Introduction to Ji'an

Ji'an is a city in the southwest of Jiangxi Province. It is 1675 kilometers from Beijing in the North, 697 kilometers from Shenzhenin the South, and 1014 kilometers from Shanghai in the East. Ji'an has a subtropical and monsoon climate with an annual average precipitation of 1457.5 mm and average annual temperature of 18.3 Celsius. The frost-free period lasts about 280 to 300 days a year. The city has two districts, Qingyuan and Jizhou; ten counties, Ji'an, Taihe, Xingan, Jishui, Yongfeng, Suichuan, Xiajiang, Anfu, Yongxin, and Wan'an, and one city, Jinggangshan, under the jurisdiction of Ji'an City. It has a population of 6.67 million people. 

Ages ago it was called Liling or Jizhou when it was established in the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC. It became the Ji'an Prefecture in the Yuan Dynasty and was renamed Luling Prefecture in the end of the Han Dynasty. Jinggang Mountain Revolutionary Base is the first revolutionary base in the Agrarian Revolutionary War in China. Ji'an is one of the forty most famous tourist attractions in China. The city welcomed 2.15 million visitors from home and abroad in 2000. 

The natural beauty of its mountains and rivers attract people from everywhere. Ou Yangxiu, a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty, had his home in the Xiyang Palace, and the palace now has historical value for visitors. Recent archaeological discoveries have unearthed the Jizhou Kiln ruins of the Song Dynasty, bronze ware of the Shang Dynasty and ruins of the Warring States Period from 770 to 221 BC that attract many tourists. Ji'an has 28 travel services, 20 hotels, and 173 travel guides to help translate the language and help people find their way to where they want to go for sightseeing in China. If one wants to see the Tianxiang Memorial, the Bailuzhou Institute, or the Xiyang Palace, a travel guide will show the way. 

Letters from Ji'an Schoolchildren

Dear Friend, 

How are you? My name is HL. This year I'm nine years old. I'm a fourth grader in Jiangxi. I'm a boy with yellow skin, black hair, black eyes. I have a very happy and warm family. My father is a government service worker and my mother is a school teacher. I am their only child. I like to play ping-pong and read books. Playing pingpong makes my body strong; reading books makes me an intellectual. My hometown is especially beautiful, here there is a Buddhist mountain. The river goes around it like a jade belt. My people are very friendly. If you come here to visit, you will definitely feel at home. Students strive very hard. Our teachers care about us like they are our mothers. We all care about each other and help each other out. It is like living in a big family under the big blue sky. I hope you have the opportunity to come see us. I hope our two countries are friends. 

From your Chinese friend,
HL 

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Dearest Friend, 

How are you! I am a 4th Grader at JiAn elementary school. My name is PRY. Reading your letter made us wish to become your friends. Our school campus is pretty, teachers love us like parents, there is much love between students, like brothers and sisters, we live our lives like a big family, we are very happy and fulfilled. Everyday besides going to school studying interesting things, we have recess, and other type of fun activities such as field trips. I have a fortunate family. Both my mother and father are teachers. Every time I don't understand something, I can ask them to help me. Every week every other day, is my favorite time. My parents take me to the park. We look at the many types of pretty flowers, and cute little animals. Or we take boat rides, and ride bumper cars. Furthermore, I still want to go see my grandfather and grandmother. My grandmother always makes a lot of different types of good food for me. Every time I go I eat a lot. Of course, except for playing outside, I sometimes play at the school park, I really love this! Time always seems to go so fast and happily. I wish to be your friend soon! 

I wish you best of luck in school,
PRY
11/23/01 

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Dearest Friend, 

How are you! My house is on the west side of Jiang Hai Shang, just down the mountain ridge, it is old and beautiful and safe. I go to the school in town, there is another type of beautiful school too, in the schools buildings are many modem electronics. My school time here goes slow. In my house I am the only child, my mother and father both truly love me. My mother is a language teacher, my father is a math teacher, however my father is very smart, many people say he ought to be a head teacher. I have many loves, for example playing ping pong, baseball, reading books, and drawing. A while ago, I saw a program about the "911" terrorist attacks on TV. I was very angry. I sympathize deeply with you. I wish you could come here to visit. 

Your Friend,
SYZ 

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Dear treasured classmate, 

How are you? I was happy to receive your letter. My name is JCX. Like you, I am nine years old. I go to school at Jiangxi province school and I am in the fourth grade. I have black hair, black eyes, and yellow skin. I'm considered a bit taller than other kids my age. In the morning, I like to play ping-pong and write. Through watching television and reading the newspaper, I know what the terrorists did to your country. My heart goes out to you all. Like you guys, I also hate the terrorists. This type of action is similar to the way that the Japanese treated China sixty years ago. They were inhumane. Terrorist actions are the same as war. It makes children lose happiness and their childhood years. Some of them even miss out on schooling, some lose their relatives, some lose their homes. We all have to unify and defeat the terrorists so they will have no place to run. The children of the world need peace. 

Your friend,
JCX

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