Xianning

The word "Xianning" comes from the "Book of Changes" "The first common people come out, all nations are in Xianning", which means happiness and peace in all parts of the world. Xianning was under the jurisdiction of Nanjun County during the Qin dynasty. At the end of the Han dynasty, Xianning became a strategic point where conflict occurred; Xianning is a likely site for the Battle of Red Cliffs. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the jurisdiction belonged to Wuchang Prefecture. In the 21st year of the Republic of China (1932), Tongshan belonged to the Second Administrative Supervision District of Hubei Province, and other counties belonged to the First Administrative Supervision District. During the Cultural Revolution, it was an important area for the Hunan, Hubei and Jiangxi Revolutionary Bases.

Xianning is located in southeastern Hubei province, just south of Wuhan, between the southern bank of the Yangtze River in the north and the Mufu Mountains in the south. The land spans 113°32′-114°58′ east longitude and 29°02′-30°19′ north latitude. It borders Jiangxi to the southeast and Hunan to the southwest. It is called Hubei's southern gateway. Xianning is hilly and mountainous (especially in its southern part), with some flatlands (mostly in the north) and lakes. It was home to 2,462,583 inhabitants as of the 2010 census of whom 512,517 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of Xia'nan District.At the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, the permanent population will be 2.6084 million. Its area is 1,504 square kilometres (581 sq mi), 56% of which is forested. Its proximity to Wuhan is transforming the city into an outer suburb of the Hubei's capital. …

Agriculture and forestry are two of Xianning's biggest industries. It is known by the three names, "City of Osmanthus", "City of Nan Bamboo", and "City of Tea". There are more than 1 million mu (~151,822 English acres) of "Nan" Bamboo, 30,000 Chinese acres of osmanthus, and more than 150,000 Chinese acres of tea. Mineral resources are also an important part of Xianning's economy. Niobium, gold, magnesium, antimony, monazite, coal, manganese, vanadium, mica, and marble are all mined or quarried in Xianning. Xianning Nuclear Power Plant is under construction near Dafan Town, Tongshan County. On 17 August 2010, the Shaw Group announced an agreement with State Nuclear Power Engineering Corp. Ltd., a subsidiary of China's State Nuclear Power Technology Corp. Ltd. (SNPTC), to add two new AP1000 units at the Xianning Nuclear Power Plant. …