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Central China witnessed ancient empires and a colorful history. Its more than 1/3 billion people live in six provinces:
Anhui, a province with 60 million population, offers tourists a multitude of attractions: magnificent mountains and ancient villages.
Huangshan, Jiuhua and Tianzhu are scenic mountains as well as holy sites of Buddhism.
Xidi and Hongcun are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Constructed in the 10th century, the villages reflect life during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Hefei, Anhui's capital, a city of three million, is a center of industry.
Henan has close to 100 million population. In spite of rapid growth over the past decades and the promise of further development, it is still one of China's more backward areas. Its capital, Zhengzhou,is one of the projected 13 emerging megacities.
However, Henan has had a colorful history. Luoyang, Anyang, Zhengzhou and Kaifeng were capitals of ancient empires. Kaifeng, had, for hundreds of years, a flourishing Jewish community.
China's most famous Buddhist temple is the Shaolin Monastery on Shaoshi Mountain, part of the spectacular Songshan Mountain Range, southwest of Zhengzhou.
Hunan, more than 65 million population, is a region of agriculture, especially rice and tea. There are also areas of great natural beauty such as Dongting Lake, Mount Hengshan and the charming region along the Yuanjiang River.
Its capital, Changsha, has become the center of a large industrial complex. It is noted for its machine tool and electronics production. Because of numerous historical sites and points of interest, it is also a center of culture and tourism.
Hubei, with close to 60 million population, is a rich province in terms of agriculture, mineral resources and industry. Its capital, Wuhan, a city of 10 million, is the result of the merger of three cities. One if these was Hankou, once the seat of the Chinese national government. Wuhan is the commercial, financial and cultural center of Central China.
A popular tourist destination is Wudang Mountain, a sacred Taoist shrine.
Three Gorges Dam Project is a vast undertaking in water management.
Jiangxi, with 45 million population, is primarily agricultural, rice being the primary crop.
The province has much natural beauty and a multitude of historical sites.
Poyang Lakeis a large expanse of water and home to exotic birdlife.
Jingdezhen, China's "Capital of Porcelain," has a ceramic museum and lots of ceramic studios and workshops.
The province's capital, Nanchang with 5 million population, is a center of industry as well as the hub of the agricultural economy.
Shanxi has a population of close to 35 million. it is one of the provinces with a rich background in Chinese civilization.
Pingyao is a well preserved ancient city. It is a virtual museum of the Ming and Qing Dynasty periods.
A highly scenic spot is Mount Wutai, a holy site of Buddhism.
The capital, of the province is Taiyuan, a large coal mining center. Shanxi has the largest coal and bauxite reserves in China. |
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