Taiyuan,
the capital city of Shanxi Province, lies in the north basin of Middle
Jin (Jin is another name for Shanxi Province) and crosses the River Fen.
The city area administers three districts, one subdivided city and five
counties. The history of the city can be traced back to over 2,400 years
ago. It was established in 497 BC, the end of the Spring and Autumn Period
(the slavery Period in China) and was named Jinyang, the northern bank
of the Jin River. In Chinese, the northern bank of waters is called yang.
In 982, Song Taizong, Zhao Kuangyi, the second emperor of the Song Dynasty
burned and flooded Jinyuan City. After that, he ordered one of the officials,
Pan Mei to build Taiyuan City in Tangming Town, north of Jinyuan City.
Thus, came the present Taiyuan City. Taiyuan, in Chinese, means the greatest
plain. In fact, it is dominated by rugged hills and hilly areas. Only
one-fifth of the whole area is plains. Taiyuan is surrounded by mountains
in the east, west and north; only the southern part is alluvial plains.
Taiyuan abounds in various minerals, especially coal and iron, so honors
the name, "the home of coal and iron." Taiyuan is of continental climate
at temperate zone. It is dry and cold in winter, hot and rainy in summer,
dusty and windy in spring, cool and comfortable in autumn. The annual
average temperature is 9.5 Degree Celcius.
A long history has left Taiyuan with numerous
cultural relics, such as Jin Shrine, Double-Pagoda Temple, Qiaojiabu Folk
Culture Museum, Xuanzhong Temple and Pingyao Ancient Town.
Today, Tiyuan is one of the most important
heavy industrial cities in China.
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