Anqing (The Former Capital of Anhui Province)

Anqing, also called Yicheng, is one of renowned China’s national cultural cities. It is also an excellent city for tourism and garden city of China. Anqing is one of major cities in Anhui Province and the sun-rising industrial city of the Province with a rough population of 6,040,000. It belongs to the subtropical humid monsoon climate. The main produces here include : rice, cotton, oil plants, tea, orange and silkworm and so on.

Anqing is the cradle of Tongcheng Academy (an authorized and top-class literature school in creation and influence for a long time. For the founders were all the people from Tongcheng, the late people called it Tongcheng Academy) and Huangmei Drama (a well-known local drama in China and warmly welcomed in folk community, besides it is sung in Anqing local accent). It is a middle-sized industrial city engaging in petrochemical, textile, and food. The urban symbolic flower is China rose. The most attractive travel destinations include five mountains (Tianzhu Mountain, Fushan Mountain, Xiaogushan Mountain, Sikongshan Mountain and Dalongshan Mountain) and two lakes (Huating Lake and Shitang Lake). Anqing is the place for Anqing Defensive War breaking out between governmental army of Qing Dynasty and the uprising anti-governmental peasant army. In 1912, Dr. Sun Yat-sen burned the British smuggling opium here.

History of Anqing

Anqing is a time-honored place and its history could date back to the Neolithic times. Guo Pu, one poet in East Jin Period called this place as Yicheng. In the period of South Song Dynasty, the government stationed army here, and this army was called Anqing army. It is the origination of name of Anqing. During the time from 1760 to 1937, it was the provincial capital of Anhui Province. It is also the center of Anhui’s politics, economy and culture. Anhui is the combination of initial characters of Anqing and Huizhou. There is a mountain in Anqing called Wan, so it is also considered as the origin of Anhui civilization.

Anqing assembles the outstanding culture and humanity. In the past several hundred years, many a celebrity appeared in this area, such as : Fang Bao, Liu Dakui, Yao Nai, Yaoying and Wuyulun and so on. The forerunner of China’s neo-cultural movement and CPC Chen Duxiu, and the originator of Peking Opera Cheng Changgeng, calligrapher Deng Shiru, novelist Zhang Henshui, excellent performer of Huangmei drama Yan Fengying and the Buddhism leader Zhao Puchu.

The world-renowned Peking Opera is originated from Anqing. During the reign of Qianlong Emperor of Qing Dynasty, the leader of four Hui teams mixed Huangmei Drama with Kunqu and Han Diao, and then the artistic quintessence - Peking Opera revealed.

Anqing is the birthplace of Tongcheng Academy which ruled China’s literature community for a long time. Anqing is the holyland of China’s zen (a sub-system of China’s Buddhism). Anqing is also one of the cities that influenced earlier by the western civilization. In 1861, China’s top-class scientists such as Xu Shou, Hua Hengfang and Li Shanlan all worked in ordnance firm of Anqing. China’s first steam engine and powerboat were invented successfully here. The first power station, waterworks, telegraph office, library, university and paper of Anhui all appeared here.