# Xishui County, Hubei

Xishui County (simplified Chinese: 浠水县; traditional Chinese: 浠水縣; pinyin: Xīshuǐ Xiàn) is a county of eastern Hubei province, People's Republic of China. The county extends over an area of 2,000 square kilometres (770 sq mi) and is under the administration of Huanggang City.

## History

Xishui was a center of revolutionary activity during the Chinese Civil War. In 1922, an underground group was formed to try to undermine the Kuomintang. Between 1926 and 1949, thousands of locals lost their lives in the struggle.
Famous persons whose ancestral home was Xishui County:
* Wen Yiduo (Chinese: 聞一多), famous writer of China.
* Yang Jisheng (historian) ( Chinese traditional: 楊繼繩), the author of Tomb: Great famine of China: 1959-1962 (Chinese name: < 墓碑:中國1959-1962年三年大饑荒>)
* Xu Fuguan, a Chinese historian and philosopher, notable for Confucian studies

## Geography
### Administrative divisions

Xishui County administers:
| # | Name | Chinese (S) |
| Towns |||
| 1 | Qingquan | 清泉镇 |
| 2 | Bahe | 巴河镇 |
| 3 | Lanxi | 兰溪镇 |
| 4 | Sanhua | 散花镇 |
| 5 | Zhuwa | 竹瓦镇 |
| 6 | Wanggang | 汪岗镇 |
| 7 | Tuanpi | 团陂镇 |
| 8 | Bailian | 白莲镇 |
| 9 | Caihe | 蔡河镇 |
| 10 | Xianma | 洗马镇 |
| 11 | Dingsidang | 丁司垱镇 |
| 12 | Guankou | 关口镇 |
| Township |||
| 13 | Lüyang | 绿杨乡 |
| Other Areas |||
| 14 | Sanjiaoshan Forestry Area | 三角山林场 |
| 15 | Cehu Breeding Farm (formerly Qi Lake) | 策湖养殖场 |
| 16 | Xishui Economic Development Zone | 经济开发区 |

## Climate

Climate data for Xishui, elevation 62 m (203 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) | 22.2 (72.0) | 27.1 (80.8) | 31.6 (88.9) | 34.9 (94.8) | 36.4 (97.5) | 38.1 (100.6) | 39.7 (103.5) | 40.1 (104.2) | 38.8 (101.8) | 35.5 (95.9) | 30.6 (87.1) | 23.9 (75.0) | 40.1 (104.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8.9 (48.0) | 11.4 (52.5) | 17.3 (63.1) | 23.0 (73.4) | 27.3 (81.1) | 29.8 (85.6) | 32.9 (91.2) | 33.7 (92.7) | 29.3 (84.7) | 23.7 (74.7) | 17.9 (64.2) | 11.2 (52.2) | 22.2 (72.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) | 7.0 (44.6) | 12.2 (54.0) | 17.8 (64.0) | 22.5 (72.5) | 25.5 (77.9) | 28.6 (83.5) | 28.6 (83.5) | 24.2 (75.6) | 18.5 (65.3) | 12.7 (54.9) | 6.3 (43.3) | 17.4 (63.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.8 (35.2) | 3.7 (38.7) | 8.2 (46.8) | 13.4 (56.1) | 18.4 (65.1) | 22.2 (72.0) | 25.2 (77.4) | 24.9 (76.8) | 20.5 (68.9) | 14.6 (58.3) | 9.0 (48.2) | 2.7 (36.9) | 13.7 (56.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −6.5 (20.3) | −5.4 (22.3) | −2.3 (27.9) | 3.8 (38.8) | 9.7 (49.5) | 12.9 (55.2) | 18.4 (65.1) | 17.3 (63.1) | 12.7 (54.9) | 3.0 (37.4) | −2.0 (28.4) | −8.6 (16.5) | −8.6 (16.5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 61.2 (2.41) | 76.5 (3.01) | 105.3 (4.15) | 142.2 (5.60) | 172.7 (6.80) | 218.3 (8.59) | 226.0 (8.90) | 140.4 (5.53) | 76.0 (2.99) | 63.5 (2.50) | 56.9 (2.24) | 36.8 (1.45) | 1,375.8 (54.17) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 10.8 | 11.2 | 13.6 | 12.5 | 12.9 | 13.5 | 12.0 | 11.7 | 7.9 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 8.0 | 131.9 |
| Average snowy days | 3.4 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 7 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 76 | 75 | 74 | 73 | 74 | 79 | 77 | 77 | 74 | 73 | 75 | 73 | 75 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 97.6 | 101.5 | 127.2 | 153.3 | 171.0 | 161.5 | 212.6 | 218.8 | 175.2 | 160.5 | 137.3 | 125.4 | 1,841.9 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 30 | 32 | 34 | 39 | 40 | 38 | 50 | 54 | 48 | 46 | 43 | 40 | 41 |
| Source: China Meteorological Administration ||||||||||||||

## Natural Resources

Xishui county has large proven reserves of ore, including magnetite, vanadium, copper, pyrite, yellow sand, granite, potassium, quartz, green jade, and gold.

## Economy

The very first agricultural cooperative in Hubei province was established at Xishui in 1952, as impoverished peasants pooled their land and cattle to create one large farm. In the first year, the commune increased its production by one third. The commune also expanded fresh-water fish and lotus root cultivation, and began planting two crops of rice per year. In 1956, the Xishui cooperative was recognized as an exemplary “national production growth model.” A major flood-control and irrigation reservoir was completed in 1961 and it began generating electricity the following year. This again became a national model for other villages to follow.

## Yangtze Flooding

Xishui is subject to flooding from the Yangtze River. In 1996, the main dike wall shielding the village from the Yangtze broke in several places, endangering the entire county. Emergency support personnel from Qichun County and Wuxue City were required to help deal with the emergency. Since then, the dike was widened and raised in height.