Banzhuang

Archeological artifacts provide evidence of the Ancient Zhuqi Kingdom locating in the west of the town for thousands of years before it became a vassal state of Zhou Dynasty. During the earlier Spring and Autumn period, another vassal state of Lu to west of Zhuqi, expanded to here, and then conquered Zhuqi. So Zhuqi become a bordering city of Lu State. The capital of Zhuqi is situated in the east of Gucheng, a village in the west of Banzhuang. But its territory was not indefinite.

From Qin Dynasty to Sui Dynasty, Banzhuang was under Zhuqi County and no change. And Zhuqi County seat was situated in the east of Gucheng, a big village in the west of Banzhuangtown. In Tang Dynasty Zhuqi County was combined into Huairen County in AD623 after Tang Dynasty overthrew Sui Dynasty. So the Banzhuang Town became the western part of Guanyu (i.e. Huairen) County and without big change from then on, though the dynasties rose and perished.

At the end of Qing Dynasty, the ruler started to reform the local government system and exercised local autonomy. So Jiagu City was founded on base of Guangxiao Town (光孝乡) of Ganyu County, and was under the jurisdiction of Guanyu County. Jiagu City covered 4 towns: Menlouhe Town, Xingning Town, Banlizhuang Town, and Huandun Town. The city government was situated in Huandun Town.[2]

After the National government in Nanjing overthrew the Beiyang authorities in Peking, it also began to reform the local and central administrative system. Ganyu became a county of the 8th Administrative District (also called Donghai Administrative District) of Jiangsu Province. Jiagu City became the 4th district of Ganyu County.

During Anti-Japan war Japanese invaded and occupied Ganyu County, and the legal government was dismissed by Japan. They founded the pro-Japanese government with the help of some Chinese traitors. Then the Communist Party of China (CPC) came and organized some guerrilla troops to fight against Japanese troops and puppet armies. CPC founded a new administrative managing system of itself completely according to its demands. The fourth district of Ganyu County was then divided into small districts further: Zhumeng District in the south and Guyang District in the north.

During the third civil war between CPC and Kuomintang, the two biggest political and military force, CPC controlled fully all Ganyu County. Zhumeng District was broken away from Ganyu County for several months in 1947.[3]

After CPC occupied Nanjing, the capital of China of that time, Jiangsu Province was abolished and split. Ganyu County was combined into Shandong Province till the Jiangsu Province was restored in 1953.

In 1951 Guyang District was called the 7th District of Ganyu County, covering 11 towns;[4] and Zhumeng District the 9th District of Ganyu County, covering 9 towns.[5]

Ganyu County returned to Jiangsu Province after Jiangsu was restored in 1953. But it was not a county under Haizhou which now called Lianyungang, but a county under Xuzhou City. In this year, the 9th District of Ganyu County was abolished and combined into the 7th District of the county.[6]

In 1955 the 7th District of Ganyu County was called Jiagushan District. In May 1958 Jiagushan District was divided into two towns: Jiagushan Town and Huandun Town.[7] When the Campaign of People's Commune began, the two towns names were changed to Jigushan People's Commune and Huandun People's Commune respectively. But the people still called Huandun as Huandun Town as usual.

In 1958, construction of Shilianghe Reservoir began and the migrations started. But the organization of migration by the government was very poor. Most people arrived at their new home and found nothing, and the government gave no reimbursement against their great loss from building the reservoir. Some of them were unable to bear the starvation and fled back to their home town. The reimbursement against this migration was exercised 50 years late. However, the local government tried their best to limit the quantity of the people who had rights to the reimbursement.

In 1961 Jiagushan People's Commune was divided into Banzhuang People's Commune and Jiashan People's Commune.

In 1983 the People's Commune was abolished in Jiangsu Province. Huandun People's Commune was restored to old name of Huandun Township; Banzhuang People's Commune was called Banzhuang Township, and Jiashan People's Commune Jiashan Township. In 1985 Huandun Township became Huandun Town, while Banzhuang Township became a town in 2000.

In 2001 Banzhuang Town and Jiashan Township was united into Banzhuang Town.

On January 31, 2013, Jiangsu's provincial government decreed the merger Huandun was into Banzhuang.[1]

Map of Banzhuang

Banzhuang is the largest town of Ganyu County, covering the area of 175.61 square kilometers.

In the north part of the town is low, hilly area. There are many low mountains which are called by the locals Taipin, Langtou, Zhuqi, Jiagu, Hulu, Jinniu, Shuang, Ma (Horse), Liao, Ma'an (Anti-Japan), Liujia, Gejia, Heng, Zhuque. In the south part of the town is fertile plains which is the main farming area of Banzhuang Town.

In the other part, it is the large plain. And it is very fertile and suitable for farming. So it becomes the main grain-producing area.

The staple crops cover paddy, wheat corn, peanut, soya. In the northern hilly area, fruit and tea trees are very popular. Mung and azuki are two popular crops in the area. But the planting area is very small.

There are some small rivers in the town, and no large river. Since 1949, some small canals were dug for the purpose of irrigation and for connecting Shilianghe Reservoir and Tashan Reservoir. There are also no large natural lakes. All the lakes are man-made reservoir, such as Shilianghe Reservoir, Honglingjin Reservoir, and Sanba Reservoir.

Shilianghe Reservoir is the largest man-made lake in the town, even in Jiangsu Province. It was dug in 1958 and finished in 1960s. There a little larger river flows into the reservoir: New Shoo River, Zhufan River, and Tangz River. 1-Grade flood intercepting trench links Shilianghe Reservoir and Tashan Reservoir.