Shenmian

**Shenmian** (沈免; *shénmiǎn*) is a city located in Xingkuai District, in Xingsu Prefecture. As of 2018, it has a population of 950,000, making it the fourth-most populated city in Xingsu. It is located south of the Gen River.

## Etymology

Shenmian literally means "river of rain", and most likely refers to the Gen River which lies to the south. This moniker, however, was only introduced around 300 years ago when Emperor Luanshan came into power. Before this point, Shenmian was known by a variety of names.

## History

### Early history

Shenmian was originally named Xingfu (行富; "fort of the Xing clan") and served as the base of operations for the Xing family in the 6th century. Interestingly, it was largely controlled by the family's *sai*, a class of high-ranking soldiers who were appointed to guard and govern the fortress and its surrounding village. By the end of the Nen Period, however, Shenmian had grown into a kind of melting-pot, with members of smaller clans and vassals living behind its walls. At this time, the Xing family relocated further south to the town of Genju, which was considerably easier to govern. Later, of course, they would attempt to seize the city of Hongkai on the northern coast.

After the relocation of the Xing, Shenmian came under the control of the Lao clan, whose power was waning somewhat in the south. From then, it was passed from power to power, as lesser families fought for control of the growing town. By the time Emperor Luanshan was crowned in 1456, Shenmian had been renamed six times, and was in fact one of the first cities to have its own government.

On April 13th 1860, the Great Xingkuai Earthquake almost completely destroyed Shenmian, resulting in the decimation of 20,000 buildings and a death toll of 1,000-2,000 casualties. The earthquake resulted in powerful aftershocks which caused heavy flooding from the nearby Gen River.

### 20th century

In July 1918, the northern ward of Shenmian was affected by a flash flood which occurred as a result of the Gen River overflowing. Fortunately, most of the area was repaired within months of the disaster.

In 1935, Shenmian acquired city status with 120,000 residents.

In 1937, the Shenmian Institute of Technology opened its doors to the public.

In 1976, the Crabapple District was established on the city's eastern side - a large area of government housing with over 500 crabapple trees planted throughout. The area was created in an effort to bring more natural harmony to Shenmian's growing industrial/residential zones. To this day, the region is very popular with visitors to the city - sightseers can even ride old-fashioned 1960s-style trams through the district for a full tour.

In 1995, Shenmian surpassed 800,000 residents. This resulted in a development plan being put into action for many deprived areas, such as the notorious slum districts which had been full of crime and poverty. Eventually the entirety of Shenmian underwent an upheaval of infrastructure which increased the population and breathed new life into the city.

### 21st century

In 2008, Shenmian unveiled a state-of-the-art modern recreation of one of its ancient temples, acting as a landmark, museum and place of traditional worship.

## Geography

Shenmian is situated south of the Gen River, and lies close to the town of Kunfu. It is connected by rail and bus to the cities of Kanchan, Genju, and Siukuang.

Shenmian experiences chilly weather for most of the year, but rarely experiences major snowfall in the winter. Summers are usually cool and precipitation can be heavy in certain months.

## Economy

Shenmian is a primary producer of processed materials such as paper, plastic, and fabrics; there are two main industrial zones and a number of technology factories. The majority of the population is employed in the tertiary sector, holding business and office jobs.