Zhumadian

Zhumadian (Simplified Chinese: 驻马店; Traditional Chinese: 駐馬店; pinyin: Zhùmǎdiàn) is a city in southern Henan province, China.

History

Its previous name was Yi Cheng, for it was a relay station. In the Tang Dynasty, the emperor ordered his soldiers carry lychees from Guangdong to his charming princess Yang who loved to eat lychees. And Zhumadian was one of the relay stations.

A sad chapter in Chinese history unfolded in and around Zhumadian in the 1980s. At that time, enterprising people began collecting blood from villagers to sell to local hospitals. Unfortunately, they reused needles from person to person without sterilization. In this way, many blood donors and patients in hospital unwittingly contracted the AIDS virus. Today there are small neighboring villages whose populations are all AIDS sufferers. The government provides them with free medicine, but their ability to travel is severely restricted.

Agriculture

Mainly wheat, maize, peanut, sesame, green beans and tobacco.

Culture

Zhumadian has a brilliant cultural background and there are many great people in ancient times. There is an old site of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai who are the characters in BUTTERFLY.

Transportation

One of the Chinese main highways, Road 107, runs through Zhumadian. Zhumadian also has its own transportation system.