Pizhou

Pizhou City is a county-level city in northern Jiangsu province, in China. As of 2006 it has a population of 163,000. Administratively, Pizhou is under the jurisdiction of the larger city of Xuzhou.

History

Its old name is Pi County , and before that, Xiapi . In Han Dynasty of China, Pi has been a famous city. For the Three Kingdoms period, it is well known for the battle between Lü Bu and Cao Cao fought there. It is the town Lü Bu fell back to when under siege by Cao Cao at Xiaopei. He first moved his family there and then he himself after being advised by Chen Gong. It was here that Lü Bu was ultimately defeated.

During World War II, the Battle of Taierzhuang happened there. In the Chinese Civil War, it was the scene of the Huaihai Campaign. The area is under relative poverty when compared to the rest of the province. In October 2007, when its party secretary Li Lianyu returned as a delegate from the 17th Party Congress, the entire city was mobilized to greet him in an unprecedented display, drawing immense criticism.

Geography

Pizhou lies in the northeast of Xuzhou City at the cross point of the Grand Channel and Longhai Railway. To the north of Pizhou, there is the famous Taierzhuang Town of Zaozhuang City of Shandong Province.