Fuyang, Zhejiang

Fuyang is a suburban district of Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

History

Fuyang was founded during the Qin dynasty in 221 BC. The settlement's first name was Fuchun with the name of Fuyang used from 394 AD onwards.

Recent research has shown that the Ming dynasty Hongwu Emperor fled through Fuyang from Yuan dynasty forces during the closing years of that dynasty. Evidence of the pursuit has been found on the Tianzhong and Anding Mountains as well as in Yushan Village.

During an offensive against the rebels in Zhejiang at the time of the Taiping Rebellion (18501864), Imperial commander Zuo Zongtang laid siege to Hangzhou and gradually captured the surrounding towns, including Fuyang to the southwest. In the final assault, General Jiang Yili and French commander Paul d'Aiguebelle () destroyed part of the walls and took the city by storm, before sacking it.

In the early 20th century Fuyang was a hub for paper and bamboo products with Fuyanese bamboo used for the ribbing in paper umbrellas produced in Hangzhou.

Chinese Guomindang forces fought numerous battles against the Imperial Japanese Army in Fuyang and Xindeng, then a separate administrative area, during the World War II Japanese occupation of China. In December 1937 neighboring Hangzhou fell to the Japanese army and in January 1939 Japanese and Chinese forces fought for control of Fuyang. In 1942 Japanese forces clashed with Chinese Guomindang troops for control of Xindeng during a Japanese offensive against Jinhua, the then capital of Zhejiang province. The United States Army Air Forces bombed Japanese positions in Fuyang in August 1943, reportedly inflicting hundreds of casualties. In early August 1945, Japanese troops launched an offensive from Fuyang and captured the neighboring centers of Tonglu, Xindeng, and Lin'an City.

In 2011, a serious storm caused damage to many buildings in Fuyang. On the 23June, 457 farmhouses collapsed through storm damage, leading to compensation claims of more than 50,000 yuan. The seriousness of the catastrophe surpassed that of a 2009 typhoon in which 380 farmhouses suffered damage. The reconstruction cost the government a significant amount.

Geography and climate

Fuyang has a total area of and is located at . The city extends EW and NS.

The area has many low mountains, hills, valleys, hills, basins, plains and other types of landscape. The low hilly area covers (75.9%) of the total area, while the plains account for 18.7% and water areas 5.4%.

Located in northwestern Zhejiang province, in 1994 Fuyang was administratively merged into Hangzhou. The city has several highways including the G320 national road, ''Hangxijing'', as well as highways 05, 23, 19 and 14. Fuyang is from Hangzhou and convenient transport makes it possible to reach Hangzhou Train Station and Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport within one hour.
In 2012, 45 natural disasters occurred in Fuyang, the majority not serious, although eight people died in October.
To the southeast of the city, mountains cover a total area of , accounting for the 16.9% of the city and 22.3% of the total mountain area. The elevation in this area exceeds while the relative height is more than .

The climate in Fuyang is temperate and humid subtropical monsoon during the spring and summer seasons. The annual average temperature is with of precipitation.

Architecture

A significant percentage of historic Fuyang city was demolished by wars in the 1940s and China's modernization campaign that began in the 1980s. Many of the notable structures standing in Fuyang today are of recent construction.

The Fuchun River waterfront runs several kilometers along the left bank of the river and is a center for social gatherings and sightseeing. Yu Dafu Park is located on the riverfront.

The Fuyang International Trade Center Hotel () is one of the most prominent structures in Fuyang. The five-star luxury hotel is situated on the left bank of the Fuchun River and was constructed with 320 million RMB in funding by the Zhejiang Sea & Land Holding Group Co., Ltd. The structure covers an area of , has 27 floors, and is the tallest building in Fuyang.

Mountains

Fuyang is known for its scenic mountain views and has numerous notable mountains, including Longmen Mountain, Ting Mountain, Guanshan Mountain and others. Many of these mountainous areas serve as places for locals to relax.

* Guan Mountain () is one of the best known tourist attractions in Fuyang. The mountain takes its name from its resemblance to a stork standing close to the nearby Fuchun River. Throughout history, the mountain has been deemed a place of seclusion with many historic figures including Li Bai, the well-known Chinese Tang dynasty poet and Song dynasty poet and politician Su Dongpo repairing to the area. The Songjun Villa was the home of Fuyang poet and author Yu Dafu (18961945) and his mother. This and other sites have been preserved by the Fuyang local government.
* Longmen Mountain () is located in the village of Xingmeiwu, and at is the highest mountain in Fuyang.
* Mount Tianzhong is also a noted feature.

Parks and zoos

* Xinsha Island () is a small island in the middle of the Fuchun river, with an area of and is surrounded by water and trees. West of the island is the largest natural freshwater swimming pool in east China. The beach area extends to . The island is a popular tourist destination during the summer.
* Yu Dafu Park () is located near the Fuchun River and is a memorial to the writer Yu Dafu.
* Hangzhou Wild Animal World Zoo ()is the largest zoo in eastern China.
* Enbo Park () is one of the oldest parks in Fuyang and is home to the historic Enbo Bridge.
* Changpukan is a well known location in Fuyang and includes Changpuling mountain.
* Guanshan Park ()is located within Fuyang city east of the river, and is a first-level national scenic area, known as the east China culture notable mountains.
* Huang Gongwang Forest Park () was named after painter Huang Gongwang's well-known masterpiece ''Fu chun shan ju tu''. It covers of which 96.5% is forest.
* Dong Wu Park () is on Jiangbin West Road and occupies . Inside the park, there is a artificial lake. The design and the style of structure represent the culture of the Three Kingdoms period.

Surrounding Villages

* Longmen Village () lies from Fuyang and is a modern tourist attraction ranked as an AAAAclass national scenic spot. The village is surrounded by mountains. It is named after an ancient poem written by the poet Yan Ziling (严子陵) when he visited here. Also, it is the homeland of Sun Quan, who was the king of Wu during the Three Kingdom period. A children's entertainment park is located near the ''Rainbow bridge.''
* Jinzhu Village is located in Gaoqiao town.

One of the historic architectural features in Fuyang is Longmengkezhan (), noted for its local specialties and traditional snacks such as Shenxian Chicken and Youcaidofupi. People believe that the great Sun Quan set off from exactly here after his mother made him the special food of his hometown. Increasing numbers of tourists now visit this place of interest.

Government

The chief political officer of the Fuyang Municipal People's Government is the Mayor of Fuyang. Under the mayor are deputy mayors and chief directors of municipal departments of the office and city bureau. In addition there is a local Chinese Communist Party Deputy Committee Secretary, a position currently occupied by Huang Haifeng (). Huang also serves as the acting Mayor of Fuyang.

The executive vice mayor of Fuyang is Tong Dinggan. There are several vice mayors, including Fang Renzhen (), Han Lu, Wang Xiaoding, Wang Shupin, Qiu Fushui, and Sun Jie. Jiang Jun () is the secretary of Fuyang district committee of the Communist Party. The bureau chief of Fuyang is Liu xuejun (), while Xu Fengming () serves as the state taxation bureau chief of Fuyang

Administrative divisions

There are four subdistricts, 15 towns, and six townships under the city's administration:

Subdistricts

* Fuchun Subdistrict ()
* Lushan Subdistrict ()
* Dongzhou Subdistrict ()
* Chunjiang Subdistrict ()

Towns

* Gaoqiao ()
* Shoujiang ()
* Changkou ()
*Chang'an ()
* Wanshi ()
* Dongqiao ()
* Xukou ()
* Xindeng (Sinteng) ()
* Luzhu ()
* Lingqiao ()
*Dayuan