Jiangxi Province (pop., 2000 est.: 41,400,000), is located in the heart of south-central China. It is bordered by Hubei province to the northwest, Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, and Hunan to the west. It has an area of 63,600 sq mi (164,800 sq km), and its capital is Nanchang.[1] Located in the drainage basin of the Gan River, it is one of China's richest agricultural provinces, and it is also renowned for its porcelain industry, which dates from the 11th century.
Someone has said it is the place “where north meets south, and east meets west.” For me it is a place of astonishing beauty and tranquility.
There are many places that claim to be “the most beautiful place in China,” but for my part any discussion of nature’s beauty must include Jiangxi’s majestic mountains, lakes, rivers and falls, as well as its pristine undisturbed historical villages.
With regard to its natural resources, the Columbia Encyclopedia says:
“In Jiangxi's fertile soil and mild climate agriculture flourishes; the growing season is 9 to 11 months long, and more than one third of the area is cultivated. Jiangxi is one of China's leading rice producers; other food crops include wheat, sweet potatoes, barley, and corn. Commerical crops are cotton, oil-bearing plants (rapeseed, sesame, soybeans, and peanuts), ramie, tea, sugarcane, tobacco, and oranges. Ten percent of the province is forested, and a lumbering industry has developed. Tung and mulberry trees are grown; a large, integrated silk complex is at Nanchang. Livestock raising and fish culture are important. Jiangxi is an important source of tungsten; it also has high-grade coking coal (near Pingxiang) and kaolin, which supplies the ancient porcelain industry of Jingdezhen. Manganese, tin, lead, zinc, iron, and antimony are also found. The province has a variety of heavy and light industries that produce petrochemicals, textiles, processed food, and printed materials.” [2]
I regret that I cannot show you all of the beauty that exists here; but I hope that the pages you see here will whet your appetite to come and see for yourself.
Needless to say as I have the opportunity to venture out further to other places in my home province, I will come back here and share those places with you. I thank you for taking the time, right now, to enjoy this small tribute to the place I call my home.
History
Originally called “Gan,” Jiangxi is centered on the Gan River valley. This valley was historically the main north-south transport route of south China. The name of the province does not mean "west of the Yangtze" as a literal reading would imply, but originated as a contraction of "Jiangnan Xi" (江南西; "West Jiangnan", or more literally "the west of the south of the Yangtze"). The name originates from the time when the Tang Dynasty split the Jiangnan ("south of the Yangtze") Circuit into western and eastern halves.[3]
The Gan River (Gan Jiang) traverses the province from south to north. In the north the Gan Jiang enters Po Yang Hu (Lake Poyang), the largest freshwater lake of China; which in turn empties into the Yangtze River, forming part of the northern border of Jiangxi.
Nanchang – where I live – is the capital of Jiangxi Province; and is greatly known for its role in the emergence of the Chinese Communist Party, and as the site of the Nanchang Uprising which gave birth to the Peoples Liberation Army.
Please visit http://www.answers.com/topic/jiangxi for a very thorough history of this Province and http://nanchangprc.blogspot.com/ for my perspective on the Nanchang Uprising.
And please visit the individual blogs for each “Jiangxi Village,” for a look at the elements that make this place so special.
[1] "Jiangxi." Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2006. Answers.com 06 May. 2007. http://www.answers.com/topic/jiangxi
[2] The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/
[3] "Jiangxi." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2007. Answers.com 06 May. 2007. http://www.answers.com/topic/jiangxi
Sunday, May 6, 2007
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