Wanzhou District
Encyclopedia
Wanzhou District formerly Wanxian or Wan County is a district
of Chongqing
Municipality of the People's Republic of China
. The urban area of Wanzhou, located in the northern part of the district and on the upper reaches of the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River
, is 228 km away from downtown Chongqing.
"Wanzhou" literally means "myriad
-prefecture", where "a myriad rivers converge and a myriad traders gather" (万川毕汇、万商云集). Due to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam
, 47% of Wanzhou's old urban area will be underwater by the time the reservoir is filled. Buildings in the submerged area have been torn down and new ones rebuilt on higher ground.
It was part of Quren District of Ba Prefecture (巴郡朐忍县) in the Qin Dynasty
. It became Yangqu District (羊渠县) in 216 (the Eastern Han Dynasty). In 230 (the Shu-Han Kingdom), it was renamed to Nanpu (南浦县); in 553 (the Western Wei Dynasty), to Yuquan (鱼泉县); in 557 (Northern Zhou Dynasty), to Anxiang (安乡县); in 584, to Wanchuan (万川县); and in 598 (Sui Dynasty
), to Nanchang again.
It continued to be renamed and administrated with slight differences. In the 19th century, it was known in English as Wanhsien. In 1935, it became Wanxian Zhuanqu (万县专区). On December 12, 1992, the State Council
abolished Wanxian Prefecture
and its subordinate Wanxian City and created the prefecture-level Wanxian City, which administered the districts of Longbao, Tiancheng, Wuqiao (龙宝区、天城区、五桥区) and the counties of Kai, Zhong, Liangping, Yunyang, Fengjie, Wushan, Wuxi, and Chengkou (开县、忠县、梁平县、云阳县、奉节县、巫山县、巫溪县、城口县).
The entire Wanxian City was merged into Chongqing
on December 20, 1997. The merge necessitated the abolishment of Wanxian City and creation of Wanxian District and Wanxian Migration Development Area (移民开发区). Wanxian City's three districts were converted to administrative committees (管理委员会, abbreviated 管委会) of Wanxian District. The migration development area included the counties formerly in Wanxian City, except Liangping and Chengkou, which were administered by Chongqing directly.
On May 22, 1998, the State Council approved that the two areas named Wanxian were both renamed to Wanzhou. The migration development area later dissolved and its counties were directly controlled by Chongqing. On July 19, 2000, the district's administrative committees were changed to migration development areas.
District (PRC)
The term district, in the context of the People's Republic of China refers to several unrelated political divisions in both ancient and modern China....
of Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
Municipality of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. The urban area of Wanzhou, located in the northern part of the district and on the upper reaches of the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
, is 228 km away from downtown Chongqing.
"Wanzhou" literally means "myriad
Myriad
Myriad , "numberlesscountless, infinite", is a classical Greek word for the number 10,000. In modern English, the word refers to an unspecified large quantity.-History and usage:...
-prefecture", where "a myriad rivers converge and a myriad traders gather" (万川毕汇、万商云集). Due to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, located in the Yiling District of Yichang, in Hubei province, China...
, 47% of Wanzhou's old urban area will be underwater by the time the reservoir is filled. Buildings in the submerged area have been torn down and new ones rebuilt on higher ground.
History
The district was part of Wanxian (万县) Prefecture, then the prefectural Wanxian City. It was renamed to Wanzhou in late 1990s.It was part of Quren District of Ba Prefecture (巴郡朐忍县) in the Qin Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
. It became Yangqu District (羊渠县) in 216 (the Eastern Han Dynasty). In 230 (the Shu-Han Kingdom), it was renamed to Nanpu (南浦县); in 553 (the Western Wei Dynasty), to Yuquan (鱼泉县); in 557 (Northern Zhou Dynasty), to Anxiang (安乡县); in 584, to Wanchuan (万川县); and in 598 (Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
), to Nanchang again.
It continued to be renamed and administrated with slight differences. In the 19th century, it was known in English as Wanhsien. In 1935, it became Wanxian Zhuanqu (万县专区). On December 12, 1992, the State Council
State Council of the People's Republic of China
The State Council of the People's Republic of China , which is largely synonymous with the Central People's Government after 1954, is the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China. It is chaired by the Premier and includes the heads of each governmental department and agency...
abolished Wanxian Prefecture
Prefecture (China)
The term Prefectures, or the more formal prefectural level divisions, in the context of China, is used to refer to several unrelated political divisions in both ancient and modern China. Other than provincial level divisions, prefectural level divisions are not mentioned in the Chinese constitution...
and its subordinate Wanxian City and created the prefecture-level Wanxian City, which administered the districts of Longbao, Tiancheng, Wuqiao (龙宝区、天城区、五桥区) and the counties of Kai, Zhong, Liangping, Yunyang, Fengjie, Wushan, Wuxi, and Chengkou (开县、忠县、梁平县、云阳县、奉节县、巫山县、巫溪县、城口县).
The entire Wanxian City was merged into Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
on December 20, 1997. The merge necessitated the abolishment of Wanxian City and creation of Wanxian District and Wanxian Migration Development Area (移民开发区). Wanxian City's three districts were converted to administrative committees (管理委员会, abbreviated 管委会) of Wanxian District. The migration development area included the counties formerly in Wanxian City, except Liangping and Chengkou, which were administered by Chongqing directly.
On May 22, 1998, the State Council approved that the two areas named Wanxian were both renamed to Wanzhou. The migration development area later dissolved and its counties were directly controlled by Chongqing. On July 19, 2000, the district's administrative committees were changed to migration development areas.
Climate
Subdivisions
The 4 primary subdivisions are 3 migration development areas (Longbao, Tiancheng, Wuqiao) and Jiangnan New District (江南新区). The 92 secondary subdivisions are 16 sub-districts, 33 towns, and 43 townships (see Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China#Levels). In 2000, the district included 32 towns, 45 townships, 14 sub-districts, and 1277 neighborhood and village committees.Tiancheng
29 subdivisions:5 sub-districts:
|
15 towns:
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9 townships:
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Wuqiao
36 primary divisions:3 sub-districts:
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11 towns:
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23 townships:
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Jiangnan
2 subdivisions:2 sub-districts:
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0 towns | 0 townships |
Longbao
27 primary subdivisions:7 sub-district:
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7 towns:
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11 townships:
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External links
- Official site (in Simplified Chinese)
- Wanxian Travel