I-YANG

Pinyin Yiyang, city, northern Hunan sheng (province), China. The city is situated approximately 47 miles (75 km) northwest of Ch'ang-sha on the Tzu River, to the south of Lake Tung-t'ing, on the main highway from Ch'ang-sha to Ch'ang-te. An ancient county, it was established in the 2nd century BC. Its seat was originally sited northeast of the present city, but it moved in T'ang (618907) times. From 589 it was a county subordinate to Ch'ang-sha. Briefly an independent prefecture under the name T'ing in Sung times (9601279), it again had that status under Mongol rule (12791368). In 1368, however, it again became a subordinate county under Ch'ang-sha. It has traditionally been a collecting centre for agricultural and other products from the Tzu Shui Basin, and until recent times most of its population engaged in the transport of timber, coal, mineral ores, and grain. A long-established handicraft tradition was mostly based on local wood and bamboo. In recent years I-yang has also developed industrially, producing iron and steel, as well as electrical equipment. Pop. (1990) 185,818.