Shaoxing

Japanese: 紹興 - しょうこう

A prefecture-level city in the northeastern part of Zhejiang Province, China. Population: 4.43 million (2014). It governs three city districts including Shangyu and Xinchang County, and acts as the governing agent for two county-level cities, Zhuji and Shengzhou (as of 2016). It was the capital of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period, and during the Qin dynasty, Shanyin County was established, and during the Tang dynasty, Kuaiji and Shanyin counties were established. It also became the administrative center of Shaoxing Prefecture after the Southern Song dynasty. In 1912, the two counties were merged to form Shaoxing County, and in 1979, the urban area of the county was separated to form Shaoxing City.

The city lies along the East Zhejiang Canal and the Hangzhou-Ningbo Line, with a developed waterway network crisscrossing the Yuecheng and Keqiao districts. In addition to traditional industries such as silk weaving, lacquerware, and paper, metallurgy, machinery, and electronics industries are also thriving. The surrounding rural areas are producers of rice, cotton, mulberry, and tea, and Pingshuizhu tea is a famous tea that rivals Hangzhou's Longjing tea. The famous Shaoxing wine is brewed in the surrounding area using water from Jianhu Lake, but is particularly popular in Ruanshe.

It is the birthplace of many writers and politicians, including Lu Xun, and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Lu Xun Memorial Museum was built. There are historical sites such as Yu Mausoleum (the tomb of King Yu of the Xia Dynasty), Lanting Pavilion, Jiaxiang Temple, and the former residence of Zhou Enlai, as well as scenic spots such as East Lake and Jian Lake.

[Kazuo Hayashi, Editorial Department, April 18, 2017]

World Heritage Registration

In 2014, the East Zhejiang Canal was registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as a component part of the "Grand Canal of China" (World Cultural Heritage).

[Editorial Department, April 18, 2017]

[Reference items] | Jiaxiang Temple | Xiao Xinqiu | Zhejiang (province) | Lu Xun

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

中国、浙江(せっこう)省北東部の地級市。人口443万（2014）。上虞(じょうぐ)など3市轄区と新昌(しんしょう)県を管轄し、諸曁(しょき)、嵊州(しょうしゅう)の2県級市の管轄代行を行う（2016年時点）。春秋時代の越の都で、秦(しん)代に山陰(さんいん)県が置かれ、唐代になって会稽(かいけい)、山陰の2県が設けられた。また南宋(なんそう)以後、紹興府の治所ともなった。1912年、前記の両県を合併して紹興県を設置、1979年、県の市街地を分離して紹興市が設けられた。

　市は浙東(せっとう)運河と杭甬(こうよう)線（杭州(こうしゅう)―寧波(ニンポー)）に沿い、越城(えつじょう)区、柯橋(かきょう)区内には縦横に水路網が発達している。絹織物、漆器、紙などの伝統工業のほか、冶金、機械、電子工業も盛んである。周辺の農村は米、綿花、クワ、茶の産地で、平水珠茶(ピンシュイチューチャー)は杭州の竜井(ロンチン)茶と並ぶ銘茶である。有名な紹興酒(シャオシンチウ)は鑒湖(かんこ)の水を利用して近郊一帯で醸造されるが、阮社(げんしゃ)でとりわけ盛んである。

　魯迅(ろじん)など多くの文人、政治家を生んだ地で、中華人民共和国成立後、魯迅記念館が建設された。禹陵(うりょう)（夏王朝の禹王の陵墓）、蘭亭(らんてい)、嘉祥寺(かじょうじ)、周恩来(しゅうおんらい)故居などの旧跡や、東湖、鑒湖などの名勝がある。

［林　和生・編集部　2017年4月18日］