Shenyang Travel Guide

Shenyang is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. It was first used by the Manchu people as their capital in the 17th century and today it is the biggest city in the Northeast. 

Along with nearby cities, Shenyang is an important industrial centre, and serves as China’s northeast transportation and commercial hub; particularly with Japan, Russia, and Korea.  

A titan of heavy industry since the 1930s, the city has been diversifying its industry and now has a solid industrial foundation, a good land and air transport network, abundant natural resources, and a skilled workforce. Investment subsidies are granted to multinational corporations that set up offices or headquarters in Shenyang 

In the past, the city has been known as Shengjing, Mukden or Fengtianfu.

The city’s name, Shenyang, literally translates as “the city to the north of Shen River”, though the old Shen River on the city’s south side, is now named the Hun River.

Shenyang is a well-known Chinese city in history and culture with about 1100ground and underground cultural relics. It is so called because of being located on the north bank of the Hunhe River(named as Shenshui in ancient times). According to the textual research for Xinle Archaeological Site, 7200 years ago, our ancestors lived and multiplied on this land. The founding history of Shenyang City has been over 2300 years since B.C.300 when Qin Kai established Hou City here to garrison border land. Shenyang has long been reputed as “the birthplace for one dynasty and the capital for two emperors”. In 1625, Nuerhachi, the first emperor of Qing dynasty, moved its capital here, and renamed it Shengjing. In 1636, Huangtaiji, the second emperor of Qing Dynasty, changed the reigning title into Qing Dynasty. In 1644, Shenyjing was identified as auxiliary capital while Beijing became the capital after the soldiers of Qing Dynasty entered the Shanhaiguan Pass. In 1651, Fengtian Prefecture was established here .In 1945, it was renamed Shenyang again.

Area Code: 024
Zip Code: 110000

Geography: Shenyang is located in the first of three Northeast China provinces, in the center of Liaoning province. It is situated in the inland area of the Liaodong peninsula. Shenyang is north of the Bohai Sea and southwest of the Changbai mountains. It has a typical northern temperate continental climate with four distinct seasons. Shenyang covers an area of 185 sqkm. Shenyang is divided in to nine districts and also has 3 counties (suburbs) under its jurisdiction. Shenyang’s total area is 12,980 sqkm extending 115 kms from east to west and 205 kms from south to north. The terrain is smooth, rich with fertile soil and underground resources.

Population: 
The population of Shenyang is greater 8 million, the earthy warmth and laidback attitude of its people make the city feel much smaller than it is. It’s the people of Shenyang that make it such a great place to live, or to visit.

Administrative DivisionShenyang consists of the following districts:

Climate: Shenyang has a monsoon-influenced continental climate with large seasonal variation. Winters are very cold, but dry, and can easily feature nights of −20°C or below. Summers are hot and humid, with daytime temperatures near 30°C, though rarely rising into the high 30s°C.

Economy
Shenyang is an important industrial center in China. It has been focused on heavy industry, particularly aerospace, machine tools, heavy equipment, and defence, and recently, on software, automotive, and electronics. During the first five-year plan (1951-1956), many factories were built in Tiexi district. At its peak (1970s), Shenyang is one of the top three industrial centers in China (the other two are Shanghai and Tianjin). However, after the 1980s, the heavy industry has declined gradually and Shenyang has become a rust belt city. The economy of the city has revived significantly in recent years, thanks to Chinese government’s “Revitalize Northeast China” campaign and the rapid development of software and auto manufacture industries.Many major industrial companies have their headquarters in Shenyang. Brilliance China Auto is a major Chinese automobile manufacturer, and most of its production plants are also located in Shenyang. Shenyang Aircraft Corporation produces airplanes for civilian use as well as for the PLAAF. Neusoft Group is the biggest software company in China. Shenyang Machine Tool Group is the largest machine tool manufacturer in China.

Culture of Dongbeiren
Shenyang residents are classic Dongbeiren (Dongbeiren literally means “Northeasterners”). Scores of adjectives are routinely used to describe Dongbeiren: friendly, loud, drinkers, and straight-forward are just a few. Many of these stereotypes are accurate and they are titles in which Shenyang people take pride; however residents most like to point out their reputation for friendliness. It takes only a few encounters with strangers on the street to discover this stereotype holds true with most of the people one meets in the city. 

Though Dongbeiren are also quite loud, locals prefer to describe themselves as being “reqing”, or “enthusiastic”. In most restaurants, Shenyang dinners converse with intensity that takes visitors by surprise. Old friends who are in the midst of affable conversation can appear to outsiders to be in angry argument. This tendency towards loud and spirited conversation raises the decibel level in most public places, especially restaurants. 

The people in Shenyang also consider themselves to be down-to-earth and straight-talking. Chinese culture is notoriously indirect – people often hint at rather than directly state what they want. Residents of Shenyang claim that they are not this way. To westerners they still seem quite indirect, but compared to other regions of China, Shenyang residents are perhaps more to-the-point in their interactions. This is why many in Shenyang will claim that when it comes to business, the Northeastern Chinese aren’t as crafty, or as successful, as their counterparts to the south.