As the saying goes, people are as their name goes, and even more so for the names of cities. A good name is not only catchy, but also represents the inheritance of history and culture. However, in the last century, in the adjustment of Sichuan's administrative divisions, a number of prefecture-level cities have successively appeared with the name of "Shizhong District".
Although the name is simple and clear, it makes people know at a glance that it is the center of the city. But such a name always feels too casual and lacks cultural connotations. And it's easy to get duplicate names, causing confusion. Therefore, these cities have been renamed successively.
Today, among the prefecture-level cities in Sichuan, there are still two remaining cities in Shizhong District, which have not yet been renamed, that is, Leshan City and Neijiang City.
Founded in 1985, Leshan Zhongqu district is the political, economic and cultural center of the city, covering an area of about 825 square kilometers. It is bordered by Jingyan in the east, Jiajiang River in the north, Emei and Shawan in the west, and Wutong in the south. The total population is more than 600,000.
Although the place name is simple, it does not reflect the deep historical precipitation and rich cultural connotation of Leshan, a well-known tourist city. To this end, for more than 30 years, the citizens of Leshan have repeatedly requested a name change.
On the basis of extensively soliciting the opinions and opinions of experts and scholars, the local government is ready to rename "Shizhong District" to "Jiazhou District" in order to better tap historical and cultural resources and protect and develop the ancient city of Jiazhou.
As early as 2009, the local government launched the renaming of Shizhong District and reported it to the relevant state departments, but it has not been approved. Since then, another re-declaration has been made, but again without results.
Neijiang Shizhong District was also established in 1985, under the jurisdiction of 6 streets, 9 towns, household registration population of more than 400,000, is an important intersection of transportation from southeast to southwest provinces, known as the hub of Sichuan. It is also the economic, political and cultural center of the city.
Due to the long age of construction and the limitations of the original planning, there are many old buildings in the central district of Neijiang City today, which is an old city that needs to be upgraded and transformed. The renaming of the shizhong district is also the focus of local attention.
Experts and scholars believe that Neijiang has a long history, and in the eighteenth year of Jian'an in the Eastern Han Dynasty (213 AD), a county was established and named "Han'an"; after the Three Kingdoms, Wei and Jin Southern and Northern Dynasties, it was changed to "Neijiang" in the Sui Dynasty. Therefore, "Han'an" can best represent the history of Neijiang and also has the most cultural heritage. The local government also said that it will start the renaming of Shizhong District as soon as possible, so that 'Han'an District' will become a satisfactory district name.
At present, the two cities of Leshan and Neijiang have publicly stated that they want to change the name of Shizhong District, but neither has yet received state approval. One of the main reasons for this is probably that the change of geographical names is a large project that involves the whole body, and the maps, documents, roads and other systems must be replaced simultaneously, and the cost is very huge, and it must be very cautious.
What do you think of the renaming of Leshan and Neijiang Shizhong District? Do you have a better name? Welcome to leave a comment.