SHANG-CHOU

Pinyin Shang Zhou, formerly Shang-hsien, Pinyin Shangxian, town in southeastern Shensi sheng (province), China. Shang-chou is situated some 55 miles (90 km) southeast of Sian at the southern end of one of the few passes across the Tsinling Mountains, on the headwaters of the Tan River, which is a tributary of the Han River. Since ancient times the town of Shang-chou has been an important communication centre on the route from the ancient capital district around Sian to the middle Yangtze River area. Its earliest historical name was Shang-lo, a domain under the state of Chin in the 7th century BC. Under Ch'in rule it became a county from the 5th century BC onward, keeping the name Shang-lo until AD 266. It first took the name Shang-hsien in the middle of the 6th century AD. It was the seat of a prefectural administration except during the Ming dynasty (13681644), when from 1368 to 1477 it was demoted to county status. From 1477 to 1727 it was administratively dependent on Sian, but in 1727 it again became an independent prefecture. In 1912 it reverted to county status once more. The town takes its name (shang, merchant) from the long-established reputation of its people as traders, many of them being engaged in trade in other areas of China. The surrounding area is not particularly rich but produces wheat, kaoliang (a variety of grain sorghum), cotton, indigo, and timber. There are also some minor coal deposits, and papermaking is a local industry. Cotton textiles are also manufactured. Pop. (mid-1980s est.) 10,00050,000.