Songjiang District
Songjiang is a suburban district (formerly a county) of Shanghai. It has a land area of and a population of 1,582,398 (2010). Owing to a long history, Songjiang is known as the cultural root of Shanghai. Songjiang Town, the urban center of the district, was formerly the major city in the area. It is now connected to downtown Shanghai by Line 9 of the Shanghai Metro. History. About 7000 years ago, people living in Songjiang created four types of unique culture: Majiabang Culture, Songze Culture, Liangzhu Culture and Guangfulin Culture, which laid a solid foundation of multicultural characteristics  of Shanghai Culture. Songjiang was formerly known as Huating County () and was part of Jiangsu province. In AD 751, during the mid-Tang Dynasty, Huating County was established at modern-day Songjiang, the first county-level administration within modern-day Shanghai. In the Yuan Dynasty, Huating County was raised to prefecture status and changed its name to Songjiang Prefecture (). Under the Republic of China, the Songjiang Special Administration District extended as far as Chongming Island in northern Shanghai. In 1998, the current Songjiang District was established. Cultural Significant Features. As the cultural root of Shanghai, Songjiang preserves brilliant and unique  prehistoric, ancient and modern cultural significant features. In the prehistoric period, there formed Majiabang Culture, Songze Culture, Liangzhu Culture and Guangfulin Culture in Songjiang. The recent unearthed farming and working tools as well as rice and animal remains proved that people living in Songjiang at that time had already known how to plough the farming land, which pushed the primitive agricultural society forward to a more civilized one. At the beginning of the 21st century, discoveries in Songjiang Guangfulin Cultural Relics made great contribution to archaeology. Firstly, it clearly divided the primitive society into types like Songze Cultural, Liangzhu Cultural  and Guangfulin Cultural, which was considered to be the cultural relics of New Stone Era in Taihu area; secondly, immigrants from the Yellow River were conformed to be the first group of immigrants coming Shanghai; thirdly, there were towns in Shanghai dating back to as far as Zhou Dynasty; fourthly, two unique types of houses in primitive society were found: stilt house and ground house. As time passed by, there were two important periods in the ancient Chinese society: the Western Jin Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty, characterized by the following four significant cultural features: 1.Originality Excellent cultural environment in  Songjiang cultivated a great number of elites, represented by litterateurs like Lu Ji and Lu Yun in the Western Jin Dynasty, Chinese painters like Dong Qichang in the Ming Dynasty and writers like Tao Zongyi in the Yuan Dynasty. They all created revolutionary and practical theories into their fields, making great contribution to the further development of Chinese art and literature, and were known to us for their originality and creativity. 2. Inclusivity There were many kinds of art and literature schools in Songjiang, and three historical immigrants from the northern part of China, respectively taking place at the end  of Jin Dynasty, mid-Tang Dynasty and Song Dynasty, brought along northern culture and stimulated the cultural kindness and inclusivity of Songjiang. In addition, when the five biggest religions in China are growing bigger and bigger and get along with each other in Songjiang, they learned from not only other religions but also unique culture in Songjiang and formed their special characteristics, which shows the cultural inclusivity in Songjiang culture. 3. Guidingness A famous art and literature school---Yunjian rooted and gained its fame here. Yunjian school represents both ancient literature and modern ones, combining practical ideas with ideal ones , which has a profound influence on the development of ancient Chinese poetry, painting and calligraphy. Its representatives are Chen Zilong, Chen Wen, Mo Shilong, Dong Qichang and Lu Ji. 4.radiativity From the beginning of ancient Chinese imperial examinations at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Songjiang had cultivated all together 521 Jinshi, successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations, which was a rare scene in the Chinese examination history. These successful candidates, being high government officials, all made great contributions to the country. Songjiang also has great influence on the development of newspaper, cotton manufacturing and agriculture. Significant Features. Some  of the notable features in Songjiang District include: Cultural sights in Songjiang include: Government and infrastructure. The Shanghai Women's Prison is in Songjiang District. Transport. Songjiang District is located approximately from Hongqiao International Airport and from Pudong International Airport. Songjiang is currently served by one metro line operated by Shanghai Metro, one suburban line operated by China Railway, and two tram lines. Subdistricts and towns. Songjiang District has six subdistricts, eleven towns and three special township-level divisions. Attractions. Xilin Chan Temple is a Buddhist temple in Yueyang Subdistrict, which is also a famous tourist attraction. Zuibaichi is one  of the five ancient Chinese gardens in Shanghai that dates back to the Song Dynasty. The Songjiang Mosque is the oldest mosque in Shanghai with its latest rebuild in 1391. Songjiang's emblematic tower is the 9-story Fangta Pagoda, or Songjiang Square Pagoda. Notable people. Birthplace: Heroes: Hou Shaoqiu, Jiang Huilin, Xia Yunyi, Chen Zilong, Xia Wanchun; Statesmen: Gu Yong, Lu Xun, Xu Jie; Litterateurs: Lu Ji, Lu Yun, Chen Jiru, Qian Fu, Gu Qing; Chinese Painting and Calligraphy ("Songjiang was listed among "cities of Calligraphy" in 2013") Artists: Shen Du, Dong Qichang, Zhang Nanheng, Zhang Zhao, Shi Zhecun , Cheng Shifa; Craftsmen: Zhu Kerou, Huang Daopo, Ding Niangzi; Experts: Tao Zongyi, Zhu Shunshui, Chen Yongkang; Educators: He Dong, Ping Hailan, Ma Xiangru. Intelligent woman: Ye Gu