Xinzheng () is a small county-level city of Zhengzhou in the south of Henan province of China. The city has a population of 600,000 people and covers an area of 15km.

History

Xinzheng is considered one of the birth places of Chinese nation. It was the seat of government for the Qin Dynasty, from about 221 B.C.E., which is considered the beginning of a unified China. The word qin (秦), which is pronounced similar to "chin", is thought to be the basis for the word "China." It was also the birthplace of the famous Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi in 772 A.D.
Historically, this prefecture was an integrated part of Zhengzhou. However, in 1994, the Henan Provincial Council authorized Xinzheng to be incorporated into a separate municipality.

Education

Xinzheng also has one of the largest concentrations of foreign teachers in central China, thanks to Sias International University. The school has 17,000 students and about 100 foreign teachers. Along with SIAS University, the city is also home to another university: ShengDa. , and SIAS has updwards of up to 16,000 students .

Economy

Xinzheng has a diversified economy, though agriculture and heavy industry dominate the economic landscape.

Agriculture

Agriculture consists of harvesting maize, cotton, tobacco and other industrial crops. However, Xinzheng is well-known throughout China for the jujube, or Chinese Date, harvest. At the timer of harvest, you will see these fruits being sold copiously in the fruit markets, as well as on the side of the roads on the side of the roads into town.

Industry

Xinzheng provides a home to several industrial factories, namely Cigarette factories, which are located near the center of town. In 2006, upwards of up to 2 billion USD was invested in a nearby industrial project, although the status of such investment is currently unknown. Mining coal locally has also been an important source of income.

Impact of Educational Institutions

Two large private universities, ShengDa University and SIAS International University play a major role in the local economy as well. ShengDa has 14,000 students , and SIAS has updwards of up to 16,000 students . Service industries (restaurants, hotels, banks, retail shops, etc) to accommodate the students have sprung out around the universities in abundance. At SIAS, the administration tacitly allows students to live off campus, creating a large community of land-lords around the university. The presence of 30,000 students has an undeniable and long lasting impact on the community.

Tourism

Huangdi Celebrations on the streets of Henan

Due to limited accommodation, lack of infrastructure, pollution and other factors, tourism has been slow to take off in Xinzheng. Every Spring, the city hosts a ceremony honoring Huangdi, the legendary ancestor of the Chinese nation. In 2009, this celebration attracted over 10,000 Chinese from within the People's Republic of China, as well as many Overseas Chinese
However, many of these guests find accommodations in nearby Zhengzhou, and the economic impact to the city is minimal. Xinzheng is said to be an 'open-air' museum, and the nearby Shizu mountain is said to be the exact birthplace of HuangDi. The Zhengzhou Dragon realization company began construction at the turn of the 21st century of a large concrete dragon that would straddle the mountain.

A giant dragon was being constructed by private investors near the city out of concrete and marble with a 29.9m tall head and a body that will eventually stretch 21 km (13 miles) along the ridge line of Shizu Mountain. The hollow body of the dragon was slated to be 9m high and 6m wide and will contain a light rail system along with facilities for sight seeing and leisure, such as shops, restaurants and luxury clubs. The project was expected to be completed before October 1, 2009 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China However, lack of funding, and a general lack of interest, left the project unfinished.

Transportation

Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport

Air

The airport that serves the provincial capital, Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, is located in Xinzheng. This is of particular importance not only because it is an airport for a large urban center, but because it is the only international airport for the province of 100 million.

On February 8, 2009, the direct air route between Zhengzhou and Taiwan was launched in Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, the Zhengzhou-Taipei flight was operated by Shenzhen Airlines. The airport has already been a major hub for domestic travel. The airport Code is CGO.

Rail

As in the rest of china, rail transport in Xinzheng is handled by the Ministry of Railways. Xinzheng itself has a small railroad station at the edge of town that accommodates trains to and from Zhengzhou as well as trains to other limited destinations within China.

However, nearby Zhengzhou is a major railway hub. It's station serves all major points in China and it lays claims to be the busiest rail station in China. As of 2007, high-speed rail service began between Zhengzhou and Beijing. To do any travel beyond the Zhengzhou immediate area, most residents travel to Zhengzhou, then onward.

Mass Transit

The city has a primitive, yet extensive, bus system. Within the urban city, it's possible to ride anywhere with one or two renminbi. There are no clear bus stops, so passengers wave the bus down as it speeds down the streets, and yell at it to stop when they've reached their destination.

The bus station to the west of the town's city center serves Zhengzhou, Kaifeng and other municipalities withing close proximity to Xinzheng.

Taxi

All Xinzheng taxis belong to the same local company, and taxis barrels throughout the city's streets with a starting fare of 3 renminbi.

Roads

Xinzheng is well connected to Zhengzhou and points south by China National Highway 220. All inter-city roads are well maintained. Within the city limits, asin the rest of many small Chinese cities, many residental roads remain in a serious state of disrepair.

Dragon

Construction of the Dragon on Shizu Mountain in Xinzheng