On The Southwardization Of Three Economic Centers Of Guanzhong Region In The Middle Of The Republic Of China

Shaanxi Province, located in the east of the northwest region, has played the role of the passage connecting the trade between the east and middle regions and the southwest and northwest regions for a long history. From the last Qing Dynasty to the early Republican Period the towns such as Dali, Jingyang, Sanyuan and Fengxiang along the passage became the economic centers of the east, middle and west parts because of the booming in handicraft, commerce, and finance, finally shaping a prosperous economic zone, which lasted for about one hundred years.During the middle of the Republic of China Shaanxi Province supported the Anti-Japanese War as the rear area base with the circulation of the Longhai Railway and the overall break-out of the War. Part of the factories in the occupied area moved into the Shaanxi Province and spread near the the Longhai Railway. Soldiers, government officials, teachers, and refugees of the front area swarmed into the Shaanxi Province and they mainly settled down near and far. Acting on the above factors, a new economic zone along the Longhai Railway took shape, with the result that the ancient city Xi'an rejuvenated quickly, developing into the biggest industrial and commercial city of the modern times and replacing the former economic centers. However, the once sparse-populated and underdeveloped cities like Weinan and Baoji flourished and emerged into the modern economic center.