Prefecture-level city in Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
About Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang, alternately romanized as Chinkiang, is a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu Province, China. It lies on the southern bank of the Yangtze River near its intersection with the Grand Canal. It is opposite Yangzhou and between Nanjing and Changzhou. Zhenjiang was formerly the provincial capital of Jiangsu and remains as an important transportation hub. As of the 2020 census, its total population was 3,210,418 inhabitants whom 1,266,790 lived in the built-up area made of the 3 urban districts. The town is best known both in China and abroad for Chinkiang vinegar, a fragrant black vinegar that is a staple of Chinese cooking.
Names
Prior to the adoption of Hanyu Pinyin, the city's name was typically romanized as Chin-keang-foo, Chen-kiang-fu, or Chinkiang.
History
Human activity in Zhenjiang dates to the early Neolithic period. Excavations at the Zuohu (左湖) site reveal a continuous cultural sequence from the Majiabang to the Bronze Age Hushu culture. Adapted to the Ning-Zhen Hills, prehistoric inhabitants developed distinct ground-level dwellings that differ from contemporary Majiabang sites in the plains. The area is considered one of the early centers of rice cultivation in the lower Yangtze River valley. The Yi Hou Ze-gui (宜侯夨簋) unearthed at Dantu records the Zhou investiture of an aristocrat at "Yi," presumed to be the region where the vessel was discovered, including the granting of land and people, namely fengjian. Despite ongoing scholarly debate, it remains the only bronze inscription interpreted as providing epigraphical support for Sima Qian's account of Wu Taibo's enfeoffment in the Jiangnan region. …
Geography
Zhenjiang has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa), featuring hot and uncomfortably humid summers, cold though not severe winters, a noticeable rise in rainfall during the East Asian monsoon. Extremes since 1951 have ranged from −12.0 °C (10.4 °F) (unofficial record of −12.9 °C or 8.8 °F was set on 27 January 1933) to 39.5 °C (103.1 °F).
Culture
Zhenjiang is most famous for its fragrant black vinegar, called Zhenjiang vinegar. Chinese legend traces it to Heita, the son of Dukang, the supposed inventor of alcoholic beverages. Having forgotten about a vat of wine for 21 days, he found it had spoiled but now possessed a pleasant sour taste that could be used to complement foods. The present recipe is said to date back 1400 years, with its major modern manufacturer—the Jiangsu Hengshun Vinegar Industry Co.—dating to 1840. Other local specialties include crab cream bun, Chinkiang pork (鎭江肴肉, akin to head cheese), and pickled vegetables. Formerly, households in Zhenjiang would prepare for the new year by eating a red-bean dish and avoiding rice. One bowl of beans was left on the table to feed the home's flies, from the belief that they would then avoid disturbing the family during the new year festivities. …
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