Liaoyang

History

Liaoyang is one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in northeast China, dating back to before the Warring States period, and the site of the city has not changed ever since. Under the Yan state and the Qin and Han dynasties, Liaoyang (then known as Xiangping) was the capital of Liaodong Commandery and the political center of the Liaodong region. During the Three Kingdoms period, the city was the focus of Sima Yi's devastating Liaodong campaign. From the 5th to 7th centuries, Liaoyang was on the northern edge of the Goguryeo kingdom. Remains of Yodong and Baegam, the old Goguryeo cities, can still be seen near the modern city. This was the site of a major battle between the Tang and Goguryeo in 645 AD.

Liaoyang rose to prominence during the Liao dynasty. Several buildings in the city date to this period. Among these is the White Pagoda (baita), which dates back to 1189 in the Liao Dynasty with additions during the Yuan dynasty.{{cite web | access-date = 26 March 2012

Under the Jurchen Jin dynasty, the city served as their empire's eastern capital under the name Dongjing (東京).

In the 17th century, the Manchu people rose up against the Ming dynasty of China. Liaoyang was one of the first Ming cities to fall and Nurhaci, the new Emperor of the Later Jin dynasty, made his capital there naming the city Dongjing in 1621. He also moved the tombs of several family members to Liaoyang and they can still be seen in Dongjingling, just east of the city. As the Manchu expanded, they again moved the capital to Shenyang in 1625. After this Dongjing faded in importance. Today, remains of the city walls can still be seen and a small museum stands within the reconstructed south gate.

The year 1900 saw the Boxer Rebellion in China. Russian troops camped in Liaoyang city, burning the ancient Guangyou temple. On the August 24 September 1904, the Battle of Liaoyang took place. This was a major battle of the Russo-Japanese War.

Liaoyang was one of the major centres of the Manchurian revival, a Protestant Christian revival which took place in Mukden (Shenyang) and the surrounding countryside in 1908.

The city was the site of widespread labor protests in March 2002 that were sparked by the bankruptcy and subsequent liquidation of the Liaoyang Ferroalloy Factory, or Liaotie. The protesters were workers from at least seven different factories, including failing textile, chemical, piston, instruments, leather, and precision tool plants. Their grievances involved local government corruption and widespread worker layoffs coupled with arrearage in employee wages, pensions and unemployment benefits. The activists demanded compensation for what they were owed, an investigation into the bankruptcy of Liaotie, and the resignation of the chairman of the local legislature, Gong Shangwu. The protests were eventually dispersed after several days by the government after declaring a curfew under martial law. Two of the workers' representatives, Xiao Yunliang and Yao Fuxin, were given prison terms of four and seven years, respectively. The government also responded by paying most but not all of the money that the workers were owed, and by ordering an investigation into the charges of corruption at Liaotie which culminated in the arrest and thirteen-year prison sentence of its manager, Fan Yicheng, for smuggling and fraudulent dereliction of duty. The provincial governor who approved the Liaotie bankruptcy was also imprisoned for accepting bribes, but Gong Shangwu evaded punitive action.

Administrative divisions

Within Liaoyang prefecture there are one county, five districts and one city.{{cite web |script-title = zh:辽阳市人民政府网站 |access-date = 2008-05-30 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071015103519/http://liaoyang.gov.cn/view071.asp?id=6436&flbs=1 |archive-date = 2007-10-15

Geography and climate

|Jan record high C = 9.3 |Jan record low C = -35.6 |Feb record high C = 18.0 |Feb record low C = -34.9 |Mar record high C = 27.3 |Mar record low C = -19.8 |Apr record high C = 29.8 |Apr record low C = -12.1 |May record high C = 35.5 |May record low C = -2.1 |Jun record high C = 37.0 |Jun record low C = 5.4 |Jul record high C = 36.2 |Jul record low C = 12.5 |Aug record high C = 35.8 |Aug record low C = 8.3 |Sep record high C = 33.2 |Sep record low C = -0.3 |Oct record high C = 29.4 |Oct record low C = -8.9 |Nov record high C = 21.2 |Nov record low C = -24.7 |Dec record high C = 13.2 |Dec record low C = -27.1

Tourism

The largest park within the city is Baita park. There are several historical sites to be visited. The new Liaoyang Museum, open to the public since 2009, contains many antiques. Guangyou temple beside the Baita (White Pagoda) has become one of Liaoyang's main tourism attraction in recent years. The first temple on the site dates back to 1145. The temple was destroyed by Russian troops during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion but was later rebuilt.{{cite web | access-date = 26 March 2012 | access-date = 26 March 2012

Military

Liaoyang is the headquarters of the 39th Mechanized Group Army of the People's Liberation Army, one of the three group armies that comprise the Shenyang Military Region responsible for defending China's northeastern borders with Russia and North Korea.

International relations

Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in China

Twin towns — sister cities

Liaoyang is twinned with:

• US Los Gatos, California, United States
• US Joliet, Illinois, United States
• South Korea Haman, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea

Notable residents

• Cao Xueqin, the author of Dream of the Red Chamber ()
• Wang Erlie, a notable Qing dynasty official
• Toshiko Akiyoshi, Japanese jazz pianist, born in Liaoyang in 1929
• Wang Junfeng, President of the All China Lawyers Association

References

References

1. "China: Liáoníng (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
2. 辽宁省统计局、国家统计局辽宁调查总队. (October 2016). "《辽宁统计年鉴－2016》". [[China Statistics Press]].
3. "辽宁省统计局".
4. (7 December 2020). "国务院正式批复！辽阳成为第135座国家历史文化名城". thepapaer.cn.
5. Theobald, Ulrich. ''China Knowledge''. "[http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Song/jinn-map.html Chinese History - Jin Dynasty 金 (1115-1234): Map and Geography] {{Webarchive. link. (2012-05-25 ". Accessed 19 Oct 2012.)
6. Philip P. Pan, Out of Mao's Shadow, 2008: Simon and Schuster. ({{ISBN. 1416537058)
7. "China: Liáoníng (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
8. link. [[China Meteorological Administration]]