County in Shanxi, People's Republic of China
Hongtong County (simplified Chinese: 洪洞县; traditional Chinese: 洪洞縣; pinyin: Hóngtóng Xiàn) is a county in the southwest of Shanxi Province, China.[3] It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Linfen.[3] The county spans an area of 1,494 square kilometers, and has a population of approximately 766,579 as of 2019.[1][2]
History
During the reigns of the Hongwu Emperor through the Yongle Emperor, there was a concerted effort to resettle Chinese peasants to the North China Plains, which had been afflicted by conflict and natural disasters shortly before their reigns.[4][5] While en route to their new homes in the North China Plains, many migrants gathered at the Great Pagoda Tree of Hongtong,[4][5] and many even chose to settle in and around Pingyang Fu [zh],[4] which contained present-day Hongtong County.
Administrative divisions
Hongtong County is divided into nine towns and seven townships.[3] The county's seat of government is located in the town of Dahuaishu [zh].[3]
The county's nine towns are Dahuaishu, Ganting [zh], Quting [zh], Subao [zh], Guangshengsi [zh], Mingjiang [zh], Zhaocheng [zh], Wan'an, and Liujiayuan [zh].[3]
The county's seven townships are Yandi Township [zh], Xingtangsi Township [zh], Dicun Township [zh], Xincun Township [zh], Longma Township [zh], Shantou Township [zh], and Zuomu Township [zh].[3]
Geography
Lying in the northern end of the Linfen Basin, Hongtong County has an average altitude of 430 meters, with its highest peak, Huoshan, reaching 2,347 meters in elevation.[1] The Fen River runs north to south through the county.[1]
Climate
On an annual basis, Hongtong County experiences an average temperature of 12.7 °C, 441.5 millimeters of precipitation, and 2079.1 hours of sunshine.[1]
| Climate data for Hongtong (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010)
|
| Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
| Record high °C (°F)
|
15.4
(59.7)
|
21.8
(71.2)
|
29.0
(84.2)
|
35.4
(95.7)
|
37.0
(98.6)
|
41.6
(106.9)
|
40.5
(104.9)
|
38.6
(101.5)
|
38.5
(101.3)
|
31.5
(88.7)
|
25.6
(78.1)
|
15.5
(59.9)
|
41.6
(106.9)
|
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
|
4.6
(40.3)
|
9.3
(48.7)
|
15.8
(60.4)
|
22.4
(72.3)
|
27.4
(81.3)
|
32.1
(89.8)
|
32.9
(91.2)
|
30.9
(87.6)
|
26.2
(79.2)
|
20.1
(68.2)
|
12.2
(54.0)
|
5.6
(42.1)
|
20.0
(67.9)
|
| Daily mean °C (°F)
|
−2.2
(28.0)
|
2.1
(35.8)
|
8.5
(47.3)
|
15
(59)
|
20.1
(68.2)
|
24.9
(76.8)
|
26.7
(80.1)
|
24.9
(76.8)
|
19.7
(67.5)
|
13.1
(55.6)
|
5.5
(41.9)
|
−0.9
(30.4)
|
13.1
(55.6)
|
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
|
−7.2
(19.0)
|
−3.1
(26.4)
|
2.6
(36.7)
|
8.5
(47.3)
|
13.5
(56.3)
|
18.6
(65.5)
|
21.8
(71.2)
|
20.3
(68.5)
|
14.9
(58.8)
|
8.1
(46.6)
|
0.6
(33.1)
|
−5.5
(22.1)
|
7.8
(46.0)
|
| Record low °C (°F)
|
−17.4
(0.7)
|
−17.5
(0.5)
|
−11.5
(11.3)
|
−4.1
(24.6)
|
2.3
(36.1)
|
6.8
(44.2)
|
14.7
(58.5)
|
11.8
(53.2)
|
1.6
(34.9)
|
−5.4
(22.3)
|
−17.1
(1.2)
|
−18.9
(−2.0)
|
−18.9
(−2.0)
|
| Average precipitation mm (inches)
|
4.1
(0.16)
|
5.2
(0.20)
|
10.1
(0.40)
|
28.3
(1.11)
|
37.2
(1.46)
|
51.7
(2.04)
|
106.5
(4.19)
|
82.2
(3.24)
|
62.4
(2.46)
|
35.4
(1.39)
|
15.8
(0.62)
|
2.7
(0.11)
|
441.6
(17.38)
|
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)
|
2.2
|
3.0
|
3.7
|
5.4
|
6.7
|
8.2
|
10.5
|
9.4
|
8.7
|
6.4
|
4.2
|
2.1
|
70.5
|
| Average snowy days
|
3.2
|
2.9
|
0.8
|
0.2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1.2
|
2.2
|
10.5
|
| Average relative humidity (%)
|
54
|
52
|
49
|
53
|
56
|
56
|
67
|
72
|
72
|
69
|
64
|
57
|
60
|
| Mean monthly sunshine hours
|
127.0
|
140.7
|
180.9
|
208.5
|
225.5
|
208.0
|
197.0
|
189.6
|
159.6
|
152.8
|
133.5
|
123.5
|
2,046.6
|
| Percent possible sunshine
|
41
|
45
|
49
|
53
|
52
|
48
|
45
|
46
|
43
|
44
|
44
|
41
|
46
|
| Source: China Meteorological Administration[6][7]
|
Demographics
The county's population was 766,579 as of 2019, of which 45.7% of the population lived in urbanized areas, whereas the remaining 54.3% lived in rural areas.[2]
Economy
As of 2019, Hongtong County has a GDP of 15.15 billion Renminbi.[2] Of this, the primary sector accounted for 6.6% of the economy, the secondary sector accounted for 45.8% of the economy, and the tertiary sector accounted for 47.6% of the economy.[2] Retail sales in 2019 totaled 7.03 billion Renminbi.[2] Residents of Hongtong County had a disposable income of 19,545 yuan per capita, which stood at 30,848 yuan for urban residents, and 13,025 yuan for rural residents.[2]
Major agricultural products in the county include corn, wheat, millet, beans, yams, apples, red dates, and edible nuts.[2]
Major industrial products in the county include coal, coal coke, benzene, refined methanol, cast iron, natural gas, cement, chemical fertilizers, and plastic products.[2]
Education
Hongtong County has 352 schools, which includes 145 kindergartens, 162 elementary schools, 33 junior high schools, 9 ordinary high schools, and 3 secondary vocational schools.[2]
Culture
The Great Pagoda Tree of Hongtong [zh] retains a high degree of cultural significance, which is visited by about 200,000 tourists each year.[4] The Great Pagoda Tree has become a notable site in Chinese ancestor veneration, with tourists leaving messages at the site for their ancestors, and paying homage to them.[4][8] The site also hosts large events for the annual Qingming Festival.[8]
Transportation
By the end of 2019, there were 417 registered taxis, as well as 16 bus lines operational in the county serviced by 223 buses.[2]
Major expressways which run through Hongtong County include National Highway 108, National Highway 309, the G5 Beijing–Kunming Expressway, and the G22 Qingdao–Lanzhou Expressway.[1]
The Datong–Xi'an passenger railway and Datong–Puzhou railway both run through Hongtong County.[1]
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