Shi Jia Zhuang
The provincial capital of Hebei Province, 283 km south-west of Peking, Shijia zhuang lies at the crossroads of the Peking-Guangzhou and Taiyuan-Dezhou railways, with the Taihang Mountains to the west. In fact the city really only came into existence at the beginning of this century with the advent of the railway. Its aspect is essentially modern with- wide boulevards and a square which is a pale imitation of Tianan men Square in Peking. The area encompasses good farming land; wheat and cotton are the major crops. There are coalmines at the foot of the Taihang Mountains, and since 1949 a machine tool and chemical industry have been developed. The cotton mills are the biggest employer. The city’s population is now 8 5 0,000, and its industry is concentrated in the north-east and south-east.

Shijia zhuang is linked with the Canadian doctor Norman Bethune, who worked in China during the Sino-Japanese War and eventually died of septicaemia. His memorial statue and tomb are situated in the Memorial Park to the North China Revolutionary Martyrs. 1n the north of the city, on Zhongshan lu, is an exhibition of his life and works. The PLA hospital in Shijiazhuang has also been named after him.

Qinhuangdao
On the north coast of the Bohai Gulf, some 250 miles from Peking, Qinhuangdao is reached by train via Tianjin and Tangshan. It is an ice free port and therefore often serves as a secondary port if Tianjin is frozen in winter; it also receives international traffic and is connected by pipelines to the Daqing oilfields. The city records go back to the Shang dynasty, and the name, which means ‘The Qin Emperor’s Island’, commemorates a visit by the Qin Emperor in 215 BC -since that time it has often played a strategic role and acted as an important lookout post for many of the great figures of Chinese history. It became a concession port in 189 8, and according to Carl Crow it is where the allied troops landed to march on Peking. He also records that at the fall of the Ming dynasty Wu Sangui commanded the local garrison and called on the Manchu troops for assistance in i644, for this was the border between China and Manchuria. Modern Qinhuangdao has a precast bridge works and a major glassworks, honey and seafood are prized local products.

Handan
This town in the south of Hebei Province has a varied history. Its origins go back to the Warring States period, when it was the capital of the state of Zhao, and there are many stories connected with the heroes of this epoch. The city is particularly well known for its unique, richly patterned porcelain called Cizhou ware, which has been produced in the area since the beginning of the Song dynasty. The Martyrs’ Mausoleum commemorates those from North China who died in the cause of revolution; there are also related exhibition halls.

One of the most interesting sights in the city is the Cong Terrace of the Duke Wu Ling. Between 3 25 and 299 BC the Duke watched singing and dancing or reviewed his troops from here. The terrace was renowned in every state for its unique structure and has been ex-tended; it now forms a park with a lake.