Shulou(Shulou.com)11/24 Report--

This article comes from the official account of Wechat: Earth knowledge Bureau (ID:diqiuzhishiju), text: Zheng Zimeng, revised manuscript: gu Hanying / Editor: Guo Guo

Henan, in heaven and earth, the Yu of Kyushu, one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization, has written an important chapter in Chinese history.

In the long history, the administrative center of Henan is mainly Luoyang and Kaifeng, two undisputed ancient capitals, each taking the lead. This situation was not broken until modern times. The breaker is Zhengzhou sandwiched between Bianluo.

In the early days of ancient history

Zhengzhou area is also a great civilization center ▼

In August 1952, Henan submitted the relocation of the provincial capital to the decision-making level. the report wrote: "in view of the fact that the provincial capital is located in the eastern part of the province, it is inconvenient to guide the work of the whole province. Zhengzhou is the transportation hub of the Central Plains and the economic center of the province. the future development prospect is especially great, if the provincial capital moves to this city, it is very convenient for the work guidance and up-down contact of the whole province, and is also of great benefit to the development of the city."

Zhengzhou is taking advantage of this east wind, relying on geography, location and policy advantages, getting bigger and stronger.

Zhengzhou, a rising star in the Central Plains

The "western suburbs" and "administrative districts" brought by the provincial capital have been located in the area surrounded by the walls of the Shang Dynasty since the Shang Dynasty capital Bo 3600 years ago. After the smoke wars of various dynasties, although the city wall has been repaired, the core position of the main city of Zhengzhou has not changed.

Site of Shang City in Zhengzhou

It is also the historical business card of Zhengzhou for thousands of years.

(base: Google maps) ▼

In 1904, Luhan Railway Zhengzhou Station was built outside the west gate of the old city. Two years later, the whole line was completed and opened to traffic. From then on, with the opening of commercial ports and the start of modern industry, the railway pulled the development of Zhengzhou into the fast lane.

After the official opening of Luhan Railway, its name was changed to Beijing-Han Railway.

In the period of the Republic of China, it changed its name to Ping-Han Railway.

Now it is the predecessor of Beijing-Han section of Beijing-Guangzhou Railway (▼).

Correct a mistake: Zhengzhou is not a city pulled by a train.

There was a city in Zhengzhou long before there was a train, so how can we talk about pulling it over?

The situation in Zhengzhou is completely different from that in Shijiazhuang, Bengbu and Yingtan.

It can be said that Zhengzhou is the provincial capital pulled by the railway.

(Zhengzhou Railway Station in 1923, Picture: wiki) ▼

The significant expansion of Zhengzhou City began before and after the relocation of the provincial capital in the 1950s.

On October 30, 1954, the capital of Henan Province officially moved from Kaifeng to Zhengzhou. While Zhengzhou was upgraded to the provincial capital, it has also become one of the 15 key construction cities in China, with the rapid rise of industrial construction.

As early as the early 1950s, Soviet experts designed a set of urban planning for Zhengzhou: taking the railway station as the gate and Renmin Road as the central axis to develop to the northeast. The plan was put into practice at that time.

▼ of Renmin Road and Erqi Square in the 1950s

However, the Chinese are used to chessboard cities, and urban design should respect historical and cultural traditions, people's living habits and climatic and geographical conditions, while the sloping road network proposed by Soviet experts conflicts with this.

A map of Moscow in 1935

The Soviet expert's roadmap looks beautiful.

But in practice, the streets have to be oblique.

(figure: wiki) ▼

At that time, the rulers of Henan and Zhengzhou discovered this problem in time, put forward collective wisdom, and finally revised the construction plan of Zhengzhou. Most of the trunk roads were planned in the direction of north-south and east-west. And put forward the construction of industrial, transportation-based provincial capital cities.

General Plan of Zhengzhou City in 1955

Take the railway station as the center and develop to the east and west.

(photo: Wang Huaimin) ▼

Considering the geological and climatic conditions, the west of Beijing-Guangzhou railway has good soil quality and low groundwater level, which is suitable for the construction of large-scale buildings, and the urban development should be westward.

Since 1953, large-scale industrial infrastructure has been carried out in the fields on the west side of the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway. Five major cotton mills, Ersha, Zheng coal machinery, cable factories, hydraulic machinery plants and other large backbone state-owned enterprises are springing up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

Come to work happily and go home safe and sound

(photo by Zhang Yifei, off-duty workers of Guomian No.1 Factory) ▼

In addition to industrial enterprises, municipal organs and institutions such as science, education, culture and health have taken root and sprouted in the western new town. The Zhengzhou municipal government moved westward from the previous government offices in the old city, and Zhengzhou University also began to expropriate land and build the school here.

The old Zhengzhou people called the municipal building "seven-story building".

It was the tallest building in Zhengzhou at that time

(photo by Liu Yuping in the early 1980s) ▼

For the old Zhengzhou people, they prefer to call the western new city "the western suburb". It not only refers to a vague regional scope to the west of the Beijing-Guangzhou railway, but also represents a kind of cultural symbol. it reflects a kind of industrial ecology under the planned economic system, reflecting the various forms of life in the government organs and factory compound, as well as the exchange and integration of the foreign population and the local residents.

In 1982, citizens cycled through the Zhongyuan Road underpass to go to work in the western suburbs of ▼.

Nowadays, the Community and Family College of the third National Cotton Factory

Retain the precious memories of a generation of old Zhengzhou people

(base: Google maps) ▼

Naturally, the "provincial capital" brings Zhengzhou the urban function of the provincial administrative and cultural center. With the vigorous development of the western new city, provincial administrative regions and cultural and educational districts have been planned and built on the north side of the old city of Zhengzhou.

Schematic Map of Zhengzhou Urban Master Plan compiled from 1982 to 1984

(photo: Wang Huaimin) ▼

The provincial party committee, provincial government, and various departments and bureaus are located on the north and south sides of Jinshui Avenue, and the Yellow River Water Conservancy Commission has also begun to work in Zhengzhou. Supporting provincial science and education, culture, health and other institutions, also moved from Kaifeng to Zhengzhou.

On the other hand, the old people of Zhengzhou used to call this area of Jingwei Road "administrative district". The new "Xijiao" and "administrative district" are the first great expansion of Zhengzhou in modern and contemporary times.

Satellite images of Zhengzhou in the 1970s

The city as the provincial capital has begun to take shape

(figure: USGS) ▼

There are luxuriant French sycamore trees on the longitude and weft road.

Zhengzhou has left the impression of "green city" in the minds of many people.

(base: Google maps) ▼

From high-tech zones to airport zones, in terms of the process of modern and contemporary urbanization in China, the expansion of the urban framework, in addition to gradually extending to the edge of the ring, to a greater extent, depends on the construction of new areas.

In 1988, Zhengzhou High-tech Industrial Development Zone started preparations for establishment.

Zhengzhou High-tech Industrial Development Zone

It is the first development zone in Henan Province.

(photo: propaganda Department of Hi-Tech District Committee) ▼

In March 1991, 26 state-level high-tech zones, including Zhengzhou High-tech Zone, were approved.

Zhengzhou High-tech Zone is located in the northwest of Zhengzhou. At that time, it looked more like an enclave outside the third Ring Road from the map.

1995-2010 Zhengzhou General rules High-tech Zone is located

(photo: Wang Huaimin) ▼

The entry of a number of high-tech enterprises has injected new impetus into the economic development of Zhengzhou. After 2000, the new campus of Zhengzhou University and PLA Information Engineering University was completed and put into use, which brought the flow of people and vitality to the high-tech zone.

As the first batch of national high-tech zones

Zhengzhou High-tech Zone has become a competitive high-tech industrial highland in central China.

Another enclave is the economic development zone located in the southeast of the old city. In April 1993, Zhengzhou planned and built an economic and technological development zone (approved at the national level in February 2000). At the same time, it has national high-tech zones and economic development zones, which is also the standard configuration for the construction of development zones in big cities with Chinese characteristics.

▼ where Zhengzhou Economic Development District is located

Now when it comes to the new area of Zhengzhou, the most famous name is "Zhengdong New area".

At the beginning of the century, Zhengzhou began to lay out a new strategy. In June 2000, Henan proposed to speed up the development of Zhengdong New area. In August 2001, Zhengdong New area began to solicit plans. At the annual meeting of the World Union of Architects held in December 2002, Kurokawa's conceptual planning of Zhengdong New area won China's first "Outstanding Award for Urban Planning and Design".

Kurokawa in front of the design drawings of Zhengdong New area

(photo: Ding Youming) ▼

Location and Planning of Zhengdong New area

(base: Google maps) ▼

The circular road network, banded canals and man-made lakes make Zhengzhou fresh and fresh. In terms of expanding the urban framework and improving the quality of the city, Zhengdong New area is undoubtedly successful. This success is also due to the close proximity to the old city, which can complement each other's functions, organically combine and integrate with the old city.

The completed Zhengdong New area has a modern style.

In the distance is the iconic "corn building"

The newest new area in Zhengzhou is the airport area. On March 7, 2013, Zhengzhou Airport Economic Comprehensive Experimental Zone was established, with a planned area of 415 square kilometers and a planned population of 2.6 million.

The airport area is the first national airport economic comprehensive experimental area.

Located in the center of Zhengzhou, Kaifeng and Xuchang triangle metropolis

(the planning of the airport economic experimental zone is indicated)

(base: Google maps) ▼

The level of Zhengzhou airport area is not low, it is a department-level unit, which is higher than that of other new areas in Zhengzhou, and its positioning is not low. it is necessary to build an international aviation logistics center, a modern industrial base led by aviation economy, an important door open to the outside world in China's inland areas, a modern aviation city, and the core growth pole of China's Central Plains Economic Zone.

Zhengzhou attaches great importance to the development planning of the airport area.

It is intended to turn the future central city into a pattern of "main city + airport area".

Some people have asserted that Zhengzhou and the port area are not the principal and deputy, but the dual core, and the future of Zhengzhou and Henan lies in the airport area. But today, apart from Foxconn, there are no other nationally well-known industries and brands in the airport area.

Foxconn is in the airport park

Close to Xinzheng International Airport

(base: Google maps) ▼

Zhengzhou needs more in the future? To observe the expansion of the urban area, there is another dimension, that is the development of the urban ring road. From the development of Zhengzhou Ring Road, we can also see the continuous changes of this city.

In the 1950s, the area composed of Jinshui Road, University Road, Longhai Road and Bauhinia Mountain Road became the most prosperous area at that time, and this circle was also regarded as a link by many old Zhengzhou people.

The Zijing Mountain intersection in the 1980s

It was very prosperous at that time.

(photo: Wang Song) ▼

It is worth mentioning that the "Zhengzhou Inner Ring area Organic Renewal three-year Action Plan" was later released in September 2014. The south of Jinshui Road, the east of University Road, the north of Longhai Road and the west of Chengdong Road are defined as Zhengzhou Inner Ring area, and the "Zhengzhou first Ring Road" has been officially recognized.

It can be found that Erqi Square happens to be in the center of the first ring.

(base: Google maps) ▼

In 2004, the second Ring Road, surrounded by Agricultural Road, Tongbai Road, Hanghai Road and Future Road, was opened to traffic. The opening of the bus rapid transit ring line B1 in 2009 connected this line in series.

In April 2014, the 45-kilometer third Ring Road Express Project was completed and opened to traffic.

The city of Zhengzhou has gradually grown up with the outward expansion of the ring road.

(base: Google maps) ▼

North third Ring Road overpass on Zhongzhou Avenue

Cars come and go in the night

In June 2020, the main line of the fourth Ring Road in Zhengzhou was completed and opened to traffic, with a total length of about 93 kilometers.

By contrast, the mileage of Beijing's fourth Ring Road and Fifth Ring Road is 65.3 km and 98.58 km respectively. The 93 km fourth Ring Road in Zhengzhou is equivalent to Beijing's Fifth Ring Road.

In fact, the mileage of the second and third Ring Road in Zhengzhou

It is also similar to the mileage of the second and third Ring Road in Beijing, ▼

According to media reports, the Wansan Highway after the eastward movement of National Highway 107 in the east of Zhengzhou, the provincial highway 232 in the west, the provincial highway 314 in the north (along the Yellow River Expressway) and the national highway 310 in the south will form the Fifth Ring Road of Zhengzhou in the future.

The Planning of Zhengzhou Fifth Ring Road

Ah, the fifth ring, you have one more ▼ than the fourth ring.

According to the official website of Zhengzhou Bureau of Statistics, by the end of 2020, the built-up area of Zhengzhou has reached 836.2 square kilometers. This figure was 65, 133.2 and 342.7 square kilometers in 1981, 2000 and 2010, respectively.

Since the millennium, the development of urban construction in Zhengzhou has been quite fast ▼

Schematic diagram of urban built-up area in the central urban area of Zhengzhou in 2021

(photo: notice on the scale of the Urban built-up area of Zhengzhou City in 2021) ▼

In other words, after the reform and opening up, the area of the built area of Zhengzhou doubled in the first 20 years and more than doubled every ten years since then. This rate of expansion is also in the forefront of the country.

But compared with the surrounding provincial capital cities, or from other angles, Zhengzhou is obviously not big enough.

Since September 1, 1983, after Gongxian (now Gongyi), Xinzheng, Mi (now Xinmi), Dengfeng and Zhongmou were assigned to Zhengzhou, the urban area of Zhengzhou has remained unchanged for nearly 40 years. According to the number of Zhengzhou City, the administrative division pattern of 6 districts, 1 county and 5 cities has been maintained for nearly 30 years.

Five counties officially returned to Zheng on the eve of

The scope of Zhengzhou only includes the urban area and Xingyang.

(photo: 1982 atlas of counties in Henan Province) ▼

In March 2022, Gangli Township and Dama Township, Weishi County, Kaifeng City, was transferred to Xinzheng City, Zhengzhou City, and handed over to Zhengzhou Aviation Port District. After nearly 40 years, the scope of Zhengzhou administrative district has finally expanded.

In July 2022, Daying Town, Weishi County, Kaifeng City (excluding Xinwei Industrial Park) and Yuanchuan Town (excluding Henan Weishi No. 3 Senior Middle School) were entrusted with Zhengzhou Airport Port District as escrow. The scope of practical management of the functional areas of Zhengzhou has also been further expanded.

Plus the newly developed functional area mentioned earlier

The current functional area of Zhengzhou is shown in the figure ▼.

In recent years, the national policy of "removing counties and setting up districts" has been tightened, and there is still no progress in the large-scale administrative division adjustment of Zhengzhou.

Xi'an and Chengdu, both provincial capitals, have already brought "removing counties into districts" to the extreme. Wuhan even established a global district as early as 1998; Hefei and Jinan have also been incorporated into the prefecture-level cities Chaohu (part) and Laiwu respectively to further expand and strengthen the provincial capital.

Wuhan is the first batch of cities to realize "no county".

Since 1998, the administrative division of Wuhan has remained unchanged ▼

Although prefecture-level cities are not bigger and stronger, there is no doubt that urban area and urban area will affect the depth of a city's development, market hinterland, statistics and policy support, such as city size classification.

According to the notice on adjusting the Classification criteria of Urban size issued in November 2014, cities with a resident population of more than 10 million are mega-cities, and cities with a resident population of more than 5 million and less than 10 million are mega-cities.

According to this standard

Zhengzhou barely enters the ranks of mega-cities ▼

According to Qipu data, Zhengzhou is a mega-city with a population of 5.34 million, while Xi'an has an urban population of 9.28 million, close to a mega-city. But in fact, Zhengzhou Qipu statistics of the resident population reached 12.6 million, urban population accounted for only 42.4%. This is obviously related to the urban area and statistical caliber.

The size of "Da Zhengzhou" should be seen from many aspects.

As a typical sample of the development of urbanization in China, Zhengzhou has gone through every necessary stage, from the start in modern times to the planned development, from the gradual expansion in reform and opening up and market exploration, to the construction of new areas in the new century. Zhengzhou is the witness of every era.

Looking at the Corn Building from Erqi Pagoda

Zhengzhou is also looking from the past to the future.

On the other hand, the "one side of a thousand cities" shaped by the torrent of urbanization and the city-building movement guided by real estate can also find footnotes in Zhengzhou.

With the inflection point of both population growth and increment, economic development is facing transformation, and China's road to urbanization is also standing at a new crossroads. Where is Zhengzhou going? Will it continue to get bigger? The answer can only be given to time and wait and see.

Reference:

1. Xie Xiaopeng. a historical investigation of the relocation of Henan provincial capital from Han to Zheng in 1954 [J]. Contemporary Chinese History Studies, 2011 (6): 39-45.

two。 Urban Construction https://tjj.zhengzhou.gov.cn/ ndsj / 3093093.jhtml of Zhengzhou Bureau of Statistics over the years

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