Yongzhou (永州)

1. Introduction

Yongzhou (English: Yongzhou; Postal romanization: Yungchow), abbreviated as Yong, historically known as Lingling, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hunan Province, People's Republic of China, located in the southwestern part of Hunan Province. The city borders Shaoyang City to the northwest, Hengyang City to the northeast, Chenzhou City to the east, Qingyuan City of Guangdong Province to the southeast, Hezhou City of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to the south, and Guilin City of Guangxi to the west. Situated at the northern foot of the Nanling Mountains, the terrain is higher in the south and lower in the north, surrounded by mountains on three sides. The Dupang Ridge and Yuecheng Ridge lie to the northwest, the Mengzhu Ridge and Jiuyi Mountain to the southeast, and the Yangming Mountain stretches across the central part, dividing the city into northern and southern sections. The Xiang River traverses the northern part of the city, while the Xiao River flows from south to north, converging with the Xiang River in the urban area. The total area of the city is 22,259 square kilometers, with a permanent resident population of approximately 5.15 million. Yongzhou has long been known as "Beautiful Xiaoxiang." On November 25, 2015, Yongzhou was approved as a National Forest City. On December 16, 2016, with the approval of the State Council, Yongzhou was designated as a National Historical and Cultural City. The People's Government of Yongzhou is located at No. 1 Yiyun Road, Lengshuitan District.

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2. History

A map of Huangzhou Prefecture and Yongzhou Prefecture in Huguang Province from Du Halde's 1735 "Description of the Chinese Empire," based on records from Jesuit missionaries.

Yongzhou was anciently known as Lingling. The name originates from the story of Emperor Shun, who died during his southern tour at Mount Jiuyi in Ningyuan, and his consorts Ehuang and Nüying, who traveled thousands of miles in search of their husband and shed tears of sorrow (the character "ling" in Lingling means "tears falling" or "shedding tears"). According to the "Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of the Five Emperors," Shun "went on a southern tour and died in the wilderness of Cangwu. He was buried at Mount Jiuyi south of the Yangtze River, which is known as Lingling."

During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the area belonged to the southern territory of the State of Chu. In the Qin Dynasty, it was part of Changsha Commandery. In the sixth year of the Yuanding era of Emperor Wu of Han (111 BCE), Lingling Commandery was established. During the Sui Dynasty, the Yongzhou Chief Administration was established, and from then on, Yongzhou and Lingling became two names for the same place. Additionally, because the Xiao River and the Xiang River converge in the city area, Yongzhou has been poetically referred to as Xiaoxiang since ancient times.

After Emperor Wen of Sui unified China, following the principle of "retaining the essential and eliminating the redundant, merging the small into the large," he abolished the system of prefectures, commanderies, and counties, implementing instead a system of prefectures and counties. Due to the presence of "Yong Mountain and Yong River" in the southwest of Lingling Commandery, Lingling Commandery was reorganized into the Yongzhou Chief Administration. The "Yong Mountain and Yong River" mentioned here refer to the landscape in what is now the Yongjiang Township area of Shuangpai County. The river flowing from Yongjiang Township into the Xiao River is called Yongjiang, also known as the "Yong River." The mountains in this area are the so-called "Yong Mountain." From the establishment of the Yongzhou Chief Administration to the present, the name Yongzhou and its administrative division have existed for over 1,400 years.

2.1 Modern Place Name Changes

• In 1949, Yongzhou Special District was established, renamed Lingling Special District in 1950.
• In 1952, it was abolished and incorporated into the Southern Hunan Administrative Region.
• In 1962, Lingling Special District was restored.
• In September 1968, it was renamed Lingling Prefecture.
• On November 21, 1995, Lingling Prefecture was abolished, and the new prefecture-level Yongzhou City was established. The former area of Lingling Prefecture became the administrative area of the newly established prefecture-level Yongzhou City. The former county-level Yongzhou City and Lengshuitan City were adjusted into two municipal districts: Lingling District and Lengshuitan District.

2.2 Government Seat

In July 1997, the government seat was relocated from Lingling District to Lengshuitan District.

3. Geography

3.1 Overview

Yongzhou borders Chenzhou to the east, Guangdong's Lianzhou to the south, Guangxi's Guilin to the west, and Hengyang and Shaoyang to the north. Its geographical coordinates lie between 24°39′ to 26°51′ north latitude and 111°06′ to 112°21′ east longitude. The maximum north-south distance is 245 kilometers, and the maximum east-west width is 144 kilometers, with a total land area of 22,400 square kilometers.

3.2 Topography and Terrain

The terrain of Yongzhou is generally higher in the southwest and lower in the northeast and central regions. Yongzhou is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with only the northeast open. The Dupang Ridge and Yuecheng Ridge lie to the northwest, while the Mengzhu Ridge and Jiuyi Mountain are to the southeast. The Yangming Mountain and Zijin Mountain traverse the area from east to west, dividing the entire city into northern and southern parts: the Lingqi and Ningdao basins.

Located at the transitional zone between the second and third topographic steps, Yongzhou marks the initial stage of the transition from the Nanling Mountains to the Dongting Lake Plain. The surface of Yongzhou is intensely dissected. With the three major mountain systems forming the ridgelines, the land descends in a ring-shaped, step-like manner towards the centers of the two basins. The three major mountain systems in the northwest, west, and southwest feature towering, winding mountains with peaks exceeding 1,000 meters. Jiucai Ridge, the peak of the Dupang Ridge, stands at 2,009.3 meters above sea level, the highest point within the territory. In the northeast and central parts, hills and mounds are scattered like stars, interspersed with valleys and basins, generally at elevations below 300 meters. Jiuzhou at Tangjialing in Qiyang, located in the Xiang River valley, has an elevation of 63 meters, the lowest point within the territory. The relative height difference across the entire area is 1,946.3 meters, with gradients ranging from 2.7% to 20%. The depth of dissection is generally 300–700 meters, reaching a maximum of 800–1,000 meters.

The landforms within Yongzhou are complex and diverse, dominated by mountainous and hilly terrain. Plains account for 14.29%, tablelands for 17.81%, hills for 4.51%, and mountains for 49.45%.

3.3 Hydrology

In terms of rivers, the Xiang River flows from west to east through the Lingqi Basin, while the Xiao River runs from south to north across the entire territory. There are 733 rivers of various sizes in the region, most of which are mountainous rivers characterized by steep gradients, fast flow, abundant hydropower potential, significant seasonal variations between flood and dry periods, and low sediment content. The rivers belong to two major watersheds: the Yangtze River and the Pearl River. The Yangtze River watershed controls 96.6% of the total area, while the Pearl River watershed controls 3.4%.

3.4 Natural Resources

Yongzhou has diverse and relatively good-quality land types, including 5 million mu (approx. 333,333 hectares) of arable land suitable for agriculture, 21 million mu (approx. 1.4 million hectares) of land suitable for forestry, and 1.58 million mu (approx. 105,333 hectares) of contiguous land suitable for grazing. Yongzhou belongs to the subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest zone, rich in plant resources. Plants under national first-level protection include the Cathaya argyrophylla, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Davidia involucrata, Cunninghamia lanceolata, Bretschneidera sinensis, and Cycas revoluta. Over 1,000 species of wild animals have been identified, including many rare species. Those under national first-level protection include the South China tiger and the Cabot's tragopan. Yongzhou has proven reserves of 55 types of minerals, accounting for half of the mineral types in the province. Manganese and rare earth minerals have relatively large proven reserves. Yongzhou has a dense river network with a well-developed water system. The riverbeds are deep with rapid flows, endowing the area with abundant hydropower resources totaling 2.38 million kilowatts, ranking third in Hunan Province.

3.5 Climate

Yongzhou has a subtropical monsoon climate, characterized by cold, damp winters and hot, muggy summers, with humid weather year-round and relatively low sunshine. The average temperature in January is 6.0°C, in July is 28.8°C, and the annual average is 17.8°C. Rainfall is concentrated, with precipitation from April to June accounting for 41% of the annual total, while rainfall decreases significantly from September to December. | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------|------|------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------|------|-------|-------| | Record high °C | 25.9 | 31.6 | 35.7 | 35.7 | 35.2 | 38.0 | 39.7 | 40.3 | 38.1 | 36.2 | 33.7 | 26.3 | 40.3 | | Record high °F | 78.6 | 88.9 | 96.3 | 96.3 | 95.4 | 100.4 | 103.5 | 104.5 | 100.6 | 97.2 | 92.7 | 79.3 | 104.5 | | Average high °C | 9.2 | 11.3 | 15.6 | 22.2 | 27.0 | 30.3 | 33.5 | 32.7 | 28.7 | 23.6 | 18.0 | 12.4 | 22.0 | | Average high °F | 48.6 | 52.3 | 60.1 | 72.0 | 80.6 | 86.5 | 92.3 | 90.9 | 83.7 | 74.5 | 64.4 | 54.3 | 71.7 | | Daily mean °C | 6.1 | 8.1 | 11.9 | 18.1 | 22.8 | 26.2 | 29.0 | 28.1 | 24.4 | 19.3 | 13.9 | 8.5 | 18.0 | | Daily mean °F | 43.0 | 46.6 | 53.4 | 64.6 | 73.0 | 79.2 | 84.2 | 82.6 | 75.9 | 66.7 | 57.0 | 47.3 | 64.5 | | Average low °C | 3.9 | 5.9 | 9.3 | 15.1 | 19.6 | 23.1 | 25.6 | 24.8 | 21.2 | 16.1 | 10.8 | 5.6 | 15.1 | | Average low °F | 39.0 | 42.6 | 48.7 | 59.2 | 67.3 | 73.6 | 78.1 | 76.6 | 70.2 | 61.0 | 51.4 | 42.1 | 59.2 | | Record low °C | -3.9 | -4.6 | 0.0 | 4.1 | 9.3 | 14.5 | 18.7 | 18.4 | 13.0 | 4.7 | -0.6 | -5.2 | -5.2 | | Record low °F | 25.0 | 23.7 | 32.0 | 39.4 | 48.7 | 58.1 | 65.7 | 65.1 | 55.4 | 40.5 | 30.9 | 22.6 | 22.6 | | Average precipitation mm | 82.2 | 112.9 | 148.7 | 173.1 | 214.7 | 182.8 | 127.7 | 136.6 | 58.2 | 68.1 | 72.0 | 49.4 | 1,426.4 | | Average precipitation inches | 3.24 | 4.44 | 5.85 | 6.81 | 8.45 | 7.20 | 5.03 | 5.38 | 2.29 | 2.68 | 2.83 | 1.94 | 56.14 | | Average precipitation days | 16.3 | 16.1 | 18.9 | 18.2 | 17.3 | 14.2 | 10.7 | 12.1 | 9.4 | 11.6 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 163.7 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 80 | 82 | 82 | 80 | 78 | 79 | 71 | 75 | 76 | 75 | 74 | 73 | 77 | | Mean monthly sunshine hours | 61.5 | 47.| Percentage of possible sunshine (%) | 19 | 15 | 15 | 22 | 30 | 37 | 58 | 53 | 42 | 36 | 36 | 33 | 34 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Yongzhou City administers 2 districts, 7 counties, 1 autonomous county, and manages 1 county-level city on behalf of the higher-level government.

• Districts: Lingling District, Lengshuitan District
• County-level City: Qiyang City
• Counties: Dong'an County, Shuangpai County, Dao County, Jiangyong County, Ningyuan County, Lanshan County, Xintian County
• Autonomous County: Jianghua Yao Autonomous County Additionally, Yongzhou City has established two county-level management districts reformed from state-owned farms: the Jindong Management District and the Huilongxu Management District.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | of which: Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|--------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|-------------------------------| | 431100 | Yongzhou City | Yongzhou Shi | 22,259.20 | 5,289,824 | Lengshuitan District| 425000 | 30 | 111 | 40 | 21 | | 431102 | Lingling District | Lingling Qü | 1,964.14 | 563,556 | Xujiajing Subdistrict | 425000 | 6 | 7 | 3 | | | 431103 | Lengshuitan District | Lengshuitan Qü | 1,217.13 | 583,136 | Wutong Subdistrict | 425100 | 10 | 8 | 1 | | | 431122 | Dong'an County | Dong'an Xian | 2,204.44 | 490,385 | Baiyashi Town | 425900 | | 13 | 2 | | | 431123 | Shuangpai County | Shuangpai Xian | 1,726.26 | 157,140 | Shuangbo Town | 425200 | | 6 | 5 | 1 | | 431124 | Dao County | Dao Xian | 2,447.80 | 621,275 | Lianxi Subdistrict | 425300 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 3 | | 431125 | Jiangyong County | Jiangyong Xian | 1,629.15 | 235,699 | Xiaopu Town | 425400 | | 6 | 4 | 4 |

5. Economy

Yongzhou has long served as a vital transportation hub connecting Central and East China to Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and the southwestern regions. It is also an important gateway for Hunan's opening-up to the outside world, historically known as the "Thoroughfare of the Southern Mountains." Strategically positioned at the convergence of land and water routes, it stands at the crucial juncture between Chu (Hunan/Hubei) and Guangdong, exerting influence over numerous southern tribes and linking the Five Ranges. With the Mei and Geng ranges stretching before it and the Hengshan Mountain standing guard behind, Yongzhou commands access to the Central Plains in the northeast, controls the strategic gateway to Guangxi's border in the southwest, and holds the coastal passage to Guangdong in the southeast, making it a contested location for military strategists throughout history. It is the only region in Hunan that borders both Guangdong and Guangxi. The city center is just over 500 kilometers from Guangzhou, and the six southern counties are only about 400 kilometers away, positioning Yongzhou as the "inland of the coast and the frontier of the interior."

The Hunan-Guangxi Railway and the Hengyang-Liuzhou Railway traverse the region east-west, while National Highways 322 and 207, along with nine provincial highways, crisscross the area. The Yongzhou-Lianzhou (Guangdong) Second-Class Highway, the Hunan-Guangxi Railway, the Hengyang-Liuzhou Railway, the Luoyang-Zhanjiang Railway, the Hengyang-Kunming Expressway, the Shaoyang-Yongzhou Expressway, and the Xiang River waterway form a regional transportation hub. This network provides northward access to the major central city of Wuhan and the Central Plains, eastward passage to East China, and a southwestern route directly to the provinces and regions of the greater southwest. It also offers access to the sea via Beihai and Fangcheng in Guangxi and Zhanjiang in Guangdong, serving as a corridor from the Central Plains and East China to the greater southwest. The Lingling Airport has established routes to Beijing, Changsha, Shenzhen, and Kunming.

Yongzhou is a crucial direct passage from inland China to the "Two Guangs" (Guangdong, Guangxi), the "Two Souths" (Hainan, the greater southwest), and the "Two Regions" (Hong Kong, Macao). It acts as a significant junction between the South China and North China economic zones, possessing a distinct dual-radiation function. The urban area of Yongzhou City is situated at the confluence of the Xiao and Xiang rivers. The entire city is divided into two relatively independent districts: Lingling and Lengshuitan. These two districts are separated by a straight-line distance of 17 kilometers but are connected by the Xiang River and Yongzhou Avenue, forming a dumbbell-shaped framework that constitutes the unique urban landscape of the "First City on the Xiao and Xiang Rivers."

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6. Education

6.1 Universities:

Hunan University of Science and Engineering Yongzhou Vocational Technical College Hunan Jiuyi Vocational Technical College (Xiaoxiang Technician College)

6.2 High Schools:

Yongzhou No. 1 Middle School Yongzhou No. 4 Middle School Qiyang No. 1 Middle School Yongzhou No. 2 Middle School Yongzhou No. 3 Middle School Yongzhou No. 6 Middle School Yongzhou No. 8 Middle School Yongzhou No. 7 Middle School

6.3 Secondary Specialized Schools:

Yongzhou Industrial and Commercial Vocational Secondary Specialized School

7. Population

At the end of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 5.1437 million. Among them, the urban population was 2.4987 million, with an urbanization rate of 48.58%, an increase of 0.67 percentage points from the end of the previous year.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 5,289,824. Compared with the 5,194,275 people from the Sixth National Population Census, the total increase over the ten years was 95,549 people, a growth of 1.84%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.18%. Among them, the male population was 2,753,253, accounting for 52.05% of the total population; the female population was 2,536,571, accounting for 47.95% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 108.54. The population aged 0-14 was 1,214,178, accounting for 22.95% of the total population; the population aged 15-59 was 3,037,037, accounting for 57.41% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 1,038,609, accounting for 19.63% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 761,329, accounting for 14.39% of the total population. The population living in urban areas was 2,483,050, accounting for 46.94% of the total population; the population living in rural areas was 2,806,774, accounting for 53.06% of the total population.

According to the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the permanent resident population of Yongzhou City was 5,180,235, accounting for 7.89% of Hunan's population, ranking 6th, with a population density of 233 people/km²; the sex ratio was 108.68 males per 100 females. By education level, those with a college degree or above accounted for 4.54% of the total population, those with a junior high school education or above accounted for 60.48% of the total population, and the illiteracy rate was 2.93%. There were 1,424,823 household units in the jurisdiction, with a household population of 5,012,813, accounting for 96.77% of the total population; the average household size was 3.52 people. In terms of age composition, the population aged 14 and below was 1,075,646, accounting for 20.76% of the total population; the population aged 15-64 was 3,616,181, accounting for 69.81%; the elderly population aged 65 and above was 488,408, accounting for 9.43% of the total population.

7.1. Ethnic Groups

Yongzhou is one of the areas in Hunan Province with a relatively concentrated minority population. The population is predominantly Han Chinese, with ethnic minorities distributed in a pattern of "large dispersion, small concentration." The indigenous ethnic minorities are the Yao and Zhuang ethnic groups. Yongzhou is one of the main settlement areas for the Yao ethnic population in China and also a primary settlement area for the Zhuang ethnic population in Hunan. Data from the Fifth National Population Census in 2000 shows that the Han population in Yongzhou was 4,831,376, accounting for 90.02% of the regional population; the minority population was 535,730, accounting for 8.36% of Hunan's minority population, ranking 4th in the province, and making up 9.98% of the regional total population. Among China's 55 ethnic minorities, 47 are represented in Yongzhou.

Yongzhou is one of the main settlement areas for the Yao ethnic population in China. The city has a Yao population of 513,831, accounting for 72.93% of Hunan's Yao population, ranking 1st in the province, and 19.47% of China's total Yao population. The Yao ethnic group accounts for 9.57% of Yongzhou's total population and 95.91% of its minority population, making it the second-largest ethnic group in Yongzhou after the Han. The concentrated settlement area of the Yao population is in Jianghua Yao Autonomous County, where Yao people make up 80% of the county's population. Yongzhou is also a concentrated distribution area for the Zhuang ethnic population in Hunan. The city has a Zhuang population of 14,757, accounting for 62.64% of Hunan's Zhuang population. The Zhuang people are mainly distributed in Qingtang Zhuang Ethnic Township, Jianghua Yao Autonomous County.

In the city's permanent resident population in 2020, the Han population was 4,728,482, accounting for 89.39%; the total minority population was 561,342, accounting for 10.61%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han population increased by 66,177 people, a growth of 1.42%, but its proportion of the total population decreased by 0.37 percentage points; the total minority population increased by 29,372 people, a growth of 5.52%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 0.37 percentage points. Among them, the Yao population increased by 16,118 people, a growth of 3.16%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 0.13 percentage points.

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8. Culture

Yongzhou is like a book, with a profound historical and cultural heritage. According to the latest research findings from authoritative experts, Yongzhou is the origin of the world's rice farming agriculture, the cradle of China's ceramic industry, and the source of Chinese civilization and morality. Emperor Shun's enlightened governance and merit-based appointments, Liu Zongyuan's profound ideology of cherishing and loving the people, Zhou Dunyi's simple materialist philosophy and his noble character of "emerging unstained from the mud," the mysterious "Nüshu" script and the diverse Yao culture, as well as the excavation of cultural relics at the Yuchanyan site in Dao County and the emergence of Yongzhou's ancient culture, all enrich the treasure trove of Chinese culture. The landscapes of Yongzhou blend "uniqueness, extremity, peril, and beauty" with beautiful legends, combining natural charm with historical culture. The Mausoleum of Emperor Shun at Jiuyi Mountain, Liuzi Temple, Yangming Mountain, Shunhuang Mountain, Wuxi Stele Forest, Jianghua Yao City, Xiangyuan Hot Spring, and others have become new tourist hotspots.

In August 2010, the local government discovered a group of stone statues named "Guizaizai" near the Nanling Mountains, which is larger in scale and spans a longer time period than the Terracotta Army. A rough estimate suggests there are about ten thousand statues.

8.1 National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

• Wuxi Cliff Carvings
• Ningyuan Confucian Temple
• Yuchanyan Site
• Liuzi Temple
• Emperor Shun Temple Site
• Ancient Architectural Complex of Shanggantang Village
• Yanghua Cliff Carvings
• Shude Mountain Villa
• Site of Marquis of Chongling City
• Site of Lingdao Ancient City
• Ancient Kiln Site at Yujing, Yunshan
• Guizai Ridge Site
• Yongzhou Section of the Hunan-Guangxi Ancient Road
• Huilong Pagoda
• Yunlong Archway and Wang Family Xutang Hall
• Longxi Li Family Compound
• Ancient Architectural Complex of Zhou Family Compound at Jiantou
• Ancient Architectural Complex of Lianxi Hometown
• Long Family Compound
• Ancient Architectural Complex of Suiyuan Tower
• Lingling Civil and Military Temples
• Guangli Bridge
• Jiuanbei Hanlin Ancestral Hall
• Chaoyang Cliff Carvings
• Dan Cliff Carvings
• Former Residence of Li Da

8.2 Scenic Spots

• Liuzi Temple
• Ping Island
• Pingzhou Academy
• Xiangling Mountain
• Gaoshan Temple
• Lü Tian Nunnery
• Huilong Pagoda
• Yangming Mountain National Forest Park
• Jiuyi Mountain National Forest Park
• Shunhuang Mountain National Forest Park

9. Sister Cities

Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka Klang, Malaysia

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Lengshuitan District

Qiyang City

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