Weifang

Weifang 潍坊
—  Prefecture-level city  —
潍坊市
Dongfeng Street in Downtown Weifang
Location in Shandong
Weifang Location within China
Coordinates: 36°43′N 119°6′E / 36.717°N 119.1°E / 36.717; 119.1Coordinates: 36°43′N 119°6′E / 36.717°N 119.1°E / 36.717; 119.1
Country	People's Republic of China
Province	Shandong
City seat	Weicheng
Subdivisions	List Districts Weicheng Kuiwen Fangzi Hanting County-level cities Qingzhou Zhucheng Shouguang Anqiu Gaomi Changyi County Changle Linqu
Government
- Mayor	Xu Liquan
Area
- Total	15,800 km2 (6,100.4 sq mi)
Population
- Total	8,500,000
- Density	538/km2 (1,393.3/sq mi)
- Major nationalities	Han Chinese
Time zone	UTC (UTC+8)
Postal code	261000 (Urban center) 261300, 261500, 262100, 262200, 262400-262700 (Other areas)
Area code(s)	536
License plate prefixes	鲁G
GDP	CNY 12.46 billion (2004)
Coastline	113 km
Website	http://www.weifang.gov.cn/

Weifang (simplified Chinese: 潍坊; traditional Chinese: 濰坊; pinyin: Wéifāng) is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Dongying to the northwest, Zibo to the west, Linyi to the southwest, Rizhao to the south, Qingdao to the east, and looks out to the Laizhou Bay to the north.

History

Weifang is a historical city with well known figures. Emperor Shun of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period, the politician Yan Ying (晏婴) of the Spring and Autumn Period, the Confucian scholar Zheng Xuan of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the agriculturist Jia Simiao of the Northern Wei Dynasty were all from Weifang. Kong Rong, Fan Zhongyan, Ouyang Xiu, Su Dongpo, Zheng Banqiao, et al. have worked in Weifang historically. In more recent years, revolutionists, writers and artists, such as Wang Jinmei, Chen Shaomin, Wang Yuanjian, Wang Tongzhao, Zang Kejia are well known in China.

Weifang also has numerous historical relics and other tourist sites, such as Shihu Garden (from the Late Ming and early Qing Dynasty), Fangong Pavilion (from the Song Dynasty), fossil sites (including dinosaur fossils, in Shanwang, Linqu), Mount Yi National Forest Park, Mount Qingyun and the Old Dragon Spring. Painted New Year woodcuts from Yangjiabu are also well known.

Administration

The prefecture-level city of Weifang administers 12 county-level divisions, including 4 districts, 6 county-level cities and 2 counties.

• Weicheng District (潍城区)
• Kuiwen District (奎文区)
• Fangzi District (坊子区)
• Hanting District (寒亭区)
• Qingzhou City (青州市)
• Zhucheng City (诸城市)
• Shouguang City (寿光市)
• Anqiu City (安丘市)
• Gaomi City (高密市)
• Changyi City (昌邑市)
• Changle County (昌乐县)
• Linqu County (临朐县)

Geography

Nearby cities include Jinan and Zibo to the west, Yantai to the northeast and Qingdao to the southeast.

Weifang has a monsoon-influenced, four-season climate, on the very borderline between humid continental and humid subtropical (Koppen Dwa/Cwa, respectively), with hot, humid summers, and cold but dry winters. Monthly mean temperatures range from −2.9 °C (26.8 °F) in January to 26.2 °C (79.2 °F) in July.

Climate data for Weifang (1971−2000)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	3.1 (37.6)	5.8 (42.4)	12.3 (54.1)	20.2 (68.4)	25.8 (78.4)	30.1 (86.2)	31.2 (88.2)	30.1 (86.2)	26.6 (79.9)	20.7 (69.3)	12.6 (54.7)	5.7 (42.3)	18.7
Average low °C (°F)	−7.3 (18.9)	−5.3 (22.5)	0.0 (32.0)	6.9 (44.4)	12.4 (54.3)	18.1 (64.6)	22.0 (71.6)	21.1 (70.0)	15.3 (59.5)	8.9 (48.0)	1.5 (34.7)	−4.6 (23.7)	7.4
Precipitation mm (inches)	7.0 (0.276)	11.6 (0.457)	15.9 (0.626)	25.8 (1.016)	39.8 (1.567)	76.5 (3.012)	155.2 (6.11)	127.1 (5.004)	61.2 (2.409)	39.1 (1.539)	19.1 (0.752)	10.0 (0.394)	588.3 (23.161)
% humidity	63	61	58	58	62	66	80	81	73	69	67	64	66.8
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	3.4	3.9	4.0	5.6	6.4	8.4	12.5	10.2	6.8	5.9	4.8	3.7	75.6
Sunshine hours	176.4	176.1	215.6	241.9	267.7	241.8	208.8	221.1	222.9	211.5	179.6	172.9	2,536.3
Source: 中国气象局

Economy

Weifang Binhai Economic & Technological Development Area (BEDA). ^[1]

Established in August 1995, Weifang Binhai Economic & Technological Development Area (BEDA) is a national economic and technological development area approved by the State Council. Covering an area of 677 square kilometers, BEDA has a population of 100,000. BEDA possesses a large state-owned industrial land for use with an area of 400 square kilometers. The land can be transacted conveniently which would guarantee the demand of any project construction and provide broad development space for the enterprises in the area. Continuously, BEDA has been accredited as National Demonstration Zone invigorating the Sea by Science and Technology, National Innovation Base for Rejuvenating Trade through Science and Technology and National Demonstration Eco-Industry Park.

The city is home to the large diesel engine company and factory Weichai. The village of Yangjiabu in Hanting District is famous for folk wood-block print (nianhua) and kite production.

Military

Weifang is headquarters of the 26th Group Army of the People's Liberation Army, one of the three group armies that comprise the Jinan Military Region responsible for defense of the Yellow River Plain.

Culture

Kite flying

Kite Museum in Weifang

Kite flying is a traditional custom among the people in Weifang in spring time. In 1984, the first international kite festival was held in Weifang. More than ten thousand kite fans attended the opening ceremony. People from eleven different countries and regions, including the United States and Canada, took part in the festival, flying kites. Since then, Weifang holds the Weifang International Kite Festival each year. It is held each April.^[2]

Painting

Annual Broad of Yangjiabu (杨家埠木版年画), one of the three most famous Chinese folk paintings in history, began from the end of the Ming Dynasty. It reached the peak of its development during the Qing Dynasty. People usually replace the old Annual Broads with the new ones on the eve of Spring Festival, which is the most important festival in China, in order to give blessings to the family and friends for the following year. The subjects of Annual Broad of Yangjiabu are various, which include flowers, beauties, landscapes, characters from myths and legends. The architecture skills such as concise lines and bright colors reflect the distinctive characteristics of people in Weifang.

Paper cutting

Paper cutting in Gaomi (高密剪纸) has a long history for more than four hundred years. This widely spread handicraft has unique styles, such as strong contrast in color, straight and simple line and exaggerated outline. The characters mostly come from the dramatic stories, flowers and birds, as well as some fantastic symbols.

Cuisine

• Ji-Ya Hele(“鸡鸭和乐”) Weifang Ji-Ya Hele is said to have originated in Shanxi Province, China. Later on, it was brought to Weifang, Shandong Province. The name “Hele”(和乐), a kind of noodle, was developed from the word "Helou"(河漏), a noodle name once used in history.

Weifang Ji-Ya Hele is cooked with various ingredients, stewed with chicken and duck soup. To make delicious "Hele" Noodles, we need to put the "Hele" noodles into the pot. After it is fully boiled, add chicken, duck, Sliced Meatball, salted vegetables and spicy oil in the noodles. In 1997, Ji-Ya Hele was honored as a "Chinese Famous Snack" by China Cuisine Association.

Notable people

• Zheng Xuan (127-200), Eastern Han Dynasty Confucian scholar
• Liu Yong (劉墉; 1719–1805), renowned Qing Dynasty bureaucrat

References

1. ^ www.wfbinhai.gov.cn
2. ^ Pictures of the 22nd Weifang Kite Festival

External links

• Government website of Weifang (in Simplified Chinese)
• Official website of the Weifang International Kite Festival (in Simplified Chinese)]
• Yangjiabu Nianhua (in Simplified Chinese)
• Weifang Medical University students website (in Simplified Chinese)
• Weifang News(In Simplified Chinese)
• Weifang Information(In Simplified Chinese)
• Weifang Binhai(In Simplified Chinese)