Linqing

Linqing (simplified Chinese: 临清; traditional Chinese: 臨清; pinyin: Línqīng) is a county-level city under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Liaocheng in western Shandong Province, China.

Linqing

临清市

Lintsing, Lin-ch'ing
County-level city
Junction of the "Lu Canal" and "Southern Canal" sections of the Grand Canal at Linqing
Linqing
Location in Shandong
Coordinates: 36°50′58″N 115°42′22″E
CountryPeople's Republic of China
ProvinceShandong
Prefecture-level cityLiaocheng
Time zoneUTC+8 (China Standard)
"Lincing". Nieuhof: L'ambassade de la Compagnie Orientale des Provinces Unies vers l'Empereur de la Chine, 1665

Geography and climate
Map including Linqing (labeled as 臨清 LIN-CH'ING (LINTSING) (Walled)) (AMS, 1953)

It is located north-northwest of Liaocheng. The city is situated at the confluence of the Wei River and the Grand Canal. It is 380 kilometres (240 mi) from Beijing on the Jingjiu railway line to Hong Kong. Elevation within Linqing County ranges from 29 to 38 m (95 to 125 ft) above sea level. The area of the county is 955 km2 (369 sq mi). The annual average temperature is 12.8 °C (55.0 °F), the highest recorded temperature 41.4 °C (107 °F), and the lowest recorded temperature −22.1 °C (−8 °F). Annual mean precipitation is 590.4 mm (23.24 in). 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 and Qing 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 (Chinese: 舍利塔; pinyin: Shèlì Tǎ), a Ming-Dynasty Hui mosques (Linqing Northern Mosque, 临清清真北寺; Línqīng Qīngzhēn Bĕisì, Linqing Eastern Mosque, Chinese: 临清清真东寺; pinyin: Línqīng Qīngzhēn Dōngsì), and ruins of the old customs house (钞关; Chāo Guān), Linqing City Museum (in a historical building ensemble known as the 鳌头矶; áo Tóu Jī). In particular, the Sheli Pagoda near the Grand Canal is a well-known local landmark.

Population

Demographics

The city proper has about 143,000 residents (January 2000), whereas Linqing as a whole had 709,328 inhabitants in 1999.[1]

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.[2]

Ordinaries

(all Latin Rite) [2]

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

References
  1. (in English) National Population Statistics Materials by County and City - 1999 Period, in China County & City Population 1999, Harvard China Historical GIS
  2. http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/lint0.htm GCatholic
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