Changde (常德)

1. Introduction

Changde City, historically known as Wuling, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hunan Province, People's Republic of China, located in the northern part of Hunan Province. The city borders Yiyang City to the east and south, Huaihua City to the southwest, Zhangjiajie City to the west, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture and Yichang City of Hubei Province to the northwest, and Jingzhou City of Hubei Province to the north. Situated in the transitional zone between the Wuling Mountains and the Dongting Lake Plain, on the western side of Dongting Lake, the terrain is higher in the west and lower in the east. The Li River and Yuan River traverse the area from west to east, flowing into West Dongting Lake. The city covers a total area of 18,177 square kilometers, with a permanent resident population of 5.2791 million. The Municipal People's Government is located at No. 120 Langzhou Road, Wuling District.

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2. History

"Changde" first appeared in Laozi: "Be the valley of the world, and the constant virtue will not depart." It also appears in the minor preface to "Chang Wu" in the Book of Songs by Mao of the Western Han Dynasty: "With constant virtue to establish military affairs, it is thus taken as a warning." In the seventh year of the Zhenghe era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1117), drawing from the meaning of the minor preface to "Chang Wu" in the Book of Songs—"with constant virtue to establish military affairs"—the Changde Army was established in Dingzhou. It was later elevated to Changde Prefecture and Changde Route. In the third year of the Xuantong era of the Qing Dynasty (1911), the county was abolished while the prefecture was retained, and Wuling County was abolished to establish Changde Prefecture. In the early years of the Republic of China, Changde Prefecture was abolished, and Wuling County was restored, soon renamed Changde County. The name "Changde" has been used ever since.

Changde has a long history. In the thirtieth year of King Zhaoxiang of Qin (277 BCE), Zhang Ruo, the governor of Shu, "attacked and captured Wu Commandery and the lands south of the Yangtze," building a city in what is now the eastern part of Wuling District, with a history of over 2,200 years. During the Qin Dynasty, Changde belonged to Qianzhong Commandery, and during the Western and Eastern Han Dynasties, it was part of Wuling Commandery. From the Three Kingdoms period until the Qing Dynasty, Changde was roughly governed according to the basins of the Yuan River and the Li River. In the Yuan River basin, it was successively Wuling Commandery, Langzhou, Dingzhou, Changde Route, and Changde Prefecture. It served as the seat of commandery administration for seven dynasties, a military prefecture for seven dynasties, and a feudal domain for seven generations, with its jurisdiction extending far into northwestern Hunan, southwestern Hubei, northeastern Guizhou, and northeastern Guangxi. It has long been known as the "lips and teeth of Western Chu" and the "throat of Qian and Sichuan."

In January 1988, the State Council of China approved the abolition of the Changde Prefecture and the establishment of the provincially administered Changde City, implementing a system where the city leads counties. On April 18, the Provincial People's Government, in accordance with the State Council's approval, notified the abolition of Changde Prefecture and the establishment of the provincially administered Changde City, marking the beginning of a new historical chapter in Changde's development.

3. Geography

Changde is located between 28° and 31° north latitude and 110° and 113° east longitude, falling within the UTC+8 time zone. It is situated in the south-central part of China, in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and in the northwestern region of Hunan Province. To the east, it borders Dongting Lake; to the west, it connects with Guizhou and Chongqing; to the south, it links to Changsha; and to the north, it adjoins Jingzhou and Xiangyang. In terms of economic regional division, Changde lies within the core area of China's central region rise, at the junction of the Pan-Pearl River Delta and Pan-Yangtze River Delta economic development zones. It serves as a prime location for the transfer of industries from the developed eastern coastal regions to the central and western parts of the country.

The topography of Changde is predominantly plain. The area features interconnected mountains and rivers, with the terrain sloping from higher elevations in the northwest to lower elevations in the southeast. In the west lies Huping Mountain, known as the "Roof of Hunan." The southeastern part is the fertile and well-watered West Dongting Lake Plain, with an average elevation below 50 meters. The central transitional area consists of hills. Among Hunan's four major river systems, the Yuan River and Li River flow through Changde, and there are 432 rivers of various sizes within its territory. The plain and lake areas are crisscrossed by rivers and waterways, featuring extensive natural wetlands.

Changde City is located in the northwestern part of Hunan Province, in the lower reaches of the Yuan River and the middle reaches of the Li River, belonging to the Dongting Lake basin. It has long been known as a "strategic location in Jingchu, the throat of Guizhou and Sichuan, and the gateway to western Hunan." To the east, Changde City borders the West Dongting Lake, interlacing with the lake inlets of Nanxian County and Yuanjiang City in Yiyang City. To the west, it leans against the mountainous areas of western Hunan, connecting with the Wuling Mountain Range that winds through Cili County and Yongding District in Zhangjiajie City, as well as Yuanling County in Huaihua City. To the north, it rests against the western Hubei mountainous area and the Jianghan Plain, adjoining the mountainous regions of Hefeng County in the Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture and Wufeng County in Yichang City, Hubei Province, as well as the plains of Songzi City, Gong'an County, and Shishou City in Jingzhou City. To the south, it reaches the Zishui River basin, with the Wuyun Mountain Range serving as the watershed between Changde City and Ziyang District, Taojiang County, and Anhua County in Yiyang City.

4. Administrative Divisions

Changde City currently administers 2 municipal districts, 6 counties, and has jurisdiction over 1 county-level city.

• Municipal Districts: Wuling District, Dingcheng District
• County-level City: Jinshi City
• Counties: Anxiang County, Hanshou County, Li County, Linli County, Taoyuan County, Shimen County In addition to the formal administrative divisions, Changde City has also established the following economic management zones: National-level Changde Economic and Technological Development Zone, Xidongting Management Area, Xihu Management Area (all are county-level management areas established through the restructuring of state-owned farms), and Liuye Lake Tourism and Vacation Zone. | Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Including: Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|--------------------------------| | 430700 | Changde City | Chángdé Shì | 18,177.18 | 5,279,102 | Wuling District | 415000 | 42 | 107 | 21 | 4 | | 430702 | Wuling District | Wǔlíng Qū | 412.42 | 730,970 | Nanping Subdistrict | 415000 | 15 | 2 | 2 | | | 430703 | Dingcheng District| Dǐngchéng Qū | 2,339.60 | 738,085 | Yuxia Subdistrict | 415100 | 6 | 19 | 1 | 1 | | 430721 | Anxiang County | Ānxiāng Xiàn | 1,086.03 | 427,412 | Shenliu Town | 415600 | | 8 | 4 | | | 430722 | Hanshou County | Hànshòu Xiàn | 2,091.25 | 706,249 | Longyang Subdistrict| 415900 | 4 | 16 | 3 | 1 | | 430723 | Li County | Lǐ Xiàn | 2,075.41 | 721,927 | Liyang Subdistrict | 415500 | 4 | 15 | | | | 430724 | Linli County | Línlǐ Xiàn | 1,203.88 | 373,043 | Anfu Subdistrict | 415200 | 2 | 7 | 2 | | | 430725 | Taoyuan County | Táoyuán Xiàn | 4,442.30 | 809,220 | Zhangjiang Subdistrict | 415700 | 2 | 23 | 4 | 2 | | 430726 | Shimen County | Shímén Xiàn | 3,970.13 | 559,457 | Chujiang Subdistrict| 415300 | 4 | 13 | 4 | | | 430781 | Jinshi City | Jīnshì Shì | 556.16 | 212,739 | Xiangyangjie Subdistrict | 415400 | 5 | 4 | | |

5. Economy

Changde City is located in the northwest of Hunan Province and serves as a significant component of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the Dongting Lake Ecological Economic Zone. It covers a total area of 18,200 square kilometers, administers 9 districts/counties and 5 management areas, and had a permanent resident population of 5.238 million at the end of the year, with an urbanization rate of 57.2%. Changde's economy has developed rapidly, and in recent years, its economic aggregate has ranked among the top among prefecture-level cities in Hunan Province.

1. Economic Growth In 2023, Changde achieved a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 438.57 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.6%, ranking third in economic output among cities in Hunan Province. Over the past five years, Changde's GDP has grown at an average annual rate of 6.4%, with key economic indicators such as industry, investment, consumption, and fiscal revenue consistently ranking at the forefront in the province.

2. Industrial Structure The structure of Changde's three major industries has been continuously optimized. In 2023, the added value of the primary industry was 49.35 billion yuan, an increase of 3.1%; the secondary industry added value was 170.46 billion yuan, up 1.1%; and the tertiary industry added value reached 218.75 billion yuan, growing by 5.8%. Among these, pillar industries such as advanced equipment manufacturing, digital industries, and deep processing of agricultural products, as well as emerging industries like biomedicine and new energy, have developed rapidly.

3. Fiscal Revenue and People's Livelihood In 2023, Changde's local general public budget revenue was 20.222 billion yuan, ranking second in the province in terms of total amount. The per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents was 42,155 yuan and 22,754 yuan, respectively, representing increases of 4.1% and 6.6%.

4. Infrastructure and Transportation As a comprehensive transportation hub city in northwestern Hunan, Changde boasts excellent transportation conditions, abundant mineral resources, and a developed agricultural sector. In recent years, the city has increased its urban infrastructure construction efforts, striving to build itself into a sub-central city within the province.

5. Innovation and Technology Changde drives its development through innovation, promoting the growth of high-tech enterprises and technology-based "little giant" enterprises. Concurrently, the digital economy and producer services are also accelerating their development.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Changde achieved significant economic and social development milestones. The added value of manufacturing accounted for 32% of GDP, and industrial investment constituted 62% of fixed asset investment. Looking ahead, Changde will continue to advance new urbanization, enhance its comprehensive urban competitiveness, and aim to establish a modern economic system by 2035.

Changde's economic development is in good shape, with its industrial structure continuously optimizing, fiscal revenue steadily increasing, and people's livelihoods significantly improving, indicating broad prospects for future development.

6. Transportation

• National Highway 207 passes through.
• China State Railway Group Shichang Railway, China State Railway Group Luozhan Railway, China State Railway Group Qianzhangchang Railway: Changde Station

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7. Population

By the end of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 5.213 million. Among them, the urban population was 3.008 million, and the rural population was 2.205 million.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 5,279,102. Compared with the 5,714,623 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was a total decrease of 435,521 people over the ten years, a decline of 7.62%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.79%. Among them, the male population was 2,646,410, accounting for 50.13% of the total population; the female population was 2,632,692, accounting for 49.87% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (with females as 100) was 100.52. The population aged 0-14 was 785,073, accounting for 14.87% of the total population; the population aged 15-59 was 3,172,972, accounting for 60.1% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 1,321,057, accounting for 25.02% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 1,011,703, accounting for 19.16% of the total population. The population living in urban areas was 2,968,067, accounting for 56.22% of the total population; the population living in rural areas was 2,311,035, accounting for 43.78% of the total population.

7.1. Ethnic Groups

Changde is the second-largest settlement area for the Uyghur population in China and a Hui ethnic group settlement area in Hunan. Changde is predominantly Han Chinese, with ethnic minorities showing a pattern of large dispersion and small concentrations. The indigenous ethnic minorities are Tujia, Hui, and Uyghur. Data from the Fifth National Population Census in 2000 shows that Changde had a Han population of 5,740,875, accounting for 91.98% of the regional population; ethnic minorities numbered 460,499, accounting for 7.18% of the province's ethnic minority population, ranking fifth in population size; ethnic minorities accounted for 8.02% of the regional population; among China's 55 ethnic minorities, 47 are distributed in Changde.

Ethnic minority populations in Changde exceeding 10,000 include the Tujia and Hui. The city's Tujia population is 405,745, accounting for 15.37% of Hunan's Tujia population, making it the second-largest concentration of Tujia people in Hunan after Zhangjiajie; the Tujia account for 88.11% of the regional ethnic minority population. The Hui population is 37,559, accounting for 38.57% of Hunan's Hui population and 8.16% of the regional ethnic minority population, making it the area with the largest Hui population in Hunan. Changde is an ancestral settlement area for the Uyghur people and also the second-largest concentration of Uyghur population in China. Changde has a Uyghur population of 5,718, accounting for 72.02% of Hunan's Uyghur population, with the total Uyghur population second only to Xinjiang. The Miao and Mongolian populations both exceed a thousand, reaching 3,866 and 2,581 respectively; the Bai, Dong, Yi, and Manchu populations all exceed 500, reaching 701, 663, 551, and 546 respectively; nine ethnic groups including Zhuang and Korean have populations exceeding one hundred. The county with the most concentrated ethnic minority population in Changde is Shimen County, where the Tujia account for 50.9% of the county's population. The ancestral settlements of the Hui and Uyghur are distributed in Taoyuan, Hanshou, and Dingcheng districts.

In the city's permanent resident population in 2020, the Han population was 4,885,637, accounting for 92.55%; various ethnic minority populations totaled 393,465, accounting for 7.45%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han population decreased by 419,095, a decline of 7.9%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.28 percentage points; various ethnic minority populations decreased by 16,426, a decline of 4.01%, with their proportion of the total population increasing by 0.28 percentage points. Among them, the Tujia population decreased by 17,640, a decline of 4.88%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.19 percentage points; the Hui population decreased by 8,307, a decline of 24.8%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.11 percentage points; the Miao population increased by 5,431, a growth of 119.44%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.11 percentage points; the Uyghur population decreased by 855, a decline of 17.9%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.01 percentage points.

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8. Culture

The culture of the Changde region is specifically embodied as "De Culture" (Culture of Virtue). It refers to a regional culture with holistic characteristics, centered on the Changde geographical area, encompassing the moral and national spirit demonstrated by historical celebrities and officials who were born, grew up, or resided here. It integrates local folk culture of Changde, including Chu Culture and Zhilan Culture. "De Culture" comprises five main aspects: First, moral culture, represented by Deshan Mountain and Mr. Shan Juan; second, national integrity, inspired by the patriotic poet Qu Yuan and the Chinese National Revolutionary Army officers and soldiers who fought in the Battle of Changde during the War of Resistance Against Japan; third, contributing talents for constitutional republicanism, including Jiang Yiwu, the provisional commander-in-chief of the Wuchang Uprising during the 1911 Revolution, Liu Fuji (one of the Three Martyrs, Jiang Yiwu is also one), and Song Jiaoren, the acting chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party who sacrificed his life for the republican constitution; fourth, the culture of reclusion, including Tao Yuanming, the popular Five Pecks of Rice Sect of his era, and the beautiful legend of the Peach Blossom Spring; finally, folk culture and folk arts, such as Changde Sixian (a form of string music).

The Peach Blossom Spring depicted by the Jin Dynasty poet Tao Yuanming is located within Taoyuan County, Changde City. The ancient Jiasan Temple in Shimen County was built during the Tang Dynasty and has long been a Buddhist sacred site; the Confucian Temple in Li County is the largest in the province; the Changde Poetry Wall enjoys fame both domestically and internationally.

8.1 National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

• Changde Iron Pillar
• Chengtoushan Site
• Pengtoushan Site
• Bashidang Site
• Ancient Architectural Complex of Peach Blossom Spring
• Yujia Memorial Archway
• Huzhaoshan Site
• Jigongdang Site
• Shiligang Site
• Tangjiagang Site
• Sanyuangong Site
• Sunjiagang Site
• Jijiaocheng Site
• Dingjiagang Site
• Huacheng Gang Site
• Zaoshi Site
• Shenmingcheng Site
• Cailingcheng Site
• Suo County Han Dynasty City Site
• Jiuli Chu Tombs
• Qingshan Cliff Tombs
• Nanchanwan Jin Dynasty Tombs
• Huawasi Pagoda
• Jiasan Temple
• Lizhou Confucian Temple
• Lizhou Ancient City Wall
• Ancient Architectural Complex of Xingzi Palace
• Former Residence of Lin Boqu

8.2 Local Customs and Traditions

Local opera genres include Han Opera and Changde Sixian.

8.3 Language

Southwestern Mandarin (Changhe subgroup) is commonly used throughout the Changde region, with only some townships in the eastern counties of Anxiang and Hanshou using Xiang Chinese. However, there are still considerable differences among the various dialects of Southwestern Mandarin within the Changde region, with the Taoyuan dialect being the most distinctive.

The Changde dialect belongs to Southwestern Mandarin (Northern Chinese) and is not significantly different from Standard Mandarin (Putonghua). However, it is completely different from and mutually unintelligible with Xiang Chinese, which is spoken in most parts of Hunan. This is closely related to large-scale historical migrations. According to records: Since the Qin and Han dynasties, there has been continuous migration of northern residents southward. The Yongjia Turmoil at the end of the Western Jin Dynasty triggered a large-scale southward migration of the northern population. A large number of people moved south along the Han River basin, crossed the Yangtze River, and reached the Dongting Lake basin. This great migration continued until the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The An Lushan Rebellion during the Tang Dynasty caused "the people of Xiang and Deng (Xiangyang in Hubei and Nanyang in Henan) and the elites of the two capitals (Chang'an and Luoyang) to all flee to Jiang and Xiang (the Yangtze and Xiang River regions). Consequently, the towns and villages of southern Jingzhou increased tenfold compared to before."

There are also significant internal differences within the Changde dialect. The Yuan and Li Rivers, which traverse the region, divide the Changde dialect into two major dialect subgroups. The dialects of the Yuan River basin (Wuling, Dingcheng, Taoyuan, Hanshou) and the Li River basin (Shimen, Linli, Li County, Anxiang, Jinshi) exhibit their own distinct characteristics. There is no major comprehension gap between the Changde dialect and the currently prevalent Standard Mandarin.

10. Sister Cities

| City | Country | Date Established | |--------|-------|---------| | Higashiomi | Japan | 8/15/94 | | Ipswich | Australia | 7/12/07 | | Hanover | Germany | 7/10/10 |

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9. 名人

历代闻人春申君、车胤、屈原、宋玉、陶渊明、李白、刘禹锡、沈从文等都曾在常德寓居或游历，留下了许多脍炙人口的诗章和传说；中华民国开国元勋蒋翊武、为共和宪法而牺牲的宋教仁、孙中山总统代理参军长、陆军上将林修梅；中共元老林伯渠、国学大师余嘉锡、历史学家吴相湘、马克思主义史学家翦伯赞；诗人昌燿、小说家丁玲、清代画僧髨残等名人都诞生在常德。

Drawing from the meaning of "Be the valley of the world, and the constant virtue will not depart" in Laozi and "With constant virtue to establish martial affairs" in The Book of Songs.

Wuling District

Taoyuan County

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Camphor tree

Gardenia