Hebei

History
During the Spring and Autumn Period (722 BC 476 BC), Hebei was under the rule of the states of Yan () in
the north and Jin () in the south. Also during this period, a nomadic people known as D () invaded the
plains of northern China and established Zhongshan () in central Hebei.
The Qin Dynasty unified China in 221 BC. The Han Dynasty (206 BC AD 220) ruled the area under two
provinces (zhou), Youzhou Province () in the north and Jizhou Province ( J Zhu) in the south.
During the Tang Dynasty (618907) the area was formally designated "Hebei" (north of the Yellow River) for the
first time.
The Mongol Yuan Dynasty divided China into provinces but did not establish Hebei as a province.
The capital was also moved from Baoding to the upstart city of Shijiazhuang
On July 28, 1976, Tangshan was struck by a powerful earthquake, the Tangshan earthquake

Geography
is located to the north of the Yellow River, and to the east of the Taihang Mountains.
The biggest lake is Baiyangdian It is shallow and is a marsh area where there are many interconnected small lakes and ponds. It is
full of reeds and marsh plants.

The Great Wall of China cuts through northern Hebei from east to west as well, briefly entering the border of
Beijing Municipality, and terminates at the seacoast of Shanhaiguan in northeastern Hebei.
Hebei has a continental monsoon climate, with cold, dry winters, and hot, humid summers.
Major cities:

Shijiazhuang

Baoding

Tangshan

Qinhuangdao

Handan

Zhangjiakou

Politics and economy

40% of Hebei's labor force works in the agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry
sectors, with the majority of production from these industries going to Beijing and
Tianjin.
Hebei's industries include textiles, coal, steel, iron, engineering, chemical
production, petroleum, power, ceramics and food.
Religion
The Liaodi Pagoda (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: Liod T; Wade
Giles: Liaoti T'a) of Kaiyuan Monastery, Dingzhou, Hebei Province, China is the tallest existing premodern Chinese pagoda and tallest brick pagoda in the world, built in the 11th century during the Song
dynasty (960-1279). The pagoda stands at a height of 84 metres (276 ft), resting on a large platform with
an octagonal base.
Education
North China Electric Power UniversityAs one of the key universities in China with a history of more than 40
years, this university has been fostering talents in the areas of engineering technology, management,
economics and the social sciences. There are more than 8500 students with over 600 graduate students and
doctor students.
Tourism
The east end of the Ming Great Wall is located on the coast at Shanhaiguan, known as the "First Pass of The
World"
The Ming Great Wall crosses the northern part of Hebei.
The Chengde Mountain Resort and its outlying temples are a World Heritage Site.
There are Qing Dynasty imperial tombs
The Zhaozhou, or Anji Bridge, built by Li Chun during the Sui Dynasty, is the oldest stone arch bridge in China,
and one of the most significant examples of pre-modern Chinese civil engineering. is the world's oldestopenspandrel stone segmental arch bridge.
Baoding, the old provincial capital, contains the historical Zhili Governor's Residence.
Xibaipo, a village about 90 km (56 mi) from Shijiazhuang, in Pingshan County was the location of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China and the headquarters of thePeople's Liberation Army during the
decisive stages of the Chinese Civil War between May 26, 1948 and March 23, 1949, at which point they were
moved to Beijing. Today, the area houses a memorial site.[18]