Zhao County (Zhaoxian) , a historic town called Zhaozhou (赵州) in the past, is located in Hebei 40 km southeast of the provincial capital Shijiazhuang, and 280 km south of Beijing. Its total land area is 675 km² and total population is around 550,000. There are many historical sites in Zhao County, including the Zhaozhou (Anji) bridge (赵州桥), Yongtong Bridge (永通桥), Tuoluonijing Tower (陀罗尼经幢), and Bailin (Cypress Grove) Temple (柏林寺). The county is also famous for its agricultural products: snowflake pears (xuehua pear), asparagus，and high-quality wheat.