Dalian, China

City in Liaoning, China

About Dalian

Dalian is a major prefecture-level, sub-provincial port city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, and is Liaoning's second largest city and the third-most populous city of Northeast China. Located on the southern tip of the Liaodong peninsula, it is the southernmost city in both Liaoning and the entire Northeast. Dalian borders the prefectural cities of Yingkou and Anshan to the north and Dandong to the northeast, and also shares maritime boundaries with Qinhuangdao and Huludao across the Liaodong Bay to the west and northwest, Yantai and Weihai on the Shandong peninsula across the Bohai Strait to the south, and North Korea across the Korea Bay to the east.

Etymology

Modern Dalian originated from Qingniwa (traditional Chinese: 青泥窪; simplified Chinese: 青泥洼; pinyin: Qīngníwā; lit. 'green/blue mud swamp') or Qingniwaqiao (青泥窪橋; 青泥洼桥; Qīngníwāqiáo; 'bridge over the green/blue mud swamp'), a small Chinese fishing village. The Russian Empire built a commercial town after coercing a lease of the area from the Qing dynasty in 1898 and called it Dalny (Russian: Дальний, romanized: Dal'nij — "a remote one" or "far-away", in reference to the town's location, rendered in Chinese as 達里尼; 达里尼; Dálǐní) from 1898 to 1905. After the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, Japan occupied the area as the Kwantung Leased Territory and renamed the city Dairen (Japanese: 大連/だいれん), which is the on'yomi (Sino-Japanese reading) of the Chinese name for Dalian Bay (simplified Chinese: 大连湾; traditional Chinese: 大連灣; pinyin: Dàlián Wān) — a name in use since at least 1879. …

History

In the Qin and Han empires (221 BC – AD 220), the Chinese empire annexed the Dalian Peninsula from the Korean state. During the Sixteen Kingdoms era (3rd through 5th centuries), the Korean state of Goguryeo controlled this region. In the early Tang dynasty (618–907), the Dalian region formed part of Andong Prefecture in Jili state; during the Liao dynasty (916–1125), it was a part of Dong Jing Tong Liaoyang county. Dalian was named Sanshan in the period of Wei Jin (220–420), San Shanpu in the Tang dynasty (618–907), Sanshan Seaport in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), and Qingniwakou during the early modern era. In the 1880s, Jinzhou, north of downtown Dalian, now Jinzhou District, was a walled town and a center for political intrigue and economic activity. The Qing government built bridges and heavily fortified the peninsula. …

Geography

One of the most heavily developed industrial areas of China, the Dalian municipal area today consists of Dalian proper and the smaller Lüshunkou (formerly Lüshun city, known in Western and Russian historic references as Port Arthur), farther along the Liaodong Peninsula. Historical references note that the Russian-designed city of Dalniy (Alt. Dalney), on the south side of Dalian Bay, was 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Port Arthur/Lüshun (known today as Lüshunkou or literally, Lüshun Port). Dalian is located on Korea Bay north of the Yellow Sea and roughly in the middle of the Liaodong peninsula at its narrowest neck or isthmus. With a coastline of 1,906 km (1,184 mi), it governs the majority of the Liaodong Peninsula and about 260 surrounding islands and reefs. It is situated at south-south-west of the Yalu River, and its harbor entrance forms a sub-bay known as Dalian Bay. …

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Culture

In 2006, Dalian was selected as the most liveable city in China according to China Daily. Dalian dialect belongs to the Jiaoliao Mandarin subgroup spoken in parts of Shandong and Liaoning provinces, which is a separate branch from Northeastern Mandarin. Most of the residents of Dalian were farmers and fishermen who had come from Shandong Province in a large population move, the Chuang Guandong, during which era Dalian was occupied by the Japanese as the Kwantung Leased Territory. Dalian dialect incorporates a few loanwords from Japanese and Russian (very rare in Chinese), reflecting the history of foreign occupation. Dalian dialect is mostly distinguishable from Standard Mandarin based on a low-falling Yinping 阴平 (31) and rich tone sandhi, and it is often referred to as being "oyster flavored" (海蛎子味) by the locals. …

Economy

The city has had a continuous annual double-digit percentage increase in GDP since 1992. In 2014, the city's GDP registered a 5.8% increase, reaching RMB 765.56 billion, while per capita GDP hit RMB 109,939. According to a nationwide appraisal by the National Bureau of Statistics, Dalian ranks eighth among Chinese cities in terms of overall strength. The city's main industries include machine manufacturing, petrochemicals and oil refining, and electronics. Dalian was originally an agriculture and aquaculture-based area, which, after the opening of the ferry between Yantai and Lüshun during the early 20th century, began to be populated by the farmers and fishers of Shandong, across the Yellow Sea during the Chuang Guandong era. …

Tourism

Dalian is a popular destination among domestic tourists and foreign visitors, especially from Japan, South Korea, and Russia. Its mild climate and multiple beaches, as well as its importance in the modern history of China, have attracted tourists. Some of the most famous beaches are Jinshitan Golden Coast (金石滩黄金海岸) beach, Fujiazhuang (付家庄) beach, Bangchuidao (棒棰岛) beach, Xinghai Park (星海公园) beach, Xinghai Bay (星海湾) beach, and Xiajiahezi (夏家河子) beach. In 2007, it was one of the three cities named "China's best tourist city", along with Hangzhou and Chengdu, recognized by the National Tourism Administration and the United Nations World Tourism Organization. …

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