A-CH'ENG

Pinyin Acheng, formerly (until 1909) Ashihho, city in Heilungkiang sheng (province), China. Located southeast of Harbin (Ha-erh-pin) in the basin of the A-shih River, it is a collecting and commercial centre for a rich agricultural district that provides part of Harbin's food supply. A-ch'eng is also an industrial centre with brickworks, engineering works specializing in electrical equipment and other machinery, and various industries based on local agricultural production, such as breweries, sugar refineries, and a flax-processing plant. A-ch'eng also developed a small iron industry in the late 1950s. Most of its industries are closely integrated with those in Harbin. To the south of A-ch'eng are the remains of an ancient walled city known as Pai-ch'eng, or Pei-ch'eng. This site is thought to be the remains of Hui-ning, which was the capital of the Chin (Juchen) dynasty from 1122 to 1234 and a subsidiary capital after 1173. Pop. (1989 est.) 188,600.