Xuzhou (徐州), also known as Pengcheng (彭城) in ancient times, is a major city in northwestern
Jiangsu
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, Postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an Eastern China, eastern coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is o ...
province, China. The city, with a recorded population of 9,083,790 at the 2020 census (3,135,660 of which lived in the built-up area made of Quanshan, Gulou, Yunlong and Tongshan urban Districts and Jiawang District not being conurbated), is a national complex transport hub and an important gateway city in East China. Xuzhou is a central city of Huaihai Economic Zone and Xuzhou metropolitan area. Xuzhou is an important node city of the country's
Belt and Road Initiative
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI, or B&R), formerly known as One Belt One Road ( zh, link=no, 一带一路) or OBOR for short, is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in nearly 150 ...
, and an international new energy base. Xuzhou has won titles such as the National City of Civility (全国文明城市) and the United Nations Habitat Scroll of Honour award.
The city is designated as National Famous Historical and Cultural City since 1986 for its relics, especially the terracotta armies, the Mausoleums of the princes and the art of
relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that 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 ...
. The city is also home to
China University of Mining and Technology
China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT) (), colloquially 矿大, is a national key university under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Education of China, and a Double First Class University Plan, former Project 211 and Project ...
, the only
national key university
National Key Universities () previously referred to universities recognized as prestigious and which received a high level of support from the central government of the People's Republic of China. The term is no longer in official use by 1990s. The ...
under 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 ...
in Xuzhou and other major public
research universities
A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kn ...
, including
Jiangsu Normal University
Jiangsu Normal University () is a provincial key university located in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, China. It was jointly constructed by the Chinese Ministry of Education and the Government of Jiangsu Province.
History
The university was establ ...
Xuzhou Institute of Technology
Xuzhou University of Technology (), formerly Xuzhou Institute of Technology, is a comprehensive university located in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province of China and is one of the provincial universities administered by Chinese Ministry of Education.
Main ...
.
Romanization
Before the adoption of
Hanyu Pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
, the city's name was typically
romanized
Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and ...
as Suchow or Süchow, though it also appeared as Siu Tcheou ou Hsu-chou, Hsuchow, and Hsü-chow.
History
Early history
The early prehistoric relics around Xuzhou are classified as
Dawenkou culture
The Dawenkou culture was a Chinese Neolithic culture primarily located in the eastern province of Shandong, but also appearing in Anhui, Henan and Jiangsu. The culture existed from 4300 to 2600 BC, and co-existed with the Yangshao culture. Turquoi ...
system. Liulin () site together with Dadunzi () site, Huating () site, and Liangwangcheng () site correspond to the initial, middle and late stages of this culture, respectively. While the remains of sacrificial rituals performed to
Tudi Tudi may refer to:
*Tudigong or Tudi, a Chinese tutelary deity
*Tudy of Landevennec, also known as Tudi, Medieval Breton saint
* Tudi Wiggins, Canadian actress
* Tudi Roche, American actress and singer
* Dilyimit Tudi, Chinese footballer
Places
* ...
deity found at Qiuwan () site and Gaohuangmiao () site, both of them are in the outskirts of the city, indicate that Shang dynasty affected the area. History relates that Peng or Great Peng, the transitions from a tribe to a chiefdom contained within the boundary of the city.
Peng Zu
Peng Zu (彭祖, "Ancestor Peng") is a legendary long-lived figure in China. He supposedly lived over 834 years in the Shang dynasty. Some legends say that one year was 60 days in ancient China; that made him more than 130 years old. Others say h ...
is believed to be the first chief, while the state was eventually conquered by King Wu Ding of Shang in around 1208 BC.
During the
Western Zhou
The Western Zhou ( zh, c=, p=Xīzhōu; c. 1045 BC – 771 BC) was a royal dynasty of China and the first half of the Zhou dynasty. It began when King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty at the Battle of Muye and ended when the Quanrong noma ...
, a chiefdom called Xuyi or Xu rose and controlled the Lower Yellow River Valley. Allied with Huaiyi, Xuyi fought against Zhou and its vassals at irregular intervals. Since its declining, Xuyi once moved the capital to the area of Xuzhou and populated it with people who were migrated southwards.
Pengcheng, a city at the junction of the ancient Bian and Si Rivers, was founded by Lü (annexed by
Song
A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...
later). Chu took the city in the war of 573 BCE, but ceded the city back to Song in the next year, as a coercive measure.
Imperial China
In 208 BC,
Xiang Yu
Xiang Yu (, –202 BC), born Xiang Ji (), was the Hegemon-King (Chinese: 霸王, ''Bà Wáng'') of Western Chu during the Chu–Han Contention period (206–202 BC) of China. A noble of the Chu state, Xiang Yu rebelled against the Qin dynas ...
and Liu Bang pull their troops into Pengcheng, to where the
Emperor Yi of Chu
Emperor Yi of Chu (died 206 BC), also known as King Huai II of Chu before receiving his ''de jure'' emperor title, personal name Xiong Xin, was the ruler of the Chu state in the late Qin dynasty. He was a grandson of King Huai of Chu. In 223 ...
transferred his capital from
Xuyi
Xuyi County () is under the administration of Huai'an, Jiangsu province, China. The southernmost of Huai'an's county-level divisions, it borders the prefecture-level cities of Suqian to the north and Chuzhou (Anhui) to the south and west. Xuyi is ...
later, after
Xiang Liang
Xiang Liang (died 208 BC) was a military leader who led a rebellion against the Qin dynasty.
Early life
Xiang Liang was from Xiaxiang (下相; present-day Suqian, Jiangsu) and was a descendant of a family who served the Chu state in the Warring ...
's death. The Emperor Yi was exiled to the southern China by Xiang Yu in 206 BC, the latter then proclaimed himself the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, and established his capital in Pengcheng too, until 202 BC.
During the
Han dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
, a new Chu Kingdom was established with its capital at Pengcheng. It was ruled by various imperial princes during the Western Han period (202 BC – 9 AD). Liu Jiao, the younger half-brother of
Liu Bang
Emperor Gaozu of Han (256 – 1 June 195 BC), born Liu Bang () with courtesy name Ji (季), was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning in 202–195 BC. His temple name was "Taizu" while his posthumous name was Emper ...
, became the first Prince of Chu. In 154 BC, the prince Liu Wu participated in the
Rebellion of the Seven Princes
The Rebellion of the Seven States or Revolt of the Seven Kingdoms () took place in 154 BC against the Han dynasty of China by its Kings of the Han dynasty, regional semi-autonomous kings, to resist the emperor's attempt to centralize the governm ...
. However, he was defeated afterwards and Chu's territories were greatly diminished. By the end of the second century, a prosperous Buddhist community had been settled at Pengcheng.
File:Lacquered Wood Coffin Inlaid with Jade, Shizishan.jpg, Liu Wu's lacquered wood coffin inlaid with jade
File:金缕玉衣 狮子山汉墓.jpg, Liu Wu's jade shroud sewn with gold threads
File:汉画像石 六博1.jpg, A relief depicting two men gambling
At the turn of the second century, Pengcheng changed hands several times among
Cao Cao
Cao Cao () (; 155 – 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde (), was a Chinese statesman, warlord and poet. He was the penultimate Grand chancellor (China), grand chancellor of the Eastern Han dynasty, and he amassed immense power in the End of ...
and his rivals before being annexed to Cao Wei in about 200. In the intervening years, the seat of Xuzhou (Xu province) was transferred from Tancheng to Xiapi, which located in the northwest of Suining. While Pengcheng became the seat later than 220.
With the invasions of the Five Barbarians, considerable local households migrated to the south, a Liu clan from Pengcheng ascended to the gentry, its most well known descendant is Liu Yu, the
Emperor Wu of Liu Song
Emperor Wu of (Liu) Song (()宋武帝; 16 April 363– 26 June 422), personal name Liu Yu (), courtesy name Dexing (), childhood name Jinu (),(皇考以高祖生有奇異,名為奇奴。皇妣既殂,養于舅氏,改為寄奴焉。) ''Song S ...
. Pengcheng was taken by the Northern dynasties later. Liu Yu recaptured the lost territory in the north of the Huai River in about 408. Xuzhou was divided into two parts: Beixuzhou (North Xuzhou) and Xuzhou (with Jingkou as its seat) in 411. North Xuzhou whose seat was Pengcheng bounded on the south by the Huai River. Beixuzhou was restored as Xuzhou a decade later, while its south counterpart was renamed Nanxuzhou (South Xuzhou). Since then, Pengcheng remained being the seat of Xuzhou until it was eliminated in the early Ming.
The raging wars inflicted upon Xuzhou until the Emperor Taizong of Tang's enthronement in 626. Keeping the northern rebellions and warfare a distance gave Xuzhou scope for developing during the most period of the
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 ...
. According to the ''
Old Book of Tang
The ''Old Book of Tang'', or simply the ''Book of Tang'', is the first classic historical work about the Tang dynasty, comprising 200 chapters, and is one of the Twenty-Four Histories. Originally compiled during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdo ...
'' and the ''New book of Tang'', in 639, the total population of Pengcheng County, Fei County and Pei County was only 21,768, versus 205,286 in 742.
In 781,
Li Na
Li Na (born 26 February 1982) is a Chinese former professional tennis player.
She achieved a career-high WTA ranking of world No. 2 on 17 February 2014. Over the course of her career, Li won nine WTA Tour singles titles including two Grand Sl ...
marched south to besiege Xuzhou. Although his revolt was quell soon, the halt of the transport by the Bian Canal impelled the court to secure the area.
The then prefect of Xuzhou,
Zhang Jianfeng Zhang Jianfeng (; 745–800), courtesy name Benli (), was a Tang Dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was prece ...
was designated as the first military governor of Xuzhou–Sizhou–Haozhou () which was headquartered in Xuzhou since 788. The title was restored and renamed Wuning () in 805, after an interval of five years. Wang Zhixing, another military governor of Wuning, established several battalions (the most notorious one among is the Silver Sword) in the Army specifically for select recruits. These soldiers not only defy military discipline but also show defiant towards the successors to Wang. In 832, Li Ting received a threatening letter prior to his induction in there, made him resigned immediately. Then Wuning suffered mutinies in 849, 859 and again in 862. Another two governors were expelled. Wang Shi was appointed, under the circumstances. He put the mutiny down by executing part of the garrison troops and disbanded the rest, which became thugs and loot later. In 864, the court declared an amnesty in the area, and promised that all thugs who willingly re-enrolled would be sent for a tour of duty in the southern, and then, presumably, returned to regular army service in the north.
Three thousand men surrendered and were sent to the south to join the two thousand former Wuning soldiers there. The breached pledge irritated them. Led by
Pang Xun Pang Xun (龐勛) (died October 14, 869 Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 251.) was the leader of a major rebellion, by soldiers from Xu Prefecture (徐州, in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu), against the rule of ...
, some soldiers mutinied and marched back north. They have unimpeded access to the area by the winter of 868. The local civil governor refused Pang's demand to have the hatred officers removed, and a military confrontation ensued. Thousands of local peasants joined the rebels. They took the prefectural city of Xuzhou, captured the civil governor, and killed those officers. Pang acquired a considerable following. Still, the rebellion was suppressed a year later eventually. Wuning was renamed Ganhua () with admonishment on lest the garrison to revolt again.
After the
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He (Chinese: , Standard Beijing Mandarin, Mandarin: ''Huáng hé'' ) is the second-longest river in China, after the Yangtze River, and the List of rivers by length, sixth-longest river system in the world at th ...
began to change course during the
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
, heavy silting at the Yellow River estuary forced the river to channel its flow into the lower Huai River tributary. The area became barren thereafter due to persistent flooding, nutrient depletion and salination of the once fertile soil.
In the first month of 1129, Nijuhun took the city after a siege of 27 days, and the then governor Wang Fu () was executed for refusing to submit. Wang's inferior Zhao Li () rallied the remains and constructed a local militia. They recaptured the city two months later but withdrew from there strategically soon. Henceforth, Xuzhou was ruled by Jurchen over a century.
In 1232, the general Wang You (), Feng Xian () revolted, they expelled the Jurchen's governor Tuktan. Then the Mongolian army led by Anyong (), a Han Chinese general captured Xuzhou soon. Both the general of the state of Su () Liu Anguo () and the general of Pizhou Du Zheng () yielded their owned city to Anyong. Regarding Anyong's behave as grabbing reputation, the Mongolian general Asuru () irritated and persisted to kill him. Felt panic, Anyong sought refuge from Jurchen. The Jin Dynasty resumed its ruling in Xuzhou, and it was quite transient. The serious disunity made betraying recur. In November 1233, the garrison of Xuzhou welcomed the Mongolian. Meantime, Anyong pledged loyalty to the Song Dynasty. He captured the city again after the Mongolian army left. In the spring of the next year, the Mongolian commander Zhang Rong () attacked Xuzhou, Anyong drowned himself after the final defeat. The Mongolian governor of Xuzhou and Pizhou called Li Gaoge () surrendered to the Song in 1262. Then he failed and was killed after several days.
A rebellion against Yuan rose by Li Er () who was nicknamed Sesame Li in the area around Xuzhou. In the eighth month of 1351, they took the city.
Toghon Temür
Toghon Temür ( mn, Тогоонтөмөр; Mongolian script: ; ; 25 May 1320 – 23 May 1370), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Huizong of Yuan () bestowed by the Northern Yuan dynasty and by his posthumous ...
gave an edict that they would be granted amnesty if they surrendered to the authority, in the spring of the next year. The rebels ignored that, so he agreed that Toqto to suppress the unrest. The city fell in the autumn, and the multitudes were killed by Toqto's army afterwards. It may be the symbolically most important victory for Toqto. Thus, Xuzhou was renamed Wu'an (; literal meaning: Restoring peace by force") as a favour for him, and a stone slab celebrating his deed was erected by the court in the city.
Zhang Shicheng
Zhang Shicheng (; 1321-1367), born Zhang Jiusi (), was one of the leaders of the Red Turban Rebellion in the late Yuan dynasty of China. Later, he established the ''Da Zhou'' (大周) kingdom with reigning name "Tianyou" ().
Early life
Zhang S ...
occupied Xuzhou as the northernmost city of his domain in 1360. The Ming forces under
Xu Da
Xu Da (1332–1385), courtesy name Tiande, was a Chinese military general and politician who lived in the late Yuan dynasty and early Ming dynasty. He was a friend of the Hongwu Emperor, the founder and first ruler of the Ming dynasty, and assist ...
, captured Xuzhou in 1366. Soon
Köke Temür
Köke Temür (; Mongolian: ᠬᠥᠬᠡᠲᠡᠮᠦᠷ, Köketemür, Хөхтөмөр; died 1375), sinicized name Wang Baobao (), was a prominent general of the Yuan dynasty of China.
History
He was born in Henan province. His paternal line orig ...
sent an army under General Li Er to attack Xuzhou. Fu Youde () and Lu Ju () who held the city raided them outside, most of the enemy were drowned while the remained about 270 soldiers and 500 horses were captured.
Xuzhou had a long period of prosperity during the Ming dynasty. The flourishness largely attributed to the carriage, especially by the Grand Canal, one of seven customs barriers (or customs houses, ) under the Ministry of Revenue was located in Xuzhou. It was retained until the late Qing. Korean
Choe Bu
Choe Bu (, 1454–1504) was a Korean official during the early Joseon Dynasty. He is most well known for the account of his shipwrecked travels in China from February to July 1488, during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). He was eventually banis ...
affirmed that the city where he travelled by way of, hardly pale by comparison to the
Jiangnan region
Jiangnan or Jiang Nan (; formerly romanized Kiang-nan, literally "South of the River" meaning "South of the Yangtze") is a geographic area in China referring to lands immediately to the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, incl ...
.
As a hub for both the national courier system and the grain tribute system for several centuries, Xuzhou was of vital importance. Thus, the government of Ming established three garrison areas namely guards in the present-day area: Xuzhou guard (), Xuzhou Left guard () and Pizhou guard () for its security.
Yet, the local navigation was considerably constrained by two Rapids: the Xuzhou Rapids (), a kilometer southeast of the city, and the Lüliang Rapids (), another 24 kilometers further south. The remedy provided by the Ministry of Works is constructing the Jia Canal, which paralleled the treacherous stretch of Xuzhou. However, the canal completed in the 1600s ravaged the city. Not only it disrupted the former drainage system, but also depressed the local economy. Prior to the recession, flooding and the famines followed struck Xuzhou frequently. The worst flooding occurred in 1624: it was immersed up to 1 ''zhang'' and 3 ''chi'' (about 4m) within the city.
After the
Hongguang Emperor
The Hongguang Emperor (; 1607–1646), personal name Zhu Yousong (), childhood nickname Fuba (福八), was the first emperor of the Chinese Southern Ming dynasty. He reigned briefly in southern China from 1644 to 1645. His era name, ''Hongguang'', ...
enthroned in Nanjing, the court designated four defense areas along the southern bank of the Yellow River () to repulse the Qing armies. While the former bandit general, Gao Jie () was designated to take the crucial forward position at Xuzhou by
Shi Kefa
Shi Kefa (4 February 1601 – 20 May 1645), courtesy names Xianzhi and Daolin, was a government official and calligrapher who lived in the late Ming dynasty. He was born in Xiangfu (祥符; present-day Kaifeng, Henan) and claimed ancestry from D ...
. But the assassination of Gao seriously reduced the court's capacity to deal with challenges from Qing. Gao's successor was Li Chengdong (). Being aware of forthcoming attack, Li deserted Xuzhou in the early summer of 1645. Then
Dodo
The dodo (''Raphus cucullatus'') is an extinct flightless bird that was endemic to the island of Mauritius, which is east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The dodo's closest genetic relative was the also-extinct Rodrigues solitaire. The ...
's army captured the city.
The seismic activity of the Tancheng earthquake in 1688 was also involved Xuzhou. "More than half the houses of the city were ruined" and "led to enormous deaths", according to the gazetteer.
In the 1850s, the Yellow River shifted its course from the southern to the northern side of 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 ...
, the process caused serious floods and famine in Xuzhou, and almost made the waterway system within the prefecture defunct.
Modern China
Zhang Xun
Zhang Xun (; September 16, 1854 – September 11, 1923), courtesy name Shaoxuan (), art name Songshoulaoren (), nickname Bianshuai (, ), was a Chinese general and Qing loyalist who attempted to restore the abdicated emperor Puyi in the Manchu ...
and his remaining army fled to Xuzhou after the
Revolution of 1911
The 1911 Revolution, also known as the Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, ended China's last imperial dynasty, the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and led to the establishment of the Republic of China. The revolution was the culmination of a ...
. They entered the city on 5 December. The Nanking Government sent three armies to attack Xuzhou. In the middle of February 1912, Zhang evacuated the city and moved north after he was defeated.
Since the Second Revolution began, Xuzhou became a front-line city. The Revolutionary Army fared badly as it advanced from there towards the north, and a rout ensued. Then the
Beiyang Army
The Beiyang Army (), named after the Beiyang region,Hong Zhang (2019)"Yuan Shikai and the Significance of his Troop Training at Xiaozhan, Tianjin, 1895–1899" ''The Chinese Historical Review'' 26(1) was a large, Western-style Imperial Chinese Ar ...
captured the city on 24 July. Thereafter, Zhang Xun made Xuzhou his base. he convened four meetings of the Beiyang leadership. Involved the stalemate among
Li Yuanhong
Li Yuanhong (; courtesy name Songqing 宋卿) (October 19, 1864 – June 3, 1928) was a Chinese politician during the Qing dynasty and the Republic of China. He was the president of the Republic of China between 1916 and 1917, and between 1922 ...
and
Duan Qirui
Duan Qirui (; ) (March 6, 1865 – November 2, 1936) was a Chinese warlord and politician, a commander of the Beiyang Army and the acting Chief Executive of the Republic of China (in Beijing) from 1924 to 1926. He was also the Premier of the R ...
in 1917, he marched on Beijing with a troop in June. His failure spread and caused a terrible wave of theft and arson committed by his garrisons later in Xuzhou in July.
The Zhili clique dominated Xuzhou by 1924. In the autumn of this year, the Second Zhili–Fengtian War broke out, Zhang Zongchang who supported the Fengtian clique seized the city with his thirty thousand soldiers. Sun Chuanfang led a coalition of forces to sortie the Fengtian Army in October 1925. They occupied the city on 8 November. As the leader of the
Northern Expedition
The Northern Expedition was a military campaign launched by the National Revolutionary Army (NRA) of the Kuomintang (KMT), also known as the "Chinese Nationalist Party", against the Beiyang government and other regional warlords in 1926. The ...
,
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek (31 October 1887 – 5 April 1975), also known as Chiang Chung-cheng and Jiang Jieshi, was a Chinese Nationalist politician, revolutionary, and military leader who served as the leader of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1928 ...
arrived in Xuzhou on 17 June 1927. He conferred with
Feng Yuxiang
Feng Yuxiang (; ; 6 November 1882 – 1 September 1948), courtesy name Huanzhang (焕章), was a warlord and a leader of the Republic of China from Chaohu, Anhui. He served as Vice Premier of the Republic of China from 1928 to 1930. He was ...
and other Kuomintang officers on 20 June, Feng was courted by Nanjing. Then
Sun Chuanfang
Sun Chuanfang () (April 17, 1885 – November 13, 1935) a.k.a. the "Nanking Warlord" or leader of the "League of Five Provinces" was a Zhili clique warlord and protégé of the "Jade Marshal" Wu Peifu (1874–1939).
Biography
Sun Chuanfang ...
and
Zhang Zongchang
Zhang Zongchang (1881 – 3 September 1932) was a Chinese warlord in Shandong in the early 20th century. ''Time'' dubbed him China's "basest warlord". He was known by many nicknames such as the "Dogmeat General" (), based on the name of his fa ...
began to fight in unison against the Nationalist government. They captured the city on 24 June. The fall of Xuzhou aroused public outrage, Chiang 's first resignation ensued. On 16 December, Nanjing force took the area again.
The area was the main site both of the
Battle of Xuzhou
The Battle of Xuzhou was a military conflict between the Empire of Japan and the Republic of China (1912–49), Republic of China forces in May 1938 during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
History
In 1937 the North China Area Army had chased Song ...
in 1938 against the Japanese Army in 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 ...
and of the battle in the
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949 with a Communist victory on m ...
, the Huaihai Campaign in 1948–49.
On 19 May 1938, Chiang gave the order to abandon Xuzhou, then Japanese military took control of the city.
The Administrative Commission of the Su-Huai Special Region () was established in January 1942, with its seat at Xuzhou. It was replaced by a new puppet province, Huaihai ().
Hao Pengju
Hao Pengju (; January 29, 1903 – 1947) was a general and governor of Huaihai province of the Republic of China. He belonged to the Guominjun and the National Revolutionary Army. Later he belonged to the Wang Jingwei regime, and in the Chinese Ci ...
was appointed as the governor.
After the Second Sino-Japanese War, the troop under He Zhuguo entered Xuzhou on 6 September. The Xuzhou Pacification Commission () was founded in the end of year, and Gu Zhutong was appointed as the Chief. It was disbanded when the Army Command Headquarters of transferred to Xuzhou on 5 March 1947. Meantime, a military tribunal attached to the commission was organized to sentence 25 Japanese soldiers.
Guo Yingqiu as the representative of the CPC went to Xuzhou to negotiate a regional truce, since 10 February 1946. On 2 March, the "Committee of Three", comprising George Marshall, Zhang Zhizhong and Zhou Enlai arrived for the ceasefire in Central China. Still, the KMT and the CPC came into conflict soon. The CPC revealed that
Yasuji Okamura
was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army, and commander-in-chief of the China Expeditionary Army from November 1944 to the end of World War II. He was tried but found not guilty of any war crimes by the Shanghai War Crimes Tribunal after the ...
assisted the KMT in the local warfare against the PLA.
The Huaihai was the a critical of the trinity of the major campaigns during the Chinese Civil War. Fighting centred around the city of Xuzhou, seat of the Bandit Suppression Headquarters () established on 6 June 1948. It turned into a fiasco, which led to the fall of the Nationalist Chinese capital Nanjing.Battle of Suchow . ''Life'' Magazine, December 6, 1948. The CPC controlled the city on 1 December.
File:TropasChinasEnHsuchowfu.jpg, Zhang Xun's troops in Xuzhou, the 1910s
File:1927年冯玉祥与蒋介石会面.jpg, Chiang Kai-shek conferred with Feng Yuxiang in Xuzhou, 1927
File:Xuzhou three people.jpg, The "Committee of Three" met in Xuzhou, 1946
File:Mao Zedong at Xuzhou Station 1953.jpg, Mao Zedong at the platform of Xuzhou Railway Station in 1953
Then Xuzhou (the old urban area) was made a part of Shandong province temporarily, together with the rest area of the northern Jiangsu along the Longhai Railway. The city was returned to Jiangsu as the province was restored in 1953.
The railways in Xuzhou bore the brunt of the transporting muddle in the 1970s, Beijing was concerned with the issue in 1974. Thus, the then Minister of Railways,
Wan Li
Wan Li (1 December 1916 – 15 July 2015) was a Chinese Communist revolutionary and politician. During a long administrative career in the People's Republic of China, he served successively as Vice Premier, Chairman of the Standing Committee of ...
went to Xuzhou to inspect and rectify in March. It was deemed as a breakthrough on restoring order later.
On April 22, 1993, Xuzhou was ratified as a "Larger Municipality" with legislative power by the State Council.
Administration
The evolutionary history
The present administrative division
The
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' ...
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 ...
, two
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 three
counties
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 ...
.
These are further divided into 161
township-level divisions
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 ...
, including 63 subdistricts and 98 towns.
Geography
Xuzhou is of strategic importance for linking South China and North China. The boundaries of its jurisdiction are adjacent to
Lianyungang
Lianyungang () is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, China. It borders Yancheng to its southeast, Huai'an and Suqian to its south, Xuzhou to its southwest, and the province of Shandong to its north. Its name derives from ...
and
Suqian
Suqian (, IPA: ) is a prefecture-level city in northern Jiangsu Province, China. It borders Xuzhou to the northwest, Lianyungang to the northeast, Huai'an to the south, and the province of Anhui to the west.
History
Suqian was said to be the si ...
in east;
Suzhou
Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹'' , Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the largest city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trade ...
of Anhui province to the south;
Huaibei
Huaibei () is a prefecture-level city in northern Anhui Province, China. It borders Suzhou (Anhui) to the east, Bengbu to the south, Bozhou to the west, and the provinces of Henan to the northwest and Jiangsu to the northeast. The population was ...
to the west;
Linyi
Linyi () is a prefecture-level city in the south of Shandong province, China. As of 2011, Linyi is the largest prefecture-level city in Shandong, both by area and population, Linyi borders Rizhao to the east, Weifang to the northeast, Zibo to ...
,
Zaozhuang
Zaozhuang () is a prefecture-level city in the south of Shandong province, People's Republic of China. Since January 2019 (after the Laiwu prefecture got incorporated into Jinan prefecture), the smallest prefecture-level city in the province, it b ...
,
Jining
Jining () is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Shandong province. It borders Heze to the southwest, Zaozhuang to the southeast, Tai'an to the northeast, and the provinces of Henan and Jiangsu to the northwest and south respectively. Jining ...
and
Heze
Heze, formerly known as Caozhou, is the westernmost prefecture-level city in Shandong province, China, it borders Jining to the east and the provinces of Henan and Anhui to the west and south respectively.
History
Caozhou was at the center ...
of Shandong province to the north.
The area can be divided into four sectors from east to west, constitute the Shandong–Jiangsu Traps (), the Tancheng–Lujiang Fault Zone (), the Xu–Huai Downwarp-fold Belt () and the Fault-block of West Shandong () respectively. Most of the area is located in the Xu-Huai Alluvial Plain, the southeast part of the
North China Plain
The North China Plain or Huang-Huai-Hai Plain () is a large-scale downfaulted rift basin formed in the late Paleogene and Neogene and then modified by the deposits of the Yellow River. It is the largest alluvial plain of China. The plain is bord ...
.
The confluence of the former
Si River
The Si River is a river in Shandong Province, China. It also ran through the area of modern Jiangsu Province until floods in 1194.
Course
The Si rises in the southern foothills of the Mengshan Mountains (蒙山), then flows through Sishui County ...
and the former Bian Canal, situated off the ancient Xuzhou city north-eastwards. The city and its hinterland were the areas liable to severe flooding by the Yellow River since the tenth century. In 1194, the river changed its course to join the Si River, the former tributary of the Huai. From then on, it flowed along the north of the walled city until 1855. The city proper is bisected by its ancient course nowadays, while the
Yunlong Lake
Yunlong Lake () is a lake in Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China. Yunlong Mountain lies to its east.
Tourism
Since 2016, it is classified as a AAAAA scenic area by the China National Tourism Administration
The China National Tourism Administration (CNT ...
() is located in the southwest. North of the lake is Yunlong Park.
Climate
Xuzhou 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 subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(
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 ...
''Cwa''), with cool, dry winters, warm springs, long, hot and humid summers, and crisp autumns. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from in January to in July; the annual mean is . Snow may occur during winter, though rarely heavily. Precipitation is light in winter, and a majority of the annual total of occurs from June thru August. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 44% in July to 54% in three months, the city receives 2,221 hours of bright sunshine annually.
The lowest temperature recorded in Xuzhou was , on 6 February 1969, while the highest was , on 15 July 1955.
Demographics
According to the ''1% National Population Sample Survey in 2015'', the total resident population of Xuzhou reached 8.66 million, and the sex ratio was 101.40 males to 100 females.
Economy
Historically, Xuzhou and the surrounding regions were a predominantly agricultural area. Its arable land was severely depleted by the changes in the course of the Yellow River since the mid 11th century, and the drought-resistant crops: wheat, sorghum, soybean, maize and potato, became the local staples. Besides, cotton, peanut, tobacco and sesame also grew in low-yield. The local mining traces it origins to an iron mine, Liguo. It was exploited since Han dynasty, and managed by a particular bureau in Song. And the city had major coal reserves of the province. Local coaling began by the 1070s, according to a lyric of the then governor
Su Shi
Su Shi (; 8 January 1037 – 24 August 1101), courtesy name Zizhan (), art name Dongpo (), was a Chinese calligrapher, essayist, gastronomer, pharmacologist, poet, politician, and travel writer during the Song dynasty. A major personality of ...
. Copper smelting in this area supposedly started in the Three Kingdoms era.
The city astride the old course of the Grand Canal had been through several transitory periods of prosperity, before the grain tribute system was abolished in 1855. It remained being economically backward in the 1940s for wars, and a few people engaged in industrial sectors.
Later the CPC positioned the city as a region of coal mining and heavy industry. Its dominant sectors are machinery, energy and food production nowadays. The construction machinery manufacturer
XCMG
Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co., Ltd. (XCMG Group) ( zh, s=徐工集团, p=Xúgōng Jítuán) is a Chinese multinational state-owned heavy machinery manufacturing company with headquarters in Xuzhou, Jiangsu. Founded in 1989, XCMG ...
is the largest company based in Xuzhou. It was the world's tenth-largest construction equipment maker measured by 2011 revenues, and the third-largest based in China (after
Sany
Sany Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. () is a Chinese multinational heavy equipment manufacturing company headquartered in Changsha, Hunan. It is the 3rd-largest heavy equipment manufacturer in the world, and the first in its industry in China to ente ...
and
Zoomlion
Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology Co., Ltd. is a Chinese construction machinery and agricultural machinery manufacturer.
Education
Xuzhou was a regional centre for education, but two defunct institutions once chose their sites within the city: Provincial College of Kiangsu () and
North China Theological Seminary
North China Theological Seminary (; Abbreviated as NCTS) was one of the largest and well-known fundamentalist Protestant seminaries in mainland China in the first half of the twentieth century. It was founded in 1919 and was eventually merged into ...
. In the 1950s, the then Jiangsu Normal Academy relocated to the city in 1958, and the then Nanjing Medical College, Xuzhou was founded later, both survived the
Great Leap Forward
The Great Leap Forward (Second Five Year Plan) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) was an economic and social campaign led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 1958 to 1962. CCP Chairman Mao Zedong launched the campaign to reconstruc ...
. In 1978, the then China Institute of Mining and Technology relocated to Xuzhou.
China University of Mining and Technology
China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT) (), colloquially 矿大, is a national key university under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Education of China, and a Double First Class University Plan, former Project 211 and Project ...
()
*
Jiangsu Normal University
Jiangsu Normal University () is a provincial key university located in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, China. It was jointly constructed by the Chinese Ministry of Education and the Government of Jiangsu Province.
History
The university was establ ...
()
*
Xuzhou Medical University
Xuzhou Medical University () is a provincial university located in Xuzhou, Jiangsu
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, Postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an Eastern China, eastern coastal Provinces of the ...
()
*
Xuzhou Institute of Technology
Xuzhou University of Technology (), formerly Xuzhou Institute of Technology, is a comprehensive university located in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province of China and is one of the provincial universities administered by Chinese Ministry of Education.
Main ...
()
* People's Liberation Army Air Force Logistical College ()
Religion
According to the local administrator's survey in 2014, around 4.76% of the population of Xuzhou, namely 0.46 million people belongs to organised religions. The largest groups being Protestants with 350,000 people, followed by Buddhists with 70,000 people.
Xuzhou is deemed one of earlier Buddhist centres in China supposedly because the Emperor Ming of Han mentioned that the then Prince of Chu Liu Ying built a "temple for Buddha".
The local Catholic activities were dominated by the French-Canadians of the Society of Jesus since the 1880s, and there were 73,932 adherents and seventeen churches in 1940. Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, completed in 1910, is still a principal church nowadays. While the initial Protestant mission in Xuzhou was led by Alfred G. Jones of BMS, then American Southern Presbyterian Mission took over it in the 1890s.
Culture
Arts
According to
Xu Wei
Xu Wei (, 1521–1593), other department Qingteng Shanren (), was a Chinese painter, playwright, poet, and tea master during the Ming dynasty. A noted painter, poet, writer and dramatist famed for his artistic expressiveness.Cihai: Page 802. ...
's ''Nanci Xulu'' (; 'Treatises and Catalogue of Nanqu'', Yuyao Tone (), one of then major Southern Operas, was prevalent in Xuzhou during the Mid-Ming period.
Shanxi merchants Shanxi merchants, also known as Jin merchants (), were the group of merchants from Shanxi province, China. ''Jin'' is an abbreviated name of Shanxi. Even though the history of noticeable Shanxi merchants can be dated back to as early as the Spring ...
popularized Bangzi in Xuzhou afterwards, since it was introduced in the late Ming along the Great Cannel. Fused the local ballads in dialect, this localized version evolved into a new opera over the following centuries. The opera was designated as Jiangsu Bangzi () in 1962.
The new municipal concert hall was opened in 2011, shaped like a myrtle flower. However, the various regular performances are unattainable. While the first local philharmonic orchestra is established in 2015.
Media
The first local newspaper entitled ''Hsing-hsü Daily'' () was started in 1913. Nowadays, Xuzhou's major newspaper is ''Xuzhou Daily'' (), which was founded in the end of 1948. It is owned and operated by the Xuzhou Committee of the
Chinese Communist Party
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victoriou ...
.
The earliest local radio was broadcasting in 1934 for public education. Then Japanese military founded in 1938, after the city was captured. The National Army took over it after World War II. Broadcasting was resumed in 1949, operated by the CPC. In 1980, Xuzhou TV Station was established. A decade later, Xuzhou TV Tower was completed.
Central Plains Mandarin
Central Plains Mandarin, or ''Zhongyuan'' Mandarin (), is a variety of Mandarin Chinese spoken in the central and southern parts of Shaanxi, Henan, southwestern part of Shanxi, southern part of Gansu, far southern part of Hebei, northern Anhui, n ...
,
Xuzhou dialect
The Xuzhou dialect () is a Mandarin dialect spoken in the city of Xuzhou in Jiangsu province, China.
Jiangsu has two basic dialect types: that of the south, influenced by Wu, and that of the north. Beginning roughly in the area extending from ...
is spoken in the whole area, especially in the suburb and countryside.
Cuisine
Xuzhou cuisine is closely related to
Shandong cuisine
Shandong cuisine (), more commonly known in Chinese as Lu cuisine, is one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of Chinese cuisine and one of the Four Great Traditions (). It is derived from the native cooking style of Shandong, Shandong Province, ...
's
Jinan
Jinan (), Postal Map Romanization, alternately romanization of Chinese, romanized as Tsinan, is the Capital (political), capital of Shandong province in East China, Eastern China. With a population of 9.2 million, it is the second-largest city i ...
-style. Xuzhou's most well known foods include bǎzi ròu (pork belly, and other items stewed in a thick broth), sha tang (), and various dog meat dishes.
Another one of Xuzhou's famous dishes is ''
di guo
Di or DI may refer to:
Arts and media Music
* Di, a tone in the solfège ascending chromatic scale existing between Do and Re
* dizi (instrument) or di, a Chinese transverse flute
* D.I. (band), ''D.I.'' (band), a punk band from Southern Califor ...
'' () style cooking which places ingredients with a spicy sauce in a deep black skillet and cooks little pieces of flatbread on the side or top. Common staples of ''di guo'' style cooking include chicken, fish, lamb, pork rib and eggplant.
Fu Yang Festival The Fu Yang Festival () is a traditional festival celebrated by local residents in Xuzhou, an ancient city located in the northwest of Jiangsu
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coa ...
() is a traditional festival celebrated in the city. It starts on Chufu () which is around mid-July and lasts for about one month. During the festival, people eat lamb meat and drink lamb soup. This festival is very popular among all the citizens.
Transport system
Roads
Xuzhou has many urban expressways: Xuzhou 3rd Ring Road expressways (east, north and west), Xuzhou East Ave. expressway (), Xuzhou-Pantang expressway, Xuzhou-Jiawang expressway and Xuzhou-Suqian expressway etc.
Xuzhou is the sixth city which has a fifth Ring Road () in China, and is the only city in Jiangsu which has a fifth Ring Road.
Expressways
*
G2 Beijing–Shanghai Expressway
The Beijing–Shanghai Expressway designated as G2 and commonly abbreviated as Jinghu Expressway is a major expressway of China, linking the capital Beijing in the north to Shanghai on the central coast. It extends 1262 kilometres in length, and ...
*
G2513 Huai'an–Xuzhou Expressway
The Huai'an–Xuzhou Expressway (), commonly referred to as the ''Huaixu Expressway'' () is an expressway that connects the cities of Huai'an, Jiangsu, China, and Xuzhou, Jiangsu. The expressway is a spur of G25 Changchun–Shenzhen Expressway a ...
*
G3 Beijing–Taipei Expressway
The Beijing–Taipei Expressway (), designated as G3 and commonly known as the Jingtai Expressway (), is a partially completed expressways of China, Chinese expressway that, if fully constructed, would connect Mainland China with Taiwan. Current ...
*
G30 Lianyungang–Khorgas Expressway
The Lianyungang–Khorgas Expressway (), designated as G30 and commonly referred to as the Lianhuo Expressway (), is
China National Highway 104
China National Highway 104 (G104) runs from Beijing to Pingtan via Jinan, Xuzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Taizhou and Fuzhou.
It runs to approximately 2606 km, and, on a map, runs southeast towards Nanjing and Hangzhou before turning south-sou ...
*
China National Highway 205
China National Highway 205 (G205) runs from Shanhaiguan, Hebei Province to Shenzhen, Guangdong. It is 3,160 kilometres in length and runs south from Shanhaiguan towards Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, and ends in Guang ...
*
China National Highway 206
China National Highway 206 (G206) runs from Weihai, Shandong Province to Shantou, Guangdong Province. It is 2,375 kilometres in length and runs south from Yantai, going via Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi Province, and ends in Guangdong Provinc ...
Xuzhou is an important railway hub, where two major passenger stations: Xuzhou Railway Station and Xuzhou East Railway Station (Xuzhoudong Railway Station) are situated in. Xuzhou Railway Station is at the intersection of
Jinghu Railway
Jinghu may refer to:
* Jinghu (instrument) (京胡), Chinese bowed string instrument in the ''huqin'' family
Places
*Jinghu District (镜湖区), a district in Wuhu, Anhui, China
*Jinghu Subdistrict (镜湖街道), a subdistrict in Ningjiang Dist ...
Xuzhou–Lanzhou high-speed railway
The Eurasia Continental Bridge corridor () is a high-speed rail corridor connecting Lianyungang, a port in northern Jiangsu province, to Ürümqi, the regional capital of Xinjiang. The corridor passes through the cities of Xuzhou (Jiangsu), Zhen ...
s. Xuzhou is the only city which has three huge railway stations (Xuzhou Railway Station, Xuzhoudong Railway Station and Xuzhoubei Railway Station) in Jiangsu Province.
Aviation
Xuzhou Guanyin International Airport
Xuzhou Guanyin International Airport is the airport serving Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. As of 2016, it is the 62nd busiest civil airport in China. Located about from the downtown area in the southeast outskirts of th ...
is one of the three biggest international airports in Jiangsu Province, it serves the area with scheduled passenger flights to major airports in China. Xuzhou Guanyin International Airport () has two terminals until 2019. Domestic Terminal (Terminal 2) and International Terminal (Terminal 1).
Xuzhou Metro System
Xuzhou Metro
The Xuzhou Metro () is a rapid transit system in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. Construction began in February 2014, and Line 1 was opened on September 28, 2019, Line 2 was opened on November 28, 2020, and Line 3 was opened on June 28, 2021.
...
(, or ) is the first subway in North Jiangsu. The project was approved by State Council in 2013. Three subway lines are being built and expected to be completed by 2019-2021 one after another, with total length of 67 km and 3 transfer stations: Pengcheng Square Station (Change for Metro Line 1 and Line 2), Xuzhou Railway Station (Change for Metro Line 1 and Line 3) and Huaita Station (Change for Metro Line 2 and Line 3).
Metro Line 1 (From Xuzhoudong Railway Station to Luwo Station via Xuzhou Railway Station and Pengcheng Square Station) () was opened on 28 September 2019, Metro Line 2 (From North Passenger Station to Xinchengqu East Station via Pengcheng Square Station and Jiangsu Normal University Yunlong Campus) () has been opened for operation on November 29, 2020, and Metro Line 3 (Phase 1) (From Xiadian Station to Gaoxinqu’nan Station via Xuzhou Railway Station and China University of Mining and Technology Wenchang Campus and Jiangsu Normal University Quanshan Campus)() has been used for service since June 29, 2021. At the same time, Xuzhou Metro Line 3 (Phase 2) and Xuzhou Metro Line 6 started to construct.
According to Xuzhou Metro Group, the Xuzhou Metro Line 4 and Xuzhou Metro Line 5 will be constructed in 2022 and finished before 2026. In the future, Xuzhou Metro System will include at least 11 Subway lines: Xuzhou Metro Line 7, Xuzhou Metro Line S1, Xuzhou Metro Line S2, Xuzhou Metro Line S3, Xuzhou Metro Line S4, Xuzhou Metro Line S5, Xuzhou Metro Line 1 (Phase 2), Xuzhou Metro Line 2 (Phase 2), Xuzhou Metro Line 5 & 6 (Phase 2 & 3) etc.
Others
The Grand Canal flows through Xuzhou, and the navigation route extends from Jining to Hangzhou.
Luning oil pipeline, which originates from Linyi county of Shandong to Nanjing, passes through Xuzhou.
Military
Xuzhou is headquarters of the
12th Group Army
The 71st Group Army () is a formation of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Ground Forces (PLAGF). The 71st Group Army, formerly the 12th Army or 12th Corps, is one of twelve total group armies of the PLAGF, the largest echelon of ground forces ...
of the
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...
, one of the three group armies that compose the
Nanjing Military Region
The Nanjing Military Region () was one of the former seven military command regions for the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Its jurisdiction covers all military and armed police located in Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Shanghai ...
responsible for the defense of China's eastern coast and possible military engagement with
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 ...
. The
People's Liberation Army Navy
The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN; ), also known as the People's Navy, Chinese Navy, or PLA Navy, is the maritime service branch of the People's Liberation Army.
The PLAN traces its lineage to naval units fighting during the Chinese ...
also has a
Type 054A frigate
The Type 054A (NATO/ OSD Jiangkai II) is a class of guided-missile frigate from the People's Republic of China. It is a development of the Type 054 frigate; compared to its predecessor, the Type 054A has medium-range air defense capability in th ...
that shares the name of the region.
See also
*
Battle of Xuzhou
The Battle of Xuzhou was a military conflict between the Empire of Japan and the Republic of China (1912–49), Republic of China forces in May 1938 during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
History
In 1937 the North China Area Army had chased Song ...
*
List of cities in the People's Republic of China by population
China is the world's most populous country. According to Demographia, in 2017 there were 102 Chinese cities with over 1 million people in the "urban area", as defined by the group's methodology.
Definition and classification
According to the ad ...
*
List of twin towns and sister cities in China
This is a list of places in China which have standing links to local communities in other countries known as "town twinning" (usually in Europe) or "sister cities" (usually in the rest of the world).
A
Anqing
* Calabasas, United States
* C ...
*
Xuzhou dialect
The Xuzhou dialect () is a Mandarin dialect spoken in the city of Xuzhou in Jiangsu province, China.
Jiangsu has two basic dialect types: that of the south, influenced by Wu, and that of the north. Beginning roughly in the area extending from ...
*
Sex trafficking in China
Sex trafficking in China is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the People's Republic of China. China, the world's most populous country, has the second highest number of human trafficking victims in ...