Cangzhou (沧州)

1. Introduction

Cangzhou City, abbreviated as Cang and also known as the Lion City, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hebei Province, People's Republic of China. It is located in the southeastern part of Hebei Province. To the north, it borders Tianjin Municipality and Langfang City; to the northwest, it adjoins Baoding City; to the southwest, it connects with Hengshui City; to the southeast, it neighbors Dezhou City and Binzhou City in Shandong Province; and to the east, it faces the Bohai Sea. Situated in the eastern part of the North China Plain, the terrain is predominantly flat. The Grand Canal (Southern Section) and the Ziya New River flow through the area. The Municipal People's Government is located at No. 39 Jiefang West Road, Yunhe District. Cangzhou is rich in sea salt production and possesses abundant petroleum resources. It is also an important regional central city within the Bohai Rim Economic Circle and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration.

nix

2. History

In ancient times, this area was part of the You and Yan provinces. During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Western Han Dynasty, Fuyang County was established as the seat of Bohai Commandery. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, the area was divided between the Yingzhou and Jizhou of the Northern Wei Dynasty, with Fuyang County serving as the seat of Fuyang Commandery. In the second year of the Xiping era under Emperor Xiaoming of the Northern Wei Dynasty (517 AD), Cangzhou was established by separating parts from Yingzhou and Jizhou, named after the "vast sea" (canghai), with its seat at Rao'an County (southwest of present-day Yanshan County), governing three commanderies: Fuyang, Ande, and Leling. In the second year of the Daxiang era of the Northern Zhou Dynasty (580 AD), Changlu County was established, with its seat west of the present-day urban area, belonging to Zhangwu Commandery. In the eighteenth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (598 AD), Fuyang County was renamed Qingchi County and placed under Cangzhou.

In the sixteenth year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (728 AD), the seat of Cangzhou was moved to the present-day urban area. The Yuanhe Junxian Zhi records: "Cangzhou was established in the second year of the Xiping era under Emperor Xiaoming of the Northern Wei Dynasty by separating parts from Yingzhou and Jizhou, named after the vast sea." Qingchi and Changlu counties were under its jurisdiction. In the second year of the Qiande era of the Northern Song Dynasty (964 AD), Changlu County was abolished and merged into Qingchi County, which became the seat of Cangzhou. The Jin Dynasty continued to administer Cangzhou. During the Yuan Dynasty, the seats of Cangzhou and Qingchi County were moved to Changlu Town, under Hejian Circuit. In the early years of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, Qingchi County was abolished and merged into Cangzhou, which was placed under the Hejian Prefecture of the capital region. In the early Qing Dynasty, Cangzhou belonged to Hejian Prefecture, and in the ninth year of the Yongzheng era (1731 AD), it was transferred to Tianjin Prefecture.

In the second year of the Republic of China (1913 AD), the prefecture system was abolished, and Cangzhou was changed to Cang County, under the Bohai Circuit of Zhili Province. The following year, it was transferred to the Jinhai Circuit. In 1928, the circuit system was abolished. In the twenty-sixth year of the Republic of China (1937 AD), Cang County was placed under the Sixth Administrative Supervision District of Hebei Province. In June 1947, the Communist Party of China's military launched the Qing-Cang Campaign and occupied Cangzhou.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, in August 1949, Cangzhou was downgraded to Cang Town, and Cang County, Qing County, Huanghua, Jianguo (now the border area between Cang County and Hejian), Renqiu, Hejian, Xian County, Suning, Jiaohe, Botou Town, and Cang Town were designated as the Cang County Special District. In 1958, the Cang County Special District was abolished and merged into the Tianjin Special District. In 1961, the Cangzhou Special District was re-established, and Cangzhou City was established as the seat of the special district. In 1968, the Cangzhou Special District was renamed the Cangzhou Region. In 1983, Cangzhou City was elevated to a provincial-administered city, and Cang County from the Cangzhou Region was incorporated into it. In 1986, Qing County was transferred to Cangzhou City. In 1993, the Cangzhou Region was abolished, and its counties and cities were placed under the jurisdiction of Cangzhou City.

3. Geography

Cangzhou is located in the eastern part of Hebei Province, close to the Bohai Sea. It borders Tianjin Municipality, Langfang City, Baoding City, and Hengshui City in Hebei Province, as well as Dezhou City and Binzhou City in Shandong Province. Situated in the central area surrounding the Bohai Sea, Cangzhou is designated by Hebei Province as part of the "Two Rings" (encircling Beijing-Tianjin and the Bohai Sea) open development zone and serves as a crucial transportation hub connecting Beijing and Tianjin to the eastern coastal regions. The Grand Canal also passes through Cangzhou.

3.1 Climate

Cangzhou has a semi-humid warm temperate monsoon climate characterized by four distinct seasons, moderate temperatures, ample sunshine, concurrent heat and rainfall, and concentrated precipitation. The average temperature in January is -3.0°C, and in July it is 26.5°C. The annual average temperature is 12.9°C. The total annual precipitation is 605 mm, primarily concentrated in summer, with July and August accounting for about 60%. The annual sunshine duration is 2,662.7 hours. | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------------|-----------|-----------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|-----------|-----------|------------|------------| | Avg. High °C | 2.7 | 6.8 | 13.9 | 21.3 | 27.5 | 31.6 | 32.1 | 30.4 | 27.2 | 20.5 | 11.4 | 4.0 | 19.1 | | Avg. High °F | 36.9 | 44.2 | 57.0 | 70.3 | 81.5 | 88.9 | 89.8 | 86.7 | 81.0 | 68.9 | 52.5 | 39.2 | 66.4 | | Daily Mean °C | -3.2 | 0.9 | 7.5 | 14.7 | 21.1 | 25.6 | 27.2 | 25.5 | 21.1 | 14.4 | 5.5 | -1.3 | 13.3 | | Daily Mean °F | 26.2 | 33.6 | 45.5 | 58.5 | 70.0 | 78.1 | 81.0 | 77.9 | 70.0 | 57.9 | 41.9 | 29.7 | 55.9 | | Avg. Low °C | -7.7 | -3.8 | 2.0 | 8.9 | 15.0 | 20.0 | 22.8 | 21.5 | 16.0 | 9.1 | 0.7 | -5.5 | 8.3 | | Avg. Low °F | 18.1 | 25.2 | 35.6 | 48.0 | 59.0 | 68.0 | 73.0 | 70.7 | 60.8 | 48.4 | 33.3 | 22.1 | 46.8 | | Avg. Precip. mm | 2.6 | 5.4 | 10.6 | 20.6 | 38.6 | 73.8 | 169.0 | 125.4 | 44.7 | 34.7 | 12.4 | 3.2 | 541 | | Avg. Precip. in | 0.10 | 0.21 | 0.42 | 0.81 | 1.52 | 2.91 | 6.65 | 4.94 | 1.76 | 1.37 | 0.49 | 0.13 | 21.31 | | Avg. Precipitation days | 1.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 5.7 | 8.6 | 12.6 | 9.5 | 5.8 | 4.8 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 63.9 | | Avg. Relative Humidity (%) | 58 | 57 | 47 | 49 | 54 | 60 | 72 | 78 | 71 | 65 | 62 | 61 | 61 | | Mean Monthly Sunshine Hours | 188.8 | 184.5 | 229.2 | 250.7 | 274.6 | 261.5 | 219.8 | 229.3 | 235.2 | 226.6 | 186.7 | 175.8 | 2,662.7 | | Percent Possible Sunshine | 63 | 61 | 62 | 64 | 63 | 59 | 49 | 54 | 63 | 65 | 62 | 60 | 60 |

3.2 Water Resources

Cangzhou faces an extreme shortage of water resources. Due to its relatively recent formation as land, the shallow groundwater in Cangzhou is brackish. The deep well groundwater contains high levels of fluoride, exceeding standards by 3 to 6 times, leading to a severe regional prevalence of skeletal fluorosis. Before the 1960s, canal water from the Grand Canal was used along its banks in Cangzhou. However, since the southern section of the canal ceased to flow, only high-fluoride groundwater has been available for use. The per capita water resource availability in Cangzhou is only 192 cubic meters, which is 8% of the national average. In the urban area of Cangzhou City, 400,000 people have been consuming high-fluoride water for an extended period.To this end, the Dalangdian Reservoir project was initiated three times in 1957, 1977, and 1995, and was completed and began storing water in January 1997. It supplies 81.21 million cubic meters of water to the urban area annually, effectively resolving the issue of endemic fluorosis in the drinking water of Cangzhou City.

By the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan period, all urban areas in the 12 eastern counties (cities, districts) of Cangzhou, as well as 2.22 million rural residents, had bid farewell to brackish and high-fluoride water, accessing standardized diverted Yellow River water through centralized water supply projects. For the four western counties and cities of Cangzhou, plans were made to launch a centralized water supply project diverting water from the Yangtze River in 2014, with key components including the construction of over 80 kilometers of main canals and several reservoirs. In the long term, Cangzhou City plans to build a seawater desalination facility with a daily capacity of 200,000 cubic meters.

Since 2000, with support from the national and Hebei provincial governments to address drinking water safety, Cangzhou’s rural areas have adopted inter-village construction of deep well water sources and fluoride-reduction water plants equipped with reverse osmosis purification systems.

4. Administrative Divisions

Cangzhou City currently administers 2 municipal districts, 9 counties, 1 autonomous county, and manages 4 county-level cities on behalf of the province.

• Municipal Districts: Yunhe District, Xinhua District
• County-level Cities: Botou City, Renqiu City, Huanghua City, Hejian City
• Counties: Cang County, Qing County, Dongguang County, Haixing County, Yanshan County, Suning County, Nanpi County, Wuqiao County, Xian County
• Autonomous County: Mengcun Hui Autonomous County

Additionally, Cangzhou City has established the following administrative management areas:

• Bohai New Area (including the former Zhongjie Farm and Nandagang Farm)
• National-level Cangzhou Lingang Economic and Technological Development Zone
• Cangzhou Economic Development Zone

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|-------------------------|----------------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|----------------------| | 130900 | Cangzhou City | Cāngzhōu Shì | 14,304.27 | 7,300,783 | Yunhe District | 061000 | 26 | 85 | 83 | 9 | | 130902 | Xinhua District | Xīnhuá Qū | 81.73 | 284,746 | Jianshe Beijie Subdistrict | 061000 | 5 | 1 | | | | 130903 | Yunhe District | Yùnhé Qū | 118.05 | 526,039 | Shuiyuesi Subdistrict | 061000 | 6 | 1 | 1 | | | 130921 | Cang County | Cāng Xiàn | 1,533.25 | 626,011 | Xinhua District, Cangzhou City | 061000 | 4 | 15 | 4 | | | 130922 | Qing County | Qīng Xiàn | 991.77 | 420,878 | Qingzhou Town | 062600 | 7 | 3 | | | | 130923 | Dongguang County | Dōngguāng Xiàn | 709.63 | 340,288 | Dongguang Town | 061600 | 8 | 1 | | | | 130924 | Haixing County | Hǎixīng Xiàn | 866.28 | 189,273 | Suji Town | 061200 | 3 | 4 | | | | 130925 | Yanshan County | Yánshān Xiàn | 798.25 | 411,356 | Yanshan Town | 061300 | 6 | 6 | | | | 130926 | Suning County | Sùníng Xiàn | 516.22 | 341,919 | Suning Town | 062300 | 6 | 3 | | | | 130927 | Nanpi County | Nánpí Xiàn | 791.56 | 347,473 | Nanpi Town | 061500 | 6 | 3 | | | | 130928 | Wuqiao County | Wúqiáo Xiàn | 562.15 | 217,966 | Sangyuan Town | 061800 | 5 | 5 | | | | 130929 | Xian County | Xiàn Xiàn | 1,171.39 | 566,418 | Leshou Town | 062200 | 7 | 11 | 1 | | | 130930 | Mengcun Hui Autonomous County | Mèngcūn Huízú Zìzhìxiàn | 383.18 | 203,507 | Mengcun Town | 061400 | 4 | 2 | | | | 130981 | Botou City | Bótóu Shì | 1,008.90 | 573,842 | Jiefang Subdistrict | 062100 | 3 | 8 | 4 | | | 130982 | Renqiu City | Rénqiū Shì | 1,036.10 | 816,401 | Xinhua Road Subdistrict | 062500 | 7 | 9 | 6 | | | 130983 | Huanghua City | Huánghuá Shì | 2,391.36 | 637,448 | Huaxi Subdistrict | 061100 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 3 | | 130984 | Hejian City | Héjiān Shì | 1,322.44 | 795,198 | Yingzhou Road Subdistrict | 062400 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 1 |

5. Economy

Cangzhou has achieved remarkable economic progress in recent years, with steady growth in economic output, continuous optimization of the industrial structure, and sustained improvements in people's livelihoods.

In terms of overall economic performance, Cangzhou achieved a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 444.01 billion yuan in 2023, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.8%. Specifically, the added value of the primary industry was 37.24 billion yuan, up by 1.7%; the secondary industry added 168.69 billion yuan, growing by 6.0%; and the tertiary industry contributed 238.08 billion yuan, an increase of 6.2%. The ratio of the three industries was 8.4:38.0:53.6, highlighting the dominant role of the tertiary sector in the economy.

Regarding specific industrial development, Cangzhou's industry and construction sectors performed well. The added value of industries above a designated size grew by 7.8% year-on-year, and the number of construction enterprises increased by 59. Additionally, the service sector demonstrated strong performance, with its added value reaching 238.08 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.2%. Within this sector, finance, profit-making services, and non-profit services grew by 10.2%, 7.4%, and 12.2%, respectively.

Cangzhou's agriculture also maintained stable development, with the total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery reaching 76.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.0%. Meanwhile, significant progress has been made in emerging industries such as new energy and new materials.

In terms of infrastructure and investment, fixed asset investment grew by 6.4% year-on-year, and industrial added value increased by 5.8% year-on-year, reflecting Cangzhou's active efforts in infrastructure construction and industrial upgrading.

Cangzhou's economic structure is also gradually optimizing. The proportion of the tertiary industry has been increasing year by year, becoming the primary driver of economic growth. Additionally, Cangzhou is actively promoting the transformation and upgrading of its ports and the clustering of port-related industries to further enhance its role as a key transportation hub in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Cangzhou's economy operates steadily, with strengthened livelihood safeguards and significant progress in social undertakings. The urbanization rate of the city's permanent population reached 54.14%, consumer prices rose moderately, and the employment situation remained stable. These achievements demonstrate that Cangzhou is steadily advancing toward its goal of becoming a modern, economically strong city by optimizing its industrial structure, promoting innovation-driven development, and strengthening infrastructure construction.

6. Transportation

Cangzhou Station is one of the stations along the Beijing-Shanghai Railway. Stations within the jurisdiction of Cangzhou City on the Beijing-Kowloon Railway include Xinzhongyi Station, Suning Station, Wangzuo Station, Hejian West Station, Beiluzhuang Station, and Renqiu Station. The southern branch of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs through the city, and the Shuohuang Railway, which ends at the coal terminal Huanghua Port, is becoming a major coal transportation route in China.

The Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, which officially began commercial operations on June 30, 2011, passes through Cangzhou and includes Cangzhou West Station. The journey to Beijing takes only 50 minutes.

Highways: National Highway 105 and National Highway 307 pass through the area.

nix

7. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 7,300,783 (excluding the Qijianfang Township, Mozhou Town, and Gougezhuang Town of Renqiu City, which have been incorporated into the Xiong'an New Area; the same applies below). Compared with the 7,054,800 people from the Sixth National Population Census, the total increase over the past ten years was 245,983 people, representing a growth of 3.49%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.34%. Among them, the male population was 3,730,569, accounting for 51.1% of the total population; the female population was 3,570,214, accounting for 48.9% of the total population. The sex ratio (with females as 100) was 104.49. The population aged 0–14 was 1,629,144, accounting for 22.31% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 4,231,680, accounting for 57.96% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 1,439,959, accounting for 19.72% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 1,031,848, accounting for 14.13% of the total population. The urban population was 3,733,313, accounting for 51.14% of the total population; the rural population was 3,567,470, accounting for 48.86% of the total population.

7.1. Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 7,042,992, accounting for 96.47%; the Hui ethnic group population was 220,108, accounting for 3.01%; and the population of other ethnic minorities was 37,683, accounting for 0.52%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic group population increased by 146,282 people, a growth of 2.12%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.2 percentage points; the population of all ethnic minorities increased by 20,439 people, a growth of 8.61%, with their proportion of the total population increasing by 0.2 percentage points. Among them, the Hui ethnic group population increased by 4,115 people, a growth of 1.91%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.01 percentage points.

nix

8. Culture

Cangzhou is the hometown of Chinese martial arts and acrobatics, and was awarded the title of "Hometown of Chinese Calligraphy" in 2009. It is home to the majestic Cangzhou Iron Lion, which was built during the Five Dynasties period and still stands today. The "China Wuqiao International Acrobatic Art Festival," named after Wuqiao, is held biennially, with acrobatic troupes from over a dozen countries and regions participating. The Wuqiao Acrobatics World showcases all traditional Chinese acrobatic performances. Cangzhou's "Golden Silk Small Dates" and "Botou Pears" (known internationally as Tianjin Pears, named after the export port) are famous local specialty fruits. The newly cultivated Huanghua Winter Jujube has also gained nationwide fame.

In 2021, the former Shijiazhuang Yongchang Football Club relocated to Cangzhou and was renamed Cangzhou Lions, becoming the city's first top-tier Chinese professional football club.

8.1 National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

• Cangzhou Iron Lion
• Xianxian Han Dynasty Tombs
• Botou Mosque
• Haifeng Town Ruins
• Ji Xiaolan's Tomb
• Shan Bridge
• Juguan Ancient Tribute Date Garden
• Sangezhuang Ruins
• Yabazhuang Ruins
• Wuyuan City Site
• Cangzhou Old City
• Dengying Bridge
• Machang Fort
• Guangming Theater

8.2 Scenic Spots

Qingfeng Tower

9. Sister Cities

Prince Rupert, Canada (Canada)

nix

nix

nix

Named after the Bohai Sea, it carries the meaning of the vast ocean.

Canal District

Renqiu City

nix

nix

Rose