Xindu District 信都区

Setting and landscape

The land falls from west to east through mountains, low hills and plain. The main ridge of the Taihang forms the border with Shanxi, and five spurs run west to east across the district; the highest point, 1,822 metres, is Bulaoqing Mountain (不老青山) in Songjiazhuang Town (宋家庄镇). The Dasha (大沙河), Qili (七里河) and Baima (白马河) rivers are seasonal and often dry. Xinhua reports more than 30 named springs in the district, among them Dahuo Spring (达活泉), Zijin Spring (紫金泉) and Mingshui Spring (明水泉).

History

Xindu is one of Xingtai's old names: Marquis Cheng of Zhao (赵成侯) renamed the Xing area Xindu in the Warring States period, and the Qin set up Xindu County here. The district was formerly called Qiaoxi District (桥西区). In the war against Japan the Chinese People's Anti-Japanese Military and Political University (抗日军政大学) ran classes at Jiangshui Town (浆水镇), and the Southern Hebei Bank (冀南银行) was also based in the district.

What to see

The district government lists eight national 4A scenic areas: the Taihang Grand Canyon (太行大峡谷), Tianhe Mountain (天河山), Zijin Mountain (紫金山), Qiannanyu (前南峪), Jiulong Gorge (九龙峡), Yunmeng Mountain (云梦山), Tianti Mountain (天梯山) and the Delong Steel Culture Park (德龙钢铁文化园). The Xingtai government names the Xingtai Grand Canyon (邢台大峡谷) among the district's A-level scenic areas. Qiannanyu is known as "the greenest place in the Taihang". Other sights include the Guo Shoujing Memorial Hall (郭守敬纪念馆) and Dahuo Spring Park (达活泉公园). The university's wartime presence is recalled by the "Kangda 1940" quarter (抗大1940街区), Kangda being the university's short name, and by "Kangda" (抗大号), which Xinhua describes as Hebei's first red-tourism rail line.

Food and local products

Xindu is one of Xingtai's main areas for forest products, fruit, edible fungi and wild jujube (酸枣) as a medicinal crop. Its four regional brands are Jiangshui apples (浆水苹果), Xing jujube kernels (邢枣仁), Xingtai tribute pears (邢台贡梨) and Xindu chestnuts (信都板栗).

Getting oriented

Xindu adjoins Xiangdu District to the east, Shahe (沙河) to the south and Neiqiu (内丘) to the north. The district gives distances of 380 kilometres to Beijing and 108 kilometres to Shijiazhuang (石家庄). Xingtai Station on the Beijing–Guangzhou railway is in the district, and the Xingtai–Fenyang and Xingtai–Hengshui expressways and National Highway 107 pass through.

Highlights

• Qiannanyu 前南峪: 4A scenic area described as the greenest place in the Taihang.
• Jiulong Gorge 九龙峡: One of the district's eight 4A scenic areas.
• Xingtai Grand Canyon 邢台大峡谷: Named by the Xingtai government among Xindu's A-level scenic areas.
• Jiangshui apples 浆水苹果: One of four regional brands from the district.
• Xindu chestnuts 信都板栗: Regional public brand of the district.