:Xiangtan

Xiangtan is located on the lower reaches of the Xiang River.

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The name "Xiangtan" is derived from local geography, but the explanations for its origin vary somewhat in details. In any case, "Xiang" ({{lang|zh|湘}}) refers to the Xiang River, while "Tan" ({{lang|zh|潭}}) is a Chinese term that means "deep pool", specifically one produced by a moving current or waterfall; "Tan" in rivers generally are places where the current eddies. One reasoning is that the city was built by a large eddy in a bend of the Xiang River, and was thus called "Xiang-Tan". Another more likely story says the name originated in the Xiangzhou Eddy, today called the Zhao Eddy ({{lang|zh|昭潭}}). The Zhao Eddy is an ancient whirlpool located in a deep section of the Xiang River near the traditional border between Xiangtan and Changsha, and is named for King Zhao of Zhou, who is said to have died there.

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Relics from the Daxi culture indicate that people inhabited the Xiangtan area in the 3rd millennium BC. Shang dynasty bronzewares have been found in the region, as well as tombs from the Warring States period. During the Three Kingdoms period, the kingdom of Eastern Wu built a city in the west of modern Xiangtan City and organized the Hengyang Commandery ({{lang|zh-hant|衡陽郡}}) around it. In 749, the Tang dynasty organized the area as Xiangtan County, centered at modern Yisu River ({{lang|zh-hant|易俗河}}). By the time of the Northern Song dynasty, Xiangtan's good access to both land and water trade routes had established it as the major commercial center of the region.

Xiangtan prospered throughout the Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty upon an economic foundation of trading in rice and traditional Chinese medicinal ingredients, and was sometimes referred to as "Little Nanjing" or "Golden Xiangtan". Prior to the Second Opium War, Xiangtan was a central transfer point for import and export goods going to and from ports in Canton, Shanghai, and Wuhan, supported by approximately 200,000 inhabitants.

As of 2010 census, Xiangtan had 2,748,552 inhabitants, of whom 1,877,919 lived in the built-up area (2 urban districts plus Xiangtan county). Together with the four adjoining urban districts of Zhuzhou, its built-up area is home to 2,933,069 inhabitants. In 2007, the city was named China's top ten livable cities by Chinese Cities Brand Value Report, which was released at the 2007 Beijing Summit of China Cities Forum.{{cite web|url=http://eng.hnloudi.gov.cn/engld%5Caboutloudi/Loudicity/Loudihonor/2011/1_327/default.shtml|title=China's Top 10 Most Livable Cities|date=2012-03-28|website=hnloudi.gov.cn|publisher=Hunan Loudi Official Government|access-date=2014-08-04|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130410050946/http://eng.hnloudi.gov.cn/engld%5Caboutloudi/Loudicity/Loudihonor/2011/1_327/default.shtml|archive-date=2013-04-10|url-status=dead}}

File:Txu-oclc-10552568-ng49-4.jpg, 1954)]]

Xiangtan has a humid subtropical climate with long, hot summers, and cool to cold, cloudy, damp winters with occasional snow flurries. Within its administrative area, the annual mean temperature is {{convert|17.4|°C|°F|1}}, with the coolest month being January, which averages {{convert|5.1|°C|1}}, and the hottest July, at {{convert|29.1|°C|1}}.

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| metric first = y

| single line = y

| collapsed = Y

| location = Xiangtan, elevation {{convert|64|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–present)

| Jan high C = 8.8

| Feb high C = 11.8

| Mar high C = 16.1

| Apr high C = 22.6

| May high C = 27.1

| Jun high C = 30.1

| Jul high C = 33.7

| Aug high C = 33.1

| Sep high C = 28.9

| Oct high C = 23.6

| Nov high C = 17.8

| Dec high C = 11.7

| Jan mean C = 5.3

| Feb mean C = 7.9

| Mar mean C = 11.9

| Apr mean C = 17.9

| May mean C = 22.5

| Jun mean C = 25.9

| Jul mean C = 29.1

| Aug mean C = 28.3

| Sep mean C = 24.2

| Oct mean C = 18.8

| Nov mean C = 13.1

| Dec mean C = 7.5

| Jan low C = 2.8

| Feb low C = 5.1

| Mar low C = 8.9

| Apr low C = 14.5

| May low C = 19.1

| Jun low C = 22.8

| Jul low C = 25.6

| Aug low C = 25.0

| Sep low C = 20.9

| Oct low C = 15.4

| Nov low C = 9.7

| Dec low C = 4.4

| Jan record high C = 23.5

| Jan record low C = −6.2

| Feb record high C = 30.1

| Feb record low C = -8.0

| Mar record high C = 33.8

| Mar record low C = −1.6

| Apr record high C = 35.4

| Apr record low C = 2.4

| May record high C = 36.0

| May record low C = 9.6

| Jun record high C = 37.5

| Jun record low C = 13.2

| Jul record high C = 39.6

| Jul record low C = 19.3

| Aug record high C = 41.8

| Aug record low C = 17.1

| Sep record high C = 40.0

| Sep record low C = 12.1

| Oct record high C = 34.2

| Oct record low C = 2.0

| Nov record high C = 32.7

| Nov record low C = −1.4

| Dec record high C = 24.7

| Dec record low C = −12.1

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation mm = 73.2

| Feb precipitation mm = 87.7

| Mar precipitation mm = 144.6

| Apr precipitation mm = 156.1

| May precipitation mm = 198.1

| Jun precipitation mm = 230.7

| Jul precipitation mm = 157.8

| Aug precipitation mm = 105.7

| Sep precipitation mm = 76.1

| Oct precipitation mm = 61.8

| Nov precipitation mm = 77.2

| Dec precipitation mm = 55.1

| Jan humidity = 81

| Feb humidity = 81

| Mar humidity = 83

| Apr humidity = 81

| May humidity = 82

| Jun humidity = 84

| Jul humidity = 77

| Aug humidity = 79

| Sep humidity = 81

| Oct humidity = 79

| Nov humidity = 79

| Dec humidity = 79

| unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm

| Jan precipitation days = 13.9

| Feb precipitation days = 14.1

| Mar precipitation days = 17.7

| Apr precipitation days = 17.0

| May precipitation days = 16.6

| Jun precipitation days = 15.1

| Jul precipitation days = 10.3

| Aug precipitation days = 11.0

| Sep precipitation days = 9.0

| Oct precipitation days = 10.1

| Nov precipitation days = 10.4

| Dec precipitation days = 10.6

| year precipitation days =

| Jan sun = 61.6

| Feb sun = 66.2

| Mar sun = 81.7

| Apr sun = 108.8

| May sun = 138.8

| Jun sun = 141.1

| Jul sun = 231.3

| Aug sun = 214.2

| Sep sun = 159.1

| Oct sun = 132.4

| Nov sun = 113.9

| Dec sun = 96.0

| year sun =

| Jan percentsun = 19

| Feb percentsun = 21

| Mar percentsun = 22

| Apr percentsun = 28

| May percentsun = 33

| Jun percentsun = 34

| Jul percentsun = 55

| Aug percentsun = 53

| Sep percentsun = 44

| Oct percentsun = 38

| Nov percentsun = 36

| Dec percentsun = 30

| year percentsun =

| Jan snow days = 4.5

| Feb snow days = 2.2

| Mar snow days = 0.4

| Apr snow days = 0

| May snow days = 0

| Jun snow days = 0

| Jul snow days = 0

| Aug snow days = 0

| Sep snow days = 0

| Oct snow days = 0

| Nov snow days = 0.1

| Dec snow days = 1.6

| year snow days =

| source 1 = China Meteorological Administration{{cite web |url=http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data |publisher=China Meteorological Administration |language = zh-hans |access-date=23 September 2023}}

{{cite web|url=https://experience.arcgis.com/template/e724038fda394e9d9b7921f10fd1aa55/page/%E7%BA%AF%E8%A1%A8%E6%A0%BC%E7%BB%9F%E8%AE%A1-(%E5%AF%B9%E6%AF%948110%E5%8F%98%E5%8C%96)/?org=UQmaps |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网|publisher=China Meteorological Administration |language = zh-hans | access-date =23 September 2023 |title=Experience Template }}

| source =

}}

The city of Xiangtan has direct jurisdiction over two districts ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s={{linktext|区}} |p=qū}}), two county-level cities ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s={{linktext|市}} |p=shì}}), and one county ({{lang-zh|labels=no|s={{linktext|县}} |p=xiàn}}):

• Yuetang District ({{lang|zh-hans|岳塘区}})
• Yuhu District ({{lang|zh-hans|雨湖区}})
• Shaoshan City ({{lang|zh-hans|韶山市}})
• Xiangxiang City ({{lang|zh-hans|湘乡市}})
• Xiangtan County ({{lang|zh-hans|湘潭县}})

In 2006, Xiangtan's nominal GDP was ¥42.2 billion (US$6.2 billion), a year-on-year growth of 13.2% from the previous year. Its per capita GDP was ¥15,455 (US$2,265).

Xiangtan is famous for its production of lotus seed and soy sauce. People in Xiangtan like to chew areca nut ({{lang-zh|labels=no |s={{linktext|槟榔}} |p=bīngláng}}), though the area itself doesn't grow them. Most raw areca nut fruits are from Hainan and processed locally. The history of consuming areca nut dates back to 400 years ago, when people chewed it for pandemic prevention. Nowadays, it is quite common to see people chewing areca nut in Hunan.[https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/world/asia/20hunan.html "Despite Risks, an Addictive Treat Fuels a Chinese City"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314095859/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/world/asia/20hunan.html |date=2017-03-14 }} article by Dan Levin in The New York Times August 19, 2010, accessed August 20, 2010 In 2003, the sales revenue of areca nut industry in Xiangtan had reached ¥800 million.

{{main|Politics of Xiangtan}}

The current Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary of Xiangtan is Cao Jiongfang and the current mayor is Zhang Yingchun.{{cite news|url=http://www.sohu.com/a/296709181_363026 |script-title=zh:重磅！张迎春提名湘潭史上首位女市长 |work=Sohu |date=2019-02-22 |language=zh}}{{cite news|author1=Peng Ting |author2=Cao Yang |url=http://hunan.voc.com.cn/article/201903/201903271106306850.html |script-title=zh:刚刚，张迎春当选湘潭市人民政府市长 |work=hunan.voc.com.cn |date=2019-03-27 |language=zh}}

Xiangtan is well connected by roads, river and rail. There is a shuttle bus service connecting to Changsha Huanghua International Airport.

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Many people continue to visit Shaoshan, Xiangtan to visit the birthplace of Mao Zedong, the former Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China from 1949 to 1976.

Some local people like to visit zhaoshan, a small mountain surrounded by trees in Xiangtan.

Professional tennis player Peng Shuai was born and trained in Xiangtan.{{Cite news|url=http://www.chinatopix.com/articles/94201/20160703/tennis-news-peng-shuai-china-struggling-tip-top-shape-ahead-rio-games.htm|title=Tennis News: Peng Shuai of China Struggling to get in top Shape Ahead of Rio Olympics|last=Agranum|first=Ritz|date=2016-07-03|newspaper=Chinatopix|access-date=2017-01-16}} Xiangtan Stadium was the home to Bayi Football Team of the Chinese Football Association Jia League (now Chinese Super League) from 2002 to 2003.

Xiangtan is one of the top 200 cities in the world by scientific research outputs, as tracked by the Nature Index. It is home to Xiangtan University, a Double First-Class Construction university, and two provincial key public universities, Hunan Institute of Engineering and Hunan University of Science and Technology. Following is a list of institutions with full-time bachelor programs in Xiangtan:

• Xiangtan University ({{lang|zh-hans|湘潭大学}})
• Hunan University of Science and Technology ({{lang|zh-hans|湖南科技大学}})
• Hunan Institute of Engineering ({{lang|zh-hans|湖南工程学院}})
• {{Interlanguage link|Xiangtan Institute of Technology|zh|湘潭理工学院}} ({{lang|zh-hans|湘潭理工学院}})
• {{Interlanguage link|Hunan Software Vocational and Technical University|zh|湖南软件职业技术大学}} ({{lang|zh-hans|湖南软件职业技术大学}})

Xiangtan is the birthplace of:

• Mao Zedong
• Mao Yichang
• Mao Ning
• Peng Dehuai
• Qi Baishi
• Zeng Guofan
• James Soong
• Tang Hongbo
• Peng Shuai
• Ma Ho-ling
• Ma Ying-jeou

• List of Catholic dioceses in China
• List of twin towns and sister cities in China

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons}}

{{Wiktionary|Xiangtan|Hsiangtan|Hsiang-t'an}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080828042108/http://xtctp.com/en/ Xiangtan Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081204114751/http://www.xtctp.com/en/articles/20060326270.html German Industrial Park]

{{Hunan topics}}

{{Hunan}}

{{Prefectural-level divisions of the People's Republic of China}}

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Category:Cities in Hunan

Category:Prefecture-level divisions of Hunan

Category:National Civilized City