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Located in the vicinity of the North China Plain, Shijiazhuang,
the capital of Hebei Province, neighbors Beijing and Tianjin in
the north, Bohai Sea in the east, and lies against the continuous
Taihang Mountain in the west. Covering an area of 15.8 thousand
square kilometers (6100.4 square miles), it has 6 districts, 12
counties, 5 county-level cities and 1 national-level new and high-tech
development zone under its prefecture. Shijiazhuang has a population
of 9.395 million, 2.313 million of whom live in the urban area.
Shijiazhuang is often referred to as being lucky in recent Chinese
history. Once a small village, it developed under modern railway
construction. A century ago, when the Lu-Han Railway stretched to
the former Shijiazhuang Village, it brought with it new opportunities,
opening an industrial chapter in Shijiazhuang. No one could have
predicted that this small, unknown village would have developed
rapidly into the modern capital city of Hebei Province.
Though it is a relatively young city, it is located on fertile
land that boasts splendid cultural history. As such, Shijiazhuang
is home to many significant cultural relics, such as the oldest
stone-arch bridge in China, Zhaozhou Bridge, and one of China's
three hanging temples Qiaoloudian Hall (Bridge-Tower Hall). Moreover,
the grand Taihang Mountain, which lies to the west, provide charming
natural scenery. Mt. Cangyan Scenic Area and Zhangshiyan Scenic
Area also attract visitors from all over China and the world.
As the economic, political, cultural and scientific center of Hebei
Province, Shijiazhuang is becoming more and more beautiful with
recent urban development. A jade-like moat embraces the city gently,
bordered by 20 charming parks. This beautiful city is filled with
culture and development, attracting visitors with new features daily.
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