# Xiantao

Xiantao (Chinese: 仙桃; pinyin: Xiāntáo) is a sub-prefecture-level city in the east of Hubei province, China. Located at the Jianghan Plain in the middle of Hubei province and spanning 112°55' – 113°49' east longitude and 30°04' – 30°32' north latitude, Xiantao City covers an area of 2,538 km$^2$ (980 sq mi). Xiantao is the hometown of author Chi Li and entrepreneur Lei Jun.

## History

Xiantao was known as Mianyang (simplified Chinese: 沔阳; traditional Chinese: 沔陽; pinyin: Miǎnyáng) until 1986.

## Geography

It is close to the provincial capital of Wuhan, and only one hour drive from the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, Hankou Railway Station and Changjiang—Wuhan Port. The G4 Beijing–Hong Kong and Macau Expressway running and the G42 Shanghai–Chengdu Expressway cross near Xiantao city.

### Administrative divisions

Xiantao administers:
| # | Name (Standard Mandarin) | Chinese (S) | Pinyin Romanization |
| Subdistricts ||||
| 1 | Shazui Subdistrict | 沙嘴街道 | Shāzuǐ Jiēdào |
| 2 | Ganhe Subdistrict | 干河街道 | Gān/Gànhé Jiēdào |
| 3 | Longhuashan Subdistrict | 龙华山街道 | Lónghuáshān Jiēdào |
| Towns ||||
| 4 | Zhengchang Town | 郑场镇 | Zhèngcháng/chǎng Zhèn |
| 5 | Maozui Town | 毛嘴镇 | Máozuǐ Zhèn |
| 6 | Louhe Town | 剅河镇 (豆河镇) | Lóuhé Zhèn |
| 7 | Sanfutan Town Dog days Pond | 三伏潭镇 | Sānfú Zhèn |
| 8 | Huchang Town | 胡场镇 | Húcháng/chǎng Zhèn |
| 9 | Changtangkou Town | 长埫口镇 (长倘口镇) | Chángtǎngkǒu Zhèn |
| 10 | Xiliuhe Town | 西流河镇 | Xīliúhé Zhèn |
| 11 | Shahu Town Sand Lake | 沙湖镇 | Shāhú Zhèn |
| 12 | Yanglinwei Town | 杨林尾镇 | Yánglínwěi Zhèn |
| 13 | Pengchang Town | 彭场镇 | Péngcháng/chǎng Zhèn |
| 14 | Zhanggou Town | 张沟镇 | Zhānggōu Zhèn |
| 15 | Guohe Town Guo River | 郭河镇 | Guōhé Zhèn |
| 16 | Miancheng Huizu Town | 沔城回族镇 | Miǎnchéng Huízú Zhèn |
| 17 | Tonghaikou Town (T'ung-hai-k'ou) | 通海口镇 | Tōnghǎikǒu Zhèn |
| 18 | Chenchang Town | 陈场镇 | Chéncháng/chǎng Zhèn |
| Other Areas ||||
| 19 | Xiantao Industrial Park Zone | 仙桃工业园区 | Xiāntáo Gōngyè Yuánqū |
| 20 | Jiuheyuan Seed Stock Station | 九合垸原种场 | Jiǔhéyuàn Yuánzhǒngcháng/chǎng |
| 21 | Shahu Seed Stock Station Sand Lake | 沙湖原种场 | Shāhú Yuánzhǒngcháng/chǎng |
| 22 | Paihu Scenic Area Pai Lake | 排湖风景区 | Páihú Yuánzhǒngcháng/chǎng |
| 23 | Wuhu Fishery Five Lake | 五湖渔场 | Wǔhú Yúchǎng |
| 24 | Zhaoxiyuan Forestry Area | 赵西垸林场 | Zhàoxīyuàn Línchǎng |
| 25 | Liujiayuan Forestry Area Liu Family Dyke | 刘家垸林场 | Liújiāyuàn Línchǎng |
| 26 | Chuqinliang Seed Stock Station | 畜禽良种场 | Chùqínliáng Yuánzhǒngcháng/chǎng |
Former town: Xiachabu/Xiazhabu (Hsia-cha-fou) (下查埠镇)

### Climate

Climate data for Xiantao, elevation 24 m (79 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 21.3 (70.3) | 27.3 (81.1) | 31.6 (88.9) | 33.5 (92.3) | 35.5 (95.9) | 37.0 (98.6) | 38.3 (100.9) | 39.3 (102.7) | 37.0 (98.6) | 33.8 (92.8) | 30.2 (86.4) | 22.7 (72.9) | 39.3 (102.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8.1 (46.6) | 11.1 (52.0) | 15.9 (60.6) | 22.2 (72.0) | 27.0 (80.6) | 30.0 (86.0) | 32.5 (90.5) | 32.2 (90.0) | 28.5 (83.3) | 23.2 (73.8) | 16.9 (62.4) | 10.7 (51.3) | 21.5 (70.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.3 (39.7) | 7.1 (44.8) | 11.5 (52.7) | 17.6 (63.7) | 22.6 (72.7) | 26.1 (79.0) | 28.8 (83.8) | 28.2 (82.8) | 24.0 (75.2) | 18.4 (65.1) | 12.3 (54.1) | 6.5 (43.7) | 17.3 (63.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.5 (34.7) | 4.0 (39.2) | 8.2 (46.8) | 13.9 (57.0) | 19.0 (66.2) | 23.1 (73.6) | 25.9 (78.6) | 25.1 (77.2) | 20.7 (69.3) | 15.1 (59.2) | 9.0 (48.2) | 3.4 (38.1) | 14.1 (57.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −10.5 (13.1) | −5.4 (22.3) | −1.1 (30.0) | 1.8 (35.2) | 8.9 (48.0) | 12.8 (55.0) | 19.0 (66.2) | 16.0 (60.8) | 10.6 (51.1) | 2.8 (37.0) | −2.9 (26.8) | −9.3 (15.3) | −10.5 (13.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 50.4 (1.98) | 62.8 (2.47) | 89.1 (3.51) | 139.8 (5.50) | 170.8 (6.72) | 200.0 (7.87) | 222.2 (8.75) | 99.7 (3.93) | 73.1 (2.88) | 66.1 (2.60) | 56.9 (2.24) | 29.5 (1.16) | 1,260.4 (49.61) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 9.9 | 10.4 | 12.9 | 11.9 | 12.8 | 11.6 | 10.0 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 7.5 | 122.4 |
| Average snowy days | 4.7 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 9.9 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 75 | 75 | 76 | 76 | 75 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 76 | 75 | 75 | 72 | 76 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 97.5 | 96.1 | 122.2 | 154.6 | 167.2 | 165.4 | 222.9 | 222.5 | 167.7 | 148.9 | 130.3 | 119.7 | 1,815 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 30 | 30 | 33 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 52 | 55 | 46 | 43 | 41 | 38 | 41 |
| Source: China Meteorological Administration ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

As of 2006, the population of Xiantao was 1,480,100. Of this, the urban population was 593,500 and the rural population was 886,600. As of 2016, the population of Xiantao was 1.5635 million.

## Sports

Xiantao has been described as a "Gymnastics town", because it has cultivated several gymnastics champions, such as Li Xiaoshuang, Li Dashuang, and Yang Wei.

## Transportation

* China National Highway 318
* Xiantao West railway station on the Wuhan–Yichang railway (Hankou-Yichang)
* Xiantao railway station on the Wuhan–Xiantao intercity railway
* Jianghan Plain railway (freight only)

## Famous People

| Person | Brief Introduction |
| Chen Youliang | The peasant uprising leader at the end of Yuan Dynasty, Emperor "Dahan" |
| Luo Jun | Former president of Sun Yat-sen University, Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Lei Jun | Founder, Chairman and CEO of Xiaomi Inc |
| Chang Yani | Diver |
| Li Xiaoshuang | Gymnast, Olympic gold medalist |
| Li Dashuang | Gymnast, Olympic gold medalist |
| Yang Wei | Gymnast, Olympic gold medalist |
| Liao Hui | Weightlifter, Men's Weightlifting 69 kg Championship at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games |
| Chi Li | Famous writer, winner of the Lu Xun prize for Literature |