Shenyang Travel Guide
Shenyang, the capital of the Liaoning Province, is an economic, cultural, transportation, and trade center of Northeast China. It is also an important industrial and historical city, famous for its production of machine tools and other heavy duty equipment as well as its significance in China’s past as a railroad link with Russia.
Shenyang governs a total of 9 districts, 1 city, and 3 towns with an area of 13,000 square kilometers and a population of 7.204 million. This includes an urban area of 3495 square kilometers and urban population of 5.066 million.
As the provincial capital and center for industrialized goods, Shengyang is perfectly situated for trade and commerce. It rests in the hinterland of the Liaoning Peninsula in the southern part of northeast China and in the middle of the Liaoning Province, with Changbai Mountain behind and the Bohai Sea in front.
Within a radius of 150 kilometers are almost a dozen more cities that have taken production influence from Shengyang: there is Anshan (steel), Fushun (coal), Benxi (coal and iron), Fuxin (coal and electricity), Panjin (petroleum), Dandong (textile), Liaoyang (chemical fibers), and Tieling (cereal and coal). All together, these cities with such a solid strength in the central area of the Liaoning Province create a unique and unusual conglomeration. Dalian Harbor links the area to other great harbors over the world, and New Yingkou Harbor and Jinzhou Harbor are under construction to secure even more trade links; all of these are no more than 400 kilometers from Shenyang.
Its emphasis on equipment manufacturing and establishment as one of the national heavy industry bases in China was set soon after the foundation of the People's Republic of China. Meanwhile, having successively earned the titles of "National Environmental Protection Model City" and "National Forest City," Shenyang has won the award of one of the Top 10 Cities for 2 years running. And despite its long reputation of being a “gray” city, in recent years it has taken upon many initiatives to become more “green’ and environmentally friendly for a more sustainable China and world, including the promotion of parks and the protection of wildlife.
As well, Shenyang is rich in attractions for travelers and is especially famous for its historical sights. Top attractions in and around Shenyang are the Shenyang Imperial Palace, Zhaoling Tomb, and Fuling Tomb. Catching a football game is also a must-do. Shenyang was the host of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics football matches (other host cities included Tianjin, Shanghai, Qinhuangdao, and Shanghai) at Wulihe Stadium.
A number of world class hotels cater to Shengyang’s growing tourism such as the Sheraton Shenyang Lido Hotel (5 stars), Marriot (5 stars), and Grand National Hotel (3 stars). Finally, as the central railway hub for Northeast China, visitors can easily come and go within the region.