Huangshan (黄山)

1. Introduction

Huangshan City, abbreviated as Huang, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Anhui Province, the People's Republic of China. It is named after the famous scenic spot, Mount Huang (Yellow Mountain). Formerly known as Huizhou, it is also abbreviated as Hui. Huangshan City is located in the southernmost part of Anhui Province, at the upper reaches of the Xin'an River, at the junction of Anhui, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi provinces. It is known as the "thoroughfare of three provinces." To the southwest, it borders Jingdezhen City and Shangrao City in Jiangxi Province; to the southeast, it neighbors Quzhou City and Hangzhou City in Zhejiang Province; to the northeast, it adjoins Jixi County, Jingde County, and Jing County in Xuancheng City within the province; and to the northwest, it borders Qingyang County, Shitai County, and Dongzhi County in Chizhou City. The city covers a total area of 9,807 square kilometers. Huangshan City is a world-renowned modern international tourist city, a National Forest City, one of the comprehensive transportation hub cities in Anhui Province, a provincial central city at the junction of Anhui, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi, and a member of the Hangzhou Metropolitan Circle.

Huangshan City was formerly known as Huizhou, with a long history dating back to the Qin and Han dynasties when prefectures and counties were established. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, Shezhou was established. After the suppression of the Fang La Rebellion in the Northern Song Dynasty, it was renamed Huizhou. During the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, it was elevated to Huizhou Road and Huizhou Prefecture. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it evolved into Huizhou Special District and Huizhou Region, with its jurisdiction undergoing multiple changes. It was not until November 1987 that the State Council officially approved the abolition of Huizhou Region and the establishment of the prefecture-level Huangshan City. The Municipal People's Government is located at No. 1 Tiandu Avenue, Tunxi District.

As the birthplace of Huizhou culture and Huizhou merchants, Huangshan City has developed its own unique local culture, including Huizhou opera, Huizhou cuisine, Huizhou ink, Huizhou dialect, and Huizhou architecture. At the same time, Huangshan City is rich in tourism resources. In addition to Mount Huang, it also includes Xidi and Hongcun, which are listed as World Heritage sites; Qiyun Mountain, one of the Four Sacred Mountains of Taoism; and Tunxi Old Street, one of the first batch of Chinese Historical and Cultural Streets.

In 2019, Huangshan was officially designated by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as part of the Yangtze River Delta Regional Integration Plan.

2. Origin of the Name

Most of the area currently under the jurisdiction of Huangshan City originally belonged to ancient Huizhou. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Huizhou Prefecture was established. In 1987, when the Huizhou Prefecture was abolished and reorganized into a city, it was renamed Huangshan City, derived from the famous scenic site, Mount Huang, within its territory. Mount Huang was originally named Yi Mountain. Legend has it that the Yellow Emperor, Xuanyuan, once practiced alchemy here. Based on this, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, who was a follower of Taoism, changed its name to "Huangshan" (Yellow Mountain). Due to the long history and profound cultural heritage associated with the name "Huizhou," and the fact that Huangshan City, Huangshan District, and the Huangshan Scenic Area coexist—leading to some degree of naming confusion—the renaming of Huizhou to Huangshan has been highly controversial. There have been numerous proposals and appeals from the public to restore the name "Huizhou."

3. History

3.1 Pre-Qin to Northern and Southern Dynasties

During the Pre-Qin era, the inhabitants of the Huangshan City area were primarily the ancient Yue people, and the region successively belonged to the states of Wu, Yue, and Chu. After the Qin King unified China, two counties, Yi (called Yi after the Song Dynasty) and She, were established in the upper reaches of the Xin'an River, belonging to Zhang Commandery. In the early Western Han Dynasty, these two counties successively belonged to the Chu Kingdom, Wu Kingdom, and Jiangdu Kingdom, later falling under Danyang Commandery.

During the Three Kingdoms period, the local Yue indigenous people and some Han Chinese who retreated into the mountains "relied on the mountains and dangerous terrain, refusing to pay royal taxes" and were called "Shanyue" (Mountain Yue). In the 13th year of the Jian'an era (208 AD), Sun Quan, the ruler of Wu, dispatched General He Qi to conquer the Shanyue tribes led by Jin Qi and Mao Gan in She County, and Chen Pu and Zu Shan in Yi County. Following this, the eastern township of She County was established as Shixin County, the southern township as Xinding County, and the western township as Liyang and Xiuyang Counties. Together with Yi and She, these six counties formed Xindu Commandery. In the first year of the Taikang era of the Western Jin Dynasty (280 AD), after the conquest of the Wu Kingdom, Xindu Commandery was renamed Xin'an Commandery. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Xin'an Commandery belonged to the Southern Dynasties.

3.2 Sui and Tang Dynasties to the Late Qing Dynasty

After the Sui Dynasty reunified China, in the 9th year of the Kaihuang era (589 AD), Xin'an Commandery was changed to Shezhou. In the 3rd year of the Daye era (607 AD), Shezhou was renamed Xin'an Commandery. During the turmoil at the end of the Sui Dynasty, in the 12th year of the Daye era, Wang Hua, a native of She County, raised an army and occupied Shezhou along with five other prefectures (Xuan, Hang, Mu, Wu, and Rao), proclaiming himself the King of Wu. In the 4th year of the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty (621 AD), Wang Hua submitted to the Tang Dynasty and was enfeoffed as the Duke of Yue. Xin'an Commandery was again renamed Shezhou, with its seat in She County. After multiple adjustments and divisions, by the 5th year of the Dali era of the Tang Dynasty (770 AD), Shezhou governed six counties: She, Xiuning, Yi, Jixi, Wuyuan, and Qimen. From then on, its jurisdiction and subordinate counties saw no major changes, forming the "one prefecture (zhou) with six counties" structure that lasted for over 1,200 years until the late Qing Dynasty.

During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Shezhou successively belonged to Wuyue and Southern Tang. In the 3rd year of the Xuanhe era of the Song Dynasty (1121 AD), after suppressing the Fang La Rebellion by people of Shezhou, Shezhou was renamed Huizhou. The character "Hui" originally meant "rope" or "to bind," expressing the Song Dynasty's intention to strengthen control and governance over this land. During the Yuan Dynasty, it was changed to Huizhou Route, belonging to the Jiangzhe Branch Secretariat. In the Ming Dynasty, it became Huizhou Prefecture, subordinate to Southern Zhili. In the early Qing Dynasty, Southern Zhili was changed to Jiangnan Province, to which Huizhou Prefecture belonged. In the 6th year of the Kangxi era (1667 AD), Jiangnan Province was divided into Anhui and Jiangsu Provinces, with "Anhui" derived from the first characters of the prefectures "Anqing" and "Huizhou." Thereafter, Huizhou belonged to Anhui Province and the Huining-Chitai-Guang Circuit. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Huizhou merchants reached their peak, with sayings like "No town is complete without Huizhou merchants" and "Huizhou merchants are found everywhere under heaven." However, after the Jiaqing and Daoguang eras, Huizhou merchants began to decline. The Taiping Rebellion in the late Qing Dynasty caused massive destruction in southern Anhui, including Huizhou, leading to a sharp population decline and economic recession.

3.3 Post-Republic of China Era

In the first year of the Republic of China (1912 AD), after the abolition of prefectures and retention of counties, the counties under Huizhou Prefecture were directly subordinate to Anhui Province. In May 1932, Anhui Province divided the province into 10 districts, following the old system of prefectures from the late Qing Dynasty and implementing a chief county magistrate system. The six counties of Huizhou formed the 10th District. In 1934, Wuyuan County was transferred to Jiangxi Province. After the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, the original Huizhou counties became the 7th District, with the administrative office located in Tunxi Town, Xiuning County. Meanwhile, through the persistent efforts of local gentry and prominent figures from the original Huizhou counties living outside the region, Wuyuan County was reassigned to the 7th District of Anhui Province. Additionally, Jingde and Ningguo were also incorporated into the 7th District.

In April 1949, the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign broke out, and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) rapidly captured the Anhui-Jiangsu region. On April 26, the Anhui Provincial Government retreated to Tunxi Town, Xiuning County. On the 28th, Hu Guangyi, commander of the Nationalist Army's independent regiment, along with Fang Shiyue, director of the Anhui Provincial Government's Tunxi留守处 and head of the Security Command's Police Protection Department, surrendered with their troops. On the 29th, the PLA entered Tunxi, and the following day, they entered Jixi County, occupying the entire Huizhou region. In May 1949, the Huizhou Special District was established, belonging to the Southern Anhui Administrative Region, with the专员公署 located in Tunxi City (present-day Tunxi District). Wuyuan County was again transferred to Jiangxi. In August 1952, the Southern Anhui Administrative Region was abolished, and the Huizhou Special District was placed under Anhui Province. In 1971, it was reorganized into the Huizhou Prefecture. In December 1983, Taiping County was abolished, and the county-level Huangshan City, directly under provincial administration, was established. In June 1986, the county-level Huangshan City was placed under the administration of the Huizhou Prefecture. By this time, the Huizhou Prefecture governed two cities, Tunxi and Huangshan (county-level), and seven counties: She, Xiuning, Yi, Qimen, Shitai, Jixi, and Jingde. In November 1987, the State Council issued the "Reply on Adjusting the Administrative Divisions of Huizhou Prefecture in Anhui Province," abolishing the Huizhou Prefecture, Tunxi City, and the county-level Huangshan City, and establishing the prefecture-level Huangshan City. Shitai County was transferred to Chizhou Prefecture, while Jixi and Jingde Counties were transferred to Xuancheng Prefecture. In April 1988, the prefecture-level Huangshan City was officially established, governing three districts—Tunxi, Huangshan, and Huizhou—and four counties: She, Xiuning, Qimen, and Yi.

4. Geography

Huangshan City is located at the southernmost tip of Anhui Province. Clockwise, it borders Chizhou City and Xuancheng City within Anhui Province, Hangzhou City and Quzhou City in Zhejiang Province, and Shangrao City and Jingdezhen City in Jiangxi Province. The city's coordinates range from 117°02′ to 118°55′ east longitude and 29°24′ to 30°24′ north latitude. The total area of the city is 9,807 square kilometers.

4.1 Water Systems

Huangshan City is situated in the mountainous region of southern Anhui, characterized by "eight parts mountains, one part water, and one part farmland." The area features numerous deep mountains and gorges. The Huangshan Mountain Range traverses She County, Huangshan District, Xiuning County, and Yixian County, with its highest peak, Lotus Peak, reaching an altitude of 1,860 meters. The Tianmu Mountains in the southeast of the city form the border between Anhui and Zhejiang provinces. In the northwest, the Guniujiang range is an extension of the Huangshan Mountains, with its highest peak at 1,728 meters. The Xin'an River is the main water system in the city and the primary source of the Qiantang River. It originates in Xiuning County, flows through Qimen County, and is called the Shuai River after re-entering Xiuning. At Tunxi, it merges with the Heng River and is then called the Jian River. Upon reaching She County, it is joined by the Lian River and officially becomes the Xin'an River, flowing eastward into Zhejiang Province near Jiekou Town. Within Huangshan City, there is also the Qingyi River, which originates on the northern slopes of Huangshan and flows north into the Yangtze River, and the Chang River, which originates in Qimen County and flows south into Poyang Lake. Within Huangshan District, on the upper reaches of the Qingyi River, lies Taiping Lake, an artificial reservoir and a famous scenic spot and wetland park at the northern foot of Huangshan.

4.2 Climate

Huangshan City has a subtropical monsoon climate characterized by mild temperatures, abundant rainfall, and distinct seasons. Sunshine hours and sunshine percentage are relatively low, with frequent fog, high humidity, summer floods, and autumn droughts, which significantly impact agriculture. The annual average temperature ranges from 15 to 17°C, with a frost-free period of 236 days. Annual precipitation ranges from 1,200 to 2,200 mm, concentrated mainly from May to August. | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------|-------|-------|------|------|------|-------|------|-------|-------|------|------|-------|-------| | Record high °C | 19.9 | 26.5 | 30.2 | 34.6 | 37.3 | 38.7 | 40 | 39.3 | 38.1 | 34 | 29.5 | 23.1 | 40 | | Record high °F | 67.8 | 79.7 | 86.4 | 94.3 | 99.1 | 101.7 | 104 | 102.7 | 100.6 | 93.2 | 85.1 | 73.6 | 104 | | Average high °C | 6.6 | 9.2 | 14.3 | 21.3 | 26.9 | 30.2 | 32.1 | 31.3 | 27.4 | 22.4 | 15.7 | 9.2 | 20.6 | | Average high °F | 43.9 | 48.6 | 57.7 | 70.3 | 80.4 | 86.4 | 89.8 | 88.3 | 81.3 | 72.3 | 60.3 | 48.6 | 69 | | Daily mean °C | 2.5 | 5 | 9.7 | 16.3 | 21.9 | 25.7 | 28.2 | 27.4 | 23.1 | 17.7 | 10.9 | 4.8 | 16.1 | | Daily mean °F | 36.5 | 41 | 49.5 | 61.3 | 71.4 | 78.3 | 82.8 | 81.3 | 73.6 | 63.9 | 51.6 | 40.6 | 61 | | Average low °C | −0.7 | 1.6 | 5.8 | 11.9 | 17.3 | 21.7 | 25 | 24.2 | 19.6 | 13.8 | 7.1 | 1.4 | 12.4 | | Average low °F | 30.7 | 34.9 | 42.4 | 53.4 | 63.1 | 71.1 | 77 | 75.6 | 67.3 | 56.8 | 44.8 | 34.5 | 54.3 | | Record low °C | −12.2 | −13.0 | −4.5 | 0.4 | 7.3 | 11.9 | 18.4 | 15.9 | 10.9 | 1.3 | −6.2 | −15.7 | −15.7 | | Record low °F | 10 | 8.6 | 23.9 | 32.7 | 45.1 | 53.4 | 65.1 | 60.6 | 51.6 | 34.3 | 20.8 | 3.7 | 3.7 | | Average precipitation mm | 32 | 41 | 62.1 | 56.4 | 75.5 | 127.4 | 228 | 130.3 | 84.3 | 53.6 | 51.3 | 22.5 | 964.4 | | Average precipitation inches | 1.26 | 1.61 | 2.44 | 2.22 | 2.97 | 5.02 | 8.98 | 5.13 | 3.32 | 2.11 | 2.02 | 0.89 | 37.97 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 70 | 70 | 67 | 67 | 68 | 72 | 79 | 80 | 77 | 70 | 68 | 68 | 71 |

4.3 Natural Resources

Huangshan City boasts excellent natural conditions and abundant forest resources. By the end of 2017, the city's forest area was 7,460 square kilometers, with a forest coverage rate of 82.9%. Precious tree species such as Emmenopterys henryi, Machilus thunbergii, Ormosia henryi, and Toona ciliata are distributed within the city. The Huangshan pine in the Huangshan scenic area, a well-known landscape feature, has become a local symbol. Additionally, the widely distributed Chinese fir, pine, and moso bamboo in Huangshan City are all high-quality timber. The total standing timber stock in the city is 48 million cubic meters, making it an important timber production area in East China. Huangshan City is also a famous tea-producing region in China, with a tea output of 28,000 tons in 2017. The city is rich in biodiversity, hosting up to 490 species of wild animals, including nationally protected species such as the Oriental white stork, black stork, white-tailed sea eagle, Chinese giant salamander, tiger-striped frog, and pangolin.

The yellow soil in the mountainous areas of Huangshan City has relatively high fertility, suitable for growing tea, mulberry, and medicinal herbs. The hilly areas are mostly red soil, which has poor fertility but good light and heat conditions, suitable for the growth of oak, pine, and oil tea. The mountainous areas of the city contain abundant stone resources such as limestone and granite, non-ferrous and rare metal minerals like gold, copper, molybdenum, and tungsten, as well as non-metallic mineral resources such as bentonite, fluorite, sulfur, barite, and crystal.

5. Administrative Divisions

Huangshan City currently administers 3 municipal districts and 4 counties.

• Municipal Districts: Tunxi District, Huangshan District, Huizhou District
• Counties: She County, Xiuning County, Yi County, Qimen County The Huangshan Scenic Area is managed by the Huangshan Scenic Area Management Committee established by the Huangshan Municipal Government.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|---------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------| | 341000 | Huangshan City | Huángshān Shì | 9,678.39 | 1,330,565 | Tunxi District | 245000 | 4 | 58 | 43 | | 341002 | Tunxi District | Túnxī Qū | 191.04 | 291,188 | Yanghu Town | 245000 | 4 | 5 | | | 341003 | Huangshan District| Huángshān Qū | 1,746.99 | 146,942 | Gantang Town | 242700 | | 9 | 5 | | 341004 | Huizhou District | Huīzhōu Qū | 419.42 | 96,162 | Yansi Town | 245000 | | 4 | 3 | | 341021 | She County | Shè Xiàn | 2,122.35 | 362,962 | Huicheng Town | 245200 | | 15 | 13 | | 341022 | Xiuning County | Xiūníng Xiàn | 2,126.18 | 211,456 | Haiyang Town | 245400 | | 10 | 11 | | 341023 | Yi County | Yī Xiàn | 857.42 | 76,211 | Biyang Town | 245500 | | 5 | 3 | | 341024 | Qimen County | Qímén Xiàn | 2,214.98 | 145,644 | Qishan Town | 245600 | | 10 | 8 |

nix

6. Transportation

Huangshan City is one of the comprehensive transportation hubs in Anhui Province and a key transportation center connecting Anhui, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi provinces. It is one of the few cities in Anhui that integrates land, air, and water transportation.

6.1 Railway

Huangshan City has a relatively early history of railway access. However, for a long time, it was only served by the traditional Anhui-Jiangxi Railway, which had limited train frequencies and slower speeds. In 2015, the city's first high-speed railway, the Hefei-Fuzhou Passenger Dedicated Line, began operation, connecting the provincial capital Hefei with Jiangxi, Fujian, and other regions. In 2018, the Hangzhou-Huangshan Passenger Dedicated Line opened, reducing the travel time between Huangshan and Hangzhou to approximately one and a half hours. Currently, railways under construction or planning in Huangshan City include the Anhui-Jiangxi Double-Track Line, the Nanchang-Jingdezhen-Huangshan High-Speed Railway, and railways linking Huangshan with Jinhua, Quzhou, Chizhou, and other cities.

Major railway hub stations in Huangshan City include Huangshan Station, Huangshan North Station, and Shexian North Station.

6.2 Highway

Huangshan City is designated as one of the national highway transportation hub cities under the planning of the Ministry of Transport. The planned Huangshan National Highway Transportation Hub will form a "one ring, seven radials" expressway network, consisting of an outer expressway ring and the Hefei-Tongling-Huangshan, Huizhou-Hangzhou, Tunxi-Jingdezhen, Huangshan-Qiandaohu, Liyang-Huangshan, Qimen-Dangshan, and Ningguo-Huangshan expressways. Among these, the southern half-ring formed by the Hefei-Tongling-Huangshan and Huizhou-Hangzhou expressways in the southern part of the central urban area is currently operational, while the northern half-ring and the Tunxi-Jingdezhen, Huangshan-Qiandaohu, Liyang-Huangshan, Qimen-Dangshan, and Ningguo-Huangshan expressways are planned.

The regional highway network primarily addresses connectivity between the urban area and counties, between counties and key towns, and between key towns and general towns. The construction of the Huangshan Ring Road, Taiping Lake Ring Road, and Xu-Tan Road aims to control travel time from remote townships to the central urban area within 1-2 hours.

• National Highways 205 and 233 pass through the area.

6.3 Aviation

Huangshan Port is the second-largest airport in Anhui Province. In 2010, the Huangshan Aviation Port expanded its opening to foreign traffic, passed national-level inspection, and was upgraded to an international airport. The airport is currently undergoing a new round of upgrades to meet 4E standards.

6.4 Water Transport

Plans are in place to construct a shipping terminal near Huashan to restore water transport along the Xin'an River—Shendu—Jiekou route.

7. Education

The Huizhou region has long upheld a tradition of valuing education. Huizhou merchants, known for being "merchants who admire Confucianism," earned the title of "Confucian merchants." The area boasted a flourishing academy culture, with the earliest academies established during the Song Dynasty and reaching their peak in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, totaling over 100 academies of various sizes. Among the most renowned were the Ziyang Academy and Zhushan Academy in She County, the Haiyang Academy in Xiuning County, and the Biyang Academy in Yi County. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Huizhou produced a remarkable number of imperial examination talents, with over 1,000 civil and military jinshi (including those registered as non-native candidates) across the two dynasties. Among them, four were native-born zhuangyuan (top scholars in the imperial examinations), and 15 were non-native zhuangyuan, making the region particularly outstanding nationwide.

By the end of 2018, Huangshan City had 132 primary schools and 95 junior high schools, with a 100% enrollment rate in compulsory education. There were 191 kindergartens, with a gross enrollment rate of 104.23% for three-year preschool education. The city also had 20 regular high schools, with nearly 19,600 students enrolled and a gross enrollment rate of 108.81% for senior high school education. Among these, seven schools were designated as exemplary high schools in Anhui Province: Tunxi No. 1 High School, Huangshan No. 1 High School, She County High School, She County No. 2 High School, Xiuning High School, Yi County High School, and Qimen No. 1 High School. Additionally, there were 16 secondary vocational schools with 15,700 students enrolled. Huangshan City is home to two regular higher education institutions: Huangshan University and Huangshan Vocational and Technical College.

8. Population

In East China, Huangshan City is a prefecture-level city with a relatively small population, characterized by a low natural population growth rate and an increasingly aging demographic structure. According to the 2018 Huangshan City Population Sampling Bulletin, the city's permanent resident population was 1.407 million, an increase of 23,000 from the previous year, representing a growth rate of 1.64%. The natural growth rate was 5.40‰. Compared with the 1.359 million recorded in the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the population increased by 48,000, with an average annual growth rate of 0.43%. Among the permanent resident population, the urban population was 724,000, accounting for 51.46%, while the rural population was 683,000, accounting for 48.54%. The male population was 702,700, accounting for 49.94%, and the female population was 704,400, accounting for 50.06%, resulting in a sex ratio of 99.75. In terms of age composition, the population aged 0–14 was 205,600, accounting for 14.61%; the population aged 15–59 was 875,700, accounting for 62.23%; and the population aged 60 and above was 325,900, accounting for 23.16%, of which the population aged 65 and above was 210,900, accounting for 14.98%. Regarding population quality, among the permanent resident population aged 15 and above, those with a university education (referring to college and above) accounted for 15.20%, those with a high school education accounted for 16.30%, the average years of education per capita were 9.32 years, and the illiteracy rate for the total population was 3.25%.

By the end of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 1.323 million, with an urbanization rate of 59.38%, an increase of 0.13 percentage points from the previous year. The registered population at the end of the year was 1.4744 million, with an urbanization rate of 39.14%, an increase of 1.32 percentage points.

According to the 2020 Seventh National Population Census, the city's permanent resident population was 1,330,565. Compared with the 1,358,980 recorded in the Sixth National Population Census, the population decreased by 28,415 over the ten-year period, a decline of 2.09%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.21%. Among them, the male population was 673,019, accounting for 50.58% of the total population, and the female population was 657,546, accounting for 49.42% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 102.35. The population aged 0–14 was 190,588, accounting for 14.32% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 819,366, accounting for 61.58% of the total population; and the population aged 60 and above was 320,611, accounting for 24.1% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 240,919, accounting for 18.11% of the total population. The population residing in urban areas was 775,644, accounting for 58.29% of the total population, while the population residing in rural areas was 554,921, accounting for 41.71% of the total population.

9. Religion

9.1 Buddhism

Buddhism is a traditional religion within the Huangshan City area. The earliest documented Buddhist temple dates back to the Eastern Jin Dynasty, after which it flourished increasingly, with numerous temples and eminent monks emerging frequently. By the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, the six counties under Huizhou Prefecture had a total of 435 monasteries and nunneries, along with 18 pagodas. The turmoil in the late Qing Dynasty led to the decline of Buddhism and the loss of Buddhist scriptures. During the Republic of China period, notable Buddhist sites in the area included Ciguang Temple, Yungu Temple, and Banshan Temple on Huangshan Mountain; Xiao Nanhai in She County; and Geshan Mountain, Huashan Mountain, and Jiling Mountain in Tunxi. In the 33rd year of the Republic of China (1944), lay Buddhist Tang Binglin presided over the establishment of the Southern Anhui Buddhist Association, which had over 200 monks and nuns at the time. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, particularly during the Cultural Revolution, most temples were destroyed, and Buddhist activities ceased. Following the Reform and Opening-up, Buddhist activities within Huangshan City gradually resumed. In 2005, there were 8 monasteries and nunneries in the city, with approximately 40,000 Buddhist adherents. Currently, the main Buddhist temples in the city include Longshan Temple in Tunxi and Cuwei Temple on Huangshan Mountain.

9.2 Taoism

Historically, Taoism also flourished within the Huangshan City area. The name "Huangshan" itself originates from Taoist legends. According to legend, the Yellow Emperor (Xuanyuan) refined elixirs and ascended to heaven on Yishan Mountain. The Taoist-adhering Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty subsequently decreed its name change to Huangshan (Yellow Mountain). The naming of its various peaks is also largely related to Taoism. Qiyun Mountain, an extension of the Huangshan range, is one of the traditional four sacred mountains of Taoism. During the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Shizong Zhu Houcong revered Taoism and allocated funds for major renovations of the Taoist temples on Qiyun Mountain, making it a center of Taoism in the Jiangnan region, with 83 temples and monastic buildings at the time. After the Republic of China period, Taoism gradually declined. By the early years of the People's Republic, Qiyun Mountain still had 39 temples and monastic buildings. However, during the Cultural Revolution, the temples on Qiyun Mountain were destroyed, and statues were smashed. Starting in the 1980s, Taoist activities on Qiyun Mountain and within Huangshan City gradually resumed. In 2005, Qiyun Mountain had four Taoist temples: Zhenxian Cave Mansion, Zhenwu Hall, Taisu Palace, and Yuxu Palace, with 20 Taoist priests and 7,500 adherents.

9.3 Christianity

The spread of Christianity (Protestantism) within Huangshan City began in the late Qing Dynasty. During the Guangxu era, the China Inland Mission, founded by British Protestants, successively established churches in She County and Tunxi to conduct missionary activities. During the Republic of China period, Protestant denominations such as the Holy Church, Methodist Church, Christian and Missionary Alliance, and China Inland Mission carried out missionary work in the Huizhou region, gradually establishing churches, schools, hospitals, and orphanages. Religious activities ceased during the Cultural Revolution and only began to resume in the late 1970s. In 2005, there were 49 Protestant activity sites of various denominations within Huangshan City, distributed across all districts and counties, with 7,300 adherents.

9.4 Catholicism

In the 13th year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty (1887), French priest Lin Muliang began missionary work in Xiuning County. Subsequently, Catholic churches were established in She, Yi, Qimen, and other counties, and a Catholic church office was set up in Tunxi, subordinate to the Shanghai Diocese. In the 18th year of the Republic of China (1929), Catholic affairs in Anhui came under the jurisdiction of Spanish missionaries. French missionaries gradually withdrew to Shanghai, and Huizhou's religious affairs were transferred to the Wuhu Diocese. In the 19th year of the Republic of China (1930), Spanish priest Fu Zhiyi arrived in Huizhou as vicar general and missionary. He elevated the Tunxi Catholic church office to the status of Tunxi Catholic Church, responsible for managing religious affairs in the counties of Huizhou. In the 26th year of the Republic of China (1937), the Tunxi Apostolic Prefecture was established, with Fu Zhiyi serving as bishop. The church established subordinate institutions such as hospitals and primary schools, overseeing religious affairs in the six counties of Xiuning, Yi, Qimen, Jixi, She, and Wuyuan, with 1,902 adherents.

After 1979, Catholic activities gradually resumed. In the 1990s, some older Catholic adherents in Tunxi and She County began to reconnect and restore Catholic activities. In 1995, with the help of Father Guo Xinghao from the Wuhu Diocese, some believers in Tunxi repurchased property intended for use as a Catholic activity site. In 2000, the Tunxi Catholic Church located in Liyang was officially rebuilt and opened, with over 100 believers.

9.5 Islam

The Muslims within Huangshan City are primarily Hui people who have migrated to the area. During the Republic of China period, a mosque was established in Tunxi. In the early 1990s, the Tunxi Mosque was rebuilt. The Tunxi Mosque is also the only mosque in Huangshan City, with over 690 Hui residents in the city.

10. Culture

10.1 Dialects

Main articles: Huizhou Chinese, Tunxi dialect, and Xuanzhou Wu Chinese The primary dialect of Huangshan City is Huizhou dialect, also known as Huizhou Chinese. It is mainly distributed across the entire former Huizhou Prefecture (most of present-day Huangshan City, Jixi County, and Wuyuan County in Jiangxi), most of the former Yanzhou Prefecture (present-day Chun'an County and Jiande City), parts of Taiping (now Huangshan District), Jingde, and Ningguo counties in the former Ningguo Prefecture, as well as small parts of the former Raozhou Prefecture in Jiangxi (Fuliang County and Dexing City). The dialect of the central urban area of Huangshan City, Tunxi, is called the Tunxi dialect and is one of the representative accents of the Huizhou dialects.

Huizhou Chinese exhibits characteristics of both Wu Chinese and Gan Chinese. The 1987 publication Language Atlas of China classified Huizhou Chinese as an independent dialect, though its classification remains debated. Due to the isolated environment of the mountainous regions in southern Anhui, Huizhou Chinese not only differs from surrounding dialects but also shows significant internal variation, earning descriptions such as "the speech of the six counties cannot be mutually understood" and "the accent changes every ten li." Within Huangshan City, Huizhou Chinese has subdivisions including the Jixi-She subgroup (She County), the Xiuyi subgroup (Tunxi District, Huizhou District, Xiuning County, Yi County, and a small part of Huangshan District), the Qiwu subgroup (Qimen County), and the Jingzhan subgroup (only in some townships of Qimen and Yi counties).

Apart from Huizhou Chinese, Huangshan City also has the Xuanzhou subgroup of Wu Chinese, known as Xuanzhou Wu Chinese, primarily distributed in most areas of Huangshan District. Within this, the western and northern parts of Huangshan District mainly belong to the Tongjing sub-subgroup, while the eastern and southern parts are dominated by the Taigao sub-subgroup. The northwestern part, originally belonging to Shidai County, comprises villages of the Shiling sub-subgroup.

10.2 Cultural and Creative Towns

The cultural and creative towns in Huangshan City include the Anhui China Huizhou Culture Museum, Huizhou Pastry Museum, Huizhou Cuisine Museum, Huangshan City Art Museum, and Library.

10.3 Local Specialties

• Huangshan Maofeng: A top-grade Chinese tea and one of China's Ten Famous Teas. It is aesthetically pleasing, with each leaf about half an inch long, slightly yellowish-green, glossy, and oily. The tight buds nestled among the leaves resemble sparrow tongues, and the fine white down covering the leaves surpasses that of other famous teas. When brewed, mist gathers at the top of the cup, releasing an orchid-like fragrance. The taste is mellow, refreshing, and sweet, with a clear, light-yellow liquor. It retains its aroma through multiple infusions, refreshing the heart and lungs, truly a masterpiece among teas.
• Taiping Houkui: A top-grade Chinese tea and one of China's Ten Famous Teas. Produced in Xinming Township, Huangshan District, the highest quality comes from the high-mountain tea gardens of Houkeng, specifically called "Houkui." Originating in the 19th century, it is unique among pointed teas. When brewed in a cup, the buds and leaves unfurl into clusters, floating or sinking in the clear, tender-green liquor, resembling little monkeys stretching and retracting their heads in the cup, creating a scene described as "a forest of spears and swords" or "soaring dragons and dancing phoenixes." Its flavor is fresh, mellow, and sweet, with a high, refreshing, and lasting aroma, and a clear, green, bright liquor. For packaging, the tea is placed into tin cans or white iron cylinders while still warm. Once slightly cooled, the lids are sealed with solder to preserve the tea's quality for a long time.
• Huizhou Tribute Chrysanthemum: A superior variety selected from chrysanthemum populations, it became a tribute item during the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty. Originally produced in the Jinzhuling area of She County, folklore suggests it was introduced as an ornamental chrysanthemum by Huizhou merchants from Deqing County, Zhejiang during the Song Dynasty. Its medicinal value was later discovered, leading to widespread cultivation in the area and making Jinzhuling famous. "Huizhou Tribute Chrysanthemum" can be brewed as tea or used in herbal medicine, possessing effects such as dispelling wind and heat, nourishing the liver and improving eyesight, and cooling and detoxifying the body.
• Huizhou Snow Pear: Mainly produced in She County, cultivation began in the Song Dynasty, and it has been a precious fruit throughout history. The snow pear is aesthetically pleasing, with thin skin, fine flesh, abundant juice, a sweet fragrance, and a crisp, tender, and delicious taste. It won a silver medal at the 1934 International Exposition.

11. Sister Cities

11.1 Domestic Sister Cities

Lijiang, China (China) Zhangjiajie, China (China)

11.2 International Sister Cities

Fujiidera City, Japan (Japan) Serravalle, San Marino (San Marino) Dong-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea (South Korea) Interlaken, Switzerland (Switzerland) Vara, Sweden (Sweden) Stralsund, Germany (Germany)

nix

nix

nix

Named after the famous scenic spot Huangshan in China, it is said to be the place where the Yellow Emperor refined elixirs.

Tunxi District

Shexian County

nix

Huangshan Pine

Mount Huangshan Rhododendron