Dalian
Dalian (; ; ) is the governing
sub-provincial city in the eastern
Liaoning Province of northeastern
China. It is China's northernmost ice-free seaport.
The city administrates 6
districts, 3
county-level cities, and 1
county.
Ganjingzi, Zhongshan, Xigang, and Shahekou make up the urban centre. Changhai County is made up entirely of islands east of the peninsula. There are 74 sub-districts and 127 town/townships (11 of which are ethnic). (see
Political divisions of China#Levels)
There are, in addition, 4 national leading open zones (对外开"先导区):- The Development Zone (开发区)- The Free Trade Zone (保税区)- The Hi-Tech Industrial Zone (高新技术产业园区)- The Golden Pebble Beach National Holiday Resort (金石滩国家旅游度假区)
| Pinyin | Hanzi | Area
(km²) | Population | | Districts |
| Ganjingzi | "井子区 | 491 | 540 000 |
| Lüshunkou | 旅顺口区 | 506 | 210 000 |
| Xigang | 西岗区 | 26 | 330 000 |
| Zhongshan | 中山区 | 43 | 370 000 |
| Shahekou | 沙河口区 | 49 | 600 000 |
| Jinzhou | 金州区 | 1390 | 660 000 |
| Cities |
| Wafangdian | "房店市 | 3791 | 1 030 000 |
| Pulandian | 普兰店市 | 2923 | 820 000 |
| Zhuanghe | 庄河市 | 3866 | 900 000 |
| County |
| Changhai | 长海县 | 152 | 90 000 |
|
One of the most heavily developed industrial areas of China, the Dalian administrative district today consists of Dalian proper and the smaller
Lüshunkou, formerly
Lüshun city known in western and Russian historic references as
Port Arthur, about forty nautical miles farther along the
Liaotung/Liaodong Peninsula. Historical references note that the Russian designed city of
Dalny (Alt.
Dalney), on the south side of
Talien Bay was 40 rail kilometers from Port Arthur/Lüshun (known today as Lüshunkou
or literally Lüshun Port'').
|
Dalian - Landsat photo (circa 2000) |
Dalian is located west of the
Yellow Sea (
Korea Bay) and east of
Bohai Sea roughly in the middle of the Liaodong/Liaotung peninsula at its narrowest neck or
isthmus. With a coastline of 1 906
km, it governs the entire Liaodong Peninsula and about 260 surrounding islands and reefs. It is south-south-west of the
Yalu River, and its harbor entrance forms a sub-Bay known as
Dalian Bay.
In the
Qin and
Han periods (221 B.C.-220 A.D.), the Dalian region was under the jurisdiction of Liaodong county. In the early
Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Dalian region was under the jurisdiction of Andong Prefecture in Jili state, and in the
Liao Dynasty (916-1125), it was under the jurisdiction of Dong Jing Tong Liaoyang county. Dalian was named Sanshan in the period of
Weijin (220-420), San Shanpu in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Sanshan Seaport in the
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and Qing Niwakou in the
Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In the 1880s, the Qing government constructed loading bridges and fortifications with built-in cannons, and set up mining camps on the northern coast of Dalian Gulf, making it become a small town. In 1898, the Government of Imperial Russia leased the peninsula off the Qing Dynasty, and a modern city was laid out with the name of Dalny. Linked to the Trans-siberian railway, Dalny became Russia's primary port-city in Asia. As the main battlefield of the
Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and Russo-Japanese War (1905) after which the ort was ceeded to the Japanese Imperial Government.
The unconditional surrender of Japan on August of 1945 marks the liberation of Dalian in the anti-fascist war, but the Soviets, who had taken possession of the city in advance of the end of hostilities, remained in the city until 1955. During this period the Soviets and Chinese Communists cooperated in the further development of the city, its industrial infrastructure, and especially the port. The city had been relatively undamaged during the war.
After the (friendly) departure of the Soviets, China made Dalien into a major shipbuilding center. In the 1990s the city benefitted from the attentions of Bo Xilai (son of the important first generation Party elder, Bo Yibo) who was both mayor of the city and provincial party official, who, among other things, banned bicycles, created large, lush parks in the city's many traffic circles, and generally built things up very attractively. He also preserved much of Dalian's interesting and attractive Japanese and Russian architectural heritage. His legacy, however, also includes the usual quota of empty buildings built with questionable loans, over-development, and corruption. He is now Minister of Commerce.
|
Friendship Square in Dalian |
Dalian port is emerging as a very important port for international trade. A new harbor for oil tankers, at the terminus of an oil
pipeline from the
Daqing oilfields, was completed in
1976. Dalian is the largest
petroleum port in China, and also the 3rd largest port overall. Accordingly, Dalian is a major center for
oil refineries, diesel engineering, and chemical production.
Dalian has been given many benefits by the Chinese government, including the title of "open-city," (1984) which allows it to receive considerable
foreign investment (see
Special Economic Zone).
Dalian is the one of the few cities in China where there are not many bicycles and the number of cars on Dalian streets has increased dramatically in recent years. Traffic jams during rush hour are now commonplace. The city has a comprehensive and efficient bus and light rail mass transit system.
Dalian has a modern and recently (2006) expanded international airport,
Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport, with direct flights to most major Chinese cities. The city's location means that train trips to most Chinese cities outside China's northeastern region require changing trains in Shanghai or, more probably, Beijing. Most of the direct city to city express trains are overnight trips. In addition to local and express bus service to Beijing and other areas in the northeast, Dalian is connected by passenger ship service to neighbouring coastal cities, such as
Tianjin and
Yantai, as well as South Korea.
Every September Dalian hosts the Dalian International Fashion Festival (大连国际服装节). This festival is a chance for many major foreign companies to showcase their new products and sign up buyers. Before the festival, the city holds an opening ceremony attended by government officials as well as famous stars of the entertainment world.
Dalian is the home of three zoological parks: Dalian Forest Zoo, Shengya Ocean World, and Polar World. The Forest Zoo has a free-range animal section as well as a more traditional zoo. Shengya Ocean World includes an underwater conveyor through a transparent tunnel. Polar World is the only park devoted to polar animals in China.
Sports play a big role in the local culture. The city's mayor, a young princeling (member of the ruling cadres) encouraged a top league soccer team with foreign aid and a lot of city cash to increase the city's image in the country and bring local fame. They have been caught out several times though and the heyday of the Super Team has passed. The city's soccer team has dominated the sport in China and Asia by winning 7 titles out of the past 9 years of Chinese professional soccer league. The city is also a powerhouse producing numerous track and field champions.
The local cuisine heavily depends on variety of fresh seafood and fruits, both of which are abundant in the area.
*
Dalian University*
Dalian University of Technology*
Dalian Fisheries University*
Liaoning Normal University*
Dalian Maritime UniversityThe Dalian's
soccer club is
Dalian Shide (实德), one of twelve teams in the
Chinese Super League.
Prior to
2000 they were known as Dalian Wanda (万达). Many regard Dalian Shide as China's premier soccer club having achieved success as:Jia A Champions 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002Asian Club Championship Runners-up 1997Asian Cup Winners' Cup Runners-up 2001Chinese Super Cup Winners 1997, 2001, 2003China FA Cup Winners 2001
Dalian's public schools are controlled by the
Dalian Education Bureau [
1].
Colleges and universities
*
Dalian University of Technology*
Dalian Fisheries University*
Liaoning Normal University*
Dalian Maritime UniversityDalian UniversitySister cities of Dalian
The following are sister cities of Dailian:
*
Kitakyūshū (
Japan)
*
Le Havre (
France)
*
Glasgow (
Scotland)
*
Vancouver (
Canada)
*
Bremen (
Germany)
*
Incheon (
South Korea)
*
Oakland (
USA)
*
Rostock (
Germany)
*
Houston (
USA)
*
Maizuru (
Japan)
*
Vladivostok (
Russia)
*
Pointe-Noire (
Republic of Congo)
*
Adelaide (
Australia)
Dalian is considered a "model city" from which other urban planning in China is to be inspired.
The German
anatomist Gunther von Hagens runs a
plastination center in Dalian.
*
Liaoning*
Shenyang*
Dandong*
Harbin*
Changchun*
Official site*
Discover Dalian*
Subdivision maps**
Detailed*
Map of Location in China*Tom McKnight,PhD, et al;
Geographica (ATLAS), Barnes and Noble Books AND Random House, New York,
1999-
2004, 3rd revision, ISBN 0-7607-5974-X, 618 pp.
*Frank Theiss,
The Voyage of Forgotten Men,
1937, Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1st Ed., Indianapolis & New York, 415 pp.
