Suizhou, Hubei Province, China

🇨🇳 Suizhou (随州; 隨州; Suízhōu), formerly Sui County (随县; 隨縣; pinyin: Suí Xian, Suixian), is a prefecture-level city in northern Hubei province, People's Republic of China, bordering Henan province to the north and east.

Etymology The Sui in Suizhou is derived from the ancient 'Suishizu' (随氏族).

Administration The prefecture-level city of Suizhou administers 5 county-level divisions, including 1 district, 1 county-level city, 1 county and 2 other areas. • Zengdu District (曾都区) • Guangshui City (广水市) • Sui County (随县) • Suizhou Economic Development Area (随州经济开发区) • Dahongshan Scenic Area (随州大洪山风景名胜区).

These are further divided into 54 township-level divisions, including 36 towns, 11 townships and 7 subdistricts.

History Ancient bronze concert bells found in Zengdu District, Suizhou City. The originals are now kept in the provincial museum in Wuhan.

Suizhou has a long history. During the Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period (771−221 BCE), it was the territory of the State of Sui/Zeng and within the cultural sphere of the State of Chu. As a prefecture-level city Suizhou has a short history with its current status only granted by the State Council in June 2000.

Religion The Catholic minority is pastorally served by its own pre-diocesan Apostolic Prefecture of Suixian (隨縣) which is exempt, i.e. directly dependent on the Holy See (and its missionary Dicastery for Evangelization), not part of any ecclesiastical province.

It was established on 1937.06.17 as Apostolic Prefecture of Suixian (隨縣) / Suihsien / Suihsienen, on territory split off from the Apostolic Vicariate of Hankou (漢口).

It is vacant since 1951, without apostolic administrator since 1981, having had only the following incumbents: • Father Patrick Maurice Connaughton (龔成德), Friars Minor (O.F.M.) (born Ireland) (1937.06.17 – retired 1951.03), died 1967 • Apostolic Administrator Friar Dominic Chen Te-mien, O.F.M. (1951.04.05 – 1981), no ther Ordinariate.

Transport Suizhou is served by the Hankou–Danjiangkou Railway.