Linqing () is a county-level city under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Liaocheng in western Shandong Province, China.
Geography and climate
It is located north-northwest of Liaocheng. The city is situated at the confluence of the Wei River and the Grand Canal. It is from
Beijing on the Beijing–Kowloon railway line to
Hong Kong. Elevation within Linqing County ranges from above sea level. The area of the county is .
The annual average temperature is , the highest recorded temperature , and the lowest recorded temperature . Annual mean precipitation is . There are 205 frost-free days per year on average and the average annual sunshine is 2661 hours.
History and economy
Linqing has played an important role in the history of China. In
Ming dynasty and
Qing dynasty times it was a great center for the distribution of textiles, grain and bricks and is also famous as the place where the tiles of the
Great Wall and the
Forbidden City were produced. Today the city's flourishing economy is based on a number of light industrial enterprises.
Aside from the Grand Canal, sights include a distinctive promontory, a stupa (), a Ming dynasty Hui people mosques (Linqing Northern Mosque, , Linqing Eastern Mosque, ), and ruins of the old customs house (), Linqing City Museum (in a historical building ensemble known as the ). In particular, the Sheli Pagoda near the Grand Canal is a well-known local landmark.
Administrative divisions
As of 2012, this city is divided to four subdistricts, eight towns and three townships.
- Subdistricts
-
Qingnianlu Subdistrict (青年路街道)
-
Xinhualu Subdistrict (新华路街道)
-
Xianfeng Subdistrict (先锋路街道)
-
Daxinzhuang Subdistrict (大辛庄街道)
- Towns
-
Songlin, Shandong (松林镇)
-
Laozhaozhuang (老赵庄镇)
-
Weiwan (魏湾镇)
-
Liugaizi (刘垓子镇)
-
Bachalu (八岔路镇)
-
Panzhuang, Shandong (潘庄镇)
-
Yandian (烟店镇)
-
Tangyuan (唐园镇)
- Townships
-
Jinhaozhuang Township (金郝庄乡)
-
Daiwan Township (戴湾乡)
-
Shangdian Township (尚店乡)
Population
Demographics
The city proper has about residents (January 2000), whereas Linqing as a whole had inhabitants in 1999.
[ National Population Statistics Materials by County and City - 1999 Period, in China County & City Population 1999, Harvard China Historical GIS]
Ecclesiastical history
Once visited by the missionary and sinologist
Matteo Ricci, Linqing has been the seat of a Latin Catholic
Mission sui juris of Linqing / Lintsing since it was split off from the Apostolic Vicariate of Tsinanfu on 24 June 1927.
It was promoted to Apostolic prefecture of Linqing / Lintsing / Lintsingen(sis) (Latin) (pre-diocesan jurisdiction, not entitled to a titular bishop) on 5 April 1931.
It remains exempt, i.e. directly dependent on the Holy See and its missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. The see has been vacant, without Apostolic administrator, since the third incumbent's death in 1981.[http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/lint0.htm GCatholic]
Ordinaries
(all
Latin Church)
- Ecclesiastical Superior(s)
none available
- Apostolic Prefects
(Chinese secular priests)
-
Father Gaspar Hu Xiu-shen (胡修身) (1931.03.30 – retired 1940), died 1945
-
Fr. Joseph Li Chao-gui (李朝貴) (1940.11.22 – death 1948)
-
Fr. Paul Li Ben-liang (李本良) (1949.11.18 – death 1981)
Notable natives
See also
-
List of Catholic dioceses in China
Sources and external links
