Chizhou (池州)

1. Introduction

Chizhou City, abbreviated as Chi, historically known as Qiupu and Guichi, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Anhui Province, People's Republic of China. It is located in the southwestern part of Anhui Province, on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, bordering Jiangxi Province to the southwest. The city faces Anqing City across the Yangtze River to the north, neighbors Tongling City, Wuhu City, and Xuancheng City to the northeast, connects with Huangshan City to the southeast, and adjoins Jingdezhen City, Shangrao City, and Jiujiang City of Jiangxi Province to the southwest. Situated at the junction of the mountainous areas of southern Anhui and the plains along the Yangtze River, the region features Mount Jiuhua in the north facing Mount Guniujiang and Mount Xianyu in the south, forming a topography of intermingled mountains, basins, low hills, and valleys, with the northern part consisting of alluvial plains along the river. The Qiupu River flows from south to north through the central part of the city, while the Qingtong River runs northward along the eastern foothills of Mount Jiuhua, both eventually emptying into the Yangtze River. Numerous lakes, including Shengjin Lake, are distributed along the Yangtze River. The city covers a total area of 8,399 square kilometers, with a permanent population of approximately 1.33 million. The Municipal People's Government is located at No. 1 Baiya Middle Road, Guichi District. Chizhou City is one of the first national-level ecological demonstration zones, boasting famous scenic spots such as Mount Jiuhua, Mount Guniujiang, and Shengjin Lake. It is also a member of the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration.

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2. History

As early as the Stone Age, there were traces of human activity within the territory of Chizhou, leaving behind sites such as Hualong Cave and Qixingdun.

During the Western Han Dynasty, Shicheng County was established, located in present-day Changzhuang Village, Yinhu Town, Guichi District.

During the Three Kingdoms period, the state of Wu, for the needs of river defense, built Nanling Garrison and Hulin City within the present-day territory of Chizhou. The former was located twelve li southwest of the current Chizhou urban area, while the latter was situated in Wushi Village, Meijie Town. In the fifth year of Jiahe (236 AD), Zhuge Ke relocated Shicheng County to Lianhua Village, Wusha Town by the river.

After the Western Jin Dynasty conquered Wu, the importance of river defense declined, and Shicheng County was moved to Qianjiang Village, Niutoushan Town. Following the Eastern Jin Dynasty's retreat to the south of the Yangtze River, Shicheng County was once again relocated back to Lianhua Village, Wusha Town.

In the second year of Tianjian during the Southern Liang Dynasty (503 AD), Nanling Commandery was established, with its seat at Nanling County, which was set up at the former Nanling Garrison. It governed Nanling and Shicheng counties.

During the Southern Chen Dynasty, Beijiang Prefecture was established, co-governing with Nanling Commandery from Nanling County. Nanling Commandery administered five counties: Nanling, Shicheng, Lincheng, Guzhi, and Dingling.

After the Sui Dynasty conquered Southern Chen, Beijiang Prefecture and Nanling Commandery were abolished, and the counties under their jurisdiction were transferred to Xuan Prefecture. In the ninth year of Kaihuang (509 AD), Shicheng County was abolished, and its territory was incorporated into Nanling County. In the nineteenth year of Kaihuang (599 AD), Qiupu County was established by partitioning Nanling County.

In the fourth year of Wude during the Tang Dynasty (621 AD), Chizhou was first established, with its seat at Shicheng, marking a history of nearly 1,400 years to date. It was abolished in the first year of Zhenguan (627 AD), and its territory was returned to Xuan Prefecture, making Chizhou part of Xuan Prefecture. It was re-established in the second year of Yongtai, with the commandery name Chiyang. In the fifth year of Shunyi during Yang Wu, Qiupu County was renamed Guichi County.

In the fourteenth year of Zhiyuan during the Yuan Dynasty (1277 AD), Chizhou was elevated to Chizhou Route, subordinate to the Jiangzhe Branch Secretariat.

In the seventh year of Longfeng (1361 AD), Zhu Yuanzhang changed Chizhou Route to Jiuhua Prefecture, which was soon renamed Chizhou Prefecture.

During the Qing Dynasty, Chizhou Prefecture was successively subordinate to the Jiangnan Provincial Administration Commission, the Jiangnan Left Provincial Administration Commission, and the Anhui Provincial Administration Commission.

In May 1965, Chizhou Special District was established, and during the Cultural Revolution, it was renamed Chizhou Prefecture.

In January 1980, Chizhou Prefecture was abolished, and its counties were divided among Anqing, Huizhou, and Xuancheng prefectures.

In August 1988, Chizhou Prefecture was re-established.

In June 2000, Chizhou Prefecture was abolished, and the prefecture-level Chizhou City was established. The former county-level Guichi City was changed to Guichi District.

Historical figures such as Du Mu from the late Tang Dynasty and Bao Zheng from the Northern Song Dynasty successively served as prefects of Chizhou. Numerous literati and scholars, including Li Bai and Su Shi, visited and explored the area, leaving behind over a thousand enduring and widely beloved poems. This earned Chizhou the reputation of "the land of poets for a thousand years." The Chizhou Nuo opera, which dates back to the matriarchal society, is hailed as a "living fossil of Chinese opera."

3. Geography

3.1 Natural Resources

3.1.1 Mineral Resources

Chizhou City is relatively rich in mineral resources with a wide variety. To date, over 40 types of minerals have been discovered, with proven reserves for 32 types. There are over 300 mining sites. The main mineral types include lead, zinc, copper, manganese, silver, gold, pyrite, molybdenum, tungsten, limestone, dolomite, calcite, granite, etc.

3.1.2 Forestry Resources

Over a five-year period, Chizhou City cumulatively completed afforestation on 598,000 mu (approximately 39,867 hectares), including 376,000 mu (approximately 25,067 hectares) of farmland converted to forest, 52,000 mu (approximately 3,467 hectares) for the Yangtze River Shelterbelt Project, and 32,000 mu (approximately 2,133 hectares) for the Sino-German Cooperation Project for Ecological Poverty Alleviation in Southern Anhui. Additionally, 237 kilometers of national and provincial highways were greened, 112 kilometers of forest belts were established, 40,000 mu (approximately 2,667 hectares) of farmland shelterbelts were created, 8,481 mu (approximately 565 hectares) of urban greening were completed, 13,278 mu (approximately 885 hectares) of village greening were achieved, and 841,000 mu (approximately 56,067 hectares) of hillsides were closed for afforestation. This has resulted in continuous growth in both the city's forest area and forest stock volume.

As of 2005, the city's forested land area reached 6.819 million mu (approximately 454,600 hectares), with a living tree stock volume of 21.63 million cubic meters. The bamboo forest area was 420,000 mu (approximately 28,000 hectares) with a stock of 109.42 million plants, and the forest coverage rate was 57%. Of the forested land, timber forests accounted for 4.461 million mu (approximately 297,400 hectares), economic forests for 93,000 mu (approximately 6,200 hectares), fuelwood forests for 17,000 mu (approximately 1,133 hectares), shelter forests for 1.933 million mu (approximately 128,867 hectares), and forests for special purposes for 315,000 mu (approximately 21,000 hectares). The area of fir species was 1.43 million mu (approximately 95,333 hectares) with a stock of 7.04 million cubic meters; pine species covered 1.43 million mu (approximately 95,333 hectares) with a stock of 5.91 million cubic meters; broadleaf species covered 3.43 million mu (approximately 228,667 hectares) with a stock of 8.3 million cubic meters. The city has demarcated 1.6 million mu (approximately 106,667 hectares) as national public welfare forests, which are included in the pilot program for forest ecological benefit compensation funds. Two national nature reserves (Guniu Jiang and Shengjin Lake) and two provincial nature reserves (Guichi Laoshan and Shibasuo) have been established, along with one county-level nature reserve, covering a total area of 1.1 million mu (approximately 73,333 hectares), accounting for 8.8% of the city's land area. There are also two forest parks: the Jiuhua Mountain National Forest Park and the Dongzhi Tiantai Mountain Provincial Forest Park, covering an area of 50,000 mu (approximately 3,333 hectares).

3.1.3 Land Resources

Chizhou City has diverse types of land resources. It contains all 8 primary categories in the land use classification system and 40 out of the 46 secondary categories. The only six secondary categories not present are "rubber plantations," "improved grassland," "salt pans," "railways," "glaciers and permanent snow cover," and "saline-alkali land." The diversity of land use types provides necessary conditions for comprehensive economic development. The total land resource area of the city is 839,173.00 hectares, comprising 675,740.00 hectares of agricultural land, 45,231.00 hectares of construction land, and 118,202.00 hectares of unused land.

3.1.4 Flora and Fauna Resources

Located in a humid subtropical climate zone, Chizhou boasts a complete range of typical subtropical plant communities that thrive here. It is a transitional zone from evergreen broad-leaved forests to deciduous forests, featuring mixed growth of evergreen and deciduous trees. Vegetation types include evergreen broad-leaved forests, mixed evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forests, deciduous broad-leaved forests, coniferous forests, bamboo forests, and some cultivated subtropical economic forests. Within the city, there are 1,557 species (including subspecies and lower ranks) of higher seed plants belonging to 153 families and 676 genera (1,430 wild species and 127 cultivated species), 26 of which are under national and provincial key protection. The main seed plants forming the forest vegetation include over a thousand species from families such as Taxodiaceae, Pinaceae, Cupressaceae, Salicaceae, Juglandaceae, Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Ulmaceae, Moraceae, Magnoliaceae, Lauraceae, Theaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Anacardiaceae, Meliaceae, Rubiaceae, Oleaceae, Rosaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Fabaceae, Ranunculaceae, Cornaceae, Saxifragaceae, Ebenaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae (Papilionoideae), Caprifoliaceae, Symplocaceae, etc. Bamboo resources are widely distributed in mountainous and hilly areas, primarily including over ten species such as moso bamboo and Henon bamboo, with moso bamboo being the most abundant and forming large forest tracts. Key protected tree species include Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Taxus chinensis, Monimopetalum chinense, Emmenopterys henryi, Pseudolarix amabilis, Magnolia cylindrica, Torreya grandis, Tapiscia sinensis, Kolkwitzia amabilis, Cyclocarya paliurus, etc.

Chizhou is a key forestry region in Anhui Province, harboring rich wildlife resources and serving as a major distribution area for wildlife in the province. There are 556 species of aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates within its territory, accounting for 88% of the province's total, including 83 mammal species, 285 bird species, 78 amphibian and reptile species, and 110 fish species. Sixty-nine species are under national key wildlife protection, representing 77% of the province's protected species.

3.1.5 Water Resources

The topography of Chizhou City is higher in the southeast and lower in the northwest, descending in steps from south to north. Rivers, lakes, and other water bodies cover an area of 348.4 square kilometers, accounting for 4% of the total area. The Yangtze River flows through Chizhou for 145 km, with a shoreline length of 162 km, starting from Niuji in Dongzhi County bordering Pengze County, Jiangxi Province in the west, and ending at the Qingtong River estuary bordering Tongling City in the east. There are ten rivers belonging to three major water systems within the city: the Yangtze River system includes the Yaodu River, Huangpeng River, Qiupu River, Baiyang River, Datong River, and Jiuhua River; the Qingyi River system includes the Qingxi River, Lingyang River, and Laba River; the Poyang Lake system includes the Longquan River. Seven rivers have a basin area exceeding 500 square kilometers, with a total length of 618 km. The Qiupu River is the longest river within the city's territory, with a basin area of 3,019 square kilometers and a length of 149 km. Chizhou City has abundant surface water resources. The total water resources amount to 6.37 billion cubic meters, accounting for 11% of Anhui Province's total. The per capita water resource volume is 4,326 cubic meters, which is four times the average level of Anhui Province and twice the national average. Additionally, the multi-year average annual transit water resource volume of the Yangtze River is 931.7 billion cubic meters, reaching 706.4 billion cubic meters even in dry years. These abundant water resources provide a strong and reliable water supply guarantee for the city's socio-economic development.

3.2 Climate

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual | |--------------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|----------| | Avg High °C | 7.5 | 10 | 14.6 | 21.2 | 26.6 | 29.4 | 32.9 | 32.1 | 27.8 | 22.6 | 16.5 | 10.4 | 21 | | Avg High °F | (45.5) | (50) | (58.3) | (70.2) | (79.9) | (84.9) | (91.2) | (89.8) | (82) | (72.7) | (61.7) | (50.7) | (69.7) | | Avg Low °C | 0.9 | 3 | 6.8 | 12.7 | 18 | 21.9 | 25.4 | 24.8 | 20.5 | 14.6 | 8.2 | 2.6 | 13.3 | | Avg Low °F | (33.6) | (37.4) | (44.2) | (54.9) | (64.4) | (71.4) | (77.7) | (76.6) | (68.9) | (58.3) | (46.8) | (36.7) | (55.9) | | Avg Precipitation mm | 67.8 | 79.2 | 131.8 | 158.5 | 165.6 | 259.1 | 200.3 | 135.3 | 86.9 | 79.4 | 74.5 | 43.1 | 1,481.50 | | Avg Precipitation inches | (2.67) | (3.12) | (5.19) | (6.24) | (6.52) | (10.2) | (7.89) | (5.33) | (3.42) | (3.13) | (2.93) |(1.7) | (58.34) |

4. Administrative Divisions

Chizhou City currently administers 1 municipal district and 3 counties.

• Municipal District: Guichi District
• Counties: Dongzhi County, Shitai County, Qingyang County Additionally, Chizhou City has established the following administrative management areas: National Jiuhua Mountain Scenic Area, National Chizhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, Chizhou Pingtian Lake Scenic Area (Chizhou Railway Station Front Area), and Anhui Jiangnan Industrial Concentration Zone. | Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------| | 341700 | Chizhou City | Chízhōu Shì | 8,364.81 | 1,342,764 | Guichi District | 247100 | 11 | 37 | 8 | | 341702 | Guichi District | Guìchí Qū | 2,504.97 | 615,274 | Jiangkou Subdistrict| 247100 | 11 | 9 | | | 341721 | Dongzhi County | Dōngzhì Xiàn | 3,250.01 | 398,414 | Yaodu Town | 247200 | | 12 | 3 | | 341722 | Shitai County | Shítái Xiàn | 1,413.83 | 80,612 | Renli Town | 245100 | | 6 | 2 | | 341723 | Qingyang County | Qīngyáng Xiàn | 1,196.00 | 248,464 | Rongcheng Town | 242800 | | 10 | 3 |

5. Economy

• The national economy maintained rapid growth: Preliminary calculations show that the annual regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2014 reached 50.37 billion yuan, an increase of 9.2% over the previous year at comparable prices. Calculated based on the resident population, the per capita GDP was 35,320 yuan (approximately $5,749), an increase of 2,779 yuan from the previous year.
• Comprehensive growth across the three major industries: The added value of the primary industry was 7.17 billion yuan, an increase of 4.6%; the added value of the secondary industry was 24.45 billion yuan, an increase of 10.3%; and the added value of the tertiary industry was 18.75 billion yuan, an increase of 9.2%. The structural proportions of the three industries were 14.2:48.6:37.2.
• Stable growth in industrial production: The total industrial added value was 19.14 billion yuan, an increase of 11.6% over the previous year. Throughout the year, 50 new enterprises above designated size were added, bringing the total number of industrial enterprises above designated size to 483. The added value of industrial enterprises above designated size reached 16.63 billion yuan, an increase of 12.5%.
• Strong growth in fixed asset investment: Annual fixed asset investment reached 53.8 billion yuan, an increase of 16.6%.
• Sustained growth in foreign trade: The city's total import and export volume reached $411.93 million, an increase of 1.5% over the previous year.
• Booming tourism industry: The city received a total of 41.334 million domestic and international tourists, a year-on-year increase of 20.1%, including 791,000 inbound tourists, a year-on-year increase of 15.3%. Total tourism revenue reached 42.19 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 22.3%. The city boasts 7 national industrial and agricultural tourism demonstration sites, 200 Anhui Province-starred agritainment facilities, 35 various star-rated hotels, and 76 travel agencies. The pace of creating tourist attractions accelerated. By the end of the year, the city had a total of 32 A-level tourist attractions, including one 5A-level tourist attraction and 15 4A-level tourist attractions.

6. Transportation

• Water Transport: The Yangtze River flows through Chizhou for 160 kilometers, with its waterway meeting the national Class I standard. Chizhou Port is a national Class I port, featuring a shoreline of 24.5 kilometers and 17 existing berths. It can accommodate ships of 3,000–5,000 tons year-round and has ranked first among the five major ports along the Yangtze River in Anhui Province in terms of foreign trade export volume for five consecutive years. Currently, Chizhou Port is expanding its new port area and has applied for designation as a national Class I open port.
• Highways: National Highways 318 and 206, as well as the Shanghai–Chongqing Expressway and Jinan–Guangzhou Expressway, all pass through Chizhou, forming a rapid north–south and east–west transportation network. Additionally, the Chizhou Yangtze River Bridge was opened to traffic on August 31, 2019.
• Railways: The Tongling–Chizhou–Jiujiang railway section has been opened. The Nanjing–Anqing Passenger Dedicated Line spans 250 kilometers, with an estimated investment of 25.7 billion yuan. It is jointly funded by the Ministry of Railways, Anhui Province, and Jiangsu Province, with a construction period of 4 years and 6 months. The line starts from Nanjing South Station, passes westward through Banqiao and Jiangning District into Ma'anshan City, then through Dangtu County into Wuhu. From the Wuhu hub, it follows the southern bank of the Yangtze River through Tongling City and Chizhou City, crosses the Yangtze River, and ends in Anqing City. The line includes 11 stations: Nanjing South, New Jiangning, New Ma'anshan, New Dangtu, Wuhu, New Wuhu South, New Fanchang, Tongling East, Jiuhuashan, Chizhou, and Anqing. It opened on December 6, 2015, with two reserved stations: New Zhongming and Yantang.
• Aviation: Chizhou Jiuhuashan Airport is located in Meilong Town, Guichi District, Chizhou City (E117°41′12″, N30°44′25″). The airport's magnetic heading (i.e., the direction of the runway) is 130°–310°. It is approximately 20 kilometers from downtown Chizhou, downtown Tongling, and the Kecun base of the Jiuhuashan Scenic Area, and about 3 kilometers north of the Yangtze River. Chizhou Jiuhuashan Airport is a civil airport construction project planned during China's "11th Five-Year Plan," with a total investment of 609 million yuan and covering an area of 3,200 mu. The flight zone is planned as Class 4C, and upon completion, it will open domestic and international routes to cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and countries including South Korea, Japan, and Singapore. The airport is now operational. Nearby airports include Hefei, Anqing, Huangshan, and Nanjing civil aviation airports.

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7. Population

By the end of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 1.328 million, a decrease of 3,000 from the end of the previous year. Among them, the urban permanent resident population was 800,000, and the rural permanent resident population was 528,000.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 1,342,764. Compared with the 1,402,518 people from the Sixth National Population Census, the total decrease over the ten years was 59,754 people, a decline of 4.26%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.43%. Among them, the male population was 671,596, accounting for 50.02% of the total population; the female population was 671,168, accounting for 49.98% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (with females as 100) was 100.06. The population aged 0-14 was 209,142, accounting for 15.58% of the total population; the population aged 15-59 was 837,841, accounting for 62.4% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 295,781, accounting for 22.03% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 224,777, accounting for 16.74% of the total population. The population living in urban areas was 801,379, accounting for 59.68% of the total population; the population living in rural areas was 541,385, accounting for 40.32% of the total population.

7.1. Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic population was 1,337,228, accounting for 99.59%; the population of various ethnic minorities was 5,536, accounting for 0.41%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic population decreased by 61,355 people, a decline of 4.39%, and its proportion of the total population decreased by 0.13 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 1,601 people, a growth of 40.69%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 0.13 percentage points.

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8. Culture

8.1 National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

• Jugeng Pass Ancient Huizhou Trail
• Taiping Shanfang
• Jiu Hua Mountain Zhiyuan Temple
• Jiu Hua Mountain Huacheng Temple
• Jiu Hua Mountain Yueshen Hall
• Jiyang Cao Clan Ancestral Hall
• Shangzhang Li Clan Ancestral Hall
• Jiu Hua Mountain Baisui Palace
• Qishan Cliff Carvings

8.2 Tourism

Chizhou is endowed with exceptional tourism resources, where natural landscapes and cultural attractions complement each other, making it an ideal destination for travel, leisure, and vacation.

• Jiu Hua Mountain, one of China's four major Buddhist sacred sites, is not only renowned for its beautiful natural scenery but also for its profound Buddhist culture. With hundreds of temples and thousands of monks and nuns, it is a national 5A-level scenic area and a famous Buddhist sanctuary.
• Within the region lies the national-level wildlife nature reserve, Guniu Jiang, known as the "Gene Bank of Flora and Fauna in East China." It features ancient towering trees, countless ravines, and harmonious landscapes of mountains and water, often called the "Second Huangshan."
• Shengjin Lake, hailed as "China's Crane Lake," is an important wetland nature reserve in Asia. Its crystal-clear waters reflect the misty trees along the shore, presenting a picturesque scene typical of the Jiangnan watertown.

9. Sister Cities

Chizhou has established sister city relationships with the following cities, as detailed in the table below: | Sister City | Date Established | Location of Signing | |---------------------------|----------|----------| | Zhabei District, Shanghai, China | 6/30/95 | | | Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, China | 5/2/99 | People's Government of Guichi District | | Nanchang District, Jiangsu Province, China | 10/17/02 | | | Gurye County, Jeollanam-do, South Korea | 11/5/03 | People's Government of Chizhou City | | Auburn City, Australia | 3/28/06 | People's Government of Chizhou City | | Svenljunga Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden | 9/15/08 | Svenljunga City Hall | | Florencio Varela City, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina | 9/16/09 | | | Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea | 10/22/15 | Chizhou Stadium | | Lünen City, Ruhr Region, Germany | 10/28/18 | Chizhou Stadium | | Saratov City, Saratov Oblast, Russia | 11/27/21 | Online Communication |

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A city surrounded by water on all sides

Guichi District

Guichi District

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Camphor tree

Apricot blossoms