She County, or Shexian, is a county of southwestern Hebei Province, China, located on the lower reaches of the Zhang River and bordering Shanxi to the west and Henan to the south. It is under the administration of the Handan City, with a population of 400,000 residing in an area of 1509 km2.

History

The present area was originally part of Jizhou, one of the Nine Provinces. During the Spring and Autumn period it was part of the state of Jin, and during the Warring States period became part of the states of Wei and Zhao successively. Later, during the Qin dynasty, it was part of Handan Commandery (邯鄲郡). In 206 BCE, it was officially established as a county, but instead named as Sha County (沙縣), but not long after, was renamed to its present name. In the early part of the Eastern Han, it was renamed State of Shehou (涉侯國), part of the Wei Commandery (魏郡). The Jin dynasty (266–420) saw the area as part of Guangping Commandery (廣平國). The present name was restored again during the Sui dynasty, becoming part of Shangdang Commandery. However, in the early Tang, it was renamed Mo County (漠縣). In the Southern Song, it was controlled by the Jin dynasty (1115–1234) and renamed Chongzhou (崇州). The county's name was restored for the last time during the Ming dynasty, though it was temporarily part of Henan, and it was not until 1949, with the establishment of the People's Republic, that She County was returned to Hebei.

Administrative divisions

The county administers 9 towns and 8 townships.

Geography

She County is located in the east of the Taihang Mountains, bordering Ci County and Wu'an to the east, Anyang and Linzhou of Henan to the south across the Zhang River, Pingshun County of Shanxi to the west, and Zuoquan County (Shanxi) to the north. It ranges in latitude from 36° 17' to 36° 55' N, spanning a length of 64.5 km, and in longitude from 113° 26' to 114° E, a width of 37.5 km, and has a total area of 1509 km2. The Zhang River, and its tributaries, is the primary river in the county, and eventually flows into the Hai River.

Climate

Transport

The location of She County at the intersection of the Handan–Changzhi and Beijing–Guangzhou Railways, and location along G22 Qingdao–Lanzhou Expressway and China National Highway 309 makes it an important transport hub for Hebei province.