 203 Hill, and the other site is Longwangtang Cherry Blossom Park. It is said that the very first cherry trees were planted by Japanese soldiers stationed in Lüshun during World War II, in order to ease their homesickness. Today, the 203 Hill site has more than 3000 cherry trees, and boasts to be the largest cherry blossom park in China with the most varieties.
Each May, the Dalian International Walking Festival takes place. The purpose of the festival is to foster health and peace for the whole community. It is widely popular among citizens and attracts many foreign participants. Dalian is the only city in China recognized by the IML Walking Association. Four different routes of , , , and are provided for participants, with the longest route going from Xinghai Square
Xinghai Square (), is a city square in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China. It is located to the north of Xinghai Bay. It covers a total area of , created entirely through land reclamation, making it the largest city square in the world. Its name li ...
along Binhai Road to Laohutan Ocean Park, Bangchuidao Scenic Area and finally reaching Dalian International Conference Center. Starting from 2012, Jinshitan National Holiday Resort also serves as a venue for the festival.
Every May, Dalian International Marathon is held. With the first marathon held in 1987, it is one of the four oldest marathon races in China. The main venue is the Jinshitan National Holiday Resort.
Every June, the China International Software & Information Service Fair is held in Dalian World Expo Center. Officials from overseas government departments, CEOs of World Top 500, well-known consulting firms and overseas IT associations attend the fair each year.
Dalian International Beer Festival takes place in Xinghai Square
Xinghai Square (), is a city square in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China. It is located to the north of Xinghai Bay. It covers a total area of , created entirely through land reclamation, making it the largest city square in the world. Its name li ...
every year from July to August. It is similar to Oktoberfest in Munich and is a widely popular event in the city. Activities of the Beer Festival include exhibitions by beer manufacturers, a beer disco plaza, a beer culture exhibition, a beer drinking contest, a photography contest, the Beer Industry Summit, and a beer quiz.
Dalian International Automotive Exhibition is held in August in Dalian Xinghai Convention & Exhibitions Center and Dalian World Expo Center.
The annual Dalian International Fashion Festival is held in September in Dalian Xinghai Convention & Exhibitions Center and Dalian World Expo Center. For the past decade, the festival has been attracting the world's top fashion designers, businessmen and models to Dalian. Arrangement for the show includes various theme activities including the Garment Export Fair, fashion exhibitions, fashion competitions and a model contest.
Inter-governmental
Japan maintains a branch office for its Consulate General of Japan at Shenyang and a JETRO office in Dalian, reflecting a relatively large Japanese population.
Japan Chamber of Commerce & Industry has about 700 corporate members. Those Japanese who had lived in Dalian before the War have organized the Dalian Society.
Religion
, Dalian had 29 Christian churches (27 of them Protestant, 2 of them Catholic), 10 mosques, 34 Buddhist temples, and 7 Taoist temples, according to the statistics of the city government.
Taoist temples can be found in various districts including downtown Dalian (Hua Temple in Zhongshan Park), in Lüshunkou District (Longwang Temple), and in Jinzhou District (Jinlong Temple in Daweijia, Xiangshui Temple at the foot of Dahei Mountain, and Zhenwu Temple in Liangjiadian).
Buddhist temples are in downtown Dalian (Songshan Temple on Tangshan Street and Lianhuashan Temple on Yingchun Road), on the northern side of Anzi Mountain (Anshan Temple), at Daheishi (Thousand-Hand Buddha & 500 Luohan Statues), in Lüshunkou District (Hengshan Temple at Longwangtang), and in Jinzhou District (Guanyinge-Shengshui Temple on Dahei Mountain).
Dalian Catholic Church (built in 1926) is in downtown Dalian, west of Dalian Railway Station. Protestant churches are near Zhongshan Square (Yuguang Street Church, the former Dalian Anglican Church, built in 1928 in the British Consulate General's premises by the Church of England and Nippon Sei Ko Kai, Anglican Church of Japan jointly), on Changjiang Road (Beijing Street Church, now called Cheng-en Church, originally built in 1914 by the Danish National Church, Danish Lutheran Church), on Xi'an Road (Christian Church for Korean Chinese and South Koreans), east of the airport (the newly built Harvest Church, which can seat 4000 people), in Jinzhou (the newly built Jinzhou Church) and in Lüshunkou District (Lüshun Church, a former Danish Lutheran church). Dalian Mosque is on Beijing Street.
Notable people
* Xia Deren (), former mayor from October 2006 to May 2009.
* Li Changchun (), politician, former member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.
* Bo Xilai
Bo Xilai (; born 3 July 1949) is a Chinese former politician who was convicted on bribery and embezzlement charges. He came to prominence through his tenures as Mayor of Dalian and then the governor of Liaoning. From 2004 to November 2007, ...
(), former mayor (February 1993–August 2000), removed from Politburo under corruption charges.
* Lai Yawen (), retired middle blocker, former captain and current team manager of the China women's national volleyball team.
* Sun Jiadong (), aerospace engineer and recipient of the "Two Bombs, One Satellite" Meritorious Award.
* Qi Faren (), aerospace engineer and chief designer of the Chinese spacecraft Shenzhou (spacecraft), Shenzhou.
* Zhao Xiaozhe (), vice admiral of the People's Liberation Army, PLA
* Liu Yanan (), retired middle blocker of the China women's national volleyball team.
* Yang Hao (volleyball), Yang Hao (), retired outside spiker of the China women's national volleyball team.
* Hui Ruoqi (), retired outside spiker and former captain of the China women's national volleyball team.
* Li Yongbo (), retired badminton player and former head coach of the China national badminton team, China National Badminton Team.
* Liu Changchun (), Sprint (running), sprinter, first athlete to represent China in competition at the Olympic Games.
* Qu Yunxia (), Middle-distance running, middle-distance athlete.
* Zhang Wenxiu (), hammer thrower.
* Zhang Enhua (), footballer.
* Sun Jihai (), footballer.
* Bi Fujian (), director, host and professor.
* (), actor.
* Yu Nan (), actress.
* Lou Yixiao (), actress.
* Dong Jie (), actress.
* Lin Peng (), actress.
* Yang Hongji (), baritone singer and professor.
* Sun Nan (), singer.
* Kelly Yu (), singer.
* Xue Jiye (), painter and sculptor.
* Toshiko Fujita (), Japanese voice actress.
* Song Weilong (actor), Song Weilong (), actor and model.
* Yang Zhuo (), professional Wushu (sport), Wushu fighter and kickboxer.
* Xiao Nan Yu, Yu Xiaonan (), Chinese Canadian ballet dancer.
* Sun Yu (badminton), Sun Yu (), badminton player.
* Harry Triguboff, Jewish Australian businessman.
*
Education
23 general institutions of higher education (and another 7 privately run colleges), 108 secondary vocational schools, 80 ordinary middle high schools, 1,049 schools for nine-year compulsory education and 1,432 kindergartens in Dalian. The students on campus of all levels (including kindergartens) totaled 1108 thousand.
There are the following schools of higher education and research centers:
Colleges and universities
* Dalian University of Technology
Dalian University of Technology (DUT) (), colloquially known in Chinese as Dagong (), is a public research university located in Dalian, Liaoning, China, with an additional campus in Panjin, Liaoning. Established in April 1949, it is the ...
(Project 985, Project 211
Project 211 () was an abolished project of developing comprehensive universities and colleges initiated in 1995 by the Ministry of Education of China, with the intent of raising the research standards of comprehensive universities and cultivat ...
, founded in 1949)
* Dalian Maritime University
Dalian Maritime University () is a university located in Dalian, Liaoning, China. It is a key maritime institution under the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China, and is a Chinese state Double First Class University Plan univ ...
(Project 211, founded in 1909)
* Dongbei University of Finance and Economics (Founded in 1952)
* Liaoning Normal University (Founded in 1951)
* Dalian University (Founded in 1987)
* Dalian Jiaotong University (Founded in 1956)
* Dalian Medical University (Founded in 1947)
* Dalian Minzu University (Founded in 1997)
* Dalian Ocean University (Founded in 1952)
* Dalian Polytechnic University (Founded in 1958)
* Dalian University of Foreign Languages (Founded in 1964)
* Dalian Naval Academy of the People's Liberation Army Navy, PLA Navy (Founded in 1949)
* Liaoning Police College (Founded in 1960)
* Dalian Neusoft University of Information (Founded in 2000)
Research centers
* Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); ), known by Academia Sinica in English until the 1980s, is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for natural sciences. It has historical origins in the Academia Sinica during the Republ ...
High schools
Notable high schools include:
* Dalian No. 1 High School ()
* Dalian No. 8 High School ()
* Dalian No. 12 High School ()
* Dalian No. 20 High School ()
* Dalian No. 23 High School ()
* Dalian No. 24 High School ()
* Dalian Yuming Senior High School ()
* The High School Affiliated to Liaoning Normal University ()
* Dalian Lüshun Senior High School ()
* Dalian Jinzhou Senior High School ()
* Dalian Haiwan Senior High School ()
* Wafangdian Senior High School ()
* Zhuanghe Senior High School ()
* Changhai County Senior High School ()
International schools
* Japanese School of Dalian
*
* Dalian American International School
* Dalian Maple Leaf International School
International relations
Dalian is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with:
* City of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
* Adjara, Georgia
* Akita Prefecture, Akita, Japan
* Bahía Blanca, Argentina
* Bangkok, Thailand
* Bergen, Norway
* Bremen (city), Bremen, Germany
* Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada
* Chuncheon, South Korea
* Cienfuegos, Cuba
* Dallas, Texas, United States
* Derry and Strabane, Northern Ireland
* Ehime Prefecture, Ehime, Japan
* Enschede, Netherlands
* Fortaleza, Brazil
* Genoa, Italy
* Glasgow, Scotland
* Gwangju, South Korea
* Gwangyang, South Korea
* Houston, Texas, United States
* Imari, Saga, Japan
* Incheon, South Korea
* Jeju Province, South Korea
* Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Ishikawa, Japan
* Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Fukuoka, Japan
* La Paz, Bolivia
* Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France
* Los Angeles County, California, United States
* Maizuru, Kyoto, Japan
* Milan, Italy
* Northampton, England
* Oakland, California, United States
* Ohrid, North Macedonia
* Ōta, Tokyo, Japan
* Pohang, South Korea
* Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo
* Pyeongtaek, South Korea
* Rijeka, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Croatia
* Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
* Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Surin Province, Thailand
* Tomsk, Tomsk Oblast, Russia
* Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai, Russia
* Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany
See also
References
Bibliography
* Kuramoto, Kazuko. ''Manchurian Legacy: Memoirs of a Japanese Colonist'', 1st edition. Michigan State University Press. 1 October 1999. , , , .
Further reading
* Hess, Christian A. (2006). "From colonial jewel to socialist metropolis: Dalian, 1895–1955." PhD dissertation, University of California, San Diego.
* McKnight, Tom, (ed.). ''Geographica: The Complete Illustrated Atlas of the World'', 3rd revision. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 2001. , .
* Perrins, Robert John (1998). "'Great connections': The creation of a city, Dalian, 1905–1931. China and Japan on the Liaodong Peninsula." PhD dissertation, York University (Canada).
* Song Li. ''Everyday Dalian: Life in Modern Manchuria'' (Photography Book), Foreword by Phil Borges. 1st edition. DigitalKu. 8 February 2008. , .
* Theiss, Frank. ''The Voyage of Forgotten Men'', 1st Ed. Indianapolis & New York: Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1937.
External links
Dalian Government website
{{Authority control
Dalian,
Cities in Liaoning
Port cities and towns in China
Populated coastal places in China
Prefecture-level divisions of Liaoning
National Forest Cities in China
China–Soviet Union relations
Kwantung Leased Territory
Yellow Sea
Articles containing video clips
Populated places with period of establishment missing