During the period from 1959 to 1962, the largest "Cadre Camp" in China, or in the world as people at that time liked to call it, was established in Qianjiang. The camp was established due to fears of a potential war between the Soviet Union and China following the Sino-Soviet split. As a result of these fears, the Chinese government dispersed people and resources throughout the country. Many young college graduates were sent to local Cadre Camps to train and entrench. This was the so-called "Priority 1 Order" given by Vice Chairman Lin Biao and planned by Chairman Mao. The young cadres in Qianjiang worked to improve the agricultural situation, such as draining hundreds of acres of a local lake to be used as farmland. However, this action caused damage to the local ecosystem. Qianjiang was well known for abundant local produces. Prominent local produces include duck eggs and lily seeds. They were so abundant that the produces were often sold at a nominal price. However, around the year of 1960, Qianjiang didn't escape the fate of most Chinese towns and was swept by an extended famine that was grossly caused by the political destruction of the fundamental aspects of the economy (production, supply-chain, and ownership). Many in Qianjiang were starved to death. People from Qianjiang and surrounding areas, compared with people from the rest of the Hubei Province, have a reputation for being generous, gentle, and sincere. Prior to the modern days, Qianjiang demonstrated traditional, agriculture-based, Chinese ethos. E.g., if the farmers consider a water buffalo has been hard-working and loyal they would not slaughter it. But rather they would wait until it ages and dies. Then they would bury it and then build it a tomb. There was a labor camp during the communist era in the Qianjiang area. The conditions at the camp were harsh. People would often sneak out to seek additional food. However, they never attempted to escape because it was impossible to hide in any place during those decades. Every town was tightly controlled and monitored by the government. No one would provide a stranger shelter and would only report him immediately to the local government. In 1970, the area was reorganized as . On May 25, 1988, Qianjiang County was abolished, and was replaced with a county-level city. In October 1994, Qianjiang was re-organized as a sub-prefectural city. Geography Qianjiang is located in