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Hohhot

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Hohhot is the capital city of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China. It serves as the most important center for administration, economy, and culture in the region. The city sits in the south central part of Inner Mongolia. To its north, the Daqing Shan mountains rise up. To the south, the land transitions into the Hetao Plateau.

Wanbu-Huayanjing-Pagoda, Hohhot
Wanbu-Huayanjing-Pagoda, Hohhot

The name Hohhot comes from the Mongolian language. It means "Blue City." In Mongol culture, the color blue is very significant. It represents the sky, purity, and eternity. Sometimes, people call it the "Green City." This happens because of how the Chinese name is translated into English. The Chinese word "qing" can mean both blue and green. This has led some modern sources to use the wrong color in English.

Hohhot Dazhao temple.ecriteau miltilingue
Hohhot Dazhao temple.ecriteau miltilingue

Hohhot has a very long and complex history. In ancient times, the area was part of the Yunzhong Commandery. This was a frontier region between the Han dynasty and the Xiongnu people. In 127 BC, General Wei Qing led a cavalry force of 40,000 men from this area. By the year 2 AD, the commandery managed 11 different counties. At that time, the population was about 173,270 people living in 38,303 households. Later, the area saw many changes as different groups moved through the region.

A major turning point occurred in 1557. A Tümed Mongol leader named Altan Khan began building the Da Zhao Temple. This temple was built on the Tümed plain. He wanted to show his leadership to the Ming dynasty government. A town grew up around this temple. This town was called "Blue Town" in Mongolian. By the early 1630s, the population of this settlement grew to over 150,000 people. This growth happened because Mongol princes encouraged Han Chinese merchants to settle there.

Hohhot Dazhao temple.ecriteau miltilingue
Hohhot Dazhao temple.ecriteau miltilingue

The city has gone through many name changes over the centuries. During the Qing dynasty, the area was part of the Guihua and Suiyuan regions. In 1913, the Republic of China united these areas as Guisui. Guisui became the capital of Suiyuan Province. During the 1930s, the Japanese created a puppet state called Mengjiang. They renamed the city Hohhot during this time. After Japan surrendered in 1945, the name changed back to Guisui. Finally, after the Chinese Communist Revolution in 1949, the name became Hohhot again.

The climate in Hohhot is described as cold and semi-arid. This means it is very dry and has distinct seasons. The winters are long, cold, and very dry. In January, the average daily temperature is -10 degrees Celsius. The summers are hot and slightly more humid. July is the hottest month, with an average of 20.5 degrees Celsius. Most of the rain falls during July and August. The city gets a lot of sunlight, averaging 2,680 hours per year. However, desertification causes sandstorms almost every year now.

Wanbu-Huayanjing-Pagoda, Hohhot
Wanbu-Huayanjing-Pagoda, Hohhot

Today, Hohhot is a large and diverse metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,446,100 people. Most of these people, about 87 percent, are Han Chinese. There are also significant populations of Mongol, Hui, and Manchu people. The city is a major industrial hub for Inner Mongolia. It is famous for being the "Dairy Capital of China." This is because big companies like Mengniu and Yili are based there. The city is also a center for learning. It is home to the Inner Mongolia University, which is the largest regional university.

China 10th Anniversary Parade in Hohhot
China 10th Anniversary Parade in Hohhot
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File:Wanbu-Huayanjing-Pagoda, Hohhot.jpg
Wanbu-Huayanjing-Pagoda, Hohhot.jpg
File:China 10th Anniversary Parade in Hohhot.jpg
China 10th Anniversary Parade in Hohhot.jpg
File:Hohhot Dazhao temple.ecriteau miltilingue.jpg
Hohhot Dazhao temple.ecriteau miltilingue.jpg
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