Taizhou, formerly T'ai-chow is an emerging city along the eastern coast of Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China facing the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean to the east. It lies 300 kilometers (190 mi) due south of Shanghai and is 230 kilometres (140 mi) from Hangzhou, the provincial capital. Administratively, it is a prefecture-level city and is bordered by Ningbo to the north, Wenzhou to the south, and Shaoxing, Jinhua, Lishui to the northwest, west and southwest respectively. Early to Xia Dynasty, Shang Dynasty, Zhou Dynasty, Taizhou was part of Dong'ou, and belonged to Minzhong Prefecture by the time of Qin Dynasty, during the reign of Qin Dynasty (221-207 B.C.) it is called Huipu Town. Later it is belonged to Kuaiji Prefecture during Han Dynasty.