Hebei

Map

Key data

Items shown in Chinese are kept from the original Chinese source; no English name is available yet.

Highlights

Introduction

• Home to the eastern Great Wall, Chengde Mountain Resort and Beidaihe beaches.

History

• Hebei is one of the important birthplaces of Chinese civilization. During the Warring States period, the states of Yan and Zhao contended here, hence the name "Yan-Zhao." Legends have been passed down for ages around Jieshi Mountain in Qinhuangdao, and since the Sui and Tang dynasties Hebei has always been a northern barrier guarding the Central Plains. In the Qing dynasty, the Chengde Mountain Resort and the Eastern and Western Tombs were built here, leaving a rich royal cultural heritage. In modern times, Tangshan witnessed the beginning of China's industrialization, and Xibaipo is recorded in history as a revolutionary memorial site. Today, Hebei, relying on the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, is writing a new chapter of history.

Culture

• Hebei has a long and rich cultural history. Its dialects are mainly Ji-Lu Mandarin and Beijing Mandarin, and the blending of many ethnic groups has shaped an inclusive local character. Wuqiao acrobatics is world-renowned; intangible heritage crafts such as Yuxian paper-cutting and Wuqiang New Year pictures are exquisitely refined; and local operas such as Pingju and Hebei Bangzi are widely popular. Hebei dishes such as donkey-meat huoshao are simple and hearty, while the ancient city of Zhengding and the Congtai in Handan carry deep historical heritage. On the Bashang grasslands, ethnic customs and Central Plains culture blend and coexist, forming a colorful picture of folk life.

Science & Technology

• Hebei has universities such as Yanshan University and Hebei University of Technology, along with a number of national-level research platforms, and its science and education system is increasingly complete. The Xiong'an New Area, as a key newly built city, is becoming an important carrier for high-end innovation resources. Hebei leads in the intelligent upgrading of traditional industries such as steel metallurgy and equipment manufacturing, while emerging industries such as new energy, biomedicine, and electronic information are developing rapidly. Transportation hubs such as Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport and Xiong'an Station provide convenient conditions for scientific and technological innovation and the flow of talent.

Economy

• Hebei is an important industrial base and major agricultural province in China, with a regional GDP of 4,930.52 billion yuan in 2025. Steel, equipment manufacturing, and petrochemicals are its traditional pillar industries, and Tangshan is known as the "cradle of modern Chinese industry." In recent years Hebei has accelerated its transformation and upgrading, with new growth drivers such as new energy, big data, and the ice-and-snow industry steadily expanding; Chongli is developing its ice-and-snow economy based on Winter Olympics venues. Leveraging its location surrounding Beijing and Tianjin, Hebei is speeding up construction of a key national base for modern commerce and logistics.