Yangzhou (扬州)

1. Introduction

Yangzhou City (Yangzhou dialect of Jianghuai Mandarin: /iaŋ ʦɤɯ/), abbreviated as Yang, historically known as Jiangdu and Guangling, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. It is located in the central part of Jiangsu Province, on the north bank of the Yangtze River. The city borders Huai'an to the north, Taizhou to the east, Zhenjiang to the south, Nanjing to the southwest, and Tianchang City of Anhui Province to the west. Yangzhou is situated in the southern part of the Jianghuai Plain and the northern wing of the Yangtze River Delta, with the western part being slightly higher than the eastern part and featuring some low hills. The Yangtze River flows along its southern border, while the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal passes through the urban area, and the Tongyang Canal, Xintongyang Canal, and others traverse the region. In the northwestern part of the city lies Gaoyou Lake, the third-largest lake in Jiangsu Province, along with other lakes such as Baoying Lake, Shaobo Lake, and Baima Lake. Yangzhou is one of China's first national historical and cultural cities. In 486 BC, King Fuchai of Wu built the Han City here, marking a history of over 2,510 years. Yangzhou is also an important city in the Nanjing Metropolitan Area and the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, as well as the water source for the eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. The People's Government of Yangzhou City is located at No. 8 Wenchang West Road, Hanjiang District.

Yangzhou City is a World City of Gastronomy, a World Canal Capital, an East Asian Cultural Capital, and a scenic tourist city with traditional characteristics. It is renowned for the saying, "In the third month of misty flowers, one goes down to Yangzhou." It is also known as the "Famous Capital East of the Huai River, a Beautiful Place at Zhuxi" and holds the title of "China's First Canal City." It is praised as "Yangzhou First, Yizhou Second" and the "City of the Moon." The Yangzhou section of the Grand Canal of China is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and Yangzhou is included in China's Maritime Silk Road.

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2. History

Throughout Chinese history, Yangzhou, due to its unique geographical location and favorable natural environment, experienced nearly continuous economic prosperity and cultural flourishing from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, akin to a comprehensive historical narrative. Specifically, Yangzhou had three peak periods: the first during the mid-Western Han Dynasty, the second from the Sui and Tang Dynasties through the Song Dynasty, and the third during the Ming and Qing Dynasties—the city's prosperity consistently coincided with the golden ages of the respective dynasties.

2.1 Pre-Qin Period

The term "Yangzhou" as a regional designation first appeared in the Shangshu (Book of Documents) in the chapter "Yu Gong" as "Huaihai Wei Yangzhou," listed as one of the Nine Provinces of ancient China. However, for a long time, there was no direct connection between present-day Yangzhou and the term "Yangzhou."

During the Spring and Autumn period, the area near present-day Yangzhou city was called Han. In 486 BC, the State of Wu conquered Han, built the Han City, and excavated the Han Ditch, connecting the Yangtze River and the Huai River. Han City is the earliest city on the territory of modern Yangzhou. During the Han Dynasty, the area was known as the Kingdom of Guangling, belonging to the Xuzhou Inspectorate under the Thirteen Inspectorates, not the Yangzhou Inspectorate. Guangling was long a fiefdom for princes and marquises. Prince Wu Liu Bi "minted coins from the mountains and boiled seawater for salt," opening the Salt River (the predecessor of the Tongyang Canal), which promoted economic development and initiated the first period of prosperity in Yangzhou's history. For political considerations, the central Han court, in the sixth year of the Yuanfeng era (105 BC), Emperor Wu of Han ordered Liu Xijun, daughter of Prince Jiangdu Liu Jian, to marry into the Wusun Kingdom in the Western Regions. This marriage alliance occurred over 80 years earlier than Wang Zhaojun's marriage to the Xiongnu.

During the Three Kingdoms period, constant warfare between Wei and Wu made Guangling a crucial frontier garrison in the Jianghuai region.

2.2 Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Emperor Yuan established a Qiao Prefecture (an administrative unit for displaced populations) for Yanzhou at Jingkou (present-day Zhenjiang, Jiangsu). During Emperor Ming's reign, its administrative seat was moved to Guangling County (on the Shugang hill northwest of present-day Yangzhou). Later, the seat was successively established in Xuyi County, Shanyang County, Xiapi County, and Huaiyin County, finally settling in Guangling County by the end of the Eastern Jin. In the first year of the Yongchu era of the Liu Song Dynasty (420 AD), the (Qiao) Yanzhou was renamed Nanyanzhou (Southern Yanzhou). In the eighth year of the Yuanjia era of Liu Song (431 AD), the region between the Yangtze and Huai Rivers was demarcated as its territory, converting Nanyanzhou into a regular province, divided by the river for administration. Nanyanzhou, with the Jianghuai region as its domain, governed from Guangling (present-day Yangzhou city), overseeing 11 commanderies: Guangling, Hailing, Shanyang, Xuyi (seat northeast of present-day Xuyi County), Qin (seat north of present-day Liuhe County), Nanpei (seat at Shiliang Town in present-day Tianchang City, Anhui), Xinping (seat in present-day Hai'an County), Beihuaiyang (seat southeast of present-day Suqian County), Beijiyin (seat likely within present-day Yangzhou), Beixiapi (seat likely within present-day Jiangsu Province), and Dongguan (seat likely within present-day Jiangsu Province). This area corresponded roughly to the region between the Yangtze and Huai Rivers in modern Jiangsu Province and areas like Tianchang City in Anhui. The Northern Qi Dynasty changed Nanyanzhou to Dongguangzhou, which was restored to Nanyanzhou during the Taijian era of the Chen Dynasty. During the Daxiang era of the Northern Zhou, it was again renamed Dongguangzhou and then Wuzhou. The geographical section of the New Book of Tang lists a one-volume work titled Nanyanzhou Ji (Records of Southern Yanzhou) by Ruan Xuzhi, documenting the geography of Nanyanzhou during the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

2.3 Sui and Tang Dynasties

In the ninth year of the Kaihuang era of Emperor Wen of Sui (589 AD), Wuzhou was renamed Yangzhou, and the Yangzhou Chief Military Command was established, though its headquarters remained in Danyang Commandery (present-day Nanjing). In the third year of the Daye era of Emperor Yang of Sui (607 AD), Yangzhou was changed to Jiangdu Commandery, governing Jiangyang County (Guangling County was renamed Hanjiang in the 18th year of Kaihuang and renamed Jiangyang in the first year of Daye). Emperor Yang of Sui, Yang Guang, had a particular fondness for Yangzhou, staying there for extended periods and ultimately being killed in the Jiangdu Mutiny. He was initially buried at the Liuzhu Hall in Jiangdu Palace and later reburied. The joint tomb of Emperor Yang of Sui and Empress Xiao is located in the Hanjiang District of present-day Yangzhou.

In the eighth year of the Wude era of Emperor Gaozu of Tang (625 AD), the administrative seat of Yangzhou was moved from Danyang to Guangling, from which point Guangling exclusively held the name Yangzhou.

Located at the confluence of the Grand Canal and the Yangtze River, benefiting from convenient transportation, Tang Dynasty Yangzhou (present-day Yangzhou) gained significant importance within the new unified empire. It served as the seat of the Dudu Fu (Military Governor Office), Dadudu Fu (Grand Military Governor Office), and the Huainan Jiedushi (Military Commissioner), overseeing Huainan and various prefectures north of the Yangtze. By the mid-Tang period, Yangzhou became the largest industrial and commercial city in the Tang Empire, its economic prosperity surpassing even the capital Chang'an and the eastern capital Luoyang. It was renowned as "the wealthiest under heaven" and "the foremost in prosperity under heaven," with the saying "Yang first, Yi second" (Yi referring to present-day Chengdu). During the Tang, Yangzhou in the Huainan Circuit administered six counties: Jiangdu, Jiangyang, Yangzi, Hailing, Gaoyou, and Liuhe. In the first year of the Tianbao era of Emperor Xuanzong (742 AD), Qianqiu County (later renamed Tianchang County) was added.

Tang Dynasty Yangzhou saw considerable development in agriculture, commerce, and handicrafts, with numerous workshops and manufactories emerging, producing high-quality bronze mirrors like the Fangzhang mirror and Jiangxin mirror. Yangzhou was also a transportation hub for grain, fodder, salt, money, and iron between north and south, and a vital port for domestic and international traffic. Along the Sui-Tang Grand Canal centered on Luoyang, Yangzhou played a key role as a major port city and international exchange center. Tang Dynasty Yangzhou had close international exchanges, with merchants from Persia, the Islamic Caliphate, Brahman lands, Kunlun, Silla, Japan, and other regions residing there. Beyond commercial exchange, Yangzhou was also a crucial node for the dissemination of advanced Central Plains culture to Northeast Asia. Visits by Japanese envoys to the Tang and the eastward journey of the eminent monk Jianzhen to Japan promoted exchanges between China and Japan in politics, economy, science, and culture. In the late Tang, the Silla-born poet Choe Chiwon served as an official in Yangzhou for over four years before returning to Silla as an envoy carrying imperial decrees and state letters, spreading Tang clothing and rituals to Silla. His work Gyewon Pilgyeongjip is the first personal literary collection in ancient Korean history, earning him the title "Confucian Master of the Eastern Kingdom."

Yangzhou's own cultural development also made significant strides during the Tang. Yangzhou native Li Shan, drawing on previous scholarship and extensive references, re-annotated the Wen Xuan (Selections of Refined Literature), preserving a wealth of important but otherwise lost historical documents for later generations. His son Li Yong was not only influential in prose and poetry but also a great calligrapher following Yu Shinan and Chu Suiliang. The Yangzhou poet Zhang Ruoxu, one of the "Four Talents of Wuzhong," is renowned for his single poem "Spring River Flower Moon Night," praised as "a solitary piece surpassing the entire Tang" (per Wen Yiduo). Many famous poets (such as Du Mu, Bai Juyi, etc.) either resided in or visited Yangzhou, leaving numerous beloved poems. Li Bai's line "to Yangzhou in the third month of mist and flowers," written when seeing off Meng Haoran to Yangzhou, became a classic Tang verse.

In the mid to late Tang, with separatist military governors and warlord conflicts, Yangzhou suffered destruction. In 684, Xu Jingye and Luo Binwang raised troops in Yangzhou against Empress Wu Zetian's rule. In the third year of the Guangqi era of Emperor Xizong (887 AD), Yang Xingmi besieged Guangling for half a year, resulting in the starvation of over half the city's population. The Zizhi Tongjian records, "Xuanjun soldiers captured people and sold them in markets, driving, binding, slaughtering, and carving them like sheep and pigs, without a single cry; piled bones and flowing blood filled the wards and markets." Subsequently, Yang Xingmi established a local regime in Yangzhou, historically known as "Yang Wu." Although Yangzhou experienced a brief economic recovery, it soon fell back into warfare.

2.4 Song and Yuan Dynasties

During the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), the wealthy merchant class and emerging urban commodity economy developed. Major cities like Yangzhou Prefecture became new commercial centers, synonymous with affluence.

During the Northern Song, most of present-day Yangzhou's territory belonged to the Huainan East Circuit. Under it, Yangzhou Prefecture administered only Tianchang and Jiangdu counties, while other present-day counties under Yangzhou's jurisdiction belonged separately to Zhenzhou (Yizheng City), Gaoyou Army (Gaoyou City), and Chuzhou (which included Baoying County). Science, technology, and culture in Song Dynasty Yangzhou also saw significant development. Several scientific and technological articles by Shen Kuo, author of Dream Pool Essays, were completed in the Yangzhou region. Figures like Ouyang Xiu and Su Shi resided in Yangzhou and built cultural landmarks such as Pingshan Hall. Among the "Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars," the deeds of Zhu Shouchang from Tianchang, Yangzhou, became one of the Confucian models of filial piety.

From 1126 to 1129, the Jin army from the north captured large parts of China, including most of Jiangnan East Circuit, Jiangnan West Circuit, northern Jinghu South Circuit, and Liangzhe Circuit, pushing south as far as Ganzhou. Yangzhou was also captured and sacked by Jin forces in 1129. After the Shaoxing Peace Agreement, the Huai River became the border between the Jin and the Southern Song, and the northern suburban counties of present-day Yangzhou became the front line of Song defense against the Jin. Jiang Kui thus composed his famous poem "Yangzhou Man."

In the 13th century, the Mongol Empire unified all of China. During the Yuan Dynasty, Yangzhou belonged to the Henan Jiangbei Branch Secretariat.

2.5 Ming and Qing Dynasties

After the Yongle Emperor moved the capital to Beiping (Beijing) in the 19th year of the Yongle era (1421), for nearly 500 years during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, China's political center remained in the capital Beijing, while the economic center was located in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang, Hunan-Hubei, and Guangdong-Guangxi regions, which produced the bulk of the nation's grain and salt. This distribution pattern created a separation between China's political center (Beijing) and its economic center (Nanjing). Situated at the intersection of the Yangtze River and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Yangzhou Prefecture city, possessing two waterways connecting China's political and economic centers, became a hub for grain transport (caoyun) and thus re-emerged as a crucial node in the Chinese economy.

Simultaneously, facing the turmoil of war during the Ming-Qing transition, local gentry in Yangzhou, rooted in classical texts and absorbing Suzhou and Huizhou cultures, formed a new cultural landscape for Yangzhou during the Qing Dynasty. The high concentration of wealth and capital made Yangzhou a highly prosperous consumer city in the Qing, generating a large service industry dependent on salt merchants and fostering Yangzhou's unique and refined culinary and leisure culture. The "merchant-scholar" Huizhou merchants generously funded cultural activities in classical studies, publishing, garden architecture, painting, etc. "Half of the literati in the land gathered in Weiyang [Yangzhou]," and "those with talent and skill all resided here," making Yangzhou a national center in multiple cultural fields (such as opera).

Overall, the representative industries of Yangzhou's economy during the Ming and Qing Dynasties were:- Canal Transport. Primarily for grain transportation, the imperial grain taxes from the grain-producing provinces in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River all passed through Yangzhou heading north, and were then transported to Beijing via the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the tax revenue from Yangzhou's customs office consistently ranked among the top eight in the country.

• Salt Transport. Huai salt was transported westward, with official salt produced by the largest salt fields in the country, the Lianghuai Salt Fields (along the northern Jiangsu coast), being distributed in Yangzhou before being transported to the vast salt sales regions—the four provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, and Hunan in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River (the so-called "Four Shores of the Yangtze"). Within Yangzhou, there were offices for the Lianghuai Salt Transport Commissioner and numerous salt merchants, many of whom hailed from Anhui. Wealthy salt merchants built exquisite gardens in the southern part of Yangzhou's New City (such as the He Garden) and the northwestern suburbs (such as Slender West Lake). It was widely acknowledged at the time that "Suzhou is renowned for its markets, Yangzhou for its gardens, and Hangzhou for its lakes and mountains."
• Finance. As the largest distribution hub for official salt in the country, Yangzhou attracted a large number of salt merchants, which in turn spurred the development of local silver shops to facilitate their investment turnover. Consequently, Yangzhou became one of the most capital-concentrated regions in China and even East Asia at the time, with prosperity comparable to modern-day London or Hong Kong, second only to Suzhou in the same province. As the saying went, "No place in the world is as wealthy as Jiangsu and Zhejiang; and within Jiangsu, no cities are as prosperous as Suzhou and Yangzhou."
• Service Industry. Since the Sui and Tang dynasties, the cultural and entertainment industries have been pillars of Yangzhou's economy, with countless high-end chefs, courtesans, performers, calligraphers, painters, and antique dealers. The "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou" during the Kangxi and Qianlong periods are a prime example. Yangzhou, along with the two capitals (Beijing and Nanjing) and the two cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou, was listed as one of the "Five Must-Visit Metropolises for Scholars and Officials," making it one of the most important cultural centers in the country.
• Handicrafts. During the Qing Dynasty, Yangzhou flourished in various handicrafts such as printing, lacquerware, and jade carving, earning the reputation of "Hetian jade, Yangzhou craftsmanship."

2.6 Late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China

In 1832 (the 11th year of the Daoguang reign), Tao Shu, the Governor-General of Liangjiang, reformed the Lianghuai salt administration, abolishing the "genwo" (salt merchant licenses), which led to the bankruptcy of many salt merchants.

In 1842, during the Opium War, British forces captured Zhenjiang and blockaded the Yangtze River. Residents of Yangzhou fled in large numbers, and local gentry and merchants paid a ransom of 500,000 taels of silver to the British army in exchange for their agreement not to occupy Yangzhou. Guangzhou and Yangzhou were the only two cities to pay such ransoms during the war.

In 1853 (the 3rd year of the Xianfeng reign), after the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom captured Nanjing, the area around Nanjing became the main battlefield between the Taiping forces and the Qing army. The Qing army's Jiangbei Camp was stationed in Yangzhou, and the city's main commercial districts, such as Duozi Street, Zuowei Street, and Yuanmen Bridge, were looted and burned. "Yangzhou, ravaged by war and upheaval, saw its people, city walls, and markets reduced to ruins, with only two or three parts remaining prosperous." At the same time, due to the impact of the war, grain transport via the Yangtze River was interrupted, and the salt sales regions of Huai salt (the Four Shores of the Yangtze) were completely lost. In 1855, the Yellow River changed its course, causing the Shandong section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal to silt up. To avoid the war, grain and salt from the south were rerouted to Shanghai and transported to Beijing via sea routes. As a result, Shanghai replaced Yangzhou as China's new distribution hub for grain and salt. The capital from Yangzhou's silver shops shifted to safer treaty ports and concessions like Shanghai, while Yangzhou's entertainment and service industries further declined. After the Taiping Rebellion ended, some officials attempted to restore canal transport, but the severe siltation of the Shandong section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal made navigation impossible, forcing them to abandon the effort.

At the end of 1911, Jiangsu declared independence amid the wave of the Xinhai Revolution. Yangzhou Prefecture was abolished, while Jiangdu County remained. The opening of the Shanghai-Nanjing Railway in 1908 and the Tianjin-Pukou Railway in 1912 connected China's north-south land artery, completely ending the historical mission of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Yangzhou subsequently declined and transformed into an ordinary regional city. In 1932, as the focus of the Lianghuai Salt Fields shifted northward, the Lianghuai Salt Transport Commissioner's Office also relocated from Yangzhou to Haizhou.

Due to the defeat in the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Japanese Central China Area Army occupied Yangzhou on December 14, 1937, after the Battle of Nanjing. It was subsequently governed by the Wang Jingwei regime until 1945.

2.7 People's Republic of China

In February 1949, the People's Liberation Army liberated the urban area of Yangzhou and established the county-level Yangzhou City. From then until 1952, Yangzhou served as the capital of the Northern Jiangsu Administrative Office.

In 1982, Yangzhou was designated by the State Council as one of the first 24 nationally recognized historical and cultural cities in China. In 1983, the Yangzhou Prefecture was restructured into the prefecture-level Yangzhou City. In 1996, the county-level Taizhou, originally under Yangzhou's jurisdiction, was separated from Yangzhou and, together with Jiangyan, Jingjiang, Taixing, and Xinghua, formed the new prefecture-level Taizhou City.

In 2004, the Nanjing-Qidong Railway officially opened, ending Yangzhou's history of having no railways. In 2005, the Runyang Bridge opened, marking Yangzhou's integration into Southern Jiangsu. In 2012, Yangzhou Taizhou Airport began operations, ushering Yangzhou into the "airport era." In September 2015, the Lianyungang-Huai'an-Yangzhou-Zhenjiang High-Speed Railway, the first passenger-dedicated railway line passing through Yangzhou, commenced full-scale construction and opened on December 11, 2020, officially ushering Yangzhou into the "high-speed rail era."

3. Geography

The current administrative area of Yangzhou City lies between 119°01' (the line from Yizheng City's Yiju and Qingshan) to 119°54' east longitude and 31°56' to 33°25' (the line from Baoying County's Xi'anfeng and Jinghe) north latitude. It generally belongs to the Middle and Lower Yangtze Plain and the Jianghuai Plain, characterized by gentle terrain. The urban area of Yangzhou City is located at the confluence of the Yangtze River and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, at 119°26' east longitude and 32°24' north latitude. Yangzhou falls within the subtropical monsoon climate zone, featuring distinct seasons, abundant rainfall, a mild and humid climate, and relatively favorable natural conditions.

Yangzhou City faces Zhenjiang's urban area across the Yangtze River to the south. It borders Taizhou City (Hailing District, Gaogang District, Xinghua City) to the east, Huai'an City (Chuzhou District, Jinhu County) and Yancheng City (Jianhu County) to the north, and Nanjing City (Luhe District) as well as Tianchang City of Anhui Province to the west.

Yangzhou City has a dense network of waterways within its territory. The Yangtze River shoreline here is 80.5 kilometers long, with Yizheng City, Hanjiang District, Guangling District, and Jiangdu District lining its banks from west to east. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs through the entire city from north to south, passing through Baoying County, Gaoyou City, Jiangdu District, Guangling District, and Hanjiang District sequentially. The canal's course within the city is 143.3 kilometers long, connecting the four lakes—Baima Lake, Baoying Lake, Gaoyou Lake, and Shaobo Lake—from north to south before flowing into the Yangtze River.

The highest point in Yangzhou City is Tongshan Mountain within Yizheng City, with an elevation of 149.5 meters.

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--| | Avg high °C (°F) | 6.8(44.2) | 8.9(48.0) | 13.7(56.7) | 20.2(68.4) | 25.9(78.6) | 28.8(83.8) | 31.9(89.4) | 31.3(88.3) | 27.4(81.3) | 22.3(72.1) | 15.9(60.6) | 9.5(49.1) | 20.2(68.4) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.5(36.5) | 4.6(40.3) | 9.0(48.0) | 15.2(59.4) | 20.9(69.6) | 24.6(76.3) | 28.0(82.4) | 27.4(81.3) | 23.2(73.8) | 17.6(63.7) | 10.9(51.6) | 4.7(40.5) | 15.7(60.3) | | Avg low °C (°F) | -0.8(30.6) | 1.2(34.2) | 5.2(41.4) | 10.8(51.4) | 16.5(61.7) | 20.9(69.6) | 24.8(76.6) | 24.3(75.7) | 19.8(67.6) | 13.6(56.5) | 6.8(44.2) | 1.0(33.8) | 12.0(53.6) | | Avg precip mm (inches) | 45.1(1.78) | 47.8(1.88) | 74.8(2.94) | 71.4(2.81) | 82.9(3.26) | 138.1(5.44) | 207.4(8.17) | 141.3(5.56) | 87.8(3.46) | 56.3(2.22) | 60.2(2.37) | 30.3(1.19) | 1,043.4(41.08) | | Avg humidity (%) | 74 | 73 | 71 | 70 | 71 | 76 | 80 | 81 | 78 | 75 | 76 | 73 | 75 | Data source: China Meteorological Data Network

4. Administrative Divisions

Yangzhou City currently administers 3 municipal districts, 1 county, and has jurisdiction over 2 county-level cities on behalf of the province.

• Municipal Districts: Guangling District, Hanjiang District, Jiangdu District
• County-level Cities: Yizheng City, Gaoyou City
• County: Baoying County

Additionally, Yangzhou City has established the following economic functional zones: the National-level Yangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, the Shugang-Slender West Lake Scenic Area, and the Yangzhou Ecological Science and Technology New City.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (sq km) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Sub-district Offices | Towns | Townships | Ethnic Townships | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 321000 | Yangzhou City | Yáng zhōu Shì | 6,591.21 | 4,559,797 | Hanjiang District | 225000 | 17 | 62 | 3 | 1 | | 321002 | Guangling District | Guǎng líng Qū | 423.09 | 608,660 | Wenhe Sub-district | 225000 | 4 | 6 | | 1 | | 321003 | Hanjiang District | Hán jiāng Qū | 552.68 | 1,100,198 | Hanshang Sub-district | 225100 | 11 | 9 | | 1 | | 321012 | Jiangdu District | Jiāng dū Qū | 1,329.90 | 926,577 | Xiannü Town | 225200 | | 13 | | | | 321023 | Baoying County | Bǎo yìng Xiàn | 1,461.55 | 682,219 | Anyi Town | 225800 | | 14 | | | | 321081 | Yizheng City | Yí zhēng Shì | 902.20 | 532,571 | Zhenzhou Town | 211400 | | 10 | | | | 321084 | Gaoyou City | Gāo yóu Shì | 1,921.78 | 709,572 | Gaoyou Sub-district | 225600 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 1 |

Note: The figures for Guangling District include the 2 towns under the jurisdiction of the Yangzhou Ecological Science and Technology New City. The figures for Hanjiang District include the 2 sub-districts and 2 towns under the jurisdiction of the Yangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, and the 4 sub-districts and 1 township under the jurisdiction of the Shugang-Slender West Lake Scenic Area.

Yangzhou is a famous historical and cultural city with profound cultural heritage and rich tourism resources. For example, the Slender West Lake is a renowned scenic area, attracting numerous tourists with its beautiful natural scenery and unique garden landscapes. Yangzhou's cuisine is also well-known, such as Yangzhou fried rice and Fuchun steamed buns. This administrative division information helps in better understanding Yangzhou's geographical distribution and administrative management structure. The different districts, counties, and cities each have their own characteristics and development priorities, collectively driving Yangzhou's development and progress.

5. Economy

Yangzhou is located in the Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone, the most developed economic region in China, boasting a superior geographical position. Together with Nanjing and Zhenjiang, it forms the Nanjing Metropolitan Area. Currently, Yangzhou's economic development level ranks in the middle among cities in Jiangsu Province, surpassing the national average, with certain advantages in industries such as automobiles and shipbuilding. In 2018, Yangzhou's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 546.617 billion yuan, with per capita GDP exceeding 120,000 yuan for the first time, maintaining a leading position in central and northern Jiangsu for many consecutive years.

| Administrative Division | Gross Domestic Product (100 million yuan) | Proportion (%) | |--|--|--| | Yangzhou City | 5,466.17 | 100.00 | | Yangzhou Urban Area | 3,492.75 | 63.90 | | Gaoyou City | 669.02 | 12.24 | | Yizheng City | 673.94 | 12.33 | | Baoying County | 630.46 | 11.53 |

6. Transportation

6.1 Highways

The highway network is well-developed, serving as a junction for several expressways and national/provincial trunk roads. Currently constructed expressways include the G2 Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, G40 Shanghai-Shaanxi Expressway, G4011 Yangzhou-Liyang Expressway, S28 Qidong-Yangzhou Expressway, and S49 Xinyi-Yangzhou Expressway. The Runyang Yangtze River Bridge (on the G40 Shanghai-Shaanxi Expressway) and the Wufengshan Yangtze River Bridge (on the S39 Jiangdu-Yizheng Expressway) connect Yangzhou to the expressway network of Southern Jiangsu. Additionally, National Highways 233, 328, 344, and 345 also pass through the city.

6.2 Railway

• China High-Speed Railway: Nanjing-Qidong Railway
• China High-Speed Railway: Lianyungang-Zhenjiang Railway

6.3 Rail Transit

6.3.1 Urban Rail Transit

6.3.1.1 Metro

The long-term plan for the Yangzhou Metro envisions 7 lines, comprising 5 main urban lines and 2 metropolitan area express lines, with a total network length of approximately 206 km and a network density of 0.11 km/km². The main urban lines account for 151 km with a density of 0.30 km/km². The near-term plan involves the construction of 3 lines: the entire Line 1, the first phase of Line 2, and the first phase of Line 5. The plan has been submitted to the National Ministry of Ecology and Environment for review and is currently awaiting approval from the State Council.

The under-construction Nanjing Metro Line S5 will pass through Yangzhou City and is expected to be completed in 2026.

6.3.1.2 Light Rail

The Yangzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission has organized relevant design units to conduct planning studies; the planning timeline is currently unknown.

6.3.2 Intercity Rail Transit

6.3.2.1 Yangzhou via Zhenjiang to Yangzhong Intercity Railway

It was included in the 2020 Yangtze River Mainline Cross-River Channel Layout Plan issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, with a planning horizon extending to 2035.

6.3.2.2 Nanjing Jiangbei to Yizheng Intercity Railway

A cooperation agreement for the study of rail transit from the Nanjing Jiangbei area to Yizheng was signed in 2020; the planning timeline for this line is currently unknown.

6.4 Airport

Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport, located in Jiangdu District, offers flights to major cities across mainland China. Direct airport shuttle buses connect the airport to downtown Yangzhou. Furthermore, the airport has currently opened international routes to destinations such as Bangkok, Thailand; Osaka, Japan; Seoul-Incheon, South Korea; Nha Trang, Vietnam; Jeju, South Korea; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; as well as regional routes to Hong Kong and Taoyuan, Taiwan. There are prospects for future international routes to tourist destinations like Singapore and Vladivostok, Russia, facilitating travel for residents in the surrounding areas.

6.5 Shipping

Yangzhou Port is a national Class I open port and a significant coastal and river port in China. The entire port has 39 various berths, including 13 ten-thousand-ton class berths and 17 thousand-ton class berths. It has formed a port cluster led by the Liuwei Port Area, with the Yizheng Port Area and Jiangdu Port Area serving as its two wings.

7. Education

7.1 Higher Education

• Yangzhou University
• Guangling College of Yangzhou University
• Tongda College of Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications
• Yangzhou Polytechnic College
• Yangzhou Vocational College of Environment and Resources
• Jianghai Polytechnic College
• Yangzhou Polytechnic Institute
• Yangzhou Hospitality Institute
• Jiangsu Tourism College

7.2 High Schools

• Yangzhou Middle School Education Group Shuren School
• Affiliated High School of Yangzhou University
• Yangzhou Xinhua Middle School
• Yangzhou No.1 Middle School
• Jiangsu Hanjiang Middle School
• Yangzhou Guazhou Middle School
• Jiangdu District: Jiangsu Jiangdu Middle School, Yangzhou Jiangdu District Dinggou Middle School, Yangzhou Jiangdu District Daqiao Senior High School, Yangzhou Xiancheng Middle School
• Baoying County: Jiangsu Baoying Middle School, Baoying County Anyi Senior High School, Baoying County Fanshui Senior High School
• Gaoyou City: Jiangsu Gaoyou Middle School, Gaoyou No.1 Middle School
• Yizheng City: Jiangsu Yizheng Middle School, Yizheng Jingcheng Middle School, Yizheng No.2 Middle School
• The Second Affiliated High School of Nanjing Normal University
• Beijing New Oriental Yangzhou Foreign Language School

7.3 Middle Schools

• Yangzhou Middle School Education Group Shuren School
• Yangzhou Meiling Middle School
• Hanjiang Experimental School
• Hanjiang Middle School (Group) Runyang Middle School
• Affiliated Middle School of Yangzhou University Eastern Branch
• Yangzhou Meiyuan Bilingual School
• Yangzhou Zhuxi Middle School
• Yangzhou Cuigang Middle School
• Yangzhou Meiling Middle School Jinghuacheng Campus
• Yangzhou Weiyang Experimental Middle School
• Yangzhou Meiqi School
• Yangzhou Beijing New Oriental School
• Yangzhou Shiming Bilingual School
• Yangzhou Zhu Ziqing Middle School

7.4 Primary Schools

• Yucai Primary School
• Hanjiang Experimental Primary School
• Meiling Primary School
• Wenhe Primary School
• Dongguan Primary School
• Jiangdu District Experimental Primary School
• Sima Primary School
• Shakou Primary School
• Weiyang Experimental Primary School
• Yucai Primary School West Campus
• Meiling Primary School West Campus
• Yangzhou Beijing New Oriental School
• Meiqi Primary School

8. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 4,559,797. Compared with the 4,460,066 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was an increase of 99,731 people over the ten-year period, a growth of 2.24%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.22%. Among them, the male population was 2,270,783, accounting for 49.8% of the total population; the female population was 2,289,014, accounting for 50.2% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 99.2. The population aged 0–14 was 527,419, accounting for 11.57% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 2,846,179, accounting for 62.42% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 1,186,199, accounting for 26.01% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 911,673, accounting for 19.99% of the total population. The urban population was 3,238,904, accounting for 71.03% of the total population; the rural population was 1,320,893, accounting for 28.97% of the total population.

By the end of 2017, Yangzhou City had a permanent resident population of 4.5082 million, with an urbanization rate of 66.05%, an increase of 1.65 percentage points from 2016. By the end of 2017, the total registered population of Yangzhou City was 4.5998 million, a decrease of 16,851 people from the end of 2016. The city recorded 45,400 births, with a birth rate of 9.87‰; 52,800 deaths, with a mortality rate of 11.48‰. The natural population growth rate was -1.61‰. By the end of 2017, the total registered population of Yangzhou's urban districts was 2.3300 million, an increase of 0.23%.

8.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group numbered 4,532,448, accounting for 99.40%; ethnic minorities numbered 27,349, accounting for 0.60%. Compared with the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the Han population increased by 90,210, a growth of 2.03%, but its proportion of the total population decreased by 0.2 percentage points; the ethnic minority population increased by 9,521, a growth of 53.4%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 0.2 percentage points.

Lingtang Hui Ethnic Township, under the jurisdiction of Gaoyou City, is the only ethnic township in Jiangsu Province.

9. Religion

• Buddhism: Daming Temple, Gaomin Temple, Jingzhong Temple, Guanyin Chan Temple, Fahai Temple, Xingshan Temple, Wenfeng Temple, Qituolin, Wanshou Guanyin Nunnery, Jianzhen Buddhist College
• Taoism: Wudang Xinggong
• Protestantism: There are 30,000 Christians in Yangzhou, with 3 pastors and 1 associate pastor. In the urban area, there are two churches: Cuiyuan Road Church and Shenzai Church.
• Catholicism: Yangzhou Sacred Heart of Jesus Church
• Islam: Xianhe Mosque

10. Culture

10.1 National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

• Ruins of Yangzhou City
• Heyuan Garden
• Geyuan Garden
• Lotus Bridge and White Pagoda of Lianxing Temple
• Wu's Residence
• Daming Temple of Yangzhou
• Tomb of Puhading
• Xiaopangu
• Former Residence of Zhu Ziqing

10.2 National-Level Intangible Cultural Heritage

• Guangling Qin School
• Yangzhou Pinghua (Storytelling)
• Yang Opera
• Yangzhou Qingqu (Pure Songs)
• Yangzhou Tanci (Plucked Narrative Singing)
• Puppet Show
• Yangzhou Paper-Cutting
• Yangzhou Jade Carving
• Yangzhou Lacquerware Decoration Techniques
• Woodblock Printing Techniques
• Yang School Penjing (Bonsai) Techniques
• Fuchun Tea Snack Making Techniques

10.3 Tang and Song Poetry and Yangzhou

Many poems refer to Yangzhou as "Weiyang."

• My friend has left the west where the Yellow Crane towers, For River Town when willow-down and flowers abound.
• Of all the moonlight night on earth three parts are found, Two parts in Yangzhou, one where beauties fair abound. (Yangzhou is known as the "City of the Moon.")
• The spring wind blows for miles along the city wall, No curtain rolled up can outshine her at all.
• Where is the moon that shone on the Twenty-four Bridges bright? Where is the jade-like beauty playing the flute tonight?
• Ten years in Yangzhou I seemed to have dreamed, And won in blue mansions the name of a fop.
• With a hundred thousand strings of cash around my waist, I'd ride a crane down to Yangzhou.
• A famous town east of River Huai, A lovely place west of Bamboo Ridge.

10.4 Cuisine

• Yangzhou Soup Dumplings Yangzhou Soup Dumplings are a famous snack of Jiangsu Province. The dumpling skin is made from fine flour scalded with hot water, the filling uses rib meat mixed with fresh bone marrow broth, and over ten kinds of premium seasonings are added for flavor. The dumplings are fragrant with tender meat, thin yet chewy skin, delicate appearance, rich broth, and are oily yet not greasy in the mouth.

• Bamboo Shoot and Pork Potstickers Bamboo Shoot and Pork Potstickers are a local snack of Yangzhou. The wrapper is made from dough paste, filled with a bamboo shoot and pork mixture, and then deep-fried until golden brown. They are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, with a delicious taste.

• Jadeite Shaomai Jadeite Shaomai is a famous snack of Yangzhou, first created by Chen Buyun, founder of Yangzhou's Fuchun Teahouse.

• Thousand-Layer Oil Cake The Thousand-Layer Cake is diamond-shaped, hibiscus-colored, and semi-transparent. The entire cake consists of 64 layers, with sugar and oil alternating between each layer.

• Crab Roe Shaomai Crab Roe Shaomai is filled with crab roe and crab meat, with a broth made from original chicken soup.

• Three-Diced Steamed Buns The so-called "Three Dices" refer to diced chicken, pork, and bamboo shoots. The chicken dices use mature hens from the previous year, which are both plump and tender; the pork dices use pork belly ribs with moderate fat; the bamboo shoot dices use fresh bamboo shoots according to the season.

• Salted Goose Also known as "Old Goose," the meat is lean but not dry, with a delicious flavor.

10.5 Specialties

• Yangzhou Mother-of-Pearl Lacquerware
• Yangzhou Fried Rice
• Fuchun Steamed Buns
• Yangzhou Pickles
• Yangzhou Beef Jerky Candy
• Yangzhou Old Goose

10.6 China Time-Honored Brands

• Yangzhou Fuchun Teahouse
• Yangzhou Sanhe Simei Pickles Co., Ltd.
• Yangzhou Guangming Glasses Co., Ltd.
• Yangzhou Xie Fuchun Cosmetics Co., Ltd.
• Yangzhou Jade Factory
• Yangzhou Lacquerware Factory
• Tongsong Ginseng Pharmacy

10.7 Dialect

The dialect spoken throughout Yangzhou City belongs to the Hongchao cluster of the Jianghuai Mandarin, commonly known as Subei dialect. Except for the western part of Yizheng, which belongs to the Nanjing sub-cluster of the Ninglu dialect, the rest belongs to the Yangzhou sub-cluster of the Yanghuai dialect.

Yangzhou dialect is one of the representative dialects of Jianghuai Mandarin, preserving many traditional vocabulary and some vivid, interesting colloquialisms. Performing arts using Yangzhou dialect as the medium include Yangzhou Qingqu, Yangzhou Pinghua, and Yang Opera. These arts have been listed as national intangible cultural heritage. In the narrow sense, "Yangzhou dialect" generally refers to the urban dialect of Yangzhou city, which suburban residents call "street talk." In the broad sense, Yangzhou dialect also includes the dialects of most of Hanjiang, most of Jiangdu, most of Yizheng, the urban area of Zhenjiang City, and Tianchang City in Anhui Province, commonly known as "Subei dialect."

Initials: Including the zero initial, Yangzhou dialect has 17 initials. Compared with Mandarin, it lacks the five initials zh, ch, sh, r, and n. Ancient voiced obstruents have become voiceless in Yangzhou dialect; for stops and affricates, level tones are pronounced as aspirated voiceless sounds, and oblique tones as unaspirated voiceless sounds, consistent with most Mandarin dialects. The distinction between retroflex and dental sibilants in Mandarin is not present in Yangzhou dialect; Yangzhou dialect uses z, c, s, l to replace zh, ch, sh, r. For ancient jian series open-mouth second-division characters, there are often two readings: non-palatalized (open-mouth) and palatalized (even-mouth). For example: 家 (jia/ga), pronounced as ga in "家去" (go home) and jia in "家庭" (family), which should not be confused. The ying initial and yi initial are merged, both pronounced as the zero initial, consistent with Mandarin. The ni initial, lai initial, and ri initial are merged, the so-called confusion of n, l, and r. Before main vowel finals, it is l; before medial finals, it is n. For example: 脑 (nao) = lao, 凉 (liang) = niang. However, many suburban areas of Yangzhou distinguish between n and l.

Finals: Yangzhou dialect has 47 finals. Compared with most Mandarin dialects, its most distinctive feature is the preservation of the entering tone, which ends with a glottal stop. The ancient xian and shan rhymes are divided into three: huanhuan, hanshan, and xiantian rhymes. For example: 关 (guan) = guan, 官 (guan) = guon, 山 (shan) = san, 扇 (shan) = xien, 肩 (jian) = jien, 间 (jian) = jian, etc., which differ from Mandarin. The front and back nasal endings in Beijing Mandarin are merged in Yangzhou dialect. 冰 (bing) = 宾 (bin), 静 (jing) = 进 (jin). The guo rhyme does not distinguish between open and closed mouths, all pronounced as o. For example: 贺 (he) = 货 (huo) = ho. 和 (he) = 河 (he) = ho.

Tones: Yangzhou dialect has five single-character tones: yinping (high level), yangping (rising), shangsheng (falling-rising), qusheng (falling), and rusheng (entering). Ancient voiced obstruent shangsheng characters have merged into qusheng; ancient sonorant shangsheng characters have merged into shangsheng. Ancient voiceless qusheng and voiced qusheng; voiceless rusheng and voiced rusheng have merged into qusheng and rusheng respectively. Except for the entering tone, the tone categories of other characters are basically the same as in Mandarin.

10.8 Tourism

In 1998, Yangzhou was rated as one of the first batch of China's Excellent Tourist Cities. In April 2020, UNESCO awarded Yangzhou the title of "City of Gastronomy." Main attractions include:

• Slender West Lake
• Geyuan Garden, Heyuan Garden
• Daming Temple of Yangzhou
• Wang's Small Garden (Yangzhou Salt Merchant Architecture Exhibition Hall, including China Paper-Cutting Museum)
• Wu Daotai's Residence (including Yangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Museum)
• Tang City Ruins
• Guanyin Chan Temple (Site of Sui Dynasty Milou)
• Hanling Garden (Tomb of the King of Guangling of Han)
• Former Residence of Zhu Ziqing
• Puhading Garden
• Qionghua Taoist Temple (Yangzhou Art Museum)
• Wudang Traveling Palace
• Zhushi Caolin (Former Residence of Luo Pin)
• Wenfeng Temple
• Yangzhou China Block Printing Museum—Yangzhou Museum (Double Museum)
• Archaeological Site Park of Emperor Yang of Sui's Tomb (Joint Tomb of Emperor Yang of Sui and Empress Xiao)
• World Animal Window
• Ancient Canal Scenic Belt and Water Tours
• Shi Kefa Memorial Hall (including Guangling Qin School Museum)
• Yangzhou City Gate Ruins Museum, Yangzhou West Gate Ruins Museum
• Plum Blossom Academy (Yangzhou School Memorial Hall)
• Yangzhou Folk Museum
• Tianning Chan Temple (Yangzhou China Buddhist Culture Garden)
• Jingzhong Temple
• Gaomin Temple
• Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics Memorial Hall
• Yangzhou Water Culture Museum
• Lu's Salt Merchant Residence
• Salt Ancestral Temple (Zeng Guofan Ancestral Hall)
• Erfen Mingyue Lou (Two-Part Moon Tower)
• Dongguan Street, Dongquanmen (Yangzhou Ming-Qing Ancient City)
• Nanhexia Guild Hall Street (Hunan Guild Hall, Anhui Guild Hall, Former Residence of Liao Keting)
• Zhuxi Park
• Phoenix Island Park
• Zhuyu Bay Park
• Lotus Pond Park, Qujiang Park
• Shugang West Peak Forest Park, Runyang Wetland Forest Park
• Choi Chi-won Memorial Hall
• Former Site of Tongsong Ginseng Pharmacy
• Yangzhou China Grand Canal Museum

10.8.1 National-Level Scenic Areas

• Shugang-Slender West Lake

11. Sister Cities

• Greater Green Triangle Region, Australia
• Offenbach am Main, Germany
• Yongin, South Korea
• Kent, Washington, USA
• Stamford, USA
• Westport, Connecticut, USA
• Yangon, Myanmar
• Atsugi, Japan
• Karatsu, Japan
• Rimini, Italy
• Razgrad, Bulgaria
• Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Russia
• Balashikha, Russia
• Taegu, South Korea
• Jeju-do, South Korea
• Yeosu, South Korea
• Vaughan, Canada
• Richmond, Canada
• Melaka, Malaysia
• Damietta, Egypt
• Honolulu, USA
• Bree, Belgium
• Breda, Netherlands
• Nara, Japan
• Orléans, France

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Guangling District

Jiangdu District

Among the city's permanent population, the Han ethnic group comprises 4,532,448 people, accounting for 99.40%; while ethnic minorities total 27,349 people, making up 0.60%.

Ginkgo, Willow (informal)

Qionghua, Peony