Neighboring Shanghai to the east and Suzhou to the north, Jiaxing is situated in the central part of Hang-Jia-Hu plains of Yangtze River Delta with Hangzhou, Huzhou in the west and facing Hangzhou Bay to the south. The land area of the city is 3915 square km, sea area covers 4650 square km. The average altitude is 3.7 meter, among which rural areas and the north of Jiashan area is bottomland. There are altogether over 200 hills and highland in the area which scattered along the coast line of north bank of Qiantang River and Hangzhou Bay. The terrain tilts from southeast to the northwest, the plains is divided by densely situated pools, rivers and trenches. Farmland, land area and rivers and lakes are interlaced in the area with a distinct characteristic of manual physiognomy and the home of lakes and rivers. The population of 1997 is 3.29 million , with the density of 838 person per square km with 2 districts of Xiucheng and rural district and 5 counties including Jiashan, Pinhu, Haiyan, Haining and Tongxiang, 68 towns, 72 villages, 6 communities, 486 neighboring societies and 1769 villages.
Jiaxing is the birthplace of Majiabing Culture in New Stone Age. In the Spring and Autumn period and the War States period, Wu kingdom and Yue kingdom fought with each other in the area, and it belong to Chu Kingdom. In the 25th year of emperor Zheng of Qin Dynasty ( 222 B.C. ), Chu Kingdom was destroyed by Qin Kingdom, and conquered the emperor of Yue Kingdom, from then on, county system was carried out into implementation, 26 sub-counties was included into Huiji County. The current Jiaxing City was then consisted of Youchuan and Haiyan counties. Youchuan County was changed into Hexing County in the year 231, also known as the 3rd year of Huanglong era in the Three Kingdom Period. And then changed into Jiaxing in the 5th year of Chiwu era (242). From that time, the name of Jiaxing has been used till now. In the 3rd year of Tianfu era of late Jin Dynasty ( 938 ), Xiuzhou was established which included Jiaxing, Haiyan, Huating and Congde counties. In the 1st year of Qingyuan era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1195), Xiuzhou was upgraded into “fu”, for this reason, Jiaxing was established as Jiaxing Fu. From the year 1277, Jiaxing Fu was changed into Jiaxing Lu, and was again changed back to Jiaxing Fu in the year 1366. In the year 1430 of Ming Dynasty, there were Jiaxing, Xiushui, Jiashan, Haiyan, Pinghu, Congde and Tongxiang counties under jurisdiction Jiaxing Fu. Qing Dynasty maintained the same system as in Ming Dynasty. In the early yeays of the Republic, Jiaxing Fu was abolished. After the liberation, Jiaxing Speical District was established, with Jiaxing, Huzhou cities and 10 counties such as Jiaxing County under its jurisdiction. In the year 1958, Jiaxing County and Jiaxing city was combined into Jiaxing County. Jiaxing County was abolished and Jiaxing city was resumed. Jiaxing Administrative District was abolished in August 1983, Jiaxing City was then upgraded into a city under the jurisdiction of the Province, and administrate all the municipalities and counties in its area.
