East China overview

East China is a booming region that includes Jiangsu Province , Anhui Province, Zhejiang Province , Fujian Province, Taiwan Province and Shanghai Municipality directly under the Central Government.
Jiangsu Province :
Jiangsu is short for Jiangning and Suzhou , two important cities in ancient times. Located along the eastern coast of China between east longitude 116°18′and 121°57′, north latitude 30°45′and 35°20′ and with Yellow Sea to its east, Jiangsu adjoins Anhui and Shandong provinces in the west and north respectively, with Zhejiang province and the city of Shanghai as its neighbors in the southeast. Jiangsu province covers an area of 102.6 thousand square km, about 1.06 percent of the total area of the country. The plain area of Jiangsu is 70.6 thousand square km, and water surface area is 17.3 thousand square km. The province has a coastline of 954 km and its cultivated area is 47.4101 million ha.
Jiangsu has been a tourist paradise ever since ancient times. Nanjing , Suzhou , Yangzhou , Zhenjiang , Changshu, Xuzhou and Huai’an are famous historical and cultural cities. Sixteen cities in the province have been entitled Fine Tourist Cities in the country, including Nanjing , the capital of six dynasties, and Suzhou , the Paradise on the Earth. There are 3 major tourist centers in Jiangsu , namely the Yangtze River Area, the Tai Lake Area and the Xuhuai ( Xuzhou and Huai’an) Area. There are now 20 well-known scenic spots, 23 forest parks, 6 tourism and holiday resorts and 461 historical sites under state and provincial protection. Nine classical gardens in Suzhou are designated by UNESCO as world cultural heritage. In 2004, income from domestic tourists visiting Jiangsu amounted to 128.98 billion yuan, up 32.3 percent; while income from overseas tourists reached USD 1.76 billion, up 55.8 percent.
Anhui Province
With an area of 139,000 square km and a population of 60 million, Anhui is short for Anqing and Huizhou, two important ancient times, whose land spans the basin of the Yangtze and Huai rivers in the northwestern part of east China , is famed for its statuesque mountains and ribbon-like rivers. There are also a host of scenes and sights steeped in long cultural roots and multifarious folkways. The province is home to numerous famed cultural personages. Among Anhui 's other tourist resources are Mount Jiuhua , one of China 's four major Buddhist mountain sanctuaries, Mount Qiyun , one of the four Taoist mountain sanctuaries, as well as the famous Tianzhu and Langya mountains. Huizhou Prefecture figured prominently in the commerce of ancient China . The dwellings in Shexian and Yixian counties in Huizhou prefecture are reminiscent of Ming and Qing architecture. Shouxian and Haozhou are two famous ancient cultural cities. Anhui is a major center for production of the `four treasures of the study'-Xuan paper produced in Xuancheng, ink slabs in Shexian, ink sticks in Huizhou, and writing brushes in Xuancheng. Anhui is also home to the famed Huangmei and flower-drum operas.
Zhejiang Province
The name Zhejiang comes from Zhejiang River , or called Qiangtang River . Zhejiang Province is located on China 's southeast coast, south of the Yangtze River Delta. Adjacent to the north is Shanghai , China 's largest city, while a vast hinterland stretches westward. The whole province is noted for its picturesque scenery, and the abundance of its products has made it widely known as a "land of fish and rice." It is also noted for its silk and tea, as well as for its numerous historical and cultural sites of interest to scholars and tourists alike.
Zhejiang covers a total area of 101,800 sq km, of which 70.4 percent is mountainous or hilly. Plains and basins make up 23.2 percent, and rivers and lakes make up the other 6.4 percent. It also occupies a large sea area. Along the coast, there are 3,061 islands each having an area of more than 500 sq m. This brings the total coastline to 6,486 km, the longest in China . Areas under cultivation total 1.613 million ha. Land used by forestry covers 6.397 million ha. there is a combined fresh water surface area of 224,000 ha. and over 100,000 ha. of shallow sea and shoals are suitable for aquaculture. Also there is the Zhoushan fishing ground producing the biggest catches on the coastline of China .
Fujian Province
Fujian is short for Fuzhou and Jianzhou, two important cities in ancient times. With  a population of 34.71 million Fujian Province on the southeastern coast faces Taiwan Province across the Taiwan Straits. It is situated 115'50"-120'47" east longitude and 23'30"-28'19" north latitude with an area of more than 120,000 square kilometers. Mountains and hills make up the vast majority of Fujian 's territory, while only narrow strips of the east seaside are plains. Fujian has a zigzag coastline of 2,120 kilometers dotted with 1,202 offshore islands, with a fishing area of 136,000 square kilometers. Most of its rivers empty into the sea separately.Fujian Province (Min for short) is located on the southeast coast of China , with Fuzhou as the provincial capital. Fujian is also the home of many overseas Chinese.
Fujian has well-developed agriculture, forestry and fishery. Its mild, humid, subtropical and marine climate is especially conducive to crop production. Sugarcane, peanuts, tea, tobacco, rubber, jute and bluish dogbane are Fujian 's major cash crops. Orange , longan, lichi, pineapple, loquat and banana are the six famous fruits of Fujian . Its industries of building materials, forest, light industry, electronics, chemical, machinery, and papermaking occupy important places in the country.
Fujian is blessed with a rich history, famous historical sites and beautiful natural landscapes, making it a unique tourist attraction. Its numerous tourist attractions include mountains, rivers and well-known cities. Quanzhou, one of China's famous historic and cultural ancient cities, is a human and scenic spot approved by the UNESCO; Xiamen, known as the "Garden on the Sea", is a picturesque special economic zone; Wuyi Mountain, inscribed on the World Heritage List, is famous for its peaks and Wuyi tea; the Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou, the Yongquan Temple in Fuzhou, the Guanghua Temple in Putian and the Nanshan Temple in Zhangzhou are the four famous grand ancient temples in Fujian. In addition, there are historical relics left behind by Zhu Xi and Zheng Chenggong.
Taiwan Province
The name of Taiwan comes from the first Chinese administration in the island. Located to the southeast of the Chinese mainland opposite Fujian Province , the island province of Taiwan is flanked by the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Taiwan Straits to the west. Covering an area of 36,000 sq km, Taiwan includes Taiwan Island , the Penghu Islands and 80 other smaller neighboring islands and islets. Taiwan was called Yizhou or Liuqiu in ancient times. Records of Chinese people developing Taiwan in earlier periods are found in many historical documents. Beginning from the mid 12th century, the Chinese governments of different dynasties set up administrative bodies to exercise jurisdiction over Taiwan
Taiwan has a very rich traditional Chinese culture. The blending of hakka, Taiwanese, has produced a rich plethora of cultural and social colors. When you are taking a vacation in Taiwan , do not miss the opportunity to taste different Chinese cuisines, such as Zhejiang from China , Hunan , Guangdong , Yunnan , Shanghai , Beijing , Sichuan , and others from China .
Shanghai Municipalit
Shyanghai means Launch Out. Throughout the past century, Shanghai has had numerous name tags attached to it; like " Paris of the Orient" and "Pearl of China". Shanghai , also named "Hu" or "Shen" in short, is situated at 31"14' north latitude and 121"29' east longitude, and in the middle of China 's east coastline. It occupies a total area of 6,341sq.km. (of which Pudong new Area occupies 523sq.km.), with a total resident population of 16,000,000. It has a pleasant climate, with four distinct seasons. The average temperature is around 18oC and the annual precipitation is 1,240mImages of Shanghai more than any other Chinese city, are bountiful in the west. A visit here therefore, is naturally tainted to some extent, with a preconception of how the city will be.
As the largest and most prosperous city in the nation, Shanghai is the economic, financial and cultural center of China , while Beijing is the political heart. And this image of Shanghai as a fast and modern metropolis is certainly the one that most visitors take away. Those old preconceptions of Shanghai as the home of crime vice and prostitutes are wiped away, as the city successfully projects an image of itself as young, vibrant and cool. m.
Shanghai is a modern and fast paced city, rich in history and culture and with a wealth of areas and sites just waiting to be explored. One of the nicest aspects of Shanghai is that the crowds here are much more manageable than in a city like Beijing . This is largely because there are no great ancient sites which people flock to. Rather, this is a city to be walked, wandered, explored and discovered in your own time and, in your own style.