Hebei

History

Pre and early history

Peking Man, an early pre-historic Homo erectus, lived on the plains of Hebei around 200,000 to 700,000 years ago. Neolithic findings at the prehistoric Beifudi site date to 7000 and 8000 BC.

Many early Chinese myths are set in the province. Fuxi, one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, is said to have lived in present-day Xingtai. The mythical Battle of Zhuolu, won by the Yellow Emperor, Yan Emperor, and their Yanhuang tribes against the Chiyou-led Jiuli tribes, took place in Zhangjiakou and started the Huaxia civilization.

During the Spring and Autumn period (722–476 BC), Hebei was under the rule of Yan in the north and Jin in the south. Also during this period, a nomadic people known as Dí invaded the plains of northern China and established Zhongshan in central Hebei. In the Warring States period (403–221 BC), Jin was partitioned and much of its territory in Hebei went to Zhao.

Qin and Han dynasties

The Qin dynasty unified China in 221 BC. The Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) ruled the area under two provinces, You Prefecture in the north and Ji Province in the south. At the end of the Han dynasty, most of Hebei was under the control of warlords Gongsun Zan in the north and Yuan Shao further south. Yuan Shao emerged as the victor of the two, but he was defeated by Cao Cao in the Battle of Guandu in 200. Hebei came under the rule of the Kingdom of Wei, established by the descendants of Cao Cao.

Jin through the Three Kingdoms

After the invasions of northern nomadic peoples at the end of the Western Jin dynasty, chaos ensued in the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Northern and Southern dynasties. Because of its location on the northern frontier, Hebei changed hands many times and was controlled at various times by Later Zhao, Former Yan, Former Qin, and Later Yan. The Northern Wei reunified northern China in 440 but split in 534, with Hebei coming under Eastern Wei; then the Northern Qi, with its capital at Ye near modern Linzhang, Hebei. The Sui dynasty again unified China in 589.

Tang and Five dynasties

During the Tang dynasty (618–907), the area was officially called Hebei for the first time. The Great Yan State was established in Hebei from 756 to 763 during the An Lushan Rebellion. After the rebellion, Lulong Jiedushi retained its autonomy from Tang during most of the 9th century. During the late Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Lulong was fragmented among several regimes including the short-lived Yan. It was eventually annexed in 913 by Li Cunxu, who established the Later Tang (923–936). Emperor Gaozu of the Later Jin dynasty ceded much of northern Hebei to the Khitan Liao dynasty. This territory, called the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, became a weakness in the Chinese defense against the Khitans for the next century because it lay within the Great Wall.

Song through Yuan dynasties

During the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), the sixteen ceded prefectures continued to be an area of contention between Song China and the Liao dynasty. Later, the Southern Song dynasty abandoned all of North China, including Hebei, to the Jurchen Jin dynasty after the 1127 Jingkang Incident of the Jin–Song wars. Hebei was heavily affected by the flooding of the Yellow River; between 1048 and 1128, the river ran directly through the province rather than to its south.

The Mongol Yuan dynasty divided China into provinces but did not establish Hebei as a province. Instead, the area was directly administrated by the Secretariat at the capital Dadu.

Ming and Qing dynasties

During the Ming dynasty, what is now Hebei was first constituted as Beizhili, when the capital of China was located at Nanjing along the Yangtze River. In 1403, the Ming Yongle Emperor relocated the capital to Beiping, which was subsequently renamed Beijing. The region known as Beizhili was composed of parts of the modern provinces of Hebei, Henan, Shandong, including the provincial-level municipalities of Beijing and Tianjin.

The Qing dynasty came to power in 1644 and centralized its capital in Beijing. Southern Zhili was reconstituted as the province of Jiangnan, while Northern Zhili simply became known as Zhili, or Directly Ruled. The northern borders of Zhili extended deep into Inner Mongolia and overlapped in jurisdiction with the leagues of Inner Mongolia.

In the 18th century the borders of Zhili were redrawn and spread over Hebei, as well as what is today Beijing, Tianjin, and the provinces of Hebei, western Liaoning, northern Henan, northern Shandong, and Inner Mongolia.

Republic of China

The Qing dynasty collapsed in 1912 and was replaced by the Republic of China (ROC). In a few years, China descended into a civil war, with regional warlords vying for power. Since Zhili was so close to the capital of Beijing, it was the site of the Zhiwan War, the First Zhifeng War, and the Second Zhifeng War. With the success of the Northern Expedition in 1926 and 1927 by the Kuomintang, the capital was moved from Beijing to Nanjing. The ROC assigned portions of northern Zhili province to its neighbors in the north and renamed the remainder to Hebei, reflecting the relocation of the capital and its standard provincial administration.

During World War II, Hebei was under the control of the Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China, a puppet state of the Empire of Japan.

People's Republic of China

The founding of the People's Republic of China saw several changes. The region around Chengde, previously part of Rehe Province (historically part of Manchuria), and the region around Zhangjiakou, previously part of Chahar Province (historically part of Inner Mongolia), were merged into Hebei. This extended its borders northwards beyond the Great Wall. Meanwhile, the city of Puyang was carved away, causing Hebei to lose access to the Yellow River. The city became part of the short-lived Pingyuan Province before eventually being annexed into Henan.

The capital was also moved from Baoding to the new city of Shijiazhuang, and, for a short period, to Tianjin. On July 28, 1976, Tangshan was struck by the Tangshan earthquake, the deadliest earthquake of the 20th century, killing over 240,000 people. There were a series of smaller earthquakes in the following decade.

Today, Hebei, along with Beijing and Tianjin municipalities which it includes, make up the Jing-Jin-Ji megalopolis region. With a population of 130 million, it is about six times the size of the New York metropolitan area and is one of the largest megalopolis clusters in China. Beijing had also unloaded some of its non-capital functions to the province with the establishment of the Xiong'an New Area, which integrates the three municipalities.

Geography

Hebei is the only province in China to contain plateaus, mountains, hills, shorelines, plains, and lakes. Most of central and southern Hebei lies within the North China Plain. Western Hebei rises into the Taihang Mountains (Taihang Shan), while the Yan Mountains (Yan Shan) runs through northern Hebei. Beyond the mountains are the grasslands of Inner Mongolia. The highest peak is Mount Xiaowutai in Yu County in the northwest of the province, with an altitude of 2,882 m (9,455 ft).

Hebei borders the Bohai Sea on the east. The Hai River watershed covers most of the province's central and southern parts; the Luan River watershed covers the northeast. Excluding manmade reservoirs, the largest lake in Hebei is Baiyangdian, located in Anxin County, Baoding.

Major cities in Hebei include Shijiazhuang, Baoding, Tangshan, Qinhuangdao, Handan, and Zhangjiakou.

Hebei has a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate. Its winters are cold and dry, while its summers are hot and humid. Temperatures average −16 to −3 °C (3 to 27 °F) in January and 20 to 27 °C (68 to 81 °F) in July. The annual precipitation ranges from 400 to 800 mm (16 to 31 in), concentrated heavily in summer.

Government

As with other provincial-level divisions in mainland China, Hebei is governed under a dual party-government system. The Governor of Hebei is the highest-ranking official in the People's Government of Hebei and is responsible for the provincial administration. However, the most powerful official in the province is the Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Hebei Provincial Committee, commonly known as the "Party Secretary", who holds greater influence than the governor within the province's political structure.

Administrative divisions

Hebei is divided into 11 prefecture-level divisions, all of which are prefecture-level cities:

• Shijiazhuang
• Tangshan
• Qinhuangdao
• Handan
• Xingtai
• Baoding
• Zhangjiakou
• Chengde
• Cangzhou
• Langfang
• Hengshui

These prefecture-level cities are further subdivided into 168 county-level divisions:

• 47 districts
• 21 county-level cities
• 94 counties
• 6 autonomous counties

These in turn are divided into 2,207 township-level divisions, comprising:

• 1 District public office
• 937 towns
• 979 townships
• 55 ethnic townships
• 235 subdistricts

As of the end of 2017, Hebei had a population of approximately 75.2 million.

ShijiazhuangTangshanQinhuangdaoHandanXingtaiBaodingZhangjiakouChengdeCangzhouLangfangHengshuiBeijingTianjin

"Urban area" refers to built-up zones and may exclude newer administrative districts established since the 2010 census.

Economy

Hebei is one of northern China's major industrial provinces, with a diverse economy shaped by its strategic location surrounding Beijing and Tianjin, and a strong manufacturing base—though by national standards, it ranks relatively low in per capita income and development indicators. As of 2025, Hebei's gross domestic product (GDP) was approximately 4.931 trillion yuan (about US$690 billion), ranking it 13th among China's provincial-level regions. The province's GDP per capita was around 66,936 yuan (roughly US$9,371), placing it 26th nationally.

In terms of economic structure, Hebei's economy in 2023 was composed of a primary sector (agriculture, forestry, and fisheries) contributing 446.6 billion yuan, a secondary sector (manufacturing and construction) contributing 1.397 trillion yuan, and a tertiary sector (services) contributing 2.551 trillion yuan. The registered urban unemployment rate was 3.08% as of the latest available data from 2021.

Hebei's economy is supported by a robust industrial base, with mining and heavy industry playing a central role. The province is a key hub for coal and iron ore mining, as well as for steel production. Other important industries include petroleum refining, chemical manufacturing, ceramics, power generation, food processing, and textiles.

Hebei possesses significant mineral resources, which form the backbone of its industrial development. The Kailuan coal mine in Tangshan, with origins dating back to the late 19th century, is one of China's oldest and most historically important modern mines. It remains operational today, producing over 20 million tonnes of coal annually. In addition to coal, the province is rich in iron ore. Major deposits are found in Handan and Qian'an, both of which supply raw materials to nearby steel plants.

Hebei is also home to a portion of the North China Oilfield, one of China's largest inland oilfields, which supports the province's petroleum and petrochemical industries.

Despite its industrial strength, Hebei also retains a significant agricultural workforce, with about 40% of the labor force engaged in agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry. A large portion of Hebei's agricultural output supplies the neighboring cities of Beijing and Tianjin. Principal crops include wheat, maize, millet, and sorghum, while cash crops such as cotton, peanuts, soybeans, and sesame are also cultivated.

Economic and technological development zones

• Baoding Hi-Tech Industry Development Zone
• Langfang Export Processing Zone
• Qinhuangdao Economic & Technological Development Zone
• Qinhuangdao Export Processing Zone
• Shijiazhuang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone
• Xiong'an New Area

Demographics

The population in Hebei is mostly Han Chinese. There are 55 ethnic minorities in Hebei, representing 4.27% of the total population. The largest ethnic groups are Manchu (2.1 million people), Hui (600,000 people), and Mongol (180,000 people). Population totals do not include those in active service with the People's Liberation Army.

In 2019, the birth rate was 10.83 births per 1,000 people, while the death rate was 6.12 deaths per 1,000 people. The male population is 37,679,003 (50.50%), the female population is 36,931,232 (49.50%). The gender ratio of the total population was 102.02, decreasing by 0.82 from 2010.

Religion

The dominant religions in Hebei are Chinese folk religions, Taoist traditions, and Chinese Buddhism. According to surveys conducted in 2007 and 2009, 5.52% of the population believe in and are involved in ancestor veneration, while 3.05% identify as Christian, belonging mostly to the Catholic Church. As of 2010 Muslims constitute 0.82% of the population of Hebei.

Although the surveys did not provide specific data for other religions, 90.61% of the population are either nonreligious or are involved in worship of nature deities, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and folk religious sects. Zailiism is a folk religious sect that originated in Hebei. Local worship of deities organized into benevolent churches in reaction to Catholicism in the Qing dynasty.

Hebei has the largest Catholic population in China, with one million members and 1.5 million Catholics according to the Catholic Church. In 1900, apparition of the Virgin Mary was said have appeared in the town of Donglu in Baoding. As a result, Donglu is "one of the strongholds of the unofficial Catholic Church in China". Many Catholics in Hebei remain loyal to the Pope and reject the authority of the Catholic Patriotic Church. Four of Hebei's underground bishops have been imprisoned in recent years: Bishop Francis An Shuxin of Donglu since 1996; Bishop James Su Zhimin since October 1997; Bishop Han Dingxiang of Yongnian who died in prison in 2007, and Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo of Zhengding since late 1999.

Culture

Language

People speak dialects of Mandarin across the Hebei, with most classified as part of the Ji Lu Mandarin subdivision of Chinese. Along the western border with Shanxi, dialects are distinct enough for linguists to consider them as part of Jin, another subdivision of Chinese. In general, the dialects of Hebei are similar to the Beijing dialect, which forms the basis for Standard Chinese and the official language of the nation. However, there are also some distinct differences, such as the pronunciation of some words, made by entering tone syllables (syllables ending on a plosive) in Middle Chinese.

Arts

Traditional forms of Chinese opera in Hebei include Pingju, Hebei Bangzi (Hebei Clapper Opera), and Cangzhou Kuaiban Dagu. Pingju is especially popular because it tends to use colloquial language which is easier for audiences to understand. Originating from northeastern Hebei, Pingju was influenced by other forms of Chinese opera such as Beijing opera. Traditionally Pingju has a xiaosheng (young male lead), a xiaodan (young female lead), and a xiaohualian (young comic character), though it has diversified to include other roles.

Quyang County, in central Hebei, is noted for Ding ware, a type of Chinese ceramics which includes various vessels such as bowls, plates, vases, and cups, as well as figurines. Ding ware is usually creamy white, though it is also made in other colors.

Cuisine

Hebei cuisine is typically based on wheat, mutton, and beans. The donkey burger, originating from the cities of Baoding and Hejian, Cangzhou, is a staple in provincial cuisine and has spread into the two municipalities. Other dishes include local variants of shaobing.

Entertainment

Beidaihe, located near Shanhaiguan, is a popular beach resort.

Architectural and cultural sites

The Ming Great Wall crosses the northern part of Hebei, and its eastern end is located on the coast at Shanhaiguan (Shanhai Pass), near Qinhuangdao. Informally known as the First Pass of The World, Shanhaiguan Pass was where Ming general Wu Sangui opened the gates to Manchu forces in 1644, beginning nearly 300 years of Manchu rule.

The Chengde Mountain Resort and its outlying temples are a World Heritage Site. Also known as the Rehe Palace, this was the summer resort of the Manchu Qing dynasty emperors. The resort was built between 1703 and 1792. It consists of a palace complex and a large park with lakes, pavilions, causeways, and bridges. There are also several Tibetan Buddhist and Han Chinese temples in the surrounding area.

There are Qing dynasty imperial tombs at Zunhua (Eastern Qing Tombs) and Yixian (West Qing Tombs). The Eastern Qing Tombs are the resting place of 161 Qing emperors, empresses, and other members of the Qing imperial family, while the West Qing Tombs have 76 burials. Both tomb complexes are part of a World Heritage Site.

The Zhaozhou, or Anji Bridge, was built by Li Chun during the Sui dynasty and is the oldest stone arch bridge in China. It is one of the most significant examples of pre-modern Chinese civil engineering. Baoding, the old provincial capital, contains the historic Zhili governor's residence and the former court.

Xibaipo, a village about 90 km (56 mi) from Shijiazhuang in Pingshan County, was the location of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the headquarters of the People's Liberation Army during the decisive stages of the Chinese Civil War between May 26, 1948, and March 23, 1949. Today, the area houses a memorial site.

Sports

The 2018 Women's Bandy World Championship was held in Hebei. Sports teams based in Hebei include National Basketball League (China), Hebei Springs Benma, and the Chinese Football Association team Hebei F.C., Hebei Elite F.C., and Cangzhou Mighty Lions F.C. Baoding is home to the Baoding balls, a kind of metal ball for exercise and meditation.

Education

Under the national Ministry of Education:

• North China Electric Power University (华北电力大学)

Under other national agencies:

• Central Institute for Correctional Police (中央司法警官学校)
• Chinese People's Armed Police Force Academy (中国人民武装警察部队学院)
• North China Institute of Science and Technology (华北科技学院)

Under the provincial government:

• Chengde Medical College (承德医学院)
• Handan College (邯郸学院)
• Hebei Agricultural University (河北农业大学)
• Hebei Engineering University (河北工程大学)
• Hebei Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering (河北建筑工程学院)
• Hebei Medical University (河北医科大学)
• Hebei Normal University (河北师范大学)
• Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology (河北科技技师学院)
• Hebei North University (河北北方学院)
• Hebei Physical Educational Institute (河北体育学院)
• North China University of Science and Technology (华北理工大学)
• Hebei University (河北大学)
• Hebei University of Economics and Business (河北经贸大学)
• Hebei University of Technology (河北工业大学)
• Hebei University of Science and Technology (河北科技大学)
• Hengshui University (衡水学院)
• Langfang Teacher's College (廊坊师范学院)
• North China University of Science and Technology (华北理工大学)
• Shijiazhuang College (石家庄学院)
• Shijiazhuang Railway Institute (石家庄铁道学院)
• Shijiazhuang University of Economics (石家庄经济学院)
• Tangshan College (唐山学院)
• Tangshan Teacher's College (唐山师范学院)
• Xingtai University (邢台学院)
• Yanshan University (燕山大学)

There are also Tibetan Buddhist schools in the province.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Intracity Rail

The Shijiazhuang Metro is the only operational rapid transit system in Hebei. Xiong'an Rail Transit is a planned metro system in Xiong'an.

Intercity Rail

Hebei is a central node in China's national rail network. Important conventional railways include the Beijing–Guangzhou railway, which passes through Baoding, Shijiazhuang, Xingtai, and Handan; the Beijing–Kowloon railway; the Beijing–Shanghai railway; the Beijing–Harbin railway; the Beijing–Chengde railway; the Beijing–Tongliao railway; the Beijing–Baotou railway; and the Fengtai–Shacheng railway.

Since 2014, Hebei has been central to the Jing-Jin-Ji regional integration initiative, which aims to build a unified high-speed intercity network linking Beijing, Tianjin, and all eleven of Hebei's prefecture-level cities. The network is managed by the Jing-Jin-Ji Intercity Railway Investment Co., Ltd., a joint venture of China Railway and the three regional governments. Its master plan, approved in 2016, calls for a "four verticals, four horizontals, one ring" (四纵四横一环) network of approximately 3,172 km by 2030. Total high-speed rail mileage in the region grew from around 1,284 km in 2013 to 2,675 km by the end of 2025. By the close of the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan in 2020, every prefecture-level city in Hebei had been connected to the high-speed network, a milestone known as shì shì tōng gāotiě (市市通高铁).

Major high-speed and intercity lines opened since 2013 include the Tianjin–Qinhuangdao high-speed railway (2013), which connected Hebei's northeast coast to Tianjin at 350 km/h; the Tianjin–Baoding railway (2015), which created the first direct east–west high-speed link between those two cities; the Shijiazhuang–Jinan high-speed railway (2017–18), which brought Hengshui into the high-speed network; the Beijing–Zhangjiakou high-speed railway (2019), built partly for the 2022 Winter Olympics and notable as the world's first 350 km/h line to use autonomous driving technology; the Beijing–Xiong'an intercity railway (2019–20), linking Beijing and Beijing Daxing International Airport to the new Xiong'an New Area; and the Beijing–Tangshan intercity railway and Beijing–Binhai intercity railway (both 2022), extending high-speed service to Tangshan and the Bohai coast. The Tianjin–Daxing Airport intercity railway (2023–24) and the Langfang section of the Huai-Xing intercity railway (2024) added further connections around the capital's southern suburbs. In January 2026, the first circular high-speed service linking Beijing, Baoding, Xiong'an, Tianjin, and Beijing Daxing International Airport in a continuous loop began operation.

Several lines are under construction as of 2026. The Xiong'an–Shangqiu high-speed railway (expected 2026) will run 552 km at 350 km/h through central Hebei, forming a new Beijing–Hong Kong high-speed corridor. The Xiong'an–Xinzhou high-speed railway (expected 2027) will link Xiong'an to Shanxi via the Taihang Mountains. The Shijiazhuang–Xiong'an intercity railway (expected 2028) will connect Shijiazhuang and Zhengding Airport directly to Xiong'an.

Highways and primary routes

Hebei's expressway network expanded substantially in the 21st century. By the end of 2024, the province had 8,690 km (5,399 mi) of expressways in operation, with all county-level administrative centres within 30 minutes of an expressway; in 2025, the province expected its expressway network to exceed 9,000 km (5,600 mi). In January 2026, Xinhua reported that the total length of expressways in Hebei had surpassed 9,000 km.

Air transit

Shijiazhuang's Zhengding Airport is the province's center for air transportation, with domestic and international flights. Parts of Hebei are served by the Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing.

Ocean transit

There are several ports along the Bohai Sea, including Huanghua, Jingtang, and Qinhuangdao. Qinhuangdao is the second busiest port in China and has a capacity of over 100 million tons.

Media

Hebei is served by the province-wide Hebei Television, abbreviated HEBTV. Shijiazhuang Radio & Television is a regional network that covers the provincial capital. Hebei is also served by three major newspapers: Hebei Daily, Yanzhao Metropolis Daily, and Yanzhao Evening News. Hebei Daily Newspaper Group publishes all three newspapers.

Notable people

• Zu Chongzhi (429–500) – astronomer, mathematician, politician, inventor, and writer known for calculating pi to an accuracy that was not surpassed for 800 years
• Feng Dao (881–954) – inventor, printer, and politician
• Zhang Fei (?–221) – military general during the Eastern Han dynasty and Three Kingdoms period who became sworn brothers with Liu Bei and Guan Yu
• Xia Gengqi (born 1933) – curator in the Beijing Palace Museum
• Qin Shi Huang (259 BC–210 BC) – founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of a unified China（Born in Hebei）
• Guo Jingjing (born 1981) – Olympic gold medalist diver and world champion
• Jing Ke (?–227 BC) – retainer of Crown Prince Dan, assassin who attempted to murder Qin Shi Huang
• Jizi (1942–2015) – ink painter
• Zhao Lirong (1928–2000) – Singer, film actress, and Ping opera performer
• Deng Lun (born 1992) – actor who gained popularity from the xianxia drama, Ashes of Love
• Joseph Jiang Mingyuan (1931 – 2008) – Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Zhaoxian
• Liu Shichao or Hebei Pangzai – Internet personality known for his food and drink stunts
• Yan Yuan (1635–1704) – Confucian philosopher
• Zheng Yuanjie (born 1955) – Children's books author, and founder and writer of King of Fairy Tales
• Zanilia Zhao (born 1987) – television actress
• Zhao Yun or Zhao Zilong (?–229) – military general who lived during the same period as Zhang Fei
• Liu Zhesheng (柳哲生, 1914–1991) – ace-fighter pilot of Nationalist Air Force of China, a veteran of the War of Resistance-WWII

Sister subdivisions

Hebei is a sister district with the following country states, districts, and other subdivisions:

• Athens (September 26, 2002)
• Buenos Aires Province (May 19, 1992)
• East Flanders (October 4, 1991)
• Goiás (March 24, 1999)
• Hauts-de-Seine (February 11, 1997)
• Iowa (July 22, 1983)
• Leningrad Oblast (July 20, 1992)
• Missouri (January 25, 1994)
• Nagano Prefecture (November 11, 1983)
• Pest County (May 27, 2015)
• South Chungcheong Province (October 19, 1994)
• Tottori Prefecture (June 9, 1986)
• Veneto (May 17, 1988)