Introduction to Yueyang, a Historic and Cultural City

Yueyang Map. Introduction to Yueyang. Yueyang was called Baling in ancient times, also known as Yuezhou, and is a historic and cultural city with over 2,500 years of history. Located in the northeast of Hunan Province, bordering Hubei and Jiangxi Provinces, it is a place that is rich (in resources), advantageous (in location), and beautiful (in scenery). It currently administers 2 county-level cities, 4 counties, 3 urban districts, and the Yueyang Economic...

This article has been compiled from historical materials in the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com · City Overview section). Some administrative divisions, population, socioeconomic data, and policy information may be outdated and are for reference only; for the latest situation, please refer to official releases by the local government and scenic areas.

Yueyang Map

Introduction to Yueyang

Yueyang, known as Baling in ancient times and also called Yuezhou, is a famous cultural city with a history of more than 2,500 years. Located in the northeastern part of Hunan Province, adjacent to Hubei and Jiangxi provinces, it is a place that is rich (abundant in resources), superior (advantageous in location), and beautiful (scenic in landscape). It currently administers 2 county-level cities, 4 counties, 3 urban districts, and the Yueyang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Nanhu Scenic Area, and Quyuan Management District, with a total area of 15,019.2 square kilometers and a total population of 5.5 million, of which the urban area is 824.4 square kilometers with an urban population of 950,000. Its comprehensive economic strength is second only to the provincial capital Changsha, ranking second in Hunan. Yueyang has successively been approved by the state as a riverside city open to the outside world, a national historical and cultural city, an outstanding tourist city of China, a national sanitary city, and a national garden city. Yueyang is the only riverside city in Hunan. It is located at the multi-dimensional intersection of one lake (Dongting Lake), two plains (Jianghan Plain and Dongting Lake Plain), three provinces (Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi), four rivers (Xiang River, Zi River, Yuan River, and Li River), and five lines (Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, Wuhan-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway, National Highway 107, and the Yangtze River). It is another "golden cross" in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River after Wuhan. In particular, the opening of the Dongting Lake Bridge has formed a convenient transportation network that "connects the east and links the west" and "runs through the north and south." In 1992, Yueyang was designated by the State Council as one of the first cities along the Yangtze River open to the outside world. Chenglingji Port was already the only port in Hunan open to the outside world with a customs office as early as the Qing Dynasty. In 1996, Chenglingji Port, one of the eight major deep-water ports on the Yangtze River, was officially approved by the National People's Congress to open to foreign vessels.

Yueyang Tourism

Yueyang Tower

A national AAAA-level tourist attraction, it is the only scenic spot in Hunan on the Yangtze River golden tourism route and the leading force of Yueyang's tourism industry.

Standing on the city wall of the west gate of Yueyang City, Hunan Province, by the shore of Dongting Lake, it has been praised since ancient times as "Dongting's waters under heaven, Yueyang Tower under heaven," and together with Tengwang Pavilion in Nanchang, Jiangxi, and Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan, Hubei, it is known as one of the three great towers of Jiangnan.

Yueyang Tower was developed over generations on the basis of the "Lu Su Military Review Tower" from the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Before the Tang Dynasty, its function was mainly military. From the Tang Dynasty onward, Yueyang Tower gradually became a famous place for tourists and talented literati of successive dynasties to sightsee and compose poems and prose. At that time, Baling City had already been renamed Yueyang City, and the Baling city tower was accordingly called Yueyang Tower. Fan Zhongyan's widely celebrated "Record of Yueyang Tower" in the Northern Song Dynasty made Yueyang Tower even more famous throughout the world. For thousands of years, countless men of letters have climbed here to view the scenic spot, lean on the railings to express their feelings, and record it in prose, chant it in poetry, and depict it in painting. Arts and crafts artists have also often used Yueyang Tower as a subject to portray the scenery of Dongting, making Yueyang Tower a theme repeatedly depicted and enduring in artistic creation.

The current Yueyang Tower was rebuilt in 1984, following the form of the one built in the sixth year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1880 AD). Climbing Yueyang Tower allows one to take in the lake and mountain scenery of the 800-li Dongting Lake.

Yueyang Tower is the only ancient building among the three great towers of Jiangnan that retains its original appearance, and its architectural artistic value is unparalleled. In January 1988, it was designated by the State Council as a major historical and cultural site protected at the national level, and in August of the same year it was listed as a national key scenic and historic area. In January 2001, it was approved as one of the first batch of national AAAA-level tourist attractions. It is the only scenic spot in Hunan on the Yangtze River golden tourism route, an important window for Yueyang's opening to the outside world, and the leading force of Yueyang's tourism industry.

Junshan

Junshan

Park

National AAAA-level Tourist Attraction

"Before reaching Jiangnan, one smiles first, facing Junshan from Yueyang Tower." Junshan is a small island in Dongting Lake, located southwest of Yueyang's urban area, 12 kilometers by water. Its total area is 0.98 square kilometers. It faces the ancient famous tower Yueyang Tower across the lake. It is a small island with an oval-shaped mountain body, high on both sides and low in the middle. There are 72 peaks of various sizes on the mountain.

Junshan, originally named Xiangshan, also known as Dongting Mountain, Dongting Junshan, Dongting Mountain, Hushan, etc., means a fairy cave dwelling. Junshan is surrounded by water on all sides and has beautiful scenery, and many myths and allusions have circulated here. Legend has it that Emperor Shun's two consorts, Ehuang and Nüying, once came here, and after death became goddesses of the Xiang River. Qu Yuan called them "Xiangjun," so later generations also called this mountain "Junshan." According to the "Baling County Annals," Junshan originally had thirty-six pavilions, forty-eight temples, five wells, four terraces, and many other famous historical sites. Those that have now been restored include the Tomb of the Two Consorts, Xiangfei Temple, Liuyi Well, Chuanshu Pavilion, Langyin Pavilion, and Feilai Bell. The newly built Dongting Villa, teahouses, and restaurants are exquisite and elegant, with a unique style.

Junshan is surrounded by water on all sides, with a mild climate, abundant rainfall, mist and clouds, and fertile soil, suitable for the growth of bamboo and tea trees. There are many varieties such as Luohan bamboo, spotted bamboo, square bamboo, solid bamboo, purple bamboo, dragon bamboo, plum blossom bamboo, and twin bamboo. It is said that the spots on the spotted bamboo were left when Emperor Shun's two consorts climbed the bamboo and wept bitterly. The specialty green tea produced on the island — Junshan Yinzhen — is renowned at home and abroad. Junshan Yinzhen tea was designated as a tribute as early as the Tang Dynasty, exclusively for emperors to drink. At the 1956 Leipzig World Expo, "Junshan Yinzhen" was praised as "gold inlaid with jade" and won a gold medal. It is now one of China's famous teas. The precious small animal on Junshan — the golden turtle — is not only for viewing but also a fine medicinal material.

Junshan has many beautiful and moving myths and legends, and exiled officials and poets of successive dynasties left many famous works here. For example, in Qu Yuan's "Nine Songs," there are "Xiangjun" and "Xiang Furen." Li Bai wrote, "The emperor's daughters went to Xiaoxiang and did not return, leaving only autumn grass in Dongting; lightly sweeping the bright lake opens a jade mirror, and the painting is Junshan." Junshan has been famous at home and abroad from ancient times to the present. Viewing the splendor of Yueyang Tower, bathed in the radiance of Dongting Lake, swallowing the clouds and rain of Wushan, gathering the rainbow garments of Hengyue, faintly a cave dwelling among the clouds, majestically a paradise on the water, eight hundred li of enchanting scenery, several thousand years of illustrious ancient sites — truly "the Penglai Palace is in the middle of the water" and "the painting is Junshan."

"Vapors steam over Cloud Dream Marsh, waves shake Yueyang City." This famous couplet by the Tang poet Meng Haoran made Yueyang known throughout China more than 1,000 years ago. The vast, misty eight-hundred-li Dongting and the surging eastward-flowing ten-thousand-li Yangtze have made Yueyang City magnificent in situation and enchanting in scenery. The world-famous Yueyang Tower, with a history of more than 1,600 years, is even more a brilliant pearl of the ancient city of Yueyang and a famous place visited and climbed by celebrities of successive dynasties.

In South Dongting Lake, there is a mountain surrounded by water on all sides, facing Yueyang Tower across the water. This is Junshan, which literati of successive dynasties loved to praise in song. Such a green mountain in the boundless lake water already appeared quiet and mysterious, and moreover so many myths and legends have been left here. Ehuang and Nüying dying for their husband, the First Emperor of Qin sealing the mountain, Emperor Wu of Han shooting the dragon, Liu Yi delivering the letter, and so on — Junshan has simply become a world of myths. These myths have been circulating for a very long time, bringing much mystery and romance to Junshan and Yueyang.

In a mountain hollow in the middle of the eastern foot of Junshan there is a well, and on the stone well railing is carved "Liuyi Well." Seeing this, one thinks of the famous legend "The Story of Liu Yi" written by the Tang literatus Li Chaowei. This legend tells a moving story: a scholar named Liu Yi, on his way home after failing the imperial examination, passed by the north bank of the Jing River in Shaanxi. There he met a shepherdess whose clothes were worn and whose expression was sorrowful. Liu Yi asked the woman why she was grieving. The woman said: she was originally the beloved daughter of the Dragon King of Dongting, married to the son of the Dragon King of the Jing River. Her husband was bewitched by a maidservant and often beat and insulted her. She told her parents-in-law, but they instead scolded her and punished her with hard labor. Jingyang and Dongting are thousands of li apart, and she wanted to ask Liu Yi to deliver a family letter on her behalf. Liu Yi deeply sympathized with the shepherdess's situation, asked clearly how to make contact, and then took the letter entrusted to him by the shepherdess and returned south.

After returning home, Liu Yi immediately came to Dongting Lake, entered the dragon palace according to the method the dragon girl had taught him, and gave the dragon girl's letter to the Dragon King of Dongting. After reading the letter, the Dragon King was very grieved. On the one hand, he warmly entertained Liu Yi and thanked him for his righteous delivery of the letter; on the other hand, he sent the letter into the inner palace for circulation. Unexpectedly, this letter made the Dragon King's female relatives weep bitterly, alarming the Dragon King's younger brother, the Lord of Qiantang. The Lord of Qiantang had a fierce temperament. When he heard of this matter, he was furious beyond control, transformed into a giant red dragon, and flew to Shaanxi, killed the son of the Dragon King of the Jing River, and brought the dragon girl back to Dongting Lake. The Dongting Dragon Palace was filled with rejoicing and held a grand banquet to thank Liu Yi. The Lord of Qiantang was outspoken and proposed marriage to Liu Yi, hoping he would marry the dragon girl and form a lasting marital bond. Liu Yi at first declined, fearing he would disturb the dragon girl, and later, seeing the dragon girl's beauty, somewhat regretted it. But he did not change his answer, and taking many treasures given by the Dragon King, he left Dongting Lake and went home.

After Liu Yi returned home, he sold some of the treasures the Dragon King had given him and immediately became enormously wealthy. He married several wives, all of whom unfortunately died young. Before long, he married a woman surnamed Lu. On the wedding day, when he returned to the bridal chamber and looked carefully, he felt that the woman Lu was very similar to the dragon girl. When they spoke, he realized she really was the dragon girl, who, longing for Liu Yi, had pretended to be a woman of the Lu family in order to marry him. Liu Yi was overjoyed, and from then on he and the dragon girl loved each other deeply and lived a happy and carefree life.

Dongting Lake

Dongting Lake below Yueyang Tower is a remnant of Cloud Dream Marsh from ancient times. Its surface is extremely broad, and since ancient times there has been the saying "eight hundred li of Dongting." Although its area is now already half of what it once was, it is still the second largest lake in the country, with misty waves and water and sky merging into one color. Fan Zhongyan described it as "holding distant mountains in its mouth and swallowing the Yangtze River, vast and mighty, stretching boundless."

When touring Dongting Lake, one must not miss the Three Rivers Mouth, where the Xiang River, Jing River, and Dongting Lake together flow into the rolling Yangtze River; seeing it broadens the mind. In addition, Junshan Island, Xianglu Peak, and the thousand-mu lotus pond are also well worth seeing. Jin'e Mountain has a long history and was a place contested by strategists in ancient times. In 1976 a park was built on this mountain. The park has now formed a cultural area with the east gate as the main axis, an amusement area with the north gate as the main axis, a flower and bonsai area centered on the south gate, a viewing area in the northeast corner, and a friendship garden and sightseeing area in the southwest and northwest corners.

Jin'e Mountain is currently the largest forest park in Yueyang's urban area. Here you can hear the legend of "the golden osprey fighting the ba snake," see Wenchang Pavilion, and take in the ancient city's appearance. The ancient building with blue bricks and green tiles — the Jin'e Confucius Academy — lets one experience the richness of traditional Chinese culture; the "Jin'e Pavilion" on the north side of the main peak, with winding corridors and towering pavilions, offers a panoramic view of Dongting scenery; the Kuixing Pavilion built on the east side is antique and exquisite.

Zhangguying Village

Zhangguying Village is located at the foot of Bijia Mountain in Weidong, east of Yueyang County. Experts believe that Zhangguying Village, with its large architectural scale, strange architectural style, and beautiful architectural art, can be called "the number one village under heaven," and it has existed for more than 500 years.

More than 500 years ago, the feng shui master Zhang Guying, in order to make a living, brought his family west from Jiangxi all the way here. Seeing that this place was surrounded by mountains, with layered peaks, dense forests and tall bamboo, and murmuring streams, a happy land suitable for living, he built a residence here and settled down. Later, his descendants multiplied and lived here, forming such a large residential complex with uneven pavilions, crisscrossing roads, roofs connected to roofs, and courtyards connected to courtyards. Zhang's descendants named their settlement Zhangguying Village after their first ancestor who migrated here.

Professor Wang Shaozhou of Tongji University in Shanghai said: Zhangguying Village can serve as a representative of the Han ethnic group living together as a clan. It integrates the essence of traditional Chinese culture, common people's consciousness, architectural art, and aesthetic taste, and has great value in Chinese and even world architectural history.

Wujian Mountain Forest Park

Located one kilometer west of Linxiang City, the gateway to northern Hunan, it is composed of five peaks: Jiaoding Mountain, Yingzui Mountain, Zhoujia Mountain, Wangcheng Mountain, and Magu Mountain. Wujian Mountain is very rich in forest resources, with more than 200 hectares of natural broad-leaved secondary forest, large areas of Chinese fir and sassafras plantations, and large tracts of bamboo forest; there are more than 300 hectares of pine forest, forming a multi-layered three-dimensional structure and gathering into a vast green sea of forest.

Five Wells at the Summit

Dayun Mountain is nearly 1,000 meters above sea level. At the summit there are five spring wells, which neither dry up nor overflow in all four seasons and are clear and sweet, and local people use them to treat illness.

Other Scenic Spots

Stone Carvings of Three Battles and Three Victories, Zushi Hall, Cishi Pagoda, Duxing Pavilion, Du Fu's Tomb, Miluo River, Qu Yuan Stele Forest, Yusi Mountain, Zhaohun Hall, Baoci Temple, Huarong Martyrs' Cemetery, Sipailou

Yushan Scenic Area, Huxin Island, Laolong Pond, Lingque Mouth, Four Stone Pagodas, Yaogu Mountain, Ci'en Pagoda, Lu Su's Tomb, Sanyan Bridge, Confucian Temple, Dayun Mountain National Forest Park, Yueyang Amusement Park

Former Residence of Comrade Ren Bishi, Pingjiang Uprising Memorial Hall, Quzi Temple, Xianren Hall

2007 Economy

In 2007, the Yueyang Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government fully implemented the Scientific Outlook on Development, earnestly practiced the governing and development concept of people-oriented Yueyang, accelerated the process of new industrialization, and promoted "sound and rapid" economic and social development. Total economic volume grew strongly, economic efficiency improved comprehensively, the economic structure was significantly optimized, urban and rural environments were improved, residents' living standards continued to rise, and social undertakings developed in a coordinated manner, showing development characteristics of the "pre-economic takeoff" stage and marking that Yueyang's economy and society had entered a new stage of "comprehensive acceleration and faster development."

I. Overall Development Trend

Economic growth rate continued to rise. In 2007, the city completed a GDP of 91.584 billion yuan, an increase of 15.2% over the previous year, with the growth rate 2.8 percentage points higher than the same period of the previous year and 0.8 percentage points higher than the provincial level. It maintained double-digit growth for eight consecutive years, setting a new high in nearly 30 years. Among this, the added value of the primary industry was 17.684 billion yuan, up 5.4%; the added value of the secondary industry was 44.463 billion yuan, up 19.2%; and the added value of the tertiary industry was 29.437 billion yuan, up 14.8%. Calculated by permanent resident population, per capita GDP reached 17,826 yuan, up 14.7%, 3,421 yuan higher than the provincial level.

The pulling force of the secondary industry continued to strengthen. The industrial structure was 19.3:48.6:32.1. Compared with the previous year, the primary industry and secondary industry rose by 1 and 0.7 percentage points respectively, while the tertiary industry fell by 1.7 percentage points. The added value of the primary industry pulled GDP growth by 1 percentage point; the added value of the secondary industry pulled GDP growth by 9.2 percentage points; and the added value of the tertiary industry pulled GDP growth by 5 percentage points. The secondary industry became the main driving force for economic growth.

The proportion of high-tech industries increased. In 2007, the city had 98 high-tech industrial enterprises, realizing an added value of 7.912 billion yuan, up 49.8%; sales revenue of 24.561 billion yuan, up 36.2%; profits and taxes from high-tech products of 2.701 billion yuan, up 51.5%; and total profits of 1.694 billion yuan, up 50.9%. The added value of high-tech industry accounted for 8.6% of GDP, 1.4 percentage points higher than the same period of the previous year.

The ownership structure was improved. The city's non-public economy realized an added value of 47.403 billion yuan, up 18.6%, accounting for 51.8% of the city's GDP, 5.8 percentage points higher than the previous year; completed industrial added value of 23.048 billion yuan, up 26.5%, accounting for 56.5% of the city's industrial added value; and completed tax revenue of 2.38 billion yuan, up 42.2%, accounting for 39.1% of the city's fiscal revenue, 5.2 percentage points higher than the previous year.

Regional economies developed in a coordinated manner. The economy of units directly under the city and those affiliated with the central and provincial governments realized an added value of 21.599 billion yuan, accounting for 23.6% of the city's total GDP, down 1.4 percentage points from the previous year; the district and street economy (Louqu, Yunxi, Junshan, the Economic Development Zone, and Nanhu Scenic Area) realized an added value of 20.216 billion yuan, accounting for 22.1% of the city's total GDP, up 0.1 percentage points from the previous year; and the county economy (6 counties and cities, and Quyuan District) realized an added value of 49.769 billion yuan, accounting for 54.3% of the city's total GDP, up 1.3 percentage points from the previous year.

The quality of the fiscal and tax structure improved. The city completed a total fiscal revenue of 6.087 billion yuan, up 23.3% over the previous year. General budget revenue was 3.51 billion yuan, up 22.0%, of which tax revenue was 2.065 billion yuan, up 22.5%, accounting for 58.8% of general budget revenue, 0.2 percentage points higher than the same period of the previous year. Of the total fiscal revenue, national tax revenue was 3.068 billion yuan, up 25.0%, and local tax revenue was 1.528 billion yuan, up 24.9%. Fiscal revenue accounted for 6.7% of GDP. Total fiscal expenditure was 8.483 billion yuan, up 40.2%.

III. Urban and Rural Construction

Fixed asset investment grew rapidly. The whole year saw completed fixed asset investment of 32.043 billion yuan, up 35.6% over the previous year, of which fixed asset investment above the town level was 24.823 billion yuan, up 35.1%, and rural fixed asset investment was 5.526 billion yuan, up 36.0%.

IV. Cultural Undertakings

Scientific and technological strength continued to increase. In 2007, the city's expenditure on scientific research and experimental development (R&D) was 520 million yuan, up 65.5% over the previous year, accounting for 0.57% of GDP. Of this, investment in the three science and technology funds was 14.3 million yuan, up 16.9%. A total of 433 patent applications were filed and 130 patents were granted during the year, up 20.6% and 13.2% respectively; 367 technology contracts were signed, with a contracted transaction value of 90 million yuan. A total of 25 scientific and technological achievements at or above the provincial and ministerial level were obtained during the year. Among them, there were 2 basic theoretical achievements, 21 applied technology achievements, and 2 soft science achievements. There were 9 product testing laboratories, including 1 national testing center, 7 legal metrology technical institutions, and 55,683 units (pieces) of measuring instruments subject to compulsory verification.

Education developed comprehensively. In 2007, at the end of the year, the city's regular higher education institutions enrolled 14,500 students, with 41,700 students enrolled and 8,400 graduates; various types of secondary vocational education enrolled 32,200 students, with 79,300 students enrolled and 20,000 graduates; regular senior high schools enrolled 37,300 students, with 105,700 students enrolled and 31,600 graduates; regular junior high schools enrolled 60,300 students, with 197,300 students enrolled; primary schools had 338,200 students enrolled, and kindergartens had 65,600 children enrolled. The enrollment rate of school-age children in primary schools was 100.0%; the enrollment rate of the school-age population in junior high schools reached 99.94%, the consolidation rate of junior high school students was 98.88%; and the dropout rate of students was 1.12%.

Cultural undertakings became increasingly prosperous. At the end of 2007, the city had 10 art performance troupes, 10 cultural centers, 6 museums, 8 public libraries, and 3 newspaper publications; the city's radio broadcasting population coverage rate was 95.8%; and the city's television population coverage rate was 96.1%.

Health facilities continued to improve. At the end of the year, the city had 287 various types of medical and health institutions, including 257 hospitals and health centers, with 11,300 beds. There were 23 specialized prevention and treatment stations (institutes), 11 disease prevention and control institutions, 10 maternal and child health care institutions, 6 health supervision institutions, and 166 township health centers. At the end of the year, the city had 18,400 health workers. The city had 5,742 licensed physicians and licensed assistant physicians, and 3,277 registered nurses.

Sports undertakings developed steadily. At the end of the year, the city had 51 sports venues, including 28 sports fields and 9 gymnasiums, and won 98 awards in provincial competitions.

V. People's Livelihood

The total population grew at a low rate. At the end of 2007, the total population was 5.4294 million, and the natural population growth rate was 4.7‰.

Residents' income continued to rise. In 2007, the city's per capita disposable income of urban residents was 13,603 yuan, up 16.0% over the previous year, and the per capita net income of rural residents was 4,325 yuan, up 11.6% over the previous year.

The upgrading of the consumption structure of urban and rural residents accelerated. The city's per capita consumption expenditure of urban residents was 9,978 yuan, up 12.8%. Of this, transportation and communication expenditure was 871 yuan, up 9.5%; tourism consumption expenditure was 401 yuan, up 31.9%; and housing purchase and construction expenditure was 220 yuan, up 22.2%; the Engel coefficient of urban residents was 33.2%, up 1.6 percentage points over the previous year. The per capita housing usable area of urban residents was 30.1 square meters, an increase of 5.78 square meters over the previous year.

The per capita total living consumption expenditure of rural residents was 3,633.1 yuan, up 9.4%.

Yueyang is a thriving industrial city on the rise. The city has more than 2,000 industrial enterprises, including more than 90 large and medium-sized enterprises. The total industrial output value is 52.4 billion yuan. Six major industrial pillars have initially taken shape: chemicals, building materials, refrigeration, paper, feed, and pharmaceuticals. There is the largest petrochemical enterprise in central-south China, Baling Petrochemical Company (annual output value of 16.8 billion yuan, annual sales of 16.6 billion yuan), and Changlian Group Company (annual output value of 15.5 billion yuan, annual sales of 14.5 billion yuan); the largest ramie textile enterprise in Asia, Dongting Ramie Textile Printing and Dyeing Mill (annual output value of 200 million yuan, annual sales of 180 million yuan); the largest bus air-conditioning manufacturer in the country, Hengli Company (annual output value of 180 million yuan, annual sales of 200 million yuan); one of the top ten paper mills in the country, Yueyang Paper Group (annual output value of 2.5 billion yuan, annual sales of 2.47 billion yuan); and Hunan's largest thermal power plant, Huaneng Yueyang Power Plant (annual output value of 1.2 billion yuan, annual sales of 1.2 billion yuan). In recent years, six companies—Yueyang Hengli, Zhenghong Technology, Yueyang Xingchang, Tianyi Technology, Yueyang Paper, and Tianrun Development—have successfully gone public, becoming a vital force in Yueyang's economic development.

Yueyang is rich in resources and is a long-renowned base for products. The city has 5.42 million mu of water surface, and its total water resources rank first in the province. More than 60 kinds of minerals are deposited within its territory, especially abundant reserves of rare metals and non-metallic minerals. Among them, monazite reserves rank first in the country. High-quality kaolin reserves exceed 100 million tons. Yueyang is not only one of the country's three major "homes of rare metals," but also a national production base for grain, cotton, oil crops, and hogs, with four counties and cities among the country's top 100 counties in grain, cotton, and hog production. The city's total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery is 13.9 billion yuan. The output of major agricultural products such as grain, cotton, oil crops, and hogs ranks among the top in the province. Aquatic product output has ranked first in the province for 11 consecutive years. Yangtze River hairy crab, Dongting green shrimp, and Xiangyun crucian (carp) have become three distinctive brands in the city's aquaculture industry. The output value of famous, excellent, and special aquatic products accounts for more than half of the total aquatic product value. Rare fish also include Chinese sturgeon, silverfish, and soft-shelled turtle.

Yueyang is also a famous tourist and cultural city. Here there is the vast and boundless, ever-changing Dongting Lake; the Yueyang Tower, whose fame has endured through the ages; Junshan, the fairy island in the lake, associated with speckled bamboo shedding tears and Liu Yi delivering a letter; and revolutionary memorial sites such as the former site of the Pingjiang Uprising led by Peng Dehuai and the former residence of Ren Bishi. It can be called a integration of famous mountains, famous waters, famous towers, famous people, and famous writings. In 1994, it was listed as a National Historical and Cultural City, and in 1998 it was among the first batch to enter the ranks of China's Excellent Tourist Cities. It receives more than 4.5 million Chinese and foreign tourists annually, with tourism revenue of 1.02 billion yuan.

Since reform and opening up, Yueyang's economic and social development has entered the "fast lane." Party and state leaders have paid great attention to Yueyang's construction and development. Jiang Zemin, Li Peng, Zhu Rongji, Li Ruihuan, Li Lanqing, and others successively visited Yueyang to inspect and guide its work, giving the people of Yueyang great spiritual encouragement. It has successively been designated by the state as a pilot city for comprehensive supporting reforms and a pilot city for optimizing capital structure, and has been rated as an advanced city in national civilized city construction, an advanced city in invigorating the city through science and education, and an advanced city in civilization and hygiene. Economic growth has continued to rise.

Yueyang is a golden treasure land most suitable for developing large-volume, large-water-consuming industrial projects. Vertically through the urban area, the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, National Highway 107, the Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway, and the Wuhan-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway under planning and construction run parallel; horizontally, the Yangtze River golden waterway runs east to the sea, the Dongting Lake Bridge connects eastern Badong and western Hubei, and the Ningbo-Zhangmu and Suizhou-Yueyang expressways are under planning and construction; Chenglingji Port is a first-class port open to foreign vessels. Along a 30-kilometer stretch of the Yangtze River are distributed a number of large enterprises such as Changling Refinery, Baling Petrochemical, Yueyang Paper, and Huaneng Power Plant, making this the largest petrochemical industrial base in central-south China, the country's largest newsprint production base, and Hunan's largest thermal power plant.

Yueyang has the basic conditions to absorb large projects and large investments. During the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" period, the two major petrochemical enterprises invested more than 10 billion yuan, expanded crude oil processing capacity to more than 10 million tons, and added expansion and renovation projects for advantageous products such as polypropylene, caprolactam, cyclohexanone, and SBS, with sales revenue reaching more than 50 billion yuan. Around chemical front-end and back-end processing, supporting projects around the large plants and developing a circular economy offer great prospects. During the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" period, Yueyang Paper added a 300,000-ton white card paper project, and the whole city can form a papermaking scale of 1 million tons. Building papermaking projects in the Dongting Lake reed marshes and mountains and forests is uniquely advantageous. Yueyang has the conditions to become a major city in electric power and energy. The second phase of the Huaneng Power Plant under construction can be put into operation ahead of schedule in October 2005. Efforts are being made to add Huaneng Phase III, pumped-storage power generation, wind power generation, and nuclear power generation, with great development potential, and a scale of more than 10 million kilowatts of installed capacity can be formed. Yueyang also has advantageous industries and enterprises such as advanced machinery manufacturing, biomedicine, textiles, and new materials, which have become the leading force in advancing industrialization.

Yueyang is a green base most suitable for developing the production and processing of high-quality agricultural products. Yueyang has long been known as a "land of fish and rice." The two major fields of processing and breeding that embody the characteristics of modern agriculture have formed scale and brands: aquatic product output ranks first in Hunan, and improved-breed hogs, high-quality cotton, high-quality fruits, pollution-free vegetables, and Junshan Yinzhen organic tea sell well at home and abroad. Cattle, sheep, and other breeding show good momentum. In recent years, the city has intensified efforts to promote agricultural industrialization and introduced and launched a number of large processing projects. At present, the city has more than 1,165 agricultural product processing enterprises with an annual output value of more than 500,000 yuan, of which 22 exceed 100 million yuan. Twelve enterprises, including Zhenghong Feed and Lanling Tea, have entered the ranks of national and provincial leading enterprises in agricultural industrialization.

Yueyang is a popular place most suitable for developing tourism. Beautiful mountain and water scenery and profound Huxiang culture enhance each other. The 800-li Dongting Lake is vast and mighty, and Yueyang Tower is renowned at home and abroad. The timeless line in "Record of Yueyang Tower," "Be the first to worry about the troubles of the world and the last to enjoy its pleasures," has become the essence of the Chinese national spirit. Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River to sacrifice himself for his country, leaving immortal poems such as "Li Sao," and Yueyang thus became the birthplace of Chinese dragon boat culture. Here there are also Junshan Island, praised as "a green snail in a silver plate," Zhang Guying Village, an ancient architectural complex of the Ming and Qing dynasties praised as "the number one village under heaven," and Qianjiadong, the site of the ancestors of the Yao people, and other cultural landscapes, with profound cultural heritage; there are the East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve, listed under the United Nations Wetland Convention, the lotus-filled Tuanhu Lake, the Danxia wonder Shiniuzhai, and the resort destination Mufu Mountain, and other natural scenery full of poetic charm; and there are revolutionary memorial sites such as the former site of the Pingjiang Uprising and the former residence of Ren Bishi, covered with red footprints. With the acceleration of urbanization, the city's streets form a network, the outer trunk roads form a ring, and the entry and exit passages form spectacular scenery, making Yueyang even more beautiful.

Yueyang is an economic hinterland most suitable for developing commerce, trade, and circulation. It occupies a pivotal position in the westward and northward movement of the two major economic circles of the "Yangtze River Delta" and the "Pearl River Delta," and is at the center of the metropolitan economic circles of Changsha, Wuhan, and Nanchang. Large-scale flows of people and goods from all parts of Hunan reaching the sea via rivers and from the vast areas of the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River going south all need to transit through Yueyang, giving it the advantage of large inflows and outflows and large concentrations and dispersals of various production factors. The vast number of merchants investing in the tertiary industry, especially emerging service industries, real estate, and infrastructure projects, have a broad market.

Historical Evolution

Yueyang was called "Tongqu" in ancient times, and its transportation conditions are very superior. Located at the intersection of Dongting Lake and the Yangtze River, the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, and National Highway 107, it has the combined transportation advantage of rail, road, and water. Going downstream along the Yangtze River by water, 5,000-ton vessels can pass through Wuhan, Nanjing, Shanghai, and connect to the sea, making it an important transportation route in central-south and southwest China. Chenglingji Foreign Trade Wharf is renowned at home and abroad.

Yueyang has long been known as the "Gateway to Northern Hunan" and historically has been a place contested by strategists.

Brilliant historical culture. Yueyang has a long history. In the Neolithic Age, people lived and multiplied here. During the Xia and Shang dynasties, this was the territory of Jingzhou and the land of the Sanmiao. In the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, it belonged to Chu. In the fiftieth year of King Jing of Zhou (505 BC), Ximi City was built here, which was the beginning of city construction within the territory. When Qin annexed the six states, most of present-day Yueyang belonged to Luo County of Changsha Commandery. In the Western Han dynasty, it belonged to Xiajun County of Changsha State. In the fifteenth year of Jian'an (210 AD), Sun Quan of Eastern Wu established Hanchang Commandery at Jinpuguan southeast of present-day Pingjiang County, which was the beginning within Yueyang's territory. At the time of the Three Kingdoms, Eastern Wu sent General Hengjiang Lu Su to lead ten thousand troops to station here and build Baqiu Di'ge City. In the first year of Taikang of Emperor Wu of Jin (280), Baling County was established. In the first year of Yuankang of Emperor Hui (291 AD), Baling Commandery was established. The commandery seat was set in Baling City, and from then on the Yueyang urban area has always served as a commandery seat. In the tenth year of Yuanjia of the Liu Song dynasty of the Southern Dynasties (439 AD), Baling Commandery was established. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, commanderies and counties were streamlined, Baling Commandery was abolished, and Bazhou was established. In the eleventh year of Kaihuang of Sui (591 AD), Bazhou was changed to Yuezhou. In 1276 AD, Yuezhou was changed to Yuezhou Route. In 1369, Yuezhou Route was changed to Yuezhou Prefecture. In 1899, the Qing government opened Yuezhou as a treaty port. In the second year of the Republic of China (1913 AD), Baling County was changed to Yueyang County.

In October 1964, the Yueyang Prefectural Office was established. In December 1975, the Yueyang City organizational system was restored, under the jurisdiction of Yueyang Prefecture. In 1983, Yueyang City was upgraded to a provincially administered city, and in February 1986, the city-administering-county system was implemented.

Yueyang City currently administers six counties (cities): Miluo City, Linxiang City, Yueyang County, Pingjiang County, Xiangyin County, and Huarong County. Four districts: Yueyanglou District, Junshan District, Yunxi District, and Quyuan Administrative District. The CPC Yueyang Municipal Committee is located on Nanhu Avenue, and the Yueyang Municipal People's Government is located on Jin'e East Road.

Yueyang is a place inhabited by many ethnic groups. By the end of 2002, the city's population was 5.24 million.

Yueyang not only has a long history, but also a brilliant culture. Since ancient times, on this magical land, many people with lofty ideals and heroes have emerged, and many moving stories have been passed down.

The great patriotic poet Qu Yuan, when his ideals were shattered and he chose death to defy the forces of evil, selected the Miluo River on Yueyang's land as his final resting place. From then on, the Miluo River, whose 'waters roar down to Dongting day and night,' has forever carried a solemn and stirring heroic spirit. Du Fu, the sage of poetry, dragging his sick and broken body, paid homage at the Qu Yuan Temple and ascended the Yueyang Tower, writing the famous poem 'Climbing the Yueyang Tower.' Not long after, he died of illness in Pingjiang County within Yueyang's territory. Other renowned poets such as Li Bai, Han Yu, Bai Juyi, Meng Haoran, Lu You, and Ouyang Xiu also came to Yueyang one after another to compose poems and prose, leaving behind many moving works.

Fan Zhongyan of the Song Dynasty brought the poetic celebration of Yueyang to its climax. His 'Record of the Yueyang Tower' became a masterpiece for the ages, and the lines 'Be the first to bear the world's worries, and the last to enjoy its pleasures' became the noble sentiment of countless people of conscience who cared for their country and its people.

Yueyang also has many moving legends—the two consorts weeping for Shun, the legend of Liu Yi—which have draped this land in a magical aura. Yueyang was also a place where many heroes galloped across the stage during the Three Kingdoms period. The uprising of Zhong Xiang and Yang Yao made Junshan Island their main base, staging scene after scene of tragic historical drama. Comrade Peng Dehuai, a revolutionary of the older generation of proletarians, launched a massive uprising in Pingjiang, making Yueyang one of the birthplaces of modern revolution. Due to its long history and splendid culture, Yueyang possesses numerous scenic spots and historical sites, as well as rich and diverse tourism resources. The city has 18 natural landscapes, 67 ancient temples and towers, 20 ancient pagodas, 42 ancient ruins, 42 ancient tombs, 6 former residences of notable figures, and 4 revolutionary memorial sites—227 in total. These tourism resources have three characteristics: First, high renown. There is the Yueyang Tower, towering over the south of the Yangtze and unmatched through the ages; the Qu Yuan Temple, commemorating the self-drowning of Qu Yuan, one of the world's four great cultural figures; Junshan Island, famous at home and abroad and shaped like a green snail; Dongting Lake, where water and sky merge into one and wind and moon know no bounds; and the South Lake Scenic Area, comparable to Geneva. Second, the scenic spots are relatively concentrated. The various tourist attractions are basically distributed naturally with the city center as the core and extending outward. In-city attractions account for nearly half of all the city's attractions, and the other tourist spots are distributed around the urban area, with the farthest being no more than 100 kilometers away. This is an extremely favorable condition for developing a regional economy. Third, the potential is great. Of the city's 227 tourist attractions, over 50 have already been developed, and many more can still be developed.

Pre-Qin to Qin and Han Dynasties

The area now known as Yueyang was already inhabited more than 3,000 years ago. During the Xia and Shang dynasties, it belonged to the territory of Jingzhou and the land of the Sanmiao. In the Spring and Autumn period, it belonged to Chu and was also the land of the two states of Mi and Luo; during the Warring States period, it remained Chu territory. During the reign of King Jing of Zhou, the Western Mi City was built here, marking the beginning of city construction within Yueyang's territory. When Qin conquered the six states and implemented the system of commanderies and counties, most of Yueyang belonged to Luo County of Changsha Commandery. During the Western Han, present-day Yueyang, Linxiang, Pingjiang, Xiangyin, and Miluo belonged respectively to Xiajun County and Luo County under the Changsha Kingdom (formerly Changsha Commandery), while present-day Huarong County belonged to ancient Huarong County of Nan Commandery and Chanling County of Wuling Commandery. During the Eastern Han, the Changsha Kingdom was changed to Changsha Commandery, and the eastern part of Luo County—present-day Pingjiang—was separated to establish Hanchang County. In the fifteenth year of Jian'an of the Eastern Han (210 CE), Sun Quan established Hanchang Commandery from Hanchang, Xiajun, and other counties, with the commandery seat at Jinpu Temple in present-day Pingjiang County—this was the beginning of Yueyang's establishment as a commandery. In the first year of Huanglong (229 CE), the southern part of Chanling County—present-day Huarong County—was separated to establish Nan'an County, and Hanchang Commandery was abolished, with Hanchang County renamed Wuchang County. Later, Lu Su built Baqiu City here.

The Two Jin Dynasties Period

In the first year of Taikang during the reign of Emperor Wu of Jin (280 CE), the western part of Xiajun County—present-day Yueyang and Linxiang—was separated to establish Baling County. In the first year of Yuankang during the reign of Emperor Hui (291 CE), the northern part of Changsha Commandery was separated to newly establish Jianchang Commandery, governing four counties—Puxi, Xiajun, Wuchang, and Baling—with the commandery seat at Baling County town. Nan'an County, however, belonged to Nanping Commandery (formerly Nan Commandery). In the first year of Xiankang (335 CE), Jianchang Commandery was abolished and merged back into Changsha Commandery. In the sixteenth year of Yuanjia of the Liu Song of the Southern Dynasties (439 CE), the northern part of Changsha Commandery—Baling, Puxi, and Xiajun counties—along with Shayang County of Jiangxia Commandery were separated to establish Baling Commandery. The commandery seat was set at Baling City, and from then on the Yueyang urban area has continuously served as a commandery seat. However, Wuchang and Luo counties still belonged to Changsha Commandery, and An'nan County (formerly Nan'an County) still belonged to Nanping Commandery. Later, Luo County and other areas were separated to establish Xiangyin County, which belonged to Changsha Commandery during the Qi dynasty. During the Liang dynasty, Luo County and Wuchang County were further separated to newly establish Yushan County, Yueyang County (not the present-day Yueyang County), and Hubin County, and these five counties along with Xiangyin County were organized into Yueyang Commandery. The commandery seat was set at Yueyang (present-day Changle Town, Miluo).

Sui and Tang Dynasties Period

In the ninth year of Kaihuang during the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui (589 CE), commanderies were abolished in favor of prefectures; Wuchang County and Hubin County were abolished and merged into Luo County; Yueyang Commandery was also abolished, Yushan County and Xiangyin County were merged into Yueyang County, and Yueyang County was renamed Xiangyin County. Baling Commandery was also abolished and established as Bazhou. In the eleventh year of Kaihuang of Sui (591 CE), Bazhou was renamed Yuezhou. In the eighteenth year of Kaihuang (598 CE), An'nan County was renamed Huarong County, subordinate to Yuezhou, and Huarong was thus included within Yueyang's scope. At this point, Yuezhou governed five counties—Baling, Luo, Xiangyin, Huarong, and Yuanjiang—and all of present-day Yueyang's counties (cities) were under a single prefecture. During the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Luo County was merged into Xiangyin County. During the reign of Emperor Zhongzong, the eastern part of Xiangyin was separated to establish Changjiang County, still under Yuezhou. During the Five Dynasties, Later Tang changed Changjiang to Pingjiang County.

Song and Yuan Dynasties Period

During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Song, Xiangyin County was transferred to Tanzhou. Soon after, the northeastern part of Baling County was separated to establish Wangchao County, later renamed Linxiang County, still under Yuezhou. During the reign of Emperor Zhezong, Yuanjiang County was transferred to Dingzhou, and Yuezhou governed four counties: Baling, Linxiang, Pingjiang, and Huarong. In the twenty-fifth year of Shaoxing (1155 CE), because Qin Hui disliked that the name Yuezhou shared the same character as Yue Fei's surname, Yuezhou was renamed Chunzhou, but the old name was soon restored. In the thirteenth year of Zhiyuan of the Yuan dynasty (1276 CE), Yuezhou was changed to Yuezhou Circuit. Only Xiangyin belonged to Tanzhou.

Ming and Qing Dynasties Period

In the second year of Hongwu during the reign of Emperor Taizu of Ming (1369 CE), Yuezhou Circuit was changed to Yuezhou Prefecture. In the thirtieth year of Hongwu (1397 CE), Lizhou (governing Anxiang, Shimen, Cili, and other counties), which was under Changde Prefecture, was transferred to Yuezhou Prefecture. During the Qing dynasty, it was still called Yuezhou Prefecture. During the reign of Emperor Yongzheng, because Yuezhou Prefecture was vast in territory with Dongting Lake separating it in the middle, and there were concerns about being unable to govern effectively from afar, Lizhou to the west of the lake was separated out. The Qing adopted a four-tier system of province, circuit, prefecture, and county. Hunan Province established four circuits, and Yuezhou Prefecture belonged to the Yue-Chang-Li Circuit. In the twenty-fifth year of Guangxu (1899 CE), yielding to British pressure, the Qing government opened Yuezhou as a treaty port and moved the Yue-Chang-Li Circuit, originally stationed at Changde, to Yuezhou.

Republic of China Period

In the second year of the Republic of China (1913), prefectures were abolished and counties retained; Baling County was renamed Yueyang County. In the fifth year of the Republic (1916), the province was divided into three circuits, and Yueyang, Linxiang, Pingjiang, Xiangyin (including present-day Miluo), and Huarong counties all belonged to Xiangjiang Circuit. In the eleventh year of the Republic (1922), the circuit system was abolished, and all counties were directly subordinate to Hunan Province. In December of the twenty-sixth year of the Republic (1937), Hunan established nine administrative inspection districts (later increased to ten). The First Administrative Inspection District was stationed at Yueyang, governing ten counties: Yueyang, Linxiang, Pingjiang, Xiangyin, Changsha, Liuyang, Xiangtan, Liling, Yiyang, and Ningxiang (later adjusted to eight counties, with Yiyang and Ningxiang removed). Huarong County belonged to the Fourth Administrative Inspection District.

People's Republic of China Period

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Hunan Province was divided into ten commissioner's offices. Yueyang, Linxiang, Pingjiang, and Xiangyin belonged to the Changsha Commissioner's Office, while Huarong County belonged to the Changde Commissioner's Office (later transferred to the Yiyang Commissioner's Office). In 1952, the Changsha Commissioner's Office was renamed the Xiangtan Commissioner's Office. In 1960, Yueyang City was established from Yueyang County, abolished in 1962, and merged back into Yueyang County. In 1964, Yueyang, Pingjiang, Linxiang, and Xiangyin were separated from the Xiangtan Commissioner's Office, and Huarong County from the Yiyang Commissioner's Office, to establish the Yueyang Commissioner's Office, stationed at Yueyang. In 1966, the eastern part of Xiangyin County was separated to establish Miluo County. In 1970, the Yueyang Commissioner's Office was renamed Yueyang Region, still stationed at Yueyang County. In 1975, Yueyang City was restored, belonging to Yueyang Region. In October 1981, Yueyang County was abolished and merged into Yueyang City. In February 1983, Yueyang City was upgraded to a prefecture-level city directly under the province; Yueyang County was re-established; Yueyang Region was abolished, and its four counties—Miluo, Pingjiang, Huarong, and Linxiang—were placed under Yueyang City; Xiangyin County was placed under Changsha City. In July of the same year, Yueyang Region was restored, governing Xiangyin County from Changsha City and the four counties of Miluo, Pingjiang, Huarong, and Linxiang from Yueyang City, stationed at Yueyang City. In 1984, Yueyang City established three districts: South District, North District, and Suburban District. In January 1986, Yueyang Region was abolished, implementing city-administering-county system, and the counties of the former region were placed under Yueyang City. In 1987, Miluo County was abolished and changed to Miluo City. In 1992, Linxiang County was abolished and Linxiang City was established. In 1996, the urban area was expanded, the South District and Suburban District were abolished, and Yueyang Tower District and Junshan District were established; the North District was renamed Yunxi District.

Transportation Conditions

At present, the city has formed a transportation network linking water routes, railways, and highways.

Water Routes: Yueyang is an important stop on Yangtze River shipping. Chenglingji Port on the north side of the urban area is the largest port in Hunan. Departing from Shangli, one can go upstream to Chongqing or downstream to Shanghai.

Railways: The old Yueyang Railway Station is on Xianfeng Road. In the 1990s, a new railway station was built at the northernmost end of Nanhu Avenue, the city's north-south thoroughfare. The Beijing-Guangzhou Railway runs through Yueyang. Yueyang Station has over 20 passenger trains daily departing for Changsha, Zhuzhou, Hengyang, Chenzhou, Guangzhou, Lingling, Guilin, Liuzhou, Zhanjiang, Nanning, Wuhan, Zhengzhou, Beijing, Xi'an, Lanzhou, and other places. Taking the K588 air-conditioned train from Changsha Railway Station at 6:42 AM, one can arrive in Yueyang by 8:26.

City Transportation: Buses No. 10 and No. 15 go directly to the Yueyang Tower. Lake tour boats operate from March to November each year, boarding at the Yueyang Tower pier.

Transportation Development Plan

The overall goal of transportation development during the 'Eleventh Five-Year Plan' is 'three priorities and one adaptation.' Prioritize the construction of the main highway skeleton network, completing the construction and renovation of the 'five vertical and six horizontal' routes; prioritize the construction of county-to-township highways and rural access and smooth traffic projects, achieving the goal of asphalt (cement) roads in every township, with over 80% of village roads hardened; prioritize the renovation of the old Chenglingji port area and the construction of the new Songyang Lake operation area, leveraging the advantage of connecting to the sea via the river, improving port service functions, and initially building a modern shipping and logistics hub city. Ensure that by 2010, transportation basically meets the requirements of economic and social development.

—Highway network construction. The five-year plan has a total investment of 9.49 billion yuan. Build five new expressways—Suiyue, Yuechang, Yuetan, Yueru, and Yuejiu—with a total length of 143 kilometers; build and renovate 8 national and provincial roads with a total length of 600 kilometers; upgrade and renovate 43 important economic trunk lines with a total length of 721 kilometers; reconstruct and expand 52 general county roads totaling 673 kilometers, 2,807 kilometers of township roads, and 5,788 kilometers of village roads; continue and newly build the Linzikou Bridge, Miluo River Bridge, Nianyuxu Bridge, Meitianhu Bridge, and Liulinjiang Bridge. By 2010, the city's total highway mileage will reach 8,524 kilometers, with a road network density of 56.92 kilometers per hundred square kilometers; the proportion of graded highways will rise from 59.5% at the end of the 'Tenth Five-Year Plan' to 87%, and the proportion of highways above Grade II will rise from 9% to 14%; all national and provincial road ferries will be converted to bridges.

—Port and waterway construction. The five-year plan has a total investment of 950 million yuan. Renovate Chenglingji Port to give full play to its role as the main hub port in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and Hunan's only open port; complete the first and second phases of the Songyang Lake New Port operation area, forming an annual transport capacity of 300,000 TEUs of containers and 8 million tons of bulk cargo; adjust the urban port shoreline plan, enhance the service functions of the six major port areas, strengthen the dredging and management of inland waterways, and strive to build the city into a strong water transport city for the province and even the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. By 2010, the city will add 27 new wharf berths, port cargo throughput will reach 35 million tons, and foreign trade import and export cargo volume will reach 2.4 million tons.

—Passenger and freight station construction. Invest 560 million yuan to establish and improve the high-speed transport service network and rural passenger transport network. Focus on building two Grade I bus stations in Yueyang urban area and four county-level bus passenger stations in Pingjiang, Xiangyin, Yunxi, and Yueyang County, raising the grade of passenger stations. Attach importance to rural road passenger transport development, with 80% of townships basically having graded passenger stations and 80% of administrative villages having stop signs or waiting pavilions. The rural passenger transport route coverage rate will be 100% for townships and over 80% for administrative villages. At the same time, accelerate the construction of road freight stations and logistics distribution centers, building 12 Grade III or above highway freight stations.

—Road and water transport. Further optimize the transport capacity structure, organizational structure, and operational structure, and fully complete the restructuring of professional transport enterprises. The proportion of medium and high-grade buses in operating buses will increase by 12%; the proportion of specialized trucks in operating trucks will increase by 20%, and heavy-duty vehicles by 30%; the concentration of long-distance passenger and freight markets will increase by 15%. Develop large vessels, specialized vessels, and standard vessels, form a foreign trade transport fleet adapted to port economy development, and build a transport platform connecting rivers to the sea.

—Railway construction. Wuhan-Guangzhou Passenger Dedicated Line: The Wuhan-Guangzhou Passenger Dedicated Line starts from the newly built Wuhan Station in the north and ends at the new Guangzhou Station in the south, with a main line length of 968 kilometers. It will be completed and open to traffic by the end of 2010. The speed will reach about 350 kilometers per hour, and the journey from Yueyang to Guangzhou will take only 3.5 hours.

Jingyue Railway: The planned Jingyue Railway has a total length of 180 kilometers, starting from Shashi Station in Jingzhou City and ending at Yueyang North Station on the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway. Once completed, the Jingyue Railway can broaden the corridor between the 'Two Lakes' Plain and the 'Three Wests,' alleviate the transport pressure on the Beijing-Guangzhou and Jiaozuo-Liuzhou railways, and can also extend to the Beijing-Kowloon and Zhejiang-Jiangxi railways, directly reaching East China, becoming a lateral connecting line among the three major north-south trunk lines of Jiaozuo-Liuzhou and Beijing-Guangzhou, playing a significant role for the economic belts of the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

Yuejiu and Yuechang Railways (abbreviated as Changyuejiu Railway): The Ministry of Railways has included this project in the 2009 preliminary feasibility study plan, and construction is expected to begin in 2010.

—Aviation construction. Yueyang Airport construction has been included in the Central-South Airport Group plan of the national civil airport layout, and is scheduled to begin construction in the later period of the national 'Twelfth Five-Year Plan.' The airport construction grade is set as 4D (Zhangjiajie Airport is also 4D type), with the proposed site at Gangkou Town in Yueyang County or the junction of Yueyang Economic Development Zone and Gangkou Town. The total investment is approximately 900 million to 1 billion yuan. Construction land requires 2,500 to 3,000 mu, with reserved land for planned development. According to this plan, the provincial government requires that Yueyang Airport construction be started ahead of schedule, striving to complete preliminary work this year and begin construction in 2010.

With the development of Yueyang Sihai E-Commerce Co., Ltd., the informatization level of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Yueyang area will be gradually enhanced, letting the world know Yueyang and letting Yueyang go global!

Natural Resources

Yueyang is the pearl of Dongting Lake and an important historical and cultural city in the Yangtze River basin. It leans against Mufu Mountain to the east, faces Dongting Lake to the west, borders the vast Yangtze River to the north, and connects to the four rivers of Xiang, Zi, Yuan, and Li to the south. It has beautiful scenery, a pleasant climate, fertile land, and abundant products, and has long enjoyed the reputation of 'land of fish and rice.' It is now listed as a Grade A tourist city open to the outside world, is the hometown of world dragon boat culture, is the second largest economic and trade center along the Yangtze River, and is Hunan's only port connecting rivers to the sea.

With the deepening of reform and opening up, especially with the development and opening of the Yangtze River basin led by Pudong, Yueyang's position is becoming increasingly important; Yueyang's development and changes are also becoming faster and greater.

Unique Geographical Advantages: Yueyang City is located in the northeastern part of Hunan Province, between 112° and 114° east longitude and 28° and 29° north latitude. Yueyang is at the intersection of the Yangtze River 'golden waterway' and the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, two major arteries; at the confluence of the Yangtze River, Xiang River, Zi River, Yuan River, Li River, and Dongting Lake; at the junction of the three provinces of Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi; and at the stress point of the national 'bow and arrow' development strategy.

Yueyang City belongs to the northern subtropical monsoon humid climate zone, with a humid climate, an average annual temperature of 17°C, average annual rainfall of 1,302 millimeters, average annual relative humidity of 79%, a frost-free period of 277 days per year, annual sunshine hours of 1,722.1 to 1,816.5 hours, and annual total solar radiation of 109.5 to 110.4 kilocalories per square centimeter, making it one of the areas with the most sunshine hours in Hunan. The climate is characterized by: a long warm period, a short severe cold period, four distinct seasons, and abundant rainfall. The favorable climate conditions are conducive to the development of high-efficiency agriculture.

The total area within Yueyang's jurisdiction is 15,019 square kilometers, of which 4.4934 million mu is cultivated land, 4.5168 million mu is water area, and 9.5352 million mu is mountainous land. The vast water area provides excellent conditions for developing the aquatic industry. The numerous forests and hills are an indispensable source of resources for developing the papermaking industry.

Yueyang is rich in mineral resources. The city has more than 200 mineral deposits and mineral occurrences, among which metallic minerals include gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, zinc, and others; some rank first in the province, and some rank first in the country.

Population and Ethnic Groups

Yueyang was called Baqiu in ancient times, also known as Baling and Yuezhou. It is located in the northeastern part of Hunan Province, at the multi-dimensional intersection of one river (the Yangtze River), four waters (the Xiang, Zi, Yuan, and Li rivers), two lines (the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and National Highway 107), and three provinces (Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi). To the north it connects to the Wu Gorge, and to the south it reaches as far as Xiaoxiang. It currently administers two cities, Miluo and Linxiang; four counties, Pingjiang, Yueyang, Huarong, and Xiangyin; and four districts, Yueyanglou District, Yunxi District, Junshan District, and Quyuan Administrative District. The total land area is 15,019 square kilometers, with a total population of 5.2554 million. It is a place where many ethnic groups live; in addition to the Han ethnic group, 31 ethnic minorities such as the Zhuang, Uyghur, Miao, and Hui also live scattered here.

City Flower and City Tree

In December 1985, the Yueyang Municipal Government held a meeting themed "Greening, Beautifying, and Purifying Yueyang." Mayor Chu Bo and Vice Mayor Lin Ziliang proposed a special discussion on selecting the city flower and city tree, and entrusted the Municipal Association for Science and Technology to organize and handle it. On January 13, 1986, at the second symposium, 54 scientific and technical personnel each selected and recommended lists of varieties for the city flower and city tree. The recommended city flowers included 10 varieties such as gardenia, oleander, and lotus, and the recommended city trees included 9 varieties such as Elaeocarpus, camphor, palm, and pine. Discussions were carried out among the city's residents to widely solicit opinions. The gardenia, which received the most votes (as the city flower), and Elaeocarpus (as the city tree) were submitted to the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress for deliberation. On July 2, 1986, the 15th meeting of the Standing Committee of the First Municipal People's Congress discussed and approved the decision that the gardenia be the city flower; on August 28 of the same year, the 16th meeting of the Standing Committee of the First Municipal People's Congress discussed and approved the decision that the Elaeocarpus tree be the city tree.

City Flower

City Flower: Gardenia. Rubiaceae family, native to China's subtropical climate zone and the Yangtze River basin. All kinds of gardenia can only grow in slightly acidic soil; they like light and tolerate slight shade, like fertilizer and tolerate barren and dry conditions. There are many varieties. In northern Hunan, there are mainly four types: yellow gardenia (also known as mountain gardenia and white toad flower), large-flowered gardenia (also known as lotus gardenia and jade lotus flower), small-flowered gardenia (also known as petrel gardenia, water gardenia, and sparrow-tongue flower), and variegated-leaf gardenia.

Gardenia is easy to plant and can be propagated by sowing, cuttings, layering, or division. The main planting forms include mass planting, row planting, opposite planting, solitary planting, and potted planting. It has pests and diseases such as leaf spot disease, chlorosis, red spiders, and scale insects, so it must be inspected frequently and prevented and treated early. The gardenia is evergreen all year round. There is a saying that "in May gardenias make the Dragon Boat Festival lively"; silver flowers fill the city, surpassing jade lotus, pure white and flawless, beautiful and moving, with a rich fragrance that intoxicates Baling. It has strong adaptability and a wide distribution, especially with local characteristics, and is deeply loved by the people of Yueyang.

City Tree

City Tree: Elaeocarpus, also known as winter peach, danba, sheep-dung fruit, and mountain Elaeocarpus. Elaeocarpaceae family, evergreen tree, with a tall and straight trunk that can reach more than 20 meters high, a broad crown, and luxuriant branches and leaves. The bark is grayish black, and the leaves are thinly leathery, 4–12 cm long and 1.6–3 cm wide, obovate-elliptic, with sparsely blunt serrations along the edges. It blooms from June to July, with racemes, axillary, yellow-white. The fruit ripens in November, a drupe, round. The flesh is edible and is a delicacy for birds. The Elaeocarpus tree likes a warm and humid environment; seedlings are not very cold-resistant, and when the temperature persists at minus 4°C, there may be withered shoot tips, but this does not affect normal growth. It is suitable for slightly acidic and neutral soils, with a pH value of 0.5–7.0, and grows well. Seeds are easy to collect and have a relatively high germination rate; it is mainly propagated by sowing and raising seedlings, and can also be propagated by cuttings and layering. Autumn transplanting is best in mid-November, and harm from abnormal freezing must be prevented; spring planting is more suitable from early March to early April. The wood is grayish brown, with straight grain, tight structure, low shrinkage strength, and easy cutting. It is a raw material for building beams and columns, furniture, stationery, and plywood. The tree heads, tips, and branches are good raw materials for cultivating shiitake mushrooms. It is a major economic tree species in Hunan Province and an ideal tree species for courtyard landscape forests. The people of Yueyang love Elaeocarpus because its trunk is tall and vigorous, and the entire foliage is interwoven with red and green, making it very beautiful. The old leaves turn red before falling, and this is so in all four seasons; it is better than flowers without having flowers, giving a strong sense of "red flowers and green leaves, spring always present." Literati and refined scholars gave Elaeocarpus an elegant name, calling it the painting tree. If the fallen red leaves are tucked into a book, they are fiery red and bright and do not fade for a long time; they can serve as bookmarks and are also a unique tourist souvenir.

Famous and Special Local Products

Yueyang Specialty: Orchid Radish

Orchid radish, also known as "straw-raincoat radish," was created in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties using fresh radishes abundantly produced in the Dongting Lake area, which are thin-skinned, tender, and smooth, as the raw material, supplemented with chili powder and salt. It is made by marinating with chili powder and sesame oil. After the radish is cut several times front and back, it is still a whole; when lifted, it looks like a blooming orchid and also like the rain gear of former times, the straw raincoat. It preserves the traditional fresh and spicy flavor and also has a crisp, tender, and richly fragrant aftertaste; at the same time, it also helps digestion and increases appetite, and has long sold well in the northern Hunan market. Its characteristics are fresh spiciness, crisp tenderness, rich fragrance, helping digestion, and stimulating appetite. Orchid radish was once rated as a high-quality product by the Ministry of Commerce and won the Silver Medal at China's First Food Expo in 1988.

Junshan Silver Needle Tea

Produced on Junshan in Dongting Lake, it has a golden color, plump and uniform buds, densely covered with silver down, and is sweet, mellow, and refreshing. When brewed with boiling water, the bud tips point upward, standing upright and suspended in the cup; each tea leaf contains a small bead, like a tongue holding a pearl, and also like ten thousand brushes writing in the sky, then slowly sinking to the bottom of the cup, rising and falling three times, which can be called a wonder among teas. Junshan Silver Needle tea has a long history of production. Hunan Province Magazine records: Junshan tea was highly praised in the Tang Dynasty and first offered as tribute in the Five Dynasties. Thereafter, each dynasty specially made it as tribute tea. After the founding of the People's Republic, a tea garden was established on Junshan, expanding to more than 430 mu, with annual output increasing by more than 400 times, and quality further improved. In 1956, at the international exposition held in Leipzig, it was praised as "gold inlaid with jade" tea and won a gold medal.

Dongting Silverfish

Silverfish enjoys a high reputation at home and abroad. In 1918, at the Panama International Famous Products Conference, it was listed as one of the world's famous products. According to the Qing Dynasty Baling County Gazetteer: "Silverfish is produced in the waters of Junshan, Yueyang, in Dongting Lake, and is a famous product at home and abroad." Its body is round and strip-shaped, about 1 to 3 cun long, with black dots visible at the eyes, no scales, silver-white and transparent, and can be called a top-grade freshwater fish. There is a wonderful and magical legend about the origin of silverfish. It is said that the Queen Mother of the West, because Sun Wukong stole her flat peaches, was so angry that golden sparks flashed before her eyes. Listless all day and with disheveled hair, she unfortunately dropped two silver hairpins from her head into Dongting Lake, where they turned into a pair of silverfish, pure as crystal and white as silver, small and transparent in body shape. These are what people often call the ancestors of silverfish. Silverfish is not only tender in flesh, but also rich in protein, and has the function of nourishing yin and tonifying the kidneys. When eating, generally fresh silverfish is taken and stir-fried in rendered lard, or soup is made with vegetarian meat and eggs, or silverfish is cooked with vermicelli; it is a delicious dish. After silverfish is dried in the sun, adding it to soup or stir-frying it also has its own distinctive features. Moved by this, Bai Juyi of the Tang Dynasty wrote a poem in praise: "White seeds are offered in the courtyard, naturally three cun long." The "white seeds" he spoke of are silverfish. This shows that even the small silverfish had become a delicacy on the table since the Tang Dynasty. It is said that when Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty toured the south of the Yangtze River, he tasted silverfish many times. Silverfish generally like to live in shallow lake waters with abundant grass, and Yueyang is one of the main production areas. In the lakes around Junshan and Chenglingji, the lake shoals are flat and the aquatic plants are fresh and beautiful, very suitable for the growth of silverfish. The breeding process of silverfish is very peculiar. It lays eggs on the ice and snow on the lake surface in the coldest days of winter; the eggs, as the ice and snow melt, take on a jelly-like form, crystal clear, floating on the water surface. It is not until the following spring when the temperature rises that they begin to hatch, and only by May do they become adult fish. Because growth is slow, output is not high, and the price is also very expensive.

Hunan Lotus Seed

One of Yueyang's famous products, the seeds are large and plump, white and round, with a delicate texture, fresh fragrance and sweetness, and rich nutrition. They are a necessity at Yueyang banquets. The famous Northern Song philosopher Zhou Dunyi, in his essay "On the Love of the Lotus," called the lotus the gentleman and praised it as "emerging from mud yet unstained, rinsed in clear ripples yet not seductive." The fruit of the lotus is the food deeply loved by people: lotus seeds. Lotus seeds are divided into white lotus seeds and red lotus seeds. White lotus seeds have larger grains, an oval shape, white flesh, and are delicate and soft; they are the top grade among lotus seeds. Red lotus seeds have smaller grains, a pointed and long shape, earthy-red flesh, and are rough and hard. The lake lotus root that locals like to use for stewing meat in autumn and winter is the root of the red lotus. The Dongting Lake area has vast waters, fertile soil, and a mild climate, suitable for the growth of Hunan lotus. Yueyang County, Huarong County, Miluo City, Xiangyin County, and Qianlianghu Farm are important production areas and enjoy a high reputation in China. According to the Great Dictionary of Chinese Medicine, lotus seeds contain a high amount of starch and raffinose; carbohydrates account for 62%, protein 17%, fat 2%, and they also contain various nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins, and carotene. Their medicinal value includes nourishing the heart, tonifying the spleen, benefiting the kidneys, and moistening the intestines. The Compendium of Materia Medica states that lotus seeds have effects such as coordinating the heart and kidneys, strengthening the stomach and intestines, consolidating essence and qi, strengthening tendons and bones, tonifying deficiency and damage, and benefiting the ears and eyes. Rock sugar lotus seeds, made by cooking lotus seeds with rock sugar, is an excellent soup at Yueyang banquets. According to records, Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty was very fond of rock sugar lotus seeds and often used them to refresh himself when discussing state affairs at night. Yueyang Hunan lotus seeds are famous worldwide for their large size and good quality.

Golden Turtle

The golden turtle is also called the golden-shell turtle. Its original name was the tiptoe turtle, also called the ganoderma turtle. It is produced on the beautiful and magical Junshan Island. According to the Qing Dynasty Jiaqing Baling County Gazetteer, Products Section: "Junshan produces the tiptoe turtle; its shell is split in the middle and folds like a mussel." This kind of turtle usually hides among rocks, and only at dawn or dusk does it come out on tiptoe like a child afraid of strangers. Therefore, it is called the tiptoe turtle. Because it often guards the ganoderma grass of Junshan, it is also called the ganoderma turtle. Because its shell is high and towering, with peculiar patterns, and the edges of the shell, the shell plates, and both sides of the head are golden yellow, it is also called the golden turtle. The golden turtle belongs to reptiles in animal taxonomy. The shell of this turtle differs from that of ordinary turtles: near the abdominal plates there is a crack that divides the shell into two sections in the middle, connected by skin at both ends, allowing free movement. When crawling, the shell opens and the head and feet extend outside. When encountering enemies, it quickly uses the "turtle method": once the shell closes, the head and feet are all hidden inside the armor, and enemies can do nothing about it. People gave it the nickname "living tank." The living habits of the golden turtle are both similar to and different from those of ordinary turtles. The golden turtle lives on land, foraging for insects and ants, mosquitoes and flies, and moving through dense bamboo forests. Whenever mountain rain is about to come and the weather is stuffy and hot, they quietly crawl onto the road or into damp mountain gullies to cool off. The golden turtle is both beautiful and clean and hygienic, without the musky odor of ordinary turtles. Therefore, some people put captured small golden turtles into clothes chests, where they can prevent moth damage, and they do not discharge waste; they will not starve to death even if not fed water or food for two or three years. Hence it has the reputation of the "thousand-year golden turtle." It is said that long ago a young monk on Junshan caught a small golden turtle and put it in a clothes chest; after 43 years, the turtle was still alive. The golden turtle is also a high-grade tonic and a precious Chinese medicinal material. It weighs about 250 grams to 1,000 grams. Its meat can be eaten, is high in protein, and is very nutritious. Turtle shell can be made into high-grade tonics such as Bushen Wan, Huoluo Dan, and Zaizao Wan, which can tonify original qi and promote body fluids. It mainly treats prostration, asthmatic deficiency, uterine bleeding and blood loss, palpitations, and syndromes such as weak original qi, qi deficiency, and insufficient fluids. It has the effects of nourishing blood, stopping bleeding, tonifying the heart and kidneys, nourishing yang and reducing fire, subduing yin and reducing steaming, and strengthening the body.

Yuezhou Fan

Yuezhou feather fans have a history of several hundred years. In the long process of production and sales, with their unique artistic style, they have enjoyed a reputation alongside Suzhou fans and Hangzhou fans, becoming the three sisters among craft fans.

Yuezhou fans come in many varieties, with exquisite craftsmanship, and are beautiful and durable. At present, there are as many as more than 200 varieties, mainly divided into more than a dozen major categories such as paper fans, feather fans, silk fans, bone fans, palace fans, hat fans, portable fans, nested fans, theatrical and dance fans, and fragrant wood fans.

Yuezhou feather fans are made from the feathers of precious birds such as swans, wild geese, eagles, and cranes from the Dongting Lake area. The feathers are cleaned, combed, washed, and classified, and then, according to their shape, color, and texture, skillfully woven with silver threads into feather fans of countless forms and colors. The fan ribs are carved with exquisite patterns, and the fan surface is covered with red and green down, then sprayed with fragrance. Folded, it is like a bouquet of fresh flowers. Opened, it gives people the feeling of "dancing without wind, fragrant without flowers." There are also palm-leaf fans made from horse eagle feathers, with feather shafts strong yet soft and feather filaments fine yet tough, with jade fan handles, then tied with exquisite jade pendants, appearing solemn and elegant, antique in style, producing gentle wind, cooling without harming the body, and especially welcomed by the elderly, postpartum women, and children for relieving summer heat.

Yueyang paper fans are also precious artworks. The fan ribs are made of bamboo, bright and lightweight, with exquisite carving. There are nested fans composed of five, eight, or fifteen fans. The fan surface designs are rich in imagination, draw on a wide range of materials, and are novel in conception, including landscapes and scenery, famous mountains and historic sites; flowers, birds, insects, and fish, famous sayings and aphorisms; historical figures, myths, and legends, and so on. The vast and misty Dongting Lake, the beautiful Junshan, the magnificent Yueyang Tower, and the towering Cishi Pagoda are all displayed on the fan surfaces, in a riot of color, dazzling and too beautiful to take in all at once.

Yuezhou Porcelain

Yuezhou celadon has long been famous and has a long history. According to historical records and verification of unearthed cultural relics, Yueyang celadon originated in the Shang and Zhou dynasties and flourished in the Tang Dynasty. It has the characteristics of a simple and elegant shape, crystal clarity and luster, and a light and refined elegance. The site of the ancient Yuezhou kiln is at Yaotou Mountain, Tiejiaozui, in present-day Xiangyin County, and was one of the six famous celadon kilns of the Tang Dynasty. After repeated experiments, the Yueyang Porcelain Factory produced a new Yuezhou celadon using high-quality kaolin, made by modern machinery, and fired at a high temperature of 1,360 degrees. It inherits the advantages of ancient celadon and develops pea-green glaze. The product glaze is verdant, with soft luster, decorated with relief patterns, making it appear even more clearly shaded and distinctly layered, giving people a sense of primitive simplicity, elegance, and extraordinary temperament. It does not need painted decals or gold and silver inlay, and has a unique national style.

Turtle and Snake Wine

Yueyang wine has enjoyed a great reputation since ancient times. It is said that Emperor Wu of Han once sent people to Junshan to obtain "immortal wine"; the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai left the famous line "Baling has endless wine, enough to intoxicate the autumn of Dongting"; and Lü Dongbin has the story of "getting drunk three times at Yueyang Tower." Turtle and Snake Wine uses the clear, transparent, sweet, moist, and slightly acidic water from Liuyi Well on Junshan, paired with fragrant glutinous rice to brew the wine body, and adds the liquid made by soaking Dongting Lake area specialties such as golden turtles, banded kraits, and cobras, then mixes in more than ten kinds of precious Chinese medicinal materials such as angelica, codonopsis, eucommia, and goji berries. After high-temperature detoxification and deodorization and cellaring for more than a year, the effective components of the turtles, snakes, and medicinal materials are integrated with the wine, making an orange-red transparent, delicious, mellow, and nutritious Turtle and Snake Wine. According to appraisal by relevant departments, Turtle and Snake Wine is rich in protein and various nutrients such as phosphorus, calcium, and amino acids. It has the effects of nourishing yin and tonifying the kidneys, promoting qi and blood circulation, dispelling wind and dampness, strengthening tendons and bones, and prolonging life. It is a high-grade nutritional tonic wine. Since 1980, it has won provincial high-quality special product awards many times and sells well in more than 10 countries and regions including Hong Kong, Macao, and Southeast Asia.

Santang Sweet and Sour Chinese Onion

Sweet and sour Chinese onion is produced in Santang Township, Xiangyin County, with an annual planting area of 3,000 mu and an output of more than 1,200 tons. Fresh Chinese onion is processed into a delicious food; when dried and used as medicine, it can activate yang and dissipate nodules, and mainly treats chest and spleen heart pain, diarrhea, and other symptoms. Because the soil in Santang Township is suitable for the growth of Chinese onion, planting and processing of Chinese onion began before Liberation. After Liberation, a sauce factory was established. The processed sweet and sour Chinese onion is famous for being white, round, crisp, and firm in flesh. It has effects such as preventing heatstroke, stimulating appetite, and aiding digestion, and has long sold well in domestic and foreign markets.

Changshou Five-Spice Sauce-Dried Tofu

Made with soybeans as the raw material, supplemented with chicken soup, monosodium glutamate, sesame oil, spices, and other ingredients. It has a glossy black color, a soft texture, a delicious taste, and an aroma of sauce. When chewed in the mouth, it leaves an endless aftertaste.

Dongting Spring Tea

In 1985 it won the Golden Cup Award from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. In 1986 it won the Quality Award from the Ministry of Commerce, and in 1987 it again took first place overall in the provincial tea competition. It is produced at the Huangshajie Tea Farm in Yueyang, and has won praise in tea circles for its yellow shape, green color, distant fragrance and mellow taste. The appearance is tightly curled, covered with white down that conceals the green, with a high, fresh and lasting aroma, a mellow and refreshing taste, a clear and bright liquor, and tender, bright green leaves. It is deeply loved by consumers. It has now entered the international market.

Chuanshan Writing Brushes

Chuanshan writing brushes are produced in Chuanshanping, an important industrial town in Miluo City. Chuanshan brushes have a history of more than a hundred years. The main products include North Wolf Tail Cun, medium and small regular-script wolf-hair brushes, and long-tip large, medium and small regular-script goat-hair brushes, as well as lifting brushes, scroll brushes, bowl brushes, dou brushes and porcelain-painting brushes. The wolf-hair brushes are finely made from high-grade materials such as northern wolf tail and rabbit tips. The brush shapes are beautiful and generous, with firm and vigorous tip strength; they extend and contract smoothly, round and lustrous as pearls and jade, and move fluently in horizontal, vertical, hook and slant strokes, making them suitable for medium and small characters. The goat-hair brushes are beautifully shaped, handy in writing, round and agreeable in turning, with lasting tip strength, soft and light, and even ink output, suitable for large and medium characters, painting and coloring, and running and cursive script, with the feature of one brush serving many uses.

Fushoushan Mineral Water

Fushoushan mineral water is produced at the foot of Fushou Mountain in Pingjiang County at an altitude of 1,571 meters. It emerges along a fault zone, surging upward in a boiling state. The water is clear and transparent, with a slightly sour taste, spicy and refreshing, and a natural soda-water flavor. Scientific appraisal has shown that this mineral spring is a composite mineral water containing carbonic acid, silicic acid and radioactive radon, and is a rare high-quality natural carbonic spring in China. Long-term drinking can strengthen the stomach and aid digestion, and has obvious curative effects on gastrointestinal diseases, arthritis, skin pain and poor development in children. Because it contains more than a dozen trace elements beneficial to the human body, such as lithium, strontium, cobalt, germanium, selenium, zinc, gallium, rubidium, cesium, manganese and iron, in recent years it has been exported to Southeast Asian countries and the Hong Kong and Macao regions, becoming a product in short supply.

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