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Changsha (长沙)

Hunan (湖南), China

Short Introduction

1. Introduction

Changsha (Changsha dialect in Xiang Chinese: [t͡sã˩˧ sɔ˧ sɿ˨˩]), abbreviated as Chang and also known as Star City, historically called Tanzhou, has long been honored as the "Land of Qu Yuan and Jia Yi" and the "Xiaoxiang Zhusi." It is the capital of Hunan Province in the People's Republic of China. Located in the lower reaches of the Xiang River in northeastern Hunan, Changsha is an important central city in central China and one of China's megacities. It serves as a national comprehensive transportation hub, is among the first group of nationally recognized historical and cultural cities, and forms the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan urban agglomeration together with neighboring Zhuzhou and Xiangtan. The Changsha dialect of Xiang Chinese is commonly spoken in the urban area, while Ningxiang dialect and Liuyang dialect of Gan Chinese are used in its subordinate counties and cities. The Municipal People's Government is located at No. 218, Yuelu Avenue, Yuelu District.

Changsha has a history of over two thousand years of continuous urban development at its original site. The name "Changsha" first appeared in the pre-Qin era work Yizhoushu. The Changsha Commandery was established during the Qin Dynasty, and the Changsha Kingdom was founded in the Western Han Dynasty, with the world-renowned Mawangdui Han tombs remaining from that period. The Changsha Kiln of the Tang Dynasty pioneered underglaze porcelain, which was exported worldwide. During the Five Dynasties period, Changsha served as the capital of the Southern Chu Kingdom. In the Northern Song Dynasty, the Yuelu Academy became one of the four great academies of ancient China, leaving behind the famous couplet: "Only in Chu is there talent, and here it flourishes." In the late Qing Dynasty, Changsha was one of China's four major rice and tea markets, and in modern times, it became a major center for reform and revolutionary movements. Reformists like Tan Sitong established the Current Affairs School here, Huang Xing, a founding figure of the Republic of China, founded the Huaxing Society here, and Mao Zedong and others also studied and carried out political activities in Changsha. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, Changsha served as one of the rear areas, accommodating industries relocated from coastal cities. However, the "Wenxi Fire" and the Battles of Changsha severely damaged the city's economy and urban infrastructure.

Today, Changsha boasts an industrial chain centered on engineering machinery and new materials, earning it the title "World Capital of Engineering Machinery." Its GDP growth rate was the fastest among China's major cities in the early 21st century, and it is home to the Xiangjiang New Area, the first national-level new area in central China. Since the 2020s, Changsha has been committed to responding to the "Belt and Road" Initiative and leading China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. With three Project 985 universities, Changsha is the birthplace of super hybrid rice, the "Tianhe-1" and "Tianhe-2" supercomputers, and China's first laser 3D printer. China's first domestically produced maglev railway line also opened here. Changsha's media and publishing industries are particularly prominent, recognized by UNESCO as China's first "City of Media Arts." Hunan Satellite TV holds significant influence among China's provincial satellite television channels.

With Yuelu Mountain, the Xiang River, and Orange Isle as its geographical and cultural symbols, Changsha is also known as the "City of Mountains, Rivers, and Isles." Due to its vibrant urban culture that appeals to both refined and popular tastes, it is often called China's "Entertainment Capital."

Name History

2. Origin of the Name

Changsha has a history of over two thousand years of continuous urban settlement at its original site. The name "Changsha" first appeared in the pre-Qin era text Yizhoushu. The Changsha Commandery was established during the Qin Dynasty, and the Changsha Kingdom was founded in the Western Han Dynasty. The renowned Mawangdui Han Tombs date from this period.

Main History

3. History

3.1 Pre-Qin Period

As early as the Paleolithic Age over 200,000 years ago, human activities were present in the Changsha region. Around 5000 BC, people in the Changsha area began to live a settled life, forming settlements and entering a matriarchal society. By approximately 2500 BC, the Changsha region had progressed into a primitive agricultural society, exhibiting characteristics of the Shijiahe Culture and Longshan Culture.

According to historical records, during the Xia dynasty, the Changsha area belonged to the Sanmiao state. Later, the Huaxia people conquered the Sanmiao, and the Changsha region became inhabited by the Yangyue people. Regarding the origin of the name "Changsha," the Tang dynasty text Yuanhe Junxian Zhi attributes it to the Wanlisha Temple. Another theory suggests that "Chang" is a function word in the ancient Yue language, while "Sha" refers to the belt-like white sandbanks along the Xiang River. There is also an astrological origin theory, linking it to the Changsha star within the Zhen constellation, which also earned Changsha the alternative name "Star City." However, as the system of twenty-eight lunar mansions was established relatively late, this hypothesis is likely a later attribution.

Starting from the mid-Shang dynasty, "Yangyue" became a "southern dependency" of the Shang dynasty and paid tribute to it. The Yizhoushu: Wanghui records that in the 11th century BC, after King Cheng of Zhou completed the construction of Luoyi, various feudal lords and regional states came to congratulate him, with tributes including "Changsha turtle," which is the earliest verifiable historical record of the place name "Changsha." The ancient Yue people in Changsha lived in semi-subterranean houses, used stone tools, and led a clan-based life of slash-and-burn agriculture. Influenced by the Central Plains during the mid to late Shang period, the Changsha region entered the Bronze Age. By the late Western Zhou period, bronze hoes and bronze rakes appeared, and exquisitely crafted bronze containers and musical instruments with distinct ancient Yue characteristics were produced, represented by pieces like the Four-Ram Zun and the Dahe Square Ding.

In the late Spring and Autumn period, the State of Chu campaigned southward and occupied the entire Hunan region. The Chu people replaced the Yue people in ruling the Changsha area, began constructing the city of Changsha, and Chu culture eventually supplanted the ancient Yue culture. From then on, Changsha served as a granary and military stronghold for the State of Chu for 800 years. The Chu people brought advanced production tools from the Central Plains, ushering Changsha into the Iron Age, ending its primitive social state, and allowing it to bypass the slave society to directly enter feudal society.

3.2 Qin and Han Periods

In 221 BC (the 26th year of Qin Shi Huang's reign), with Changsha as the center, the "Changsha Commandery" was established, covering an area north to south of present-day Hubei, south beyond the Nanling Mountains, east to northwest Jiangxi, and west to the Yuan River basin. It was one of the 36 commanderies of the Qin dynasty, with Xiang County as its seat. This marked Changsha's formal incorporation into China's political map as a distinct administrative division.

In 202 BC (the 5th year of Emperor Gaozu of Han), Liu Bang enfeoffed Wu Rui, a founding功臣, as the King of Changsha, establishing the Changsha Kingdom. The Qin-era "Xiang County" was renamed "Linxiang County" to serve as the capital. The Western Han Changsha Kingdom was subsequently divided into the "Wu Clan Changsha Kingdom" and the "Liu Clan Changsha Kingdom": the Wu Clan Changsha Kingdom passed through five generations over 46 years; the Liu Clan Changsha Kingdom passed through seven generations and eight kings over 164 years.

Among these, the period of the Wu Clan Changsha Kingdom was a glorious era in Changsha's ancient history. In 176 BC (the 4th year of the former era of Emperor Wen of Han), Jia Yi was appointed as the Grand Tutor to the King of Changsha. He recorded a household registration figure of "only twenty-five thousand households in Changsha," indicating that Changsha was already a city with a population of around one hundred thousand at that time. The world-renowned Mawangdui Han tombs belong to Xin Zhui, wife of Li Cang, the Chancellor of the Wu Clan Changsha Kingdom. Her body is the world's oldest preserved wet corpse. The plain gauze gown from the tomb showcases the pinnacle of Western Han textile technology, and the T-shaped silk painting among the burial goods is the earliest surviving large-scale artwork depicting life in the Western Han dynasty.

In 9 AD (the 1st year of the Shijianguo era of Wang Mang's Xin dynasty), the Changsha Kingdom was renamed "Tianman Commandery," and Linxiang County was renamed "Fumu County." In 26 AD (the 2nd year of the Jianwu era), Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu enfeoffed Liu Xing, son of the last Western Han King of Changsha Liu Shun, as the King of Changsha, re-establishing the Changsha Kingdom to control the situation south of Dongting Lake. In 37 AD (the 13th year of the Jianwu era), Liu Xiu abolished the Changsha Kingdom and reinstated Changsha Commandery.

3.2 Qin and Han Periods

3.3 Three Kingdoms to Five Dynasties Period

During the Three Kingdoms period, Changsha Commandery belonged to the Eastern Wu, under the jurisdiction of Jing Province. In 190 AD (the 1st year of the Chuping era), when the eastern warlords raised armies against Dong Zhuo, Sun Jian, the Governor of Changsha, joined the alliance. Changsha was also the place where the Sun clan of Eastern Wu rose to prominence. Over 140,000 bamboo and wooden slips from the Eastern Wu period, containing records on land, taxation, judicial systems, and related regulations, were excavated in downtown Changsha in 1996, exceeding the total number of such slips excavated in modern China.

In 307 AD (the 1st year of the Yongjia era of the Western Jin), Emperor Huai of Jin, Sima Chi, separated eight commanderies from Jing Province to establish Xiang Province, with Linxiang County of the Changsha Kingdom as its seat. This was a landmark event in Changsha's administrative history. As the center of a first-level local administrative division, Changsha's strategic position and role were further consolidated.

In 589 AD (the 9th year of the Kaihuang era of Emperor Wen of Sui), due to the presence of Zhaotan in Changsha, Xiang Province was renamed Tan Province, establishing the basic scale of Changsha's administrative setup that would last until the Qing dynasty. Linxiang County was renamed Changsha County, marking the beginning of the name "Changsha County."

During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang, Tan Province belonged to Jiangnan Circuit, later to Jiangnan West Circuit. In 708 AD (the 2nd year of the Jinglong era), Liuyang County was separated from Changsha County, and from then on, the name Changsha County remained unchanged. Before the Tang dynasty, Changsha's social development lagged behind the Central Plains. After over 400 years of development during the Three Kingdoms, Western and Eastern Jin, and Southern Dynasties, by the early Tang period, it had caught up with the Central Plains. At this time, Changsha was populous, economically prosperous, and culturally splendid. In 771 AD (the 6th year of the Dali era), Zhang Wei, then Prefect of Tan Province, wrote the "Changsha Tufeng Beiming" (Inscription on Changsha Local Customs). The poet Du Fu, during his travels in Changsha, depicted the city in his poem "Qingming" (Clear and Bright): "Wherever there is bustle, this day is prized; In Changsha, thousands upon ten thousands pour out. At the ferry, emerald willows flaunt bright brows; Vying for the way, red-hoofed horses proudly kneel." The Changsha Tongguan Kiln of the Tang dynasty was the birthplace of underglaze multicolored ceramics in the world. Its products were sold as far as Southeast Asia and the Persian Gulf, and along with the Yue Kiln and Xing Kiln, it was one of the three major export porcelain kilns of Tang China.

After the An Lushan Rebellion, in 764 AD (the 2nd year of the Guangde era), the Hunan Observation Commission was established with Hengzhou (present-day Hengyang) as its seat. In 768 AD (the 3rd year of the Dali era), the seat was moved to Tan Province, marking the first appearance of "Hunan" as an administrative division name.

In 907 AD (the 1st year of the Kaiping era of Emperor Taizu of Later Liang), Ma Yin was enfeoffed as the Prince of Chu, with his capital at Tan Province, named Changsha Prefecture, establishing the State of Chu. In 927 AD (the 2nd year of the Tiancheng era of Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang), the State of Chu was formally established, historically known as Southern Chu or Ma Chu, becoming one of the Ten Kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. During the Ma Chu regime, policies such as "honoring the emperor above and comforting the people below," pacifying internal military unrest, and resisting powerful external feudal lords were adopted, providing the people with a relatively stable environment. Economically, measures like constructing water conservancy projects, encouraging agriculture and sericulture, developing the tea industry, promoting textiles, and trading with the Central Plains led to relatively rapid socio-economic development. During this period, trade between the State of Chu and northern regimes was primarily based on tea, making Hunan tea famous throughout the country.

3.4 Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Periods

In 960 AD (the 1st year of the Jianlong era of Emperor Taizu of Song), Changsha Prefecture was abolished, and Tan Province was reinstated, with Changsha County as the provincial seat. The Song dynasty was a very important period in Changsha's history. Changsha's position as the political and military center of Hunan became more consolidated, and its administrative divisions were largely finalized. The boundaries between the city's wards and markets were broken down, and its economic development surpassed that of the Central Plains. The Northern Song poet Zhang Qi wrote in his poem "Crossing the Xiang River": "Changsha has a hundred thousand households; its strolling ladies resemble those in the capital." In 976 AD (the 9th year of the Kaibao era), Zhu Dong, the Prefect of Tan Province, founded the Yuelu Academy, the predecessor of today's Hunan University. Zhu Xi and Zhang Shi lectured in Changsha, attracting continuous streams of listeners. Contemporaries described the scene as "so many carriages and horses that the pond water was drunk dry," historically known as the "Zhu-Zhang Lectures," one of the earliest academy lecture meetings of the Southern Song. Thus, Changsha became the center of Huxiang culture. In 1067 AD (the 4th year of the Zhiping era), the Bajing Terrace in Changsha (present-day West Gate) was completed. Song Di, a judicial commissioner of Jingnan, painted the "Eight Views of Xiao-Xiang," one of which, "Evening Snow over River and Sky," was located around Orange Isle in Changsha.

In the early Southern Song, ethnic and warlord conflicts in Hunan were尖锐, leading to constant turmoil. At that time, Tan Province was one of the six major military commands along the Yangtze River. Figures such as Chancellors Li Gang and Zhang Jun, and generals Han Shizhong, Wang Li, and Yue Fei successively came to Changsha. In 1179 AD (the 6th year of the Chunxi era), the patriotic poet Xin Qiji, serving as Prefect of Tan Province and concurrently Hunan Pacification Commissioner, established the Feihu Army in Changsha. During the Battle of Tan at the end of the Song dynasty, Hunan Pacification Commissioner Li Fu threw his entire family into a well to resist the Yuan, and hundreds of scholars from Yuelu Academy collectively committed suicide, demonstrating the patriotic spirit of the Hunan people.

In 1277 AD (the 14th year of the Zhiyuan era of Emperor Shizu of Yuan), Tan Province was changed to Tanzhou Route. In 1329 AD (the 2nd year of the Tianli era), Emperor Wenzong of Yuan, because it was "a place of his潜邸 (residence before ascending the throne)," changed Tanzhou Route to Tianlin Route. In September 1364 AD (the 24th year of the Zhizheng era of Emperor Shun of Yuan), Tianlin Route was changed to Tanzhou Prefecture. During the Yuan dynasty, Changsha's commerce flourished, and it was recorded as an emerging commercial city in the Yangtze River basin in The Travels of Marco Polo and the History of Yuan: Treatise on Food and Money.

In 1372 AD (the 5th year of the Hongwu era of Emperor Taizu of Ming), Tanzhou Prefecture was renamed Changsha Prefecture, under the Huguang Provincial Administration Commission. The Ming dynasty Changsha Prefecture proposed the strategy of "gathering wealth from all directions to benefit one region," investing heavily in opening waterways for commerce. The Dongting Lake area was renowned for its high grain yield. In the late Ming, Changsha became one of China's four major tea markets. In the Qing dynasty, it became the foremost of China's four major rice markets, and by the late Qing, one of China's five major pottery capitals.The Qing Dynasty inherited the Ming system and continued to establish Changsha Prefecture. In the early Qing period, Hunan was under the jurisdiction of the Viceroy of Huguang and the Huguang Provincial Administration Commission. In 1664 (the third year of the Kangxi reign), Huguang was divided into the Left and Right Huguang Provincial Administration Commissions, with Changsha belonging to the Right Commission. In 1723 (the first year of the Yongzheng reign), the Right Huguang Provincial Administration Commission was renamed the Hunan Provincial Administration Commission, with its seat in Changsha. The following year, the Pian-Yuan Governor was renamed the Hunan Governor. Hunan officially became one of the eighteen inland provinces of China. In the early Qing Dynasty, Changsha's economy stagnated due to warfare but began to develop significantly during the Qianlong era. The Changsha County Annals from the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty recorded the prosperity of commodity circulation in Changsha during the Qing Dynasty: "During the transition from autumn to winter, merchants from Huai brought salt and took away rice; those selling leather goods, currency, jade, and curios filled the shops and warehouses, all being merchants from Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Jiangxi, and Guangdong. ... Northern merchants from Shaanxi brought goods like felt and leather, while southern merchants from Suzhou and Hangzhou brought goods like silk, satin, and antiques. The bustling monopoly stretched from inside the South Gate to the front of the Judicial Commissioner’s Office and flourished particularly on Shangxiapozi Street." Additionally, the layout and names of Changsha's streets and alleys had largely taken shape by the late Ming Dynasty at the latest.

3.5 Late Qing to the Republic of China

Since the Opium War, Changsha gradually became an important base for China's reform and revolutionary movements, giving rise to a large number of historical figures.

During the Taiping Rebellion, the Xiang Army, organized by Zeng Guofan in Changsha, grew rapidly while combating various peasant uprisings in the late Qing Dynasty, leading to a temporary "restoration" in the late Qing, earning the reputation of "nineteen out of the restoration generals and ministers being from Hunan." In 1852 (the second year of the Xianfeng reign), Taiping leaders Hong Xiuquan, Yang Xiuqing, Xiao Chaogui, and Shi Dakai led troops to attack Changsha but failed. In September, Western King Xiao Chaogui died in battle in Changsha, forcing the Taiping Army to change its strategy and march north. In early 1854 (the fourth year of the Xianfeng reign), the Taiping Army attacked Changsha again to consolidate Tianjing but was once again defeated.

In September 1897 (the 23rd year of the Guangxu reign), reformist Tan Sitong and others, with the support of Hunan Governor Chen Baozhen, founded the Shiwu Xuetang, a new-style school, with Liang Qichao as the chief Chinese instructor. It was one of the earliest new-style schools established during the Hundred Days' Reform. The following year, they initiated the Southern Society and published Xiang Xue Bao and Xiang Bao. At the same time, a number of modern industrial and mining enterprises founded by officials and gentry, such as the Hefeng Match Company, Hunan Mining Bureau, and Baoshancheng Manufacturing Company, were established.

On February 15, 1904 (the 30th year of the Guangxu reign), Huang Xing, Song Jiaoren, Chen Tianhua, and others secretly founded the anti-Qing revolutionary group Huaxing Hui at Mingde Xuetang, with the aim of "expelling the Manchus and reviving China," overthrowing the Qing government, and establishing a democratic republic. On July 30 of the following year, they merged with the Xingzhong Hui led by Sun Yat-sen to form the Tongmenghui (Chinese Revolutionary Alliance).

In the same year, 1904, in accordance with Article 10 of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation, the Qing government opened Changsha as a treaty port. After its opening, Changsha's commerce flourished even more, and modern industries such as textiles, matches, electricity, metallurgy, locomotives, printing, dyeing, and flour milling began to develop. Changsha became one of China's eight major handicraft cities. However, new production methods and the influx of foreign capital accelerated the bankruptcy of farmers. In the spring of 1910 (the second year of the Xuantong reign), due to poor harvests and soaring rice prices, Changsha experienced a sensational rice riot. Foreign consulates, foreign firms, post offices, churches, the Daqing Bank, and customs offices were all destroyed. The incident was eventually suppressed by the joint forces of Britain, the United States, France, Germany, and the Qing government, reflecting the acute social conflicts of the late Qing Dynasty.

After the Wuchang Uprising, on October 22, 1911, Jiao Dafeng, Chen Zuoxin, and others led revolutionary soldiers of the New Army and secret societies to rise in rebellion, occupying Changsha and establishing the Hunan Military Government. In 1915, Cai E, who had studied at Shiwu Xuetang, launched the National Protection Movement against Yuan Shikai's attempt to restore the monarchy and to defend the Republic of China. In the same year, early core figures of the Chinese Communist Party, such as Mao Zedong and Cai Hesen, founded the Xinmin Society in Changsha. In 1920, key members of the Xinmin Society, including Mao Zedong and He Shuheng, secretly established the Changsha Communist Group in Changsha, laying the foundation for the future establishment of the Chinese Communist Party. On May 21, 1927, Xu Kexiang, commander of the 33rd Regiment of the 35th Army under He Jian of the Chinese Nationalist Party, launched a mutiny in Changsha, attacking Communist Party organs such as the Hunan Provincial Communist Party Committee, the General Labor Union, and the Peasant Association, arresting and killing over 100 Communists and leftists. He declared support for Chiang Kai-shek's Nanjing National Government, an event known as the Horse-Day Incident, symbolizing the open merger of Wang Jingwei's Wuhan National Government and Chiang Kai-shek's Nanjing National Government.

During the mainland period of the Republic of China, the provincial capital of Hunan, the seat of Changsha Prefecture, and Changsha County shared the same location. In 1913, Changsha Prefecture was abolished, and in 1933, Changsha City was established, separating the city and county administrations. After the Xinhai Revolution, Changsha's modernization continued to develop. For example, the Yuxiang Cotton Mill, planned by Wu Zuolin, a counselor of the Hunan Military Government in 1912, became a representative of modern light industry in Hunan. From 1914 to 1917, Changsha's city walls were demolished, leaving only the Tianxin Pavilion section. In 1918, the Wuchang-Changsha section of the Yuehan Railway opened. After the outbreak of the July 7 Incident in 1937, populations from coastal areas were forced to move inland, causing Changsha's population to surge. Changsha became a rear area for battles such as the Battle of Shanghai and the Defense of Nanjing, entering a period of peak development. In 1938, to cope with the war situation, the National Government adopted a scorched-earth policy, which, combined with a series of accidental factors, triggered the famous Wenxi Fire, burning most of Changsha to the ground. From September 1939 to August 1944, the National Revolutionary Army and the Japanese army fought four battles in Changsha, severely damaging the city's livelihood and economy.

Shortly after the end of the War of Resistance, the Second Chinese Civil War broke out. In the summer of 1949, the People's Liberation Army crossed the Yangtze River and approached Changsha. Chen Mingren, then Chairman of Hunan Province, and Cheng Qian announced their surrender, sparing Changsha from the ravages of war.

3.6 People's Republic of China

On August 5, 1949, the Changsha Municipal People's Government was established. Changsha governed 8 districts, 82 bao, and 1,838 jia, serving as the capital of Hunan Province. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Changsha began its reconstruction and development. As a city where Mao Zedong studied and engaged in revolutionary activities in his early years, Changsha boasts historical landmarks such as the First Normal School, Orange Isle, and Aiwan Pavilion. During the Cultural Revolution, it was regarded as a revolutionary holy site. In 1982, the State Council designated Changsha as one of the first 24 national historical and cultural cities. Changsha gradually reconstructed historical sites destroyed by war, such as the Tianxin Pavilion rebuilt in 1983 and the Yuelu Academy restored in 1986.

Due to wartime destruction and a weak industrial foundation, Changsha's economic development was slow from 1949 until the reform and opening-up period. The economy was heavily reliant on agriculture, and industry was dominated by light manufacturing with a weak foundation. In the 1980s, during the early stages of reform and opening-up, the economic gap between Changsha and coastal cities widened further. On January 18, 1992, during his southern tour, Deng Xiaoping passed through Hunan and met with Hunan's leaders in Changsha, urging them to "be bolder in reform and opening-up, accelerate economic development, and strive to reach new levels every few years." On July 30, 1992, in accordance with the State Council's decision, Changsha officially opened to the outside world. In 1980, Changsha set the goal of quadrupling its GDP by 2000, which was achieved ahead of schedule and exceeded in 1994. In the 2000s, Changsha's economy achieved nearly fivefold growth over a decade.

In 2004, the state first proposed the "Rise of Central China" strategy, incorporating the central region where Changsha is located into the national strategic map. This reversed the policy imbalance of "central collapse" since the reform and opening-up period. Changsha is an important node city in the "Belt and Road" initiative and one of the central cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, with significant advantages in industries such as high-end equipment manufacturing and new-generation information technology. As integration with neighboring Zhuzhou and Xiangtan accelerated, Changsha also welcomed new development opportunities. At the end of 2007, the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan city cluster was approved by the State Council as a comprehensive pilot reform zone for a "resource-saving and environment-friendly society," pioneering urban cluster construction in central China. It was praised by Southern Weekend as "China's first conscious experiment in regional economic integration." In the same year, Changsha established the Dahexi Pilot Zone, which was renamed the Hunan Xiangjiang New Area in April 2015, becoming the first national-level new area in central China. Since its establishment, its GDP and growth rate have ranked among the top in national new areas. In May 2017, the Changsha Airport Economic Demonstration Zone was approved as China's seventh national-level airport economic demonstration zone. In August 2020, the Changsha Area of the China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone was established, aiming to build a world-class advanced manufacturing cluster, a pioneer zone for deep China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, and an international investment and trade corridor connecting the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Due to the government's real estate regulation policies and new talent initiatives, Changsha's real estate prices have remained relatively low among China's major cities. Changsha's population also increased rapidly by 3 million during the 2010s, a growth rate of 42.6%.

Geography

4. Geography

4.1 Topography

Changsha is located at longitude 111°53'–114°15' E and latitude 27°51'–28°41' N, in the region south of the Yangtze River in central China, in the northeastern part of Hunan Province. It lies at the southern edge of the Dongting Lake Plain, transitioning to the central Hunan hilly basin. It borders Zhuzhou and Xiangtan to the south, Yueyang to the north, Yiyang and Loudi to the west, and Jiangxi's Pingxiang to the east. It spans approximately 230 kilometers from east to west and 88 kilometers from north to south. The total land area of the city is 11,819 square kilometers.

The northern, western, and southern edges of Changsha are mountainous, the southeast is predominantly hilly, and the northeast is mainly composed of low hills; mountains, hills, low hills, and plains each account for roughly one-quarter of the area. To the east of Changsha, mountains such as Lianyun Mountain, Dawei Mountain, and Jiuling Mountain are arranged in a northeast-southwest direction like a flying goose formation. There are over 50 peaks with elevations above 800 meters. Qixingling Peak on Dawei Mountain in Liuyang, at 1607.9 meters, is the highest point in the jurisdiction. To the west of Changsha, there are 13 peaks above 800 meters. Zhanhu Lake in Qiaokou Town, at 23.5 meters, is the lowest point, resulting in an elevation difference of 1584.4 meters. The Xiang River, a primary tributary of the Yangtze River, is the most important river in Changsha, flowing from south to north through the entire region for about 75 kilometers, dividing the city into eastern and western banks. Yuelu Mountain, standing at 300.08 meters, is located on the west bank of the Xiang River, while the 5-kilometer-long alluvial sandbar, Orange Isle, lies in the middle of the river. Together, they form Changsha's distinctive "mountain-water-island-city" landscape.

Geologically, granite bodies are widespread, geological structures are complex, and mineral resources are abundant. The oldest strata formed about 1 billion years ago. Approximately 140 million years ago, the Changsha area began to rise from a shallow sea to become land, forming an elongated intermontane basin. Starting in the Cenozoic era, the entire Changping Basin rose to become land. About 3.5 million years ago, the third glacial period occurred on Earth, leaving glacial landform relics preserved in Liuyang. In terms of geomorphology, Changsha features significant terrain undulation, diverse landform types, and well-developed surface water systems. The northeast is the northern section of the Mufu-Luoxiao mountain system, the northwest is the eastern edge of the Xuefeng Mountain range, and the central area is the transitional zone from the Chang-Heng hilly basin to the Dongting Lake Plain. The northeastern and northwestern ends are surrounded by mountains, with relatively steep terrain. The central area descends gradually, sloping from south to north, forming a U-shaped funnel. The urban area itself consists of gently sloping low hill terraces.

4.2 Climate

Changsha has a subtropical monsoon climate with four distinct seasons and abundant precipitation. Spring and autumn are short, while winter and summer are long. Changsha is far from the sea and located in an alluvial basin, with high terrain at its edges sloping northward, allowing cold air to penetrate deeply and accumulate. Winters are slightly colder than in other regions at the same latitude, while summers are hotter, making Changsha one of the "Four Furnaces" south of the Yangtze River.

The annual average temperature in Changsha is 17.7°C. January is the coldest month, with an average temperature of 5.2°C. The extreme minimum temperature recorded was -11.3°C (at Mapoling Station on February 9, 1972), and Wangchengpo Station recorded -12.0°C on the same date. July is the hottest month, with an average temperature of 29.4°C. The extreme maximum temperature recorded was 40.6°C (at Mapoling Station on August 13, 1953, and Wangchengpo Station on August 2, 2003). Mapoling Station recorded 41.1°C on August 2, 2003. From 1951 to 2013, there were 7 days with maximum temperatures ≥40°C. The average annual frost-free period is 275 days, with an average of 6 snowy days per year.

Changsha has high mountains to the east and west, resulting in ample rainfall. The annual average precipitation is 1451.4 mm, reaching 1600-2200 mm in the eastern mountainous areas and 1400-1600 mm in the west. June, the wettest month, averages 224.2 mm of precipitation, while December, the driest month, averages 49.7 mm. The annual average number of rainy days is 151. Rainfall is unevenly distributed, with March to May averaging 49.4 rainy days, accounting for about 35% of the annual total. Summer droughts and floods are unpredictable. Precipitation decreases significantly in autumn and winter. Sunshine is abundant, with 1541.9 hours of sunshine annually, resulting in a long growing season for crops. Northerly winds prevail in winter and spring, while southerly winds are common in summer. The climate remains mild and humid throughout the year, so winters in Changsha are not bleak; evergreen broad-leaved trees such as camphor and glossy privet remain lush and green. However, considering Changsha's latitude (28°N), its winters are notably cold. | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------|------|------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------|------|-------|-------| | Record high °C | 26.9 | 30.6 | 32.8 | 36.1 | 36.3 | 38.2 | 39.7 | 40.6 | 38.2 | 38.5 | 33.1 | 24.9 | 40.6 | | Record high °F | 80.4 | 87.1 | 91.0 | 97.0 | 97.3 | 100.8 | 103.5 | 105.1 | 100.8 | 101.3 | 91.6 | 76.8 | 105.1 | | Average high °C | 8.3 | 10.8 | 15.1 | 21.8 | 26.8 | 29.9 | 33.5 | 32.7 | 28.3 | 23.0 | 17.4 | 11.5 | 21.6 | | Average high °F | 46.9 | 51.4 | 59.2 | 71.2 | 80.2 | 85.8 | 92.3 | 90.9 | 82.9 | 73.4 | 63.3 | 52.7 | 70.9 | | Daily mean °C | 4.9 | 7.2 | 11.2 | 17.4 | 22.4 | 25.8 | 29.2 | 28.3 | 23.9 | 18.4 | 12.8 | 7.3 | 17.4 | | Daily mean °F | 40.8 | 45.0 | 52.2 | 63.3 | 72.3 | 78.4 | 84.6 | 82.9 | 75.0 | 65.1 | 55.0 | 45.1 | 63.3 | | Average low °C | 2.5 | 4.7 | 8.3 | 14.2 | 19.1 | 22.7 | 25.9 | 25.1 | 20.7 | 15.2 | 9.6 | 4.2 | 14.3 | | Average low °F | 36.5 | 40.5 | 46.9 | 57.6 | 66.4 | 72.9 | 78.6 | 77.2 | 69.3 | 59.4 | 49.3 | 39.6 | 57.9 | | Record low °C | -9.5 | -12.0 | -2.3 | 1.9 | 8.9 | 13.1 | 19.7 | 16.7 | 11.8 | 2.4 | -2.8 | -10.3 | -12.0 | | Record low °F | 14.9 | 10.4 | 27.9 | 35.4 | 48.0 | 55.6 | 67.5 | 62.1 | 53.2 | 36.3 | 27.0 | 13.5 | 10.4 | | Average precipitation mm | 73.7 | 94.6 | 139.6 | 187.9 | 181.1 | 223.6 | 142.6 | 107.1 | 76.5 | 72.6 | 81.4 | 47.4 | 1,428.1 | | Average precipitation inches | 2.90 | 3.72 | 5.50 | 7.40 | 7.13 | 8.80 | 5.61 | 4.22 | 3.01 | 2.86 | 3.20 | 1.87 | 56.22 | | Average precipitation days | 13.6 | 14.0 | 17.8 | 18.8 | 16.3 | 13.3 | 9.7 | 9.9 | 9.8 | 11.1 | 10.2 | 9.4 | 153.9 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 81 | 81 | 81 | 80 | 79 | 81 | 75 | 78 | 80 | 79 | 78 | 77 | 79 | | Monthly sunshine hours | 76.2 | 63.0 | 69.4 | 88.3 | 122.8 | 144.8 | 238.3 | 229.6 | 160.0 | 133.4 | 115.7 | 103.2 | 1,544.7 | | Percentage of possible sunshine (%) | 24 | 20 | 19 | 23 | 29 | 35 | 56 | 57 | 43 | 38 | 36 | 32 | 35 |

District

5. Administrative Divisions

Changsha City currently administers 6 municipal districts, 1 county, and oversees 2 county-level cities on behalf of the province.

Municipal Districts: Furong District, Tianxin District, Yuelu District, Kaifu District, Yuhua District, Wangcheng District

County-level Cities: Liuyang City, Ningxiang City

County: Changsha County

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|--------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------| | 430100 | Changsha City | Chángshā Shì | 11,815.96 | 10,047,914 | Yuelu District | 410000 | 94 | 69 | 5 | | 430102 | Furong District | Fúróng Qū | 42.68 | 642,010 | Dongtundu Subdistrict | 410000 | 13 | | | | 430103 | Tianxin District | Tiānxīn Qū | 137.40 | 836,157 | Qingyuan Subdistrict | 410000 | 14 | | | | 430104 | Yuelu District | Yuèlù Qū | 538.83 | 1,526,641 | Wangyue Subdistrict | 410000 | 16 | 2 | | | 430105 | Kaifu District | Kāifú Qū | 188.73 | 820,790 | Furong North Road Subdistrict | 410000 | 16 | | | | 430111 | Yuhua District | Yǔhuā Qū | 292.20 | 1,264,895 | Guitang Subdistrict | 410000 | 12 | 1 | | | 430112 | Wangcheng District | Wàngchéng Qū | 951.07 | 890,214 | Gaotangling Subdistrict | 410200 | 10 | 5 | | | 430121 | Changsha County | Chángshā Xiàn | 1,755.62 | 1,374,491 | Xingsha Subdistrict | 410100 | 5 | 13 | | | 430181 | Liuyang City | Liúyáng Shì | 4,997.35 | 1,429,384 | Guankou Subdistrict | 410300 | 4 | 27 | 1 | | 430182 | Ningxiang City | Níngxiāng Shì | 2,912.09 | 1,263,332 | Yutan Subdistrict | 410600 | 4 | 21 | 4 |

Economy

6. Economy

Historically, Changsha was an important industrial and commercial city in southern China and one of the four major tea markets and four major rice markets. During the Tang Dynasty, the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, and the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties, Changsha's economy and trade experienced a prolonged period of prosperity. Ceramics produced by the Changsha Kiln were bestsellers domestically and were exported in large quantities to the Korean Peninsula, Japan, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and other regions. Agriculture, tea, textiles, and other industries were also highly developed. The late Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, and the Republican era marked another significant period of economic prosperity for Changsha. By the late Ming Dynasty, Changsha had become one of China's four major tea markets; during the Qing Dynasty, it became one of China's four major rice markets and was also an important distribution center for goods like tung oil and Xiang embroidery. This modern prosperity lasted until the Wenxi Fire of 1938. After the fire, Changsha was largely destroyed, and due to the Battles of Changsha and the three-year Second Chinese Civil War, its economy severely regressed.

At the beginning of the Reform and Opening-up period, the economic gap between Changsha and coastal cities widened for a time, and it was not until the 1990s that Changsha began to accelerate its development. On January 18, 1992, during Deng Xiaoping's "Southern Tour," he passed through Changsha, Hunan, and urged local leaders to "be bolder in reform and opening up, accelerate economic development, and strive to reach a new level every few years." In 2004, the state proposed the "Rise of Central China" strategy, and the integration of Changsha with the neighboring cities of Zhuzhou and Xiangtan also entered a fast track. In 2007, the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan city cluster was approved by the State Council as a Comprehensive Supporting Reform Pilot Zone for a "Resource-saving and Environment-friendly Society." In the same year, Changsha established the Dahexi Pilot Zone. The Xiangjiang New Area, established in 2015, is the first national-level new area in central China.

Traditionally, Changsha's pillar industry was engineering machinery manufacturing. With economic transformation, in 2015, the output value of the new materials industry reached 262.1 billion yuan, replacing engineering machinery as Changsha's largest industry. In 1978, Changsha's GDP was 1.685 billion yuan; by 2017, it reached 1,053.551 billion yuan. Once having a weak foundation, Changsha promoted independent innovation to accelerate industrialization and focused on strengthening its county-level economies. Between 2005 and 2015, its GDP growth reached 460%, ranking first among 33 major cities. In 2016, Changsha proposed the goal of building "Three Centers": a National Intelligent Manufacturing Center, a National Innovation and Creativity Center, and a National Transportation and Logistics Center.

6.1. Primary Industry

Located in the southern part of the Dongting Lake Plain, Changsha historically ranked first among China's "Four Major Rice Markets." Its main grain crop is rice, with two harvests per year, accounting for about 80% of the total planting area, with most operations being family-run farms. The rest consists of cash crops. Changsha's agriculture has formed eight leading products: high-quality rice, sweet waxy corn, tea, fresh seasonal fruits and melons, commercial vegetables, flowers and seedlings, flue-cured tobacco, and Chinese medicinal herbs. Oil crops are primarily tea oil and rapeseed. Major cash crops include tobacco and flowers. Main fruit varieties are citrus, grapes, peaches, and plums. Liuyang is Changsha's main vegetable production base. Large livestock mainly include pigs, yellow cattle, and goats. Pig farming is gradually shifting to small-scale intensive operations, with household farming and small-scale intensive farming roughly split evenly. Yellow cattle and goats are primarily raised by scattered households or in small-scale operations. Local poultry and egg production is roughly evenly split between household farming and scale operations. Dairy production is mainly cow's milk, with operations primarily being small-scale. Changsha's aquaculture is mainly professional farming, with aquatic products being freshwater fish. Main fish species are grass carp, bighead carp (male fish), crucian carp, carp, and silver carp (including eel, loach, shrimp), and crustaceans (turtles and soft-shelled turtles). Changsha is now an important national commodity grain production and agricultural research base in China.

6.2. Secondary Industry

Changsha's secondary industry, from modern times to the early Reform and Opening-up period, was dominated by light industry. At the beginning of the Reform and Opening-up, Changsha's economy, along with other central and western cities, fell into a trough, with slow industrial development. Starting in the 1990s, Changsha entered a period of rapid industrial development, initially forming a pattern led by the engineering machinery industry. Since the 21st century, the industrial chain has gradually improved, forming industrial clusters in new materials, engineering machinery, food, electronic information, household appliances, cultural creativity, Chinese patent medicines and biomedicine, etc. It has nurtured well-known local multinational enterprises such as Sany Group, Zoomlion, and Sunward Intelligent. In 2017, Changsha was approved as the 7th National Airport Economic Demonstration Zone in China—the Changsha Airport Economic Demonstration Zone—and formed an industrial park pattern of "Five National-level Zones and Nine Provincial-level Parks," i.e., 5 national-level parks and 9 provincial-level parks:

Changsha National High-tech Industrial Development Zone (Changsha High-tech Zone), established in October 1988, is one of the first national high-tech zones, a national pilot innovative technology park, and a pilot zone for integrating technology and finance. The Yuelushan High-tech Park (also known as "Lugu") is located here. The park focuses on intelligent equipment manufacturing and the internet as leading industries, with new energy as a characteristic industry. Internet companies like Oracle, Microsoft, Google, Tencent, and ZTE have established operations here. It is the core park of the Xiangjiang New Area.
Changsha Economic and Technological Development Zone (Changsha ETDZ), established in August 1992, administers three industrial parks: Xingsha, Langli, and Huanghua. The zone hosts projects from companies like Sany Group, Zoomlion Cranes, Sunward Intelligent, Hengtian 95, Broad Group, SAIC Volkswagen, GAC Fiat, GAC Mitsubishi, BAIC Foton, Zotye Auto, German Bosch, Japanese Sumitomo, and Lens Technology. It has formed an industrial development pattern led by engineering machinery, automobiles and parts, and electronic information, supplemented by new materials, food and beverage, and light industry/printing/packaging.
Ningxiang Economic and Technological Development Zone (Ningxiang ETDZ), established in 1998, was upgraded to a national-level economic and technological development zone in November 2010. It was designated as a national circular economy transformation demonstration pilot unit by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance. The zone focuses on intelligent home appliance manufacturing and food and beverage as leading industries, with representative enterprises including Gree Electric, Hisense Electric, Jiajia Food, and Tsingtao Brewery. It also hosts new materials industries like China State Construction, Sokan New Materials, and Broad Homes.
Liuyang Economic and Technological Development Zone (Liuyang ETDZ), founded in 1997, became the first national-level bio-industry base in central and western China in 2006. In 2010, it became the only national innovative drug incubation base in central and western China. It was upgraded to a national-level economic and technological development zone in March 2012. It has nurtured three listed companies: Yongqing Environmental Protection, Erkang Pharmaceutical, and Lens Technology.
Wangcheng Economic and Technological Development Zone (Wangcheng ETDZ), established in 2000, was upgraded to a national-level economic and technological development zone in 2014. It focuses on non-ferrous metal processing and food as traditional industries and is newly focused on building an electronic information industry cluster led by cloud computing, the Internet of Things, big data, and intelligence.

There are also 9 major provincial-level industrial parks: Longping High-tech Park, Yuhua ETDZ, Tianxin ETDZ, Jinxia ETDZ, Muyun ETDZ, Liuyang High-tech Zone, Ningxiang High-tech Zone, Jinzhou New Area, and Yuelu Industrial Zone.

6.3. Tertiary Industry

In Changsha's service sector, traditional services represented by labor-intensive industries such as wholesale and retail, catering and accommodation, and transportation still hold an important position. Producer services represented by technology-intensive industries such as information networks, artificial intelligence, and modern logistics have made significant progress in recent years. In 2017, the proportion of Changsha's three industries shifted for the first time to a "tertiary-secondary-primary" structure, preliminarily forming a modern industrial structure with the service sector as the main body.

In 2020, Changsha had 69 A-share listed companies, ranking first in central China. Including the Hurun Global 500 company Aier Eye Hospital, Changsha led central and western Chinese cities with 3 companies having market capitalizations exceeding 100 billion yuan. In the same year, Changsha was home to 8 Chinese Fortune 500 companies, including Valin Steel, Hunan Construction Engineering Group, Sany Group, and Zoomlion, and had attracted 173 Fortune Global 500 companies to set up operations. The financial industry started late but developed rapidly. The city has 84 various financial institutions. Foreign banks such as Bank of East Asia, Standard Chartered, Citibank, Shinhan Bank, and HSBC have branches in Changsha. In terms of local banks, there are listed banks like Bank of Changsha and Hunan Bank.

Changsha has been commercially prosperous since ancient times. The "First Business Circle in Hunan," the Changsha Wuyi Business Circle, which roughly corresponds to the scope of the historic city walls, has been the commercial center of Changsha and Hunan since the Three Kingdoms period. It gathers various commercial formats such as Wharf Changsha International Finance Centre, Changsha Shimao Plaza, Hisense Plaza, Japanese Heiwado Department Store, and Hong Kong New World Department Store. Century-old commercial streets like Huangxing South Road Pedestrian Commercial Street and Pozi Street Folk Commercial Street are located here. Jiefang West Road, known as "Jiefang Xi," is lined with bars. Historic blocks with over a hundred years of history, such as Taiping Street, Hualongchi, and Duzheng Street, are also bustling with tourists daily. Changsha also has traditional business circles in areas like Wujialing, Dongtang, Changsha Railway Station, and Yingwanzhen. Furthermore, Furong North Road CBD, Yanghu New City, Binjiang New City, Hongxing, Meixihu International New City, Xingsha, and High-speed Rail New City are also becoming important business circles and commercial districts in recent years.The cultural industry is a prominent brand sector in Changsha, having successively created cultural landmarks such as the "Hunan Television Army," "Hunan Publishing Army," and "Hunan Animation Army." Representative media brands include Hunan TV, the China Golden Eagle TV Art Festival, and Mango Excellent Media, which owns assets like Mango Pictures, Mango TV, and EE-Media. Changsha is home to two of the first nine animation industry bases approved by the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television. It also hosts one of the four national digital media technology industrialization bases approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology (the other three being Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu), and is the only national base specializing in cartoon animation. In 2017, Changsha, along with Kyoto, Japan, and Daegu, South Korea, was jointly designated as an "East Asian Culture City."

6.4. Economic Cooperation

Within Hunan Province, the main urban area of Changsha is less than 40 kilometers from both Zhuzhou and Xiangtan, making it the central city of the "One Point, One Line" region and the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan city cluster in Hunan. Nationally, Changsha is one of the six central cities in China's central economic zone identified by the "Rise of Central China" strategy. It is also part of the Yangtze River Midstream City Cluster and the Pan-Pearl River Delta regional cooperation led by Guangdong, strengthening economic exchanges and mutual influence with neighboring provinces. Since 2017, in response to the "Belt and Road" initiative to build an inland open economy hub, Changsha has accelerated economic collaboration with countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Transport

7. Transportation

Changsha is a national comprehensive transportation hub in China and a crucial high-speed rail and aviation hub in southern China, with well-developed land, water, and air transportation.

7.1. Highways

The main arterial roads in Changsha's urban area include Wuyi Avenue, Yuelu Avenue, Sanyi Avenue, Furong Road, Shaoshan Road, Xiangjiang Road, Xiaoxiang Road, as well as elevated roads and expressways such as Renmin Expressway, Wanjiali Road Viaduct, Hongqi Road Viaduct, and Xiangfu Road Viaduct. Additionally, there are two ring roads: the Second Ring Road and the Third Ring Road.

Changsha is a city spanning the Xiangjiang River, featuring multiple river-crossing passages, including 10 bridges: Juzizhou Bridge (First Bridge), Yinpenling Bridge (Second Bridge), Houzishi Bridge (Third Bridge), and (from north to south) Changxiang Expressway Xiangjiang Bridge, Changsha Comprehensive Hub Bridge, Moon Island Bridge, Sanchaji Bridge, Fuyuan Road Bridge, Xiangfu Road Bridge, and Heishipu Bridge. There are also two river-crossing tunnels: Yingpan Road Xiangjiang Tunnel and Nanhu Road Xiangjiang Tunnel.

National expressways passing through Changsha include G4 Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway, G0401 Changsha Ring Expressway, G0421 Xuguang Expressway, G0422 Wushen Expressway, G5513 Changzhang Expressway, G60 Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, and G6021 Hangzhou-Changsha Expressway. Provincial expressways include S40 Airport Expressway, S50 Changzhi Expressway (including the former Changsha-Shaoshan-Loudi Expressway), S01 Ningshao Expressway (including the former Shaoshan Expressway), S19 Liuhong Expressway, S21 Changzhuzhou Expressway, S41 Changtan West Line Expressway, and S71 Huachang Expressway (including the former Yilouheng Highway). Among these, a section of G6021 Hangzhou-Changsha Expressway, the Changyong Expressway, was the first expressway in Hunan Province. National highways connecting Changsha include G106, G107, G319, and G354.

By the end of 2010, Changsha's total highway mileage reached 15,306.54 kilometers, with a highway density of 129.51 kilometers per 100 square kilometers, including an expressway mileage of 286.94 kilometers. Additionally, there are densely distributed 4 national highways, 14 provincial highways, and 106 county roads, with a total classified highway mileage of 12,346.90 kilometers.

7.2. Railway

Changsha is one of the high-speed rail hubs in central and southern China and, together with Zhuzhou and Xiangtan, forms a conventional rail hub. Major high-speed rail lines intersecting here include the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, Shanghai-Kunming High-Speed Railway, Chongqing-Changsha-Xiamen High-Speed Railway, Changsha-Yiyang-Changde High-Speed Railway, and Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intercity Railway, which are part of China's "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" high-speed rail network. Conventional rail trunk lines such as the China State Railway Group's Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and Shimen-Changsha Railway also pass through the city. Currently, the Hohhot-Nanning High-Speed Railway has been included in the planning. Changsha's main passenger stations include:

Changsha South Station: Located in Lituo Subdistrict, Yuhua District, it is a top-class station where the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway and Shanghai-Kunming High-Speed Railway intersect. It has 13 platforms and 28 tracks. Changsha Station: Located in Wulipai Subdistrict, Furong District, it is a top-class station serving the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway bypass line for passenger trains, Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intercity Railway, and Shimen-Changsha Railway. It has 4 platforms and 8 tracks. Changsha West Station: Located at the junction of Huangjinyuan Subdistrict and Jinshanqiao Subdistrict in Wangcheng District, it is the terminal station of the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intercity Railway. Currently, it is planned as a national comprehensive transportation hub integrating high-speed rail, intercity rail, metro, tram, maglev, and city buses. The station employs a separate-field construction plan for the Chongqing-Changsha-Xiamen High-Speed Railway section and the intercity railway section, with provisions for future lines such as the Changsha-Yueyang Intercity Railway and Changsha-Xi'an High-Speed Railway.

7.3. Metro

Changsha's first metro line, Changsha Metro Line 2, opened on April 29, 2014, making Changsha the 18th city in mainland China to operate a metro system. Currently, the operational metro lines in Changsha are Lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Line 7 is under construction. Changsha Metro offers transfers to the Changsha Maglev Express Line, Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intercity Railway, Beijing-Guangzhou Passenger Dedicated Line, Shanghai-Kunming Passenger Dedicated Line, Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, and Shimen-Changsha Railway.

7.4. Maglev

The Changsha Maglev Express Line, also known as the Changsha Medium-Low Speed Maglev Line, is a maglev train line in Changsha, Hunan Province. It is part of the Changsha rail transit system and China's first medium-low speed maglev line with independent intellectual property rights. The line runs from Changsha South Station in the west to Changsha Huanghua International Airport in the east. Initially, it includes three stations: Maglev High-Speed Rail Station, Maglev Langli Station, and Maglev Airport Station, with two reserved stations: Convention & Exhibition Center Station and Auto City Station. Maglev High-Speed Rail Station offers transfers to Changsha Metro Lines 2 and 4. The main line is approximately 18.7 kilometers long, entirely elevated, with one depot and comprehensive base. The line's identification color is pink, using the color designated for "Changsha Rail Transit Supplementary Line 1" (Pantone 708C, #F891A5).

7.5. Low-Capacity Rail Transit

In 2019, the environmental impact assessment was conducted for Changsha's low-capacity rail transit construction plan, which includes the Meixihu City Government Line, Meixihu High-Tech Zone Line, Changsha-Ningxiang Line, and Malanshan Line. In 2020, the Malanshan Line released a tender announcement for survey and design. Additionally, within the Changsha Xiangjiang New Area, the Dawangshan SkyShuttle project officially commenced construction in 2019 and is expected to begin passenger operations by the end of 2022. In July 2022, the Dawangshan SkyShuttle began trial operations.

7.6. Intercity Railway

The Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intercity Railway (or "Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intercity Line," "Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intercity Rail," referred to separately in the passenger fare mileage table as Changsha-Zhuzhou Intercity Line and Xiangtan Intercity Line) includes lines such as Changsha to Zhuzhou (Xiangtan) Line and the West Ring Line. Approved by the National Development and Reform Commission with a total length of 760 kilometers, the main line spans 104.36 kilometers across Changsha, Zhuzhou, and Xiangtan, forming a "人"-shaped route. The entire line has 24 stations, with 15 in Changsha, 5 in Zhuzhou, and 4 in Xiangtan. It serves both intercity passenger transport and intra-city commuting functions and will intersect and offer transfers with the Changsha Metro network within Changsha. The 17 stations south of Changsha Station opened on December 26, 2016, and the western extension opened on December 26, 2017.

In September 2019, construction began on the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intercity Railway West Ring Line. Initially, this line will operate through services with Changsha Metro Line 3, with its long-term terminus at Changsha West Station. Its system differs from the existing Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intercity Railway and is referred to in planning diagrams as "S3 Line," "West Bank Express Line," "Changsha-Xiangtan Express Line," etc., belonging to the suburban express line category. For more details, see the Changsha Metro Line 3 entry.

7.7. Taxi

Major taxi companies in Changsha include Changsha Blue Light Taxi and Hongji, among others. Vehicles typically feature a light blue and silver-white color scheme. Regarding pricing, the flag-fall fare is: 8 CNY for the first 2 kilometers during the day, 10 CNY for the first 2 kilometers at night (22:00-05:30 the next day). The per-kilometer fare is: 2.0 CNY per kilometer beyond 2 kilometers during the day, and 2.40 CNY per kilometer beyond 2 kilometers at night (22:00-05:30 the next day). Taxis from Changsha Tianran Taxi Company accept cash, WeChat Pay, and Alipay.

7.8. Public Transit

Public buses first appeared in Changsha on May 15, 1934. In 2013, the city's bus companies were consolidated into three major operators: Baojun Bus Company, Longxiang Bus Company, and Hunan Bus Company. The standard bus fare in Changsha is 2 CNY, with a few routes charging 1 CNY. Payment can be made using the Xiangxing Yikatong IC card issued by Changsha Public Transport Company, the Xiaoxiang Card issued by Xiaoxiang Payment Company, or other China T-Union cards. All routes operated by Changsha Wanzhong Public Bus Company accept only cash and do not accept Xiaoxiang Cards or other China T-Union cards.

Additionally, Changsha has the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Bus Station for intercity bus services within the region, as well as long-distance bus stations including East Bus Station, West Bus Station, South Bus Station, and North Bus Station.

7.9. Water Transport

Changsha Port provides access to rivers and the sea, with navigation to ports along the Yangtze River, including Nanjing, Shanghai, and Lianyungang. The Changsha Ship Passenger Center operates daily scheduled passenger ships to destinations such as Yiyang, Jinshi, Anxiang, Changde, Maocao Street, Xiangtan, Xiangyin, and Yueyang. Furthermore, as of November 2010, Changsha has a thousand-ton-class waterway on the Xiangjiang River and Xianing New Port, the largest inland river main hub port in China. The port's throughput exceeds 11 million tons, including 360,000 TEUs of international containers and 3.5 million tons of heavy and general cargo. After the completion of the Xiangjiang Changsha Comprehensive Hub project, the water level in the upstream reservoir area meets the standards for a Class II waterway year-round.

7.10. Aviation

Changsha Huanghua International Airport (IATA: CSX; ICAO: ZGHA) is located in Huanghua Town, Changsha County, Changsha City, Hunan Province. It is a 4F-class civil airport, approximately 22 kilometers from downtown Changsha. It is connected to Changsha Avenue via the Airport Expressway and provides quick access to the city center via the S2 Line and Metro Line 6. Construction of the airport began on June 25, 1986, with its maiden flight on August 29, 1989. Its two terminals have a total floor area of 266,000 square meters, capable of handling 22 million passengers annually and accommodating aircraft such as the Airbus A380.The airport is operated by 43 domestic and international airlines, serving as the base for Hunan Airlines, with China Southern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, and Okay Airways establishing operational bases here. Currently, it has opened or is about to open 110 routes, covering major and medium-sized cities in mainland China, cross-strait routes to Hong Kong, Macau, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, and flights to 85 cities including Tokyo, London, Los Angeles, Frankfurt, Seoul, Osaka, Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Hanoi. In 2016, it became the first airport in central China to achieve an annual passenger throughput exceeding 20 million.

Education

8. Education

In terms of specific data on education in Changsha, in 2004, the city had 39 regular institutions of higher education, 92 regular senior high schools, 255 junior high schools, and 1,433 regular primary schools. The city had 329,400 students enrolled in regular institutions of higher education, 22,800 postgraduate students, 129,900 students in regular senior high schools, 265,800 students in junior high schools, 318,000 students in regular primary schools, and 77,900 children in kindergartens. The enrollment rate for primary school-age children was 100%, and the transition rate from primary to junior high school was 100%.

Changsha's secondary and basic education enjoys a high reputation within Hunan Province. Changsha No. 1 Middle School, the High School Attached to Hunan Normal University, Changjun Middle School, and Yali Middle School are collectively known as the "Four Famous Schools of Changsha." These schools lead in terms of teaching staff, educational facilities, and teaching quality, and all have a history of over a century. Graduates from these schools who enter prestigious Chinese universities such as Tsinghua University and Peking University account for a significant proportion within Hunan Province. Changsha No. 1 Middle School and the High School Attached to Hunan Normal University have won multiple gold medals in the International Olympiad for secondary school students, ranking first and second in China in terms of medal count. In recent years, the High School Attached to Hunan Normal University has consistently ranked at the top in the Hunan Province college entrance examination results. Yali Middle School, founded by the Yale-China Association, an alumni organization of Yale University in the United States, is renowned for its English language teaching.

Higher education in Changsha is relatively well-developed. The city is home to four "key universities" under the 211 Project: National University of Defense Technology, Central South University, Hunan University, and Hunan Normal University. Three of these are included in the 985 Project, ranking third in central China after Wuhan and Xi'an. The National University of Defense Technology is the top military institution, particularly prominent in the field of computer science. Central South University holds an important position in research areas such as materials science, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, medicine, and bridge and tunnel engineering. In 2005, it won the first National Technology Invention Award (First Prize), which had been vacant for six years, for its "Preparation Technology of High-Performance Carbon/Carbon Aviation Braking Materials." Hunan University, whose predecessor was the Yuelu Academy, ranks among the top in China in research fields such as civil engineering, architecture, and chemistry. Hunan Normal University, whose predecessor was the National Normal College, is currently the leading provincial university in Hunan Province, with notable strengths in liberal arts and sciences nationally.

Population

9. Population

The main population of Changsha during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods consisted of Yangyue and Chu people, with the ancestors of the Chu being the Jiuli and Sanmiao tribes. Subsequently, the early inhabitants of Changsha integrated with the Central Plains ethnic groups, gradually forming the Han ethnic group as the main population. Changsha experienced several population peaks throughout history, such as the prosperity established during the Ma Chu period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. During the Song dynasties, Changsha developed a large population, but it was massacred again at the end of the Southern Song. Zhu Yuanzhang's attack on Changsha during the Ming dynasty resulted in casualties among most local residents, leading to the saying "Jiangxi fills Huguang." The population of Changsha steadily increased during the Ming and Qing dynasties. By the Republican era, the urban population was approximately over 300,000. In 1937, with the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Changsha became one of the destinations for the inland migration of coastal populations. The population surged from 380,000 in 1934 to over 500,000. Subsequently, the "Wenxi Fire" and the Battles of Changsha caused the population to decline again. On the eve of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the total population was about 3.09 million, with only 380,000 in the urban area. In 1978, at the beginning of the reform and opening-up, the total population of Changsha was approximately 4.58 million, with 940,000 in the urban area.

Preliminary results from the 2010 Sixth National Population Census showed that the permanent resident population of Changsha City was 7.0846 million, accounting for 10.8% of Hunan Province, ranking third. The population density was 608 people/km²; the sex ratio was 102.8 males per 100 females. The permanent resident population in the urban area was 3.6636 million, accounting for 51.35% of the total population. The registered population of the city was 6.5887 million, accounting for 10.50% of the province's registered population. The net inflow population was 558,230, accounting for 9.36% of the registered population. The city had a total of 2,104,622 family households, with a family household population of 6,097,929, accounting for 86.57% of the total population. The average family size was 3.04 people.

By education level, those with a university degree or above accounted for 22.8% of the total population; those with a junior high school education or above accounted for 72.4%; the illiteracy rate was 0.68%. In terms of age composition, the population aged 14 and below was 955,887, accounting for 13.57% of the total; the population aged 15-64 was 5,452,222, accounting for 77.40%; the elderly population aged 65 and above was 636,009, accounting for 9.03%.

According to the 2020 Seventh National Population Census, the city's permanent resident population was 10,047,914. Compared with the 7,040,952 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was an increase of 3,006,962 people over ten years, a growth of 42.71%, with an average annual growth rate of 3.62%. Among them, the male population was 5,085,746, accounting for 50.61% of the total population; the female population was 4,962,168, accounting for 49.39%. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 102.49. The population aged 0-14 was 1,672,202, accounting for 16.64% of the total; the population aged 15-59 was 6,835,863, accounting for 68.03%; the population aged 60 and above was 1,539,849, accounting for 15.33%, of which the population aged 65 and above was 1,115,873, accounting for 11.11%. The urban population was 8.30 million, accounting for 82.6% of the total; the rural population was 1,747,914, accounting for 17.4%. The population of the six municipal districts was 5.9807 million, of which the urban population was 5.6369 million, accounting for 94.25% of the district population.

At the end of 2022, the city's total permanent resident population was 10.4206 million, an increase of 1.8% from the end of the previous year. At the end of 2021, the total permanent resident population was 10.2393 million. Based on this calculation, Changsha's permanent resident population increased by 181,300 people.

9.1. Surnames

According to 2006 population data, the top ten most common surnames in Changsha, in order, are Li, Liu, Zhang, Chen, Zhou, Wang, Huang, Yang, Peng, and Luo. The first eight of these surnames are among the top ten most common surnames in China.

9.2. Ethnic Groups

The main ethnic group in Changsha is Han. The results of the 2000 Fifth National Population Census showed that Changsha had a minority ethnic population of 48,564, accounting for 0.79% of the total population, involving 46 different ethnic groups. Nine minority ethnic groups had populations over 1,000: Tujia, Miao, Hui, Dong, Yao, Manchu, Zhuang, Mongol, and Bai. Eight minority ethnic groups had populations over 100: Yi, Bouyei, Korean, Tu, Uyghur, Tibetan, Li, and She. The main minority ethnic groups in Changsha are Hui, Tujia, and Miao. Hanhui Village in Laodaohe Town, Kaifu District, is the main concentrated settlement area for the Hui minority in the city. Data from the 2000 Fifth National Population Census showed that Changsha had a total minority population of 48,564, accounting for 0.76% of the province's minority population, ranking 8th in Hunan; it accounted for 0.69% of the regional population; 46 of China's 55 minority ethnic groups were represented. The city's Tujia population was 18,503, accounting for 0.26% of the regional total population and 38.10% of the regional minority population, making it the largest minority. The Miao population was 11,140, accounting for 0.16% of the regional total population and 22.94% of the regional minority population, making it the second largest minority. Another main minority, the Hui, had a population of 4,085, accounting for 0.06% of the regional total population and 8.41% of the regional minority population, making it the third largest minority. The Dong population was 3,357, accounting for 0.05% of the regional total population and 6.91% of the regional minority population, making it the fourth largest minority. Three other ethnic groups had populations over 2,000: Yao (2,853), Manchu (2,078), and Zhuang (2,040), accounting for 5.87%, 4.28%, and 4.20% of the regional minority population respectively. Two ethnic groups, Mongol and Bai, had populations over 1,000: 1,192 and 1,048 respectively, accounting for 2.45% and 2.16% of the regional minority population. Six ethnic groups—Yi, Bouyei, Korean, Tu, Uyghur, and Tibetan—had populations over 200. Two ethnic groups, Li and She, had populations over 100. The remaining 29 ethnic groups had fewer than 100 people each, with five ethnic groups having only one person each. In the 2020 citywide permanent resident population, the Han population was 9,798,213, accounting for 97.51%; the total minority population was 249,701, accounting for 2.49%. Compared with the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the Han population increased by 2,834,421, a growth of 40.7%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 1.39 percentage points. The total minority population increased by 172,541, a growth of 223.61%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 1.39 percentage points. Among them, the Tujia population increased by 58,709, a growth of 203.62%, with its proportion increasing by 0.46 percentage points; the Miao population increased by 54,439, a growth of 295.25%, with its proportion increasing by 0.46 percentage points; the Dong population increased by 14,832, a growth of 262.51%, with its proportion increasing by 0.12 percentage points; the Yao population increased by 11,605, a growth of 213.92%, with its proportion increasing by 0.09 percentage points.

Permanent Resident Population and Minority Population of Changsha City in Past Censuses| Census Year | Census Order | Total Population | Ethnic Minority Population | Percentage of Total Population (%) | Ethnic Groups in Changsha | Ethnic Groups in China | |-------------|--------------|------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------| | 2020 | Seventh | 10,047,914 | 249,701 | 2.485 | 55 | 55 | | 2010 | Sixth | 7,040,952 | 77,160 | 1.096 | 51 | 55 | | 2000 | Fifth | 6,138,719 | 48,564 | 0.791 | 46 | 55 | | 1990 | Fourth | 5,490,729 | 17,995 | 0.328 | 39 | 55 | | 1982 | Third | 4,803,511 | 6,018 | 0.125 | 25 | 55 | | 1964 | Second | 3,514,573 | 2,937 | 0.084 | 16 | 54 | | 1953 | First | 3,296,055 | 989 | 0.030 | 8 | 38 |

Ethnic Composition of Changsha City (November 2020)

| Ethnic Group | Han | Tujia | Miao | Dong | Yao | Hui | Zhuang | Uyghur | Manchu | Bai | Other Ethnic Groups | |------------------|-------------|-----------|----------|----------|---------|---------|------------|------------|------------|---------|-------------------------| | Population | 9,798,213 | 87,541 | 72,877 | 20,482 | 17,030 | 11,453 | 9,023 | 4,677 | 4,673 | 4,136 | 17,809 | | Percentage of Total Population (%) | 97.51 | 0.87 | 0.73 | 0.20 | 0.17 | 0.11 | 0.09 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.18 | | Percentage of Ethnic Minority Population (%) | - | 35.06 | 29.19 | 8.20 | 6.82 | 4.59 | 3.61 | 1.87 | 1.87 | 1.66 | 7.13 |

Religion

10. Religion

Changsha is home to all five major religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, and Islam. There are nearly 300 religious clergy, tens of thousands of baptized and converted believers, and over 100,000 adherents. Eleven religious sites are listed as key religious activity venues at or above the provincial level: Lushan Temple, Kaifu Temple, Miyin Temple, Shishuang Temple, Yunlu Palace, Daigong Temple, Hetu Temple, Qingyangshan Taoist Temple, the Mosque, the Catholic Church, and the Chengbei Christian Church. Among them, Lushan Temple, Kaifu Temple, Miyin Temple, and Shishuang Temple are all ancient temples with histories spanning over a thousand years. Lushan Temple and Kaifu Temple are also among the nationally key Buddhist temples in Han Chinese regions. Seven religious activity sites, including Lushan Temple, Kaifu Temple, Miyin Temple, Taogong Temple, the Catholic Church, the Chengbei Christian Church, and the Beizheng Street Christian Church, are designated as key cultural relics protection units in Hunan Province. As a provincial capital, Changsha hosts both municipal and provincial religious organizations, making it a relatively concentrated hub for religious figures.

10.1. Buddhism and Taoism

Buddhism and Taoism have long thrived in the Changsha area. During the Republic of China period, Changsha was renowned for its "Eight Great Buddhist Monasteries": the ancient Kaifu Temple, Lushan Temple, Hualin Temple, Shanglin Temple, Hong'en Temple, Gushan Temple, Gaoshan Chan Temple, and Tongxi Temple. However, many temples were destroyed due to calamities such as the Wenxi Fire, the four Battles of Changsha, and the Cultural Revolution. In recent years, a small number of temples have been reconstructed, such as Gushan Baolin Temple. Currently, the largest temple in Changsha is Kaifu Temple, which boasts a long history and attracts a large number of worshippers annually. Other significant Buddhist temples in the region include the ancient Lushan Temple on Yuelu Mountain, Hongshan Temple in the Hongshanmiao area, and Miyin Temple in Ningxiang. Many residents of Changsha also visit the Nanyue Temple on Hengshan Mountain to pray for blessings. The Taoist sacred site, Taogong Temple, located in Langli Town, Changsha County, dates back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties and has a history of over 1,500 years.

10.2. Christianity

During the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, Protestant and Catholic missionaries were already active in Changsha. However, in modern times, frequent religious disputes in the Changsha area led to a decline in Christianity. Since the 2000s, Protestant Christianity has expanded its influence, particularly in rural areas, with a growing number of adherents and rapid development.

Culture

11. Culture

Changsha is a national historical and cultural city and the only ecological construction demonstration pilot city among provincial capitals. Xiang Opera and Huagu Opera are the main popular theatrical forms. The city has 12 art performance troupes, 10 cultural centers, and 7 public libraries, among which the Hunan Library is one of the earliest established public libraries in China. There are also 13 museums, including the Hunan Provincial Museum, where the Mawangdui Han Tomb Exhibition enjoys a high reputation both domestically and internationally, and 14 archives. Broadcasting and television maintain a relatively high level of development, with the city's comprehensive radio population coverage reaching 96.8% in 2004, and comprehensive television population coverage reaching 97.8%.

The city has a total of 66 tourist areas (sites), including 1 national scenic area, 4 national 4A-level tourist areas (sites), 2 national forest parks, and 2 national water conservancy scenic areas. Within the city, there are 47 tombs of famous figures, 33 cultural sites, 30 ancient tombs, 25 former residences of notable individuals, 13 modern memorial sites, and 6 ancient city ruins.

Friend City

12. Sister Cities

| City | Country | Date Established | |--------------------|--------------|----------------| | Brazzaville | Republic of the Congo | August 9, 1982 | | Kagoshima | Japan | October 30, 1982 | | St. Paul | United States | May 9, 1988 | | Bukit Timah Town | Singapore | April 10, 1994 | | Fribourg | Switzerland | June 10, 1994 | | Jersey City | United States | November 29, 1995 | | Prato | Italy | September 26, 1997 | | Mons | Belgium | May 14, 1998 | | Gumi | South Korea | October 19, 1998 | | Oakland | United States | March 22, 1999 | | Porirua | New Zealand | February 24, 2000 | | Beltrão (with Liuyang City) | Brazil | October 25, 2000 | | Kimberley | South Africa | September 25, 2002 | | Entebbe | Uganda | April 14, 2003 | | Rovaniemi | Finland | November 3, 2004 | | Ulyanovsk | Russia | January 19, 2006 | | Auburn | Australia | March 20, 2006 | | Annapolis | United States | October 25, 2008 | | Victoria | Canada | December 2, 2011 | | San Francisco | United States | June 26, 2014 | | Ölfus | Iceland | October 25, 2016 | | Mogilev | Belarus | June 30, 2017 | | Seinäjoki | Finland | December 12, 2017 | | San Pedro Sula | Honduras | March 19, 2024 |

City Plan

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Politics

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Celebrity

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Map Coordinate

28°11′46″N 112°58′20″E

Postcode

410000

Tel Code

731

HDI

0.814

Government Website

http://www.changsha.gov.cn/

Area (km²)

11820

Population (Million)

10.5131

GDP Total (USD)

214397.958671

GDP Per Capita (USD)

20393.41

Name Source

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Government Location

Yuelu District

Largest District

Yuelu District

Ethnics

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City Tree

Camphor tree

City Flower

Rhododendron

My Profile

Changsha (长沙)

Short Introduction

1. Introduction

Name History

2. Origin of the Name

Main History

3. History

3.1 Pre-Qin Period

3.2 Qin and Han Periods

3.2 Qin and Han Periods

3.3 Three Kingdoms to Five Dynasties Period

3.4 Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Periods

3.5 Late Qing to the Republic of China

3.6 People's Republic of China

Geography

4. Geography

4.1 Topography

4.2 Climate

District

5. Administrative Divisions

Economy

6. Economy

6.1. Primary Industry

6.2. Secondary Industry

6.3. Tertiary Industry

6.4. Economic Cooperation

Transport

7. Transportation

7.1. Highways

7.2. Railway

7.3. Metro

7.4. Maglev

7.5. Low-Capacity Rail Transit

7.6. Intercity Railway

7.7. Taxi

7.8. Public Transit

7.9. Water Transport

7.10. Aviation

Education

8. Education

Population

9. Population

9.1. Surnames

9.2. Ethnic Groups

Religion

10. Religion

10.1. Buddhism and Taoism

10.2. Christianity

Culture

11. Culture

Friend City

12. Sister Cities

City Plan

Politics

Celebrity

Map Coordinate

Postcode

Tel Code

HDI

Government Website

Area (km²)

Population (Million)

GDP Total (USD)

GDP Per Capita (USD)

Name Source

Government Location

Largest District

Ethnics

City Tree

City Flower