Hankou - Sightseeing

Located in the eastern part of Hubei Province, China, in the northern part of Wuhan City. Originally, it was one of the three towns of Wuhan, along with Wuchang and Hanyang. Hankou is the confluence of the Yangtze River (Changjiang) and the Han River (Hanshui), and has convenient land and sea transportation, and was called the "Meeting of the Nine Provinces" (a place where routes from nine provinces converge). Although it was less urbanized than Wuchang and Hanyang, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was one of the four great towns, along with Foshan Town, Zhuxian Town, and Jingdezhen Town, and commerce flourished there. Its former name was Xiakou, and it was also called Hankou, and it belonged to Jiangxia County. After the Opium Wars, it was used as a base for the economic control of the Yangtze River basin by the great powers, and a temporary concession was established there. In 1949, it merged with Wuchang and Hanyang to become Wuhan City. The Beijing-Guang Railway passed through the city, and during periods of flooding, 10,000-ton steamships can travel up the Yangtze River to Hankou, so it remains a key point for land and water transportation. The Wuhan Second Yangtze River Bridge has been built across the Yangtze River.

[Kono Michihiro]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、湖北(こほく／フーペイ)省東部、武漢(ぶかん／ウーハン)市の北部地区。もと武昌(ぶしょう／ウーチャン)、漢陽(かんよう／ハンヤン)とともに武漢三鎮とよばれた。漢口は長江(ちょうこう／チャンチヤン)（揚子江(ようすこう／ヤンツーチヤン)）に支流漢水(かんすい／ハンショイ)が流れ込む合流点にあたり、水陸ともに交通が便利で、「九省之会」（9省からのルートの集まる所）とよばれた。武昌、漢陽に比べると都市化が遅れたが、明(みん)、清(しん)代には仏山鎮(ぶつざんちん／フォーシャンチェン)、朱仙鎮(しゅせんちん／チューシエンチェン)、景徳鎮(けいとくちん／チントーチェン)と並んで四大鎮の一つとされ、商業が盛んであった。旧名は夏口、漢皋(かんこう)ともよばれ、江夏県に属していた。アヘン戦争以後列強の長江流域に対する経済支配の拠点とされ、一時租界もつくられた。1949年武昌、漢陽と合併して武漢市となった。京広鉄道が通じ、また増水期には長江は漢口まで1万トン級の汽船も溯航(そこう)できるので、現在も水陸交通の要衝となっている。武漢第二長江大橋が長江を横断して架けられている。

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