Ma'anshan ( zh, s=马鞍山, t=馬鞍山, p=Mǎ ān Shān), also colloquially written as Maanshan, is a
prefecture-level city
A prefecture-level city () or prefectural city is an administrative division of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC), ranking below a province of China, province and above a Counties of the People's Republic of China, county in China's ...
in the eastern part of
Anhui
Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiang ...
province in
Eastern China. Its aliases include Taiping, Steel City, and Poetry City.
An industrial city stretching across the
Yangtze River, Ma'anshan borders
Hefei
Hefei is the Capital city, capital of Anhui, China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural center of Anhui. Its population was 9,369,881 as of the 2020 census. Its built-up (or ''metro'') area is made up of four u ...
to the west,
Wuhu
Wuhu () is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Anhui province of China, province, China. Sitting on the southeast bank of the Yangtze River, Wuhu borders Xuancheng to the southeast, Chizhou and Tongling to the southwest, Hefei City to the n ...
to the southwest, and
Nanjing
Nanjing or Nanking is the capital of Jiangsu, a province in East China. The city, which is located in the southwestern corner of the province, has 11 districts, an administrative area of , and a population of 9,423,400.
Situated in the Yang ...
to the east. It is a
satellite city in the Nanjing
metropolitan area
A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...
and is also a city in the
Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone.
As of the 2020 census, Ma'anshan was home to 2,159,930 inhabitants, of whom 1,253,960 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of Huashan and Yushan urban districts and Dangtu County, which is largely urbanized.
One can notice that Ma'anshan is now being conurbated with Nanjing making a combined built-up area of 8,419,252 inhabitants.
After the August 2011 administrative re-regionalization of Anhui Province, its population rose to 2.16 million, as two additional counties (''He'' and ''Hanshan'') were placed under its administration.
Administration
The
prefecture-level city
A prefecture-level city () or prefectural city is an administrative division of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC), ranking below a province of China, province and above a Counties of the People's Republic of China, county in China's ...
of Ma'anshan administers 6
county-level divisions, including 3
districts and 3
counties
A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
.
*
Yushan District ()
*
Huashan District ()
*
Bowang District ()
*
Dangtu County ()
*
He County ()
*
Hanshan County ()
In September 2012,
Jinjiazhuang District was dissolved and merged with Huashan District, while part of Dangtu County was split and established as
Bowang District.
Name
The name of the city means "Horse Saddle Mountain". According to legend, the name came to be when the
Western Chu
Chu (, Old Chinese: ''*s-r̥aʔ'') was an ancient Chinese state during the Zhou dynasty. Their first ruler was King Wu of Chu in the early 8th century BC. Chu was located in the south of the Zhou heartland and lasted during the Spring a ...
hegemon
Xiang Yu was fleeing from the
Battle of Gaixia.
Rather than be captured, the defeated general killed himself at the area now known as Ma'anshan after ensuring that his beloved horse would be ferried across the river to safety. Upon seeing his master die, the grief-stricken horse leapt into the river and was drowned. As a tribute, the boatman buried the horse's saddle on a nearby hill, giving Ma'anshan its name.
City Flower and City Tree
Osmanthus fragrans is the city flower of Ma'anshan and is widely planted in Ma'anshan. The climate of Ma'anshan is more rainy and mild, suitable for the growth of sweet-scented osmanthus. Generally from mid-September to
Chinese National Day, the sweet-scented osmanthus blooms.
Camphor tree is the city tree of Ma'anshan. Camphor trees are very popular among residents of Ma'anshan. Residents of Ma'anshan City often regard camphor trees as landscape trees and
feng shui
Feng shui ( or ), sometimes called Chinese geomancy, is a traditional form of geomancy that originated in ancient China and claims to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. The term ''feng shui'' mean ...
trees. Feng shui in China means warding off evil spirits, longevity and good luck.
History
The south bank of the
Yangtze River from Ma'anshan upstream for , has long been a mining area. The coming of a railroad and the opening of the Huai-nan coalfield in the 1930s made it possible for the Japanese to open an iron and steel works in 1938. Although destroyed at the end of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the industries were restored to production in 1953, and Ma'anshan grew rapidly under the Communists' first and second Five-Year Plans. Ma'anshan also has sulfur and limestone mines, and chemical and cement factories.
In 1954, Ma'anshan was elevated to town level, and, on October 12, 1956, Ma'anshan City was declared to be founded.
Geography and climate
Surrounded by low hills (the name of the city means "horse saddle mountain"), Ma'anshan is not as polluted as other major Chinese steelmaking cities, thanks to the environmental policies taken by the local government that granted the city the recognition as one of the "Ten Green Cities of China."
It has a northern subtropical humid monsoon climate with obvious monsoons, four distinct seasons, warm and humid climate, and rain and heat in the same season. Its climate is similar to other cities in the
Yangtze River Delta, with lower humidity that makes its summers and winters less extreme. There are frequent
showers during July and August.
Caishi Rock (; ), a
famous ancient battlefield from the
Jin–Song Wars lying to the southwest of the city, is regarded as the best of three rocks that project over the Yangtze River.
Taibai pavilion is one of four famous pavilions along the Yangtze river. Caishi scenic area is a national tourism spot, with a combination of natural and cultural attractions.
Economy
The main industry is the steel industry (MaGang) which employs much of the workforce of Ma'anshan.
At present (2005) major expansions of the steel plant are underway to increase production drastically.
With the advanced manufacturing infrastructure and fast transportation link, Ma'anshan has received much investment in many industries.
Ma'anshan city has an annual manufacture investment ranking No.1 in Anhui Province and her GDP ranks No.4 in Anhui Province after Hefei, Anqing and Wuhu. Ma'anshan's population ranks No.16 in the province and has a GDP per capita of US$7,118 which is No.1 in Anhui Province and near the average of Yangtze River Delta.
Maanshan has been identified by the
Economist Intelligence Unit
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) is the research and analysis division of the Economist Group, providing forecasting and advisory services through research and analysis, such as monthly country reports, five-year country economic forecasts ...
in the November 2010 Access China White Paper as a member of the
CHAMPS (
Chongqing,
Hefei,
Anshan, Ma'anshan,
Pingdingshan and
Shenyang), an economic profile of the top 20 emerging cities in China.
Transportation
The deep water river port of Ma'anshan, with custom offices ensures fast and inexpensive transportation to other cities both in the East coast, and the inner cities along the
Yangtze River.
Nanjing Lukou International Airport is from Ma'anshan, with direct flights to every corner of China and also daily flights to Europe. By road, Ma'anshan is connected with highways to
Nanjing
Nanjing or Nanking is the capital of Jiangsu, a province in East China. The city, which is located in the southwestern corner of the province, has 11 districts, an administrative area of , and a population of 9,423,400.
Situated in the Yang ...
,
Shanghai
Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
, Hangzhou, Ningbo,
Hefei
Hefei is the Capital city, capital of Anhui, China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural center of Anhui. Its population was 9,369,881 as of the 2020 census. Its built-up (or ''metro'') area is made up of four u ...
and
Wuhu
Wuhu () is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Anhui province of China, province, China. Sitting on the southeast bank of the Yangtze River, Wuhu borders Xuancheng to the southeast, Chizhou and Tongling to the southwest, Hefei City to the n ...
.
The city has one
Yangtze River crossing—the
Ma'anshan Yangtze River Bridge, opened in 2013, enables direct road access to cities in northern Anhui.
, plans are underway to extend
Nanjing Metro to Ma'anshan, the future
Line S2 (Nanjing Metro) under review will connect Ma'anshan as well as the
Dangtu County to the south with the city of Nanjing.
Culture
There is a memorial to the famous Chinese poet,
Li Bai (a.k.a. Li Po c.700-762), just west of Ma'anshan. Li Bai is said to have drowned at Ma'anshan after attempting to embrace a reflection of the moon.
China's first poetry festival was held in Ma'anshan from October 25–30, 2005. The theme of the festival, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, the Chinese Writers Association, and the
Anhui
Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiang ...
provincial government, was "Poetic China, Harmonious China." The Ma'anshan Sports Centre Stadium, a 36,542-capacity venue, is located in the city. The football stadium opened in 2019.
Shopping
* Dahua International Plaza is located in the northeast corner of Tuanjie Plaza, with a total construction area of 140,000 square meters. It is currently the largest comprehensive shopping mall in Maanshan City.
* Ma'anshan Yaohan is located in Building A, Phase II of Dahua Plaza. It opened on November 28, 2009. It has a business area of 36,000 square meters and 600 underground parking spaces. On November 28, 2010, a single-day sales record of Huadi Group Yaohan was set at 27 million yuan.
* Xintiandi Plaza is located on Jiefang Road Commercial Street.
* Hongtai Xinbai is located in Jiefang Road Commercial Street with a business area of 15,000 square meters.
* Hong Kong City is located at the intersection of Hunan Road and Hudong Road.
* Golden Eagle International is located at the intersection of Hunan Road and Hudong Road. It opened on August 29, 2015.
*
Wanda Plaza is a large-scale high-end shopping mall under Wanda Group.
* Impression City is located at the intersection of Yushan Road and Kangle Road.
Cultural places
* Zhu Ran Family Cemetery
* Li Bai Tomb
* Hexian Yuanren Site
* Lingjiatan Site
* Taibailou
Caishi Rockref name=":0" />
* Taibai Tower (Zanxian Tower, one of the three famous buildings on the Yangtze River)
* Sanyuandong
* Santai Court
* Yushan Lake
* Putang Scenic Area
* Li Bai Cemetery
* Tomb of Zhu Ran
* Overlord Temple
* Baochan Mountain
* Jilongshan National Forest Park
Local products
*Hengwang Mountain
Rice Wine: Hengwangshan rice wine has a long history, dating back to the
Jin and
Tang dynasties. According to historical records, the current Hengwangshan rice wine originated in the
Qing period. Hengwang Mountain rice wine, brewed by ancient methods, is exquisite. In 2013, Hengwangshan rice wine brewing skills were announced as the fourth batch of municipal intangible cultural heritage protection list by the Maanshan Municipal Government.
*
Bowang Wind fish: When wind fish was founded, the exact age is no longer available. There is a saying that in the late
Qing Dynasty, an outsider was involved in the management of fishing in the
Shijiu Lake area of Bowang. Since there were a lot of
bream fish, and they could not be refrigerated in that era, he created a way to dry the fish for long-term preservation. It was recognized as a national green food in 2008.
*
Taihushan antler
Antlers are extensions of an animal's skull found in members of the Cervidae (deer) Family (biology), family. Antlers are a single structure composed of bone, cartilage, fibrous tissue, skin, nerves, and blood vessels. They are generally fo ...
: Taihu Mountain antler is a special product of Taihu Mountain,
Hanshan County, Ma'anshan City,
Anhui
Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiang ...
Province. It is produced in Taihu Mountain
Deer Farm. Antler is a precious medicinal material, which has the functions of invigorating arteries, producing essence, and strengthening bones. It is divided into
sika antler and
red antler. Sika antler, also called yellow antler or flower antler, mostly has 1 to 2 branches; red antler, also known as green antler, is thicker and has more branches. Antler is a precious Chinese medicinal material with sweet, salty, warm nature and non-toxic.
Education
*
Anhui University of Technology ( zh, labels=no, s=安徽工业大学)
* Hohai University Wentian College which is a high institute mainly focus in trading and business management, and expanding to offer the international bachelor's degree for several majors bilingually in English and Chinese.
See also
*
List of twin towns and sister cities in China
*
Chinese frigate ''Ma'anshan''
References
External links
Government website of Ma'anshan
{{Authority control
Cities in Anhui
Populated places on the Yangtze River
National Civilized City