Zhongxiang

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Zhongxiang (Traditional Chinese: 鐘祥, Simplified Chinese: 钟祥) is a county-level city of Jingmen, Hubei province of the People's Republic of China.Zhongxiang is a famous historic and cultural cities in China.

[edit] Geography

Zhongxiang,with a total land area of 4,488 square kilometers, is situated in the central part of Hubei Province. It lies at the north of Jianghan Plain, and the middle reaches of the Hanjiang River. Zhongxiang is at 66 m above sea level. Another city not far from Zhongxiang is Jingmen. After the building of the Three Gorges Dam a number of people from the Gaoyang area moved to the area around Zhongxiang. Zhongxiang is also affected by heavy rain occasionally.

[edit] History

Zhongxiang is one of the cradles of the Chu culture. It was the alternate capital of the Chu state in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. And, during the Ming Dynasty, because of Ming Shizong Emperor Jiajing was born and lived in the city before he succeeded to the emperor, Zhongxiang, the place where the Chengtian Government Office, became one of the three major prefectures directly under the central government.

Jiajing's father Gongruixian Emperor Zhu Youyuan (1476-1519) and mother Zhangsheng empress dowager, was buried at the Xianling Tomb, which was included on the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2000.

[edit] Sites

    • Xianling Tomb (显陵)
    • Mountain Dahong National Scenic Area (大洪山国家森林公园)
    • Huangxian Cave (黄仙洞) famous for its karst landform
    • Wenxia Reservoir (温峡水库)