Shenyang has been controlled by numerous different states and peoples during its history. In the 14th century, the city came under the control of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), for whom it served as an important military stronghold. The 1621 Battle of Shen-Liao resulted in Shenyang briefly serving as the capital of the Jurchen Later Jin dynasty, the direct predecessor of the Qing dynasty (1644–1912).<ref name=Ebrey2010pp220224/> The 1905 Battle of Mukden took place south of Shenyang as part of the Russo-Japanese War. The subsequent Japanese victory allowed its annexation of the region west of the old city and the increase of Japanese influence in Shenyang. In 1931, the Mukden incident led to the Japanese invasion and occupation of the rest of Northeast China, and the establishment of the puppet state of Manchukuo. After the Japanese surrender in 1945, Shenyang remained a stronghold of the Kuomintang until its capture by the Communists in 1948 following the Liaoshen campaign.
Shenyang literally means "the yang side of the Shen River" and refers to the location of the Hun River (formerly called the Shen River, Template:Lang-zh), on the southern side of the city. According to Chinese naming tradition, a river's north bank and a mountain's south slope are angled more towards direct sunlight and thus are considered the "sunny", or "yang", side.<ref name="理论界">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Archaeological findings show that humans resided in present-day Shenyang as early as 8000 years ago. The remains of the Xinle culture, a late Neolithic period society over 6800–7200 years old,<ref name=":1">Archaeology of Asia, pp. 129</ref> are located in a museum in the north part of Huanggu District. It is complemented by a recreated village on site.
The city now known as Shenyang was first established Template:Circa during the Warring States period by Yan general Qin Kai, who conquered the Liaodong region from Gojoseon.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It was then named Hou City (Template:Zhi). Around 350 years later, during the reign of Emperor Guangwu of Han, the city was sacked and burnt by the Donghu nomads and subsequently abandoned. The area of modern Shenyang was divided between two commanderies called Liaodong and XuantuTemplate:Circa. Liaodong was seized by a Han governor in 189. Liaodong and Xuantu were briefly united under Cao Wei and the Jin dynasty (266–420). The region was in disarray during the fourth century until the Goguryeo occupied both commanderies in 404. Under Goguryeo, the city was called Gaemo. They established the cities of Xuantucheng and Gaimoucheng in the region. The Sui dynasty recaptured the area and established a new Liaodong Commandery in what is now modern Shenyang. In 645, the Tang dynastyinvaded Goguryeo and captured Xuantucheng and Gaimoucheng. Soon after, Liaodong was administratively reorganized and enjoyed nearly 250 years of stability and development.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
In 916, the Shenyang region was captured by the Liao dynasty and was known as Shen Prefecture (Template:Zhi) until the end of Jin dynasty (who conquered the region in 1116). The area became known as the Shenyang Circuit (Template:Zhi) during the Yuan dynasty.<ref name="中国网沈阳历史">Template:Cite web</ref> After the fall of the Yuan, Shenyang came under the control of the Ming dynasty, and it was designated a guard town named Shenyang Central Guard (Template:Zhi). During the Ming dynasty, Shenyang became one of the most important Chinese military strongholds beyond the Shanhai Pass.
In 1625, the Jurchen leader Nurhacicaptured Shenyang from the Ming and decided to relocate his entire administrative infrastructure to the city, which was then called Template:Tlit hoton (Template:Lang-mnc)in the Manchu language, Simiyan itself being the Manchu's homophonic translation of the Korean's rendering of the name Shenyang (심양).<ref name=Ebrey2010pp220224>Template:Cite book</ref> The official name was changed to Mukden (Template:Lang-mnc), or Shengjing (Template:Zhi) in 1634. The new name derives from the Manchu word, Template:Tlit (Template:Lang-mnc), meaning 'to rise' as reflected also by its Han Chinese name.<ref name="盛京史话"/> Under Nurhaci's orders, the Imperial Palace was constructed in 1626, symbolizing the city's emerging status as the Jurchen political center. The palace featured more than 300 ostentatiously decorated rooms and 20 gardens as a symbol of power and grandeur.<ref name="盛京史话">Template:Cite web</ref>
After the fall of the Ming dynasty in 1644 and the routing of the Shun army in the Battle of Shanhai Pass just a day later, the Manchus successfully entered the Shanhai Pass to establish the Qing dynasty in China proper. The capital was subsequently relocated from Shenyang to Beijing. However, Shenyang retained considerable importance as the secondary capital and spiritual home of the Qing dynasty through the centuries.<ref name="盛京史话"/> Treasures of the royal house were kept at its palaces, and the tombs of the early Qing rulers were once among the most famous monuments in China. In 1657, Fengtian Prefecture (Template:Zhi; Template:Lang-mnc or Template:Lang-mnc) was established in the Shenyang area, and Fengtian was sometimes used synonymously with Shenyang/Mukden.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
During the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), Mukden became the site of the Battle of Mukden from February 19 to March 10, 1905.<ref name="historyofmodernworld">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="Tucker2009">Template:Cite book</ref> Involving more than 600,000 combat participants, it was the largest battle since the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, and also the largest modern-era battle ever fought in Asia before World War II.<ref name="Menning p.187">Menning p.187</ref> Following this Japanese victory, Mukden became one of the chief bases of Japanese presence and economic expansion into southern Manchuria. It also became the government seat of Fengtian province in 1910.<ref name="zyj">Template:Cite journal</ref> Mukden became one of the main epicenters of the Manchurian plague (1910–1911), which ultimately resulted in approximately 60,000 deaths.<ref name=":0">
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In 1914, the city changed back to its old name Shenyang,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but continued to be known as Mukden (sometimes spelled Moukden) in some English sources and in Japan through much of the first half of the 20th century. The postmark of the Chinese postal administration kept the spelling "MOUKDEN/Template:Lang" for usage on international mails until the late 1920s. After that, a Chinese–Manchurian bilingual type "SHENYANG (MUKDEN)/Template:Lang (Template:Lang)" datestamp was used until 1933.
At around 10:20 pm on 18 September 1931, a small quantity of dynamite was detonated close to a railway line near Mukden owned by the Japanese South Manchuria Railway Company by Kwantung Army Lt. Kawamoto Suemori.<ref>The Cambridge History of Japan: The twentieth century, p. 294, Peter Duus, John Whitney Hall, Cambridge University Press: 1989. Template:ISBN</ref><ref name="sjzrb">Template:Cite news</ref> The Imperial Japanese Army, accusing Chinese dissidents of the act, then used the false flag explosion as pretext to launch a full attack on Mukden, and captured the city the following morning (September 19).<ref name="sjzrb"/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> After the Mukden Incident, the Japanese further invaded and occupied the rest of Northeast China, and created the puppet state of Manchukuo with the deposed emperor Aisin Gioro Puyi as the figurehead.<ref>Fenby, Jonathan. Chiang Kai-shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost. Carroll & Graf: 2003, p. 202</ref> During the Manchukuo era (1932–1945), the city was again called Fengtian (and Mukden in English),<ref name="满洲奉天">Template:Cite news</ref> and was developed by the Japanese into a center of heavy industry.<ref name="满洲奉天"/><ref name="四次城市规划">Template:Cite web</ref> Japan was able to exploit resources in Manchuria using the extensive network of railroads.<ref name="日本占领时期">Template:Cite web</ref> For example, vast expanses of Manchurian forest were chopped down.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The development of Shenyang was also unbalanced in this period; municipal facilities were mostly located in Japanese residential areas, while Chinese residential areas had poor living conditions.<ref name="四次城市规划"/>
Over the past 200 years or so, Shenyang managed to grow and increase its industrial might during consecutive wars with Russia and Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Second World War, and China's Civil War (Shenyang became the main battleground between the Communists and Nationalists).
Situated roughly within the area bounded by the four "Shuncheng" (Template:Lang-zh) roads/streets in Shenhe District, the (now-demolished) square-shaped inner city wall marked the bounds of ancient Shenyang. The earliest wall was built in 926 during early Liao dynasty to settle Northern Song civilians the Khitans abducted from raids to use as slave labourersTemplate:Citation needed, and was then made of rammed earth because the city was merely a small settlement at the time (historically the administrative center of the Liaodong region was at Liaoyang).Template:Citation needed However, in 1368, Hongwu Emperor of the newly founded Ming dynasty ordered a new regional military command—the Liaodong Regional Military Commission (Template:Lang-zh)—to be established, and Shenyang was made a prominent regional "guard town" (Template:Lang-zh). In 1388, Min Zhong (Template:Lang-zh), the newly appointed city commissioner of the Shenyang Central Guard, wrote to Hongwu Emperor immediately upon his tenure requesting permission to upgrade the city wall, and the old wall was made taller and thoroughly reinforced with overlaid bricks.Template:Citation needed According to History of Ming, the reconstructed Ming-era wall was 2.5 zhàng (Template:Convert) tall, more than 1 zhàng (Template:Convert) wide at the top, and 9 li and 30 bu (about Template:Convert) long. It has two layers of moats dug outside, each being 3 zhàng (Template:Convert) wide and 8 chi (Template:Convert) deep, fed with water from the Little Shen River (the present day South Canal). There were four city gates, each at the center of one side, connected by two main roads that intersected at Central Temple of the city's center in a "+" fashion.Template:Citation needed
This Ming wall was heavily damaged in 1625 when the Manchus laid siege and captured the city, with only the north wall and gate tower (which had undergone reinforcing reconstructions in 1545 under the orders of Jiajing Emperor) remained intact.Template:Citation needed The Manchu leader Nurhachi however saw the city's strategic value and decided to formally relocate his Later Jin capital from Liaoyang to Shenyang, and ordered the wall to be rebuilt.Template:Citation needed According to Annals of Mukden (Template:Lang-zh), the new city wall was a standard black brickwall standing at a height of 3.5 zhàng (about Template:Convert), a width of 1.8 zhàng (about Template:Convert) and a total length of 9 li and 332 bu (about Template:Convert), complete with 12 towers (8 gates and 4 corners) and a widened 14.5-zhàng (about Template:Convert) moat. The city gates were increased from four to eight, though the old Ming-era north gate tower was preserved but sealed shut, later known as the "Ninth Gate" (Template:Lang-zh).Template:Citation needed
Nearly all of these city walls and gates were demolished after 1949.Template:Citation needed Two gates and one corner tower of the inner wall were rebuilt during the 1990s.Template:Citation needed There had, however, been proposals to rebuild the other gates and towers in preparation to the 12th National Games in 2013.
Around Template:Convert outside Shenyang's former outer wall, there were four pagodas each located within an associated Tibetan Buddhist temple, namely the East Pagoda in Yongguang Temple (Template:Lang-zh), the South Pagoda in Guangci Temple (Template:Lang-zh), the West Pagoda in Yanshou Temple (Template:Lang-zh) and the North Pagoda in Falun Temple (Template:Lang-zh). They were built in 1643 and completed in 1645.Template:Citation needed The four pagodas are identical white Buddha-stupas as tall as Template:Convert. Nowadays only the temple for the North Pagoda is well preserved, the East and South has only the pagodas left, and the temple for the West Pagoda was rebuilt in 1998.Template:Citation needed
Both the Temple of Heaven and Temple of Earth were also to be found in the old city during the Qing dynasty.Template:Citation needed They were smaller replicas of Beijing's counterparts. Neither exists today.
Shenyang ranges in latitude from 41° 11' to 43° 02' N and in longitude from 122° 25' to 123° 48' E, and is located in the central part of Liaoning province. The western parts of the city's administrative area are located on the alluvial plain of the Liao River system, while the eastern part consists of the hinterlands of the Changbai Mountains, and is covered with forests.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The highest point in Shenyang is Template:Convertabove sea level and the lowest point only Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The average elevation of the urban area is Template:Convert.<ref name="jdsycsfzyshbq">Template:Cite thesis</ref>
The city's main urban area is located to the north of Hun River, formerly the largest tributary of the Liao River proper and often locally referred as the city's "mother river". The central urban area is surrounded by three artificial rivers — respectively the South Canal (Template:Lang) from the south and southeast, the Xinkai River (Template:Lang, formerly the North Canal) from the north and northeast, and the Weigong River (Template:Lang, formerly the Weigong Nullah) from the west, all interconnected by channels as a continuous waterway. The South Canal in particular, famous for the series of linear parks and gardens along it, was canalized from the old course of the Wanquan River (Template:Lang-zh), historically also called the Little Shen River (Template:Lang-zh) or Wuli River (Template:Lang-zh), which was a principal water source for the old city.<ref name="southcanal">Template:Cite web</ref> These are reinforced on the peripheries by smaller rivers such as Xi River (Template:Lang), Puhe River (Template:Lang) and Mantang River (Template:Lang), and drains into the Hun River at three different locations on the southeast, due south and southwest side of the city. There was also previously another canal on the east side called Huishan Nullah (Template:Lang) that drains into Xinkai River's lower section, but is now no longer existent due to land reclamation from urban constructions.
According to the Shenyang Environmental Protection Bureau, winter usage of coal by boiler stations for hydronicdistrict heating is the source of 30 percent of the air pollution in Shenyang. Half of the 16 million metric tons of coal consumed by the city during the winter of 2013–2014 were used for heating. Other major factors include dust from construction sites (20 percent), vehicle exhaust (20 percent), industrial emissions (10 percent) and extraterritorial dust (20 percent, mostly yellow dust from Gobi Desert). However, air quality was described by the Bureau as "slowly improving".<ref name=CE111313>Template:Cite news</ref>
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Shenyang's metropolitan area traditionally consisted of the 5 small inner urban districts, surrounded by 4 larger outer suburban districts, and accompanied by 4 rural counties on the north and west sides. In general, agriculture, animal husbandry and agricultural product processing dominate northeastern Shenyang; eastern Shenyang is an automotive parts hub; southern Shenyang is a high-tech industrial base; and western Shenyang is home to heavy machinery manufacturing. The city center specialises in retail and financial services.<ref name="Critical Eye on Shenyang"/>
Out of the rural counties, the Xinmin County was upgraded to a county-level city in 1993, and the Liaozhong County was incorporated into a new suburban district in 2016 as part of the provincial/national development plan.
The Shenhe District (Template:Lang-zh) is a part of the downtown and was also the most developed district in Shenyang. Until 2015, it held the seat of the City Government.<ref name="State Council govt move">Template:Cite web</ref> The old city wall is entirely located in Shenhe District. It has an area of Template:Convert<ref name="sysinet.gov.cn">Template:Cite web</ref> and a registered population of 716,417 (as per 2014).<ref name="ReferenceA">Template:Cite web</ref> There is the Central Temple (Template:Lang-zh), built during the Ming dynasty, showing the center of ancient Shenyang. This temple is located just south of the Middle Street (Template:Lang-zh), one of the most famous shopping streets and the first commercial pedestrian zone in China. Shenhe District is also home to the famous Wu'ai Market (Template:Lang-zh), the largest light industry wholesale trading center in the entire Bohai Economic Rim.
Shenhe District is the site of the Mukden Palace, just south of the Central Temple. It is also the site of Zhang Zuolin's former home and headquarters, Shengjing Ancient Cultural Street. In the western Shenhe District there is a Muslim town, and the South Pagoda (Template:Lang-zh) is located in southern Shenhe District. There are a lot of high-end hotels located in Shenhe District, such as Sheraton, Kempinski, Lexington, Marriott (which is the first Marriott Hotel directly named "Marriott" in mainland China, but due to finance conflicts is not administered by Marriott International). The major thoroughfare of Youths Avenue (Template:Lang-zh), the city's primary north–south arterial road that traverses past the City Government Square (Template:Lang-zh) at the modern center of the city linking Beiling Park to the Taoxian Airport, separates the southern portion of Shenhe District from the neighbouring southern Heping District. The iconic Template:ConvertLiaoning Broadcast and TV Tower is situated alongside this avenue.
Shenhe District is also home to Northeast China's main railway hub, the Shenyang North Railway Station (locally known as the "North Station"). The railways leading to the station forms the border between Shenhe District and the neighbouring eastern portion of Huanggu District. The station building has recently Template:When undergone a major overhaul and extension.
The Heping District (Template:Lang-zh) is located in the downtown of Shenyang, bordered Shenhe District. It is currently the most developed district in Shenyang. It has an area of Template:Convert<ref name="sysinet.gov.cn"/> and a population of 645,399 (2014).<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Heping District has all manner of commercial businesses that are brightly neon-lit at night, centered around Taiyuan Street (Template:Lang-zh), one of the most famous shopping district in the Northeast. The Project 985 university, Northeastern University, is also located in Heping District.
Heping District is also the core area for many political institutions in the Northeast, including CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee, headquarters of the Northern Theater Command (previously the Shenyang Military Region), General Logistics Department and the consulates-general of the United States, Japan. South Korea, North Korea and other countries. Northeast Electricity, China Post, railways, other such industrial hubs and many media outlets such as Liaoning Radio and Television, Shenyang Radio and Television and Shenyang Daily newspaper are also located in this district.
The Dadong District (Template:Lang-zh) is an industrial zone and used to be the largest of the inner city districts. Its name derives from the fact that the district started off as the residential area immediately outside the old inner city wall's Fujin Gate (Template:Lang-zh), which is also called Great East Gate (Template:Lang-zh). It has an area of Template:Convert<ref name="sysinet.gov.cn"/> and a population of 689,576 (2014).<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
The district contains popular tourist landmarks such as the 9.18 Historical Museum, the North and East Pagodas, Bawang Temple and the Wanquan Park. The oldest airfield in Shenyang, the now-defunct East Pagoda Airport, is also located in Dadong District.
The district is the site of Beiling park, the large historical mausoleum of Qing dynasty emperor Huang Taiji, as well as the Liaoning Mansion Hotel. It also hosts the seat of the Provincial Government of Liaoning.
The Tiexi District (Template:Lang-zh) is the most populous district and makes up the western part of the inner city, west of the South Manchurian Railway (hence the district's name) and south of the Jingshen Railway, and is famous for its heavy industry. This mixed-use district also contains large blocks of residential complexes, so as well as strips of small to medium-sized shopping districts. It previously had only an area of Template:Convert<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a population of 764,419.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In May 2002, the Shenyang city government annexed a large area of suburban land from the neighbouring Yuhong District to establish a new state-level development zone—the Shenyang Economic and Technological Development Zone (Template:Lang), and transferred its administration to Tiexi District to form the Tiexi New District (Template:Lang), thus giving Tiexi District the current "necked" shape on the map. The new Tiexi District now has a population of 907,091 (2014),<ref name="ReferenceA"/> a total area of Template:Convert,<ref name="sysinet.gov.cn"/> and enjoys the same administrative rank as a municipality (Administrative Committee of Shenyang).
The district is featured in a 9-hour epic documentary film West of the Tracks by a young filmmaker Wang Bing. It shows the transition in this rust belt district—a palimpsest of not only Chinese but also world history. The first factories of this place were built in 1934 by the Japanese to produce war goods for the Imperial Army and nationalized after World War II. As late as the early 1980s, the factories here employed about one million workers, but all of them went jobless in the 1990s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Hunnan District (Template:Lang-zh), was formerly called the Dongling District (Template:Lang-zh) before June 17, 2014, referring to the UNESCOWorld Heritage Site-listed tombs dedicated to Nurhachi, the founder of Later Jin, and his empress Monggo-Jerjer. The large suburban district is located on the east and southeast side of urban Shenyang, with most of its territory south of the Hun River, hence its current name. It has an area of Template:Convert<ref name="sysinet.gov.cn"/> and a population of 324,074 (2014).<ref name="ReferenceA"/> The Shenyang municipal government moved to Hunnan District on 13 October 2015.<ref name="State Council govt move"/> The Shenyang Botanical Garden and the Shenyang International Expo Garden (which hosted the 2006 International Horticultural Exposition) are also located in this district.
Hunnan District hosts the city's only operational commercial airport, the Taoxian International Airport, and is rapidly becoming high-end residential areas with luxury apartments, fine neighbourhoods and commercial developments,Template:Citation needed as Hunnan becomes the new center of Shenyang steadily with the new government being developed there.Template:Citation needed The district is traversed by two corridors along two major highways, one leading to the Eastern Mausoleum and the neighbouring city of Fushun, and the other leading to the airport.
Launched in 1988 as the Shenyang National New and High-Tech Industrial Development Zone and elevated to a national-level zone in 1991Template:Citation needed, the Hunnan New Area (Template:Lang) focuses on electronic and information technology products such as software, computers, network systems, communication equipment and audio/visual equipment; advanced manufacturing technologies, especially for automobiles, medical equipment; advanced materials and biological and pharmaceutical products.Template:Citation needed Foreign companies such as the General Electric Co., Tyco International, and Mitsubishi Group operate in the zone.Template:Citation needed
The Sujiatun District (Template:Lang-zh) forms the southernmost part of the suburbs, located Template:Convert away from central Shenyang. The 2014 registered population of Sujiatun is 428,859.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> and it has an area of Template:Convert.<ref name="sysinet.gov.cn"/> Sujiatun is known mostly for its agricultural and industrial activity. It borders the districts of Yuhong and Heping to the north, Dongling to the northeast, Tiexi to the northwest; it also borders the prefecture-level cities of Fushun to the east, Benxi to the southeast, and Liaoyang to the southwest.
The Shenbei New District (Template:Lang-zh), formerly Xinchengzi District (Template:Lang-zh), is a new development zone and forms the majority of the northern suburbs. It has an area of Template:Convert<ref name="sysinet.gov.cn"/> and a population of 320,370 (2014).<ref name="ReferenceA"/> It borders Hunnan District to the southeast, Dadong and Huanggu Districts to the south, Yuhong District to the southwest, Xinmin City and Faku County to the northwest; it also borders the prefecture-level cities of Tieling to the northeast and Fushun to the southeast.
The Yuhong District (Template:Lang-zh) forms part of the northwestern and western suburbs. It has an area of Template:Convert<ref name="sysinet.gov.cn"/> and a population of 435,333 (2014).<ref name="ReferenceA"/> It borders Shenbei New District to the northeast, Huanggu District to the east, Tiexi District to the south, and Xinmin City to the west. China Resources Beverage, the distributor of C'estbon Water, has its Northeast regional office in the district.
The large southwestern part of the neighbouring Tiexi District also used to belong to Yuhong District, but in May 2002, the southwestern part of Yuhong District was ceded on order of the city government to establish the Shenyang Economic and Technological Development Zone, and the administration of the region was later transferred to Tiexi District instead. This annexation of land left an exclave territory lying between Tiexi District, Heping District and Sujiatun District, separated from the main body of Yuhong District, hence making the Tiexi District flanked at the "neck" by the two parts of Yuhong.
The Liaozhong District (Template:Lang-zh, referring to its central location within the province) is the newest and largest suburban district. Formerly the Liaozhong County (Template:Lang), its rural county status was made defunct in January 2016, and formally instated as a suburban city district on April 11, 2016. It lies Template:Convert southwest of downtown Shenyang, near the intersection of G1 Beijing–Harbin Expressway and G91 Liaozhong Ring Expressway. Template:As of, it had a population of 532,900<ref name="ReferenceA"/> residing in an area of Template:Convert.<ref name="sysinet.gov.cn"/> It is the most southwestern part of Shenyang City, bordering Xinmin City to the north, and Tiexi District to the northeast, as well as the prefecture-level cities of Liaoyang to the southeast, Anshan to the south and southwest, and Jinzhou to the west.
Shenyang is an important industrial center in China and is the core city of the Shenyang Economic Zone, a New Special Reform Zone. It has been focused on heavy industry, particularly aerospace, machine tools, heavy equipment and defence, and recently on software, automotive and electronics.<ref name="nfc">Template:Cite journal</ref> The heavy industry started in the 1920s and was well developed before the second world war.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="八大厂">Template:Cite news</ref> During the first five-year plan (1951–1956) many factories were built in Tiexi district.<ref name="第一个五年计划">Template:Cite news</ref> At its peak in the 1970s, Shenyang was one of the top three industrial centers in China alongside Shanghai and Tianjin, and was at one time being considered for upgrading to a direct-controlled municipality. However, as the planned economy fell out of favor after the 1980s, the heavy industry had declined gradually and the city became a rust belt city, with hundreds of thousands of people laid off from bankrupted state-owned factories.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="沈阳铁西: 新型工业化引领发展">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nonetheless, the economy of the city has revived significantly in recent years, thanks to the central government's "Revitalize Northeast China" campaign and the rapid development of software and auto manufacture industries.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Investment subsidies are granted to multinational corporations (MNCs) that set up offices or headquarters in Shenyang.<ref name="Critical Eye on Shenyang">Template:Cite web</ref>
The GDP per capita of the city of Shenyang is 78,490 yuan in 2009 (ranked 3rd out of all 58 cities and counties in Liaoning province).<ref name="GDP of cities and counties in Liaoning">Template:Cite book</ref>
As the transport hub of Northeast China, Shenyang is served by air, rail, a currently Five-line subway system and an extensive network of streets and expressways, with bus services throughout the city.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Terminal 3 at Shenyang Taoxian International Airport is the largest terminal in northeast China.<ref name="东北地区最大航站楼启用(组图)">Template:Cite news</ref> A new tram network system was built in the city's south in 2013.
The Shenyang North Railway Station (Template:Lang-zh) was formerly the Liaoning General Station (Template:Lang-zh) before 1946, and colloquially known as the "Old North Station". The original station building (now an MHCSPNL-listed heritage building), initially named the Fengtian City Station (Template:Lang-zh) at the time of completion, was built in 1927 at the terminal point of Jingfeng Railway, about Template:Convert southwest of the current station site, on the orders of warlord Zhang Zuolin to compete with the then Japanese-administered Shenyang Railway Station. The Main Station Building (Template:Lang-zh) of the current "New North Station" began construction in 1986 and was commissioned for operation in December 1990, and became one of the five most important railway hubs in China, earning itself the nickname "Northeast's No. 1 Station" (Template:Lang-zh).<ref name="hscb">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2011, a huge expansion project known as the "North Station Transport Hub Reconstruction Project" (Template:Lang-zh) was initiated in response to the growing demand of floor area posed by the increasing passenger traffic after introduction of the high-speed rail service. The station now has an additional 3-storey "Sub-Station Building" (Template:Lang-zh) and a "North Square" (Template:Lang-zh) on the northern (Huanggu District) side of the railways, while the old waiting lounge in the original 16-storey Main Station Building is now relocated to a large elevated concourse that bridges over the rail tracks, with a pillar-less roof (the largest in mainland China) doming the platforms. The original South Square (Template:Lang-zh) outside the Main Station Building was rebuilt into a multi-levelled complex, with two above ground forming an elevated airport-style drop-off zone and a large ground-level area for bus stops, as well as a three-level underground city providing shopping malls, parking lots, taxi pick-up and interchange with Subway Line 2, while also capable of rapid conversion into an air raid shelter if needed.
The Shenyang Railway Station (Template:Lang-zh) has a history of more than 100 years. It was built by the Russians in 1899 on the eastern side of the South Manchurian Railway and was named the Fengtian Station (Template:Lang-zh) at the time. It was later expanded by the Japanese after the Russo-Japanese War and renamed to Fengtian Yam (Template:Lang-zh) until the end of the World War II. Before adopting its current name, the station was known as the Shenyang South Railway Station (Template:Lang-zh) or simply the "South Station" (in contrast to the forementioned "North Station") between 1945 and 1950, a name the locals still use colloquially to present days (though the current Shenyang South railway station is actually at the suburban junction between Hunnan and Sujiatun). Today, the station focuses on regular-speed passenger service and is being refurbished with a large archway and new terminal, reducing access to the boarding platforms by rerouting customers under and over ground while construction is completed. The station was expanded in 2010 with the addition of a new West Station Building (Template:Lang-zh) and a West Square (Template:Lang-zh) on the western side of the railways.<ref name="沈阳站西">Template:Cite news</ref> The old East Station Building (Template:Lang-zh) is currently on the provincial protected heritage list.
In the Manchukuo era, the initial road transportation network was laid out, as is now in the central districts of Shenyang.Template:Citation needed The city follows a largely grid-style urban layout, with the roads follow a slightly tilted northwest-to-southeast orientation due to the South Manchurian Railway, which runs perpendicular to that direction. The streets in Shenyang are almost always named according to a routine convention — one that runs more in the north–south direction is called a "street" (Template:Lang-zh) or "avenue" (Template:Lang-zh), and one that runs more east–west are call a "road" (Template:Lang-zh) or "boulevard" (Template:Lang-zh). The only exceptions to this rule are the east–west Middle Street in Shenhe District, which takes its historical name from ancient times (though its modern official name is actually the "Middle Street Road"); and the north–south Minzhu Road (Template:Lang-zh) in Heping District that traverses diagonally across the superblock between the Shenyang Railway Station and the Zhongshan Park, but as one of the only three diagonal streets in the entire city it is accommodated as a "road" instead of "street" in keeping with the other two diagonal counterparts that run east–west.
In Shenyang, there are more than 160 bus routes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Shenyang used to have about 20 trolley bus routes, one of the biggest trolley bus networks in China.<ref name="沈阳公交通史4">Template:Cite web</ref> The entire network was demolished in 1999 after a serious electrocution accident that killed 5 passengers on August 12, 1998, and was replaced by gas and diesel-powered buses.
Shenyang has been planning an underground rapid transit system since 1940, but was unable to materialize the idea due to the city's geology and engineering limitations.<ref name="地铁故事">Template:Cite web</ref> On November 18, 2005, the construction of the first Shenyang Metro line began<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the construction of the second line started on November 18, 2006. The first (east–west) line was opened September 27, 2010, and the second (north–south) was opened on January 9, 2012. in 2023, the second line, running north to south, extended its southern portion to connect with the Shenyang Taoxian International airport. As of 2023, there are 5 running lines, with the latest of which (line 4) opening on September 29, 2023. Construction is difficult due to the granite-rich bedrock on which the city is built.Template:Citation needed
Shenyang has 731 medical and healthcare centers, 63,000 healthcare staff and 3.02 healthcare worker per 1,000 people. There are 34,033 hospital beds and 45,680 various kinds of medical and technical personnel, among whom there are 17,346 licensed doctors, 1,909 assistant licensed doctors, and 16887 certified nurses.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The average expected life-span of the people in Shenyang is 73.8 years.Template:Citation needed
Shenyang is home to China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University 1st, 2nd (renamed Shengjing Hospital in 2003)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 4th Affiliated Hospital, 202 Hospital, Liaoning Tumor Hospital, Shenyang No.7 People's Hospital, Shenyang Orthopaedics Hospital, Shenyang Army General Hospital, North Hospital, and various other hospitals and clinics.
People native to Shenyang speak the Shenyang dialect, a variant of Northeastern Mandarin.<ref name="振兴东北网">Template:Cite web</ref> The dialect was formed in the early period of the Qing dynasty.<ref name="sywbsyh">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="syrbsyh">Template:Cite news</ref> It is similar to the other Northeastern dialects and also to the national standard of Mandarin, Putonghua, but is known as a form of Dongbeihua and has a wide range of vocabulary that is not part of the country's official language.<ref name="振兴东北网"/>
Two northeast folk dances, Errenzhuan and Yangge, are very popular in Shenyang.<ref name="文化志概述">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="秧歌">Template:Cite web</ref> The Big Stage Theatre (Template:Lang-zh) near Middle Street is famous for its Errenzhuan and Chinese comedy skit performances by Zhao Benshan and his students. Due to the popularity enjoyed by many Shenyang-based comedians, the city is nationally recognized as a stronghold of Chinese comedy.
Shenyang is home of many performance art organizations, such as Shenyang Acrobatic Troupe of China, Liaoning Song and Dance Ensemble, and Liaoning Ballet.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Many artists are from Shenyang, such as Zimei, Na Ying and the pianist Lang Lang.
Liaoning Provincial Museum (Template:Lang), the largest museum in Northeast China. The museum hold many ancient relics and artefacts, including a selection of inscriptions in Chinese and Khitan that are some of the earliest known forms of writing.
Shenyang Steam Locomotive Museum (Template:Lang), with 16 steam engines from America, Japan, Russia, Belgium, Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia and China.
9.18 Historical Museum (Template:Lang), a museum in memory of the Mukden Incident on September 18, 1931. The museum is in the shape of an opened calendar, and is located on the site where the Japanese troops destroyed the South Manchuria Railway, the prelude to the invasion of Manchuria.
Xinle Relic (Template:Lang), located on the location where the Xinle civilisation was first discovered, containing a reconstructed Xinle settlement and housing artefacts discovered there.File:Xinle culture 348.JPGFront of statue about Xinle culture
The Shenyang city government, legally, recognizes five religious beliefs—Buddhism, Taoism, Islam and Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism). During the period between 1949 and 1976, religious practices were significantly repressed, but have recovered since the end of the Cultural Revolution. Template:As of, Shenyang has seven city-level religious organizations, with 289 legally registered places of worship, 483 clerics and about 400,000 followers.
Dongguan Church (Template:Lang), one of the largest and oldest Protestant churches in Northeast China, also known as the cradle of Christianity of the Koreans in China and in the Korean Peninsula
Strange Slope (Template:Lang): an Template:Convert-long, Template:Convert-wide slope on the western side of Mao Mountain in Shenbei District, famous for the unexplained phenomenon of vehicles seemingly able to move uphill unpowered.
Shenyang has many shopping areas that provide necessities, luxuries and entertainments. One of the shopping districts is Middle Street (Template:Lang). Middle Street has a history of more than 100 years. In 2005, Middle Street gained the title of China top 10 famous commercial shopping streets and in 2008; it won the International Golden Street title. Middle Street is also the first commercial pedestrian street in China. Middle Street features many western-style stores and restaurants. The largest shopping mall in Shenyang is also located on Middle Street, selling products from all around the world.
Taiyuan Street (Template:Lang) is another shopping area which is similar to Middle Street. Taiyuan Street many restaurants and theaters for people to enjoy. Many spend their holidays shopping on these two streets. There is also a very large underground shopping center, offering many items, especially fashion jewelries, accessories and clothing.
Another area, Wu'ai Market (Template:Lang), features a large multi-story shopping center with a size comparable to that of many city blocks. It is famous for wholesaling cheap clothes and household items.
The information technology center is in Sanhao street (Template:Lang) in the southern part of the city. There are large superstores located throughout the city that sell everything from meat and dairy to clothes and electronics.
Shenyang is a major city for scientific research and education in Northeast China. Shenyang has one of the highest concentrations of educational institutes in China. Roughly 30 colleges and universities and numerous research and training institutions are located in Shenyang, including core institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. As of 2023, it was list among the top 125 science cities in the world as tracked by the Nature Index.<ref name=":3" />
Research institutes
Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Template:Lang)
Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Template:Lang)
Shenyang Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Template:Lang), formerly the Institute of Forestry and Pedology (Template:Lang)
Shenyang Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Template:Lang)
Shenyang Pacific International Academy (Template:Lang), located in Shenbei District. The school offers an American-style high school education.
Canadian International School Shenyang (Template:Lang), located in Shenbei District, founded in 2017 with joint co-operation of AKD International Education and the Canadian government. The school offers a Canadian-style education ranging from kindergarten to middle school.
Shenyang has established sister/friendship cityrelationships with many other cities around the world. These relationships have sought to promote economic, cultural, educational and other ties.
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