Bozhou (亳州)

1. Introduction

Bozhou City, abbreviated as Bo, historically known as Qiao, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Anhui Province, People's Republic of China, located in the northwest of Anhui Province. The city borders Fuyang City to the southwest, Huainan City to the southeast, Bengbu City and Huaibei City to the east, Shangqiu City of Henan Province to the north, and Zhoukou City of Henan Province to the northwest. Situated in the heart of the Huang-Huai Plain, the entire area features flat terrain. The Guo River runs diagonally across the city from northwest to southeast, and other rivers such as the Cihuai New River, Beifei River, and Xifei River also flow through the region. The city covers a total area of 8,521 square kilometers, with a permanent population of approximately 4.96 million. Bozhou is a nationally renowned historical and cultural city. In 2019, the State Council officially included Bozhou City in the Yangtze River Delta integration region. The municipal government is located at No. 588 Xiyi Avenue, Qiaocheng District.

Bozhou is rich in medicinal herbs, baijiu (Chinese liquor), tobacco, and grain crops such as wheat. It experiences a temperate monsoon climate and is the largest distribution center for traditional Chinese medicinal materials in mainland China. It is also the production site of Gujing Gongjiu, a famous Chinese liquor. Bozhou is often referred to as the "Medicine Capital of China," and its annual "Medicine Trade Fair" enjoys nationwide acclaim.

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2. History

Bozhou was historically known as Bo, Qiao, and Qiao Commandery, and is one of the early cradles of the Chinese nation. According to written records, Bozhou has a history of over 3,700 years since its establishment as a city.

During the Xia Dynasty, Bozhou was part of Yuzhou and served as the capital of Emperor Ku. It was the capital during the Shang Dynasty, and in the early Western Zhou Dynasty, it became the fief of the descendants of Shennong, establishing the State of Jiao. During the Spring and Autumn period, Jiao belonged to the State of Chen. Chen built Jiao City here, and after Chu conquered Chen, Qiao City (present-day Qiao District) was constructed. The area under Qiao Yi's jurisdiction expanded to include Ku, Meng (present-day Mengcheng County), and surrounding regions. During the Qin Dynasty, Qiao County was established under Dang Commandery. In the Han Dynasty, it successively belonged to Yuzhou and the Pei Kingdom. Qiao Commandery was established at the end of the Jian'an era. In the second year of the Huangchu era of Cao Wei (221 AD), Qiao Commandery was designated as the "secondary capital." At that time, Qiao was known as one of the "Five Capitals" alongside Xuchang, Chang'an, Luoyang, and Ye (though whether Qiao was a capital is debated). During the Western Jin Dynasty, Qiao served as the seat of Qiao Kingdom. In the fourth year of the Zhengshi era of the Northern Wei Dynasty (507 AD), it became the seat of "Nanyan Province." In the first year of the Daxiang era of the Northern Zhou Dynasty (579 AD), Nanyan Province was renamed Bozhou, with its seat unchanged, marking the origin of the name Bozhou.

In the third year of the Daye era of the Sui Dynasty (607 AD), Bozhou was renamed Qiao Commandery. In the fourth year of the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty (621 AD), Qiao Commandery was renamed Bozhou, governing eight counties: Qiao, Linhuan, Cuo, Chengfu, Luyi, Mengcheng, Yongcheng, and Zhenyuan. During the Song Dynasty, Bozhou belonged to the Huainan Circuit, and during the Jin Dynasty, it was part of the Nanjing Circuit, governing six counties and five towns.

During the Yuan Dynasty, Bozhou belonged to Guide Prefecture (present-day Shangqiu), governing six counties. In the 15th year of the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty (1355 AD), Liu Futong led a rebellion against the Yuan Dynasty and installed Han Liner as emperor in Bozhou, establishing the "Song" regime with Bozhou as its capital. Thus, Bozhou officially became the ancient capital of "three dynasties." In the early Ming Dynasty, Bozhou was briefly a county under Yingzhou. In the ninth year of the Hongzhi era (1496 AD), it was elevated back to a prefecture. In the early Qing Dynasty, Bozhou was directly administered by the Anhui Provincial Administration Commission and was elevated to Bozhou Directly Administered Prefecture. In 1864, after the Qing court suppressed the Nian Army, parts of Bozhou, Suzhou, Mengcheng, and Fuyang were separated to establish Guoyang County. In 1913, during the Republic of China era, prefectures were abolished nationwide, so Bozhou was renamed Bo County and placed under direct provincial administration.

In 1964, the State Council of China decided to carve out parts of Fuyang, Guoyang, Mengcheng, and Fengtai to establish Lixin County. In 1986, Bo County was abolished, and the county-level Bozhou City was established. In 1998, it was placed under direct provincial administration (sub-prefecture level). In 2000, the prefecture-level Bozhou City was established, governing Guoyang, Mengcheng, and Lixin counties, as well as Qiao District.

3. Geography

3.1 Topography

The entire territory of Bozhou City presents an elongated shape from the southeast to the northwest, approximately 150 kilometers long and 90 kilometers wide. Its jurisdiction connects to the alluvial fan formed by the Yellow River breaches, belonging to a plain area with flat terrain. Only in the eastern part are there over ten limestone residual hills distributed, such as Longshan, Shigongshan, Qishan, Langshan, and Shuangsoshan. The overall topography of Bozhou is higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast, gently inclining towards the southeast with a natural ground slope gradient of 1/9000. The highest point is at Zhanlou in Qiaocheng District in the northwest, with an altitude of 42.5 meters; the lowest point is in the southern part of Zhangou, Lixin County in the southeast, with an altitude of 22 meters, resulting in a relative elevation difference of 20.5 meters. Influenced by the meandering erosion and changes of rivers and the historical southward flooding of the Yellow River, the plain features an interdistribution of ridges, slopes, and saucer-shaped depressions, characterized by a "generally flat but locally uneven" landform. The Guo River flows through the city, which is a tributary of the Huai River.

3.2 Climate

Bozhou lies on the natural Qinling–Huaihe climate boundary line, situated in the transitional zone between a subtropical monsoon climate and a temperate monsoon climate. The influence of monsoons is significant, with four distinct seasons, moderate rainfall, and ample sunshine. The average January temperature is 0.6°C, with an extreme minimum of -20.6°C (February 5, 1969). The average July temperature is 27.3°C, with an extreme maximum of 42.1°C (July 18, 1966). The annual average temperature is 14.7°C. The average annual precipitation is approximately 790 mm.

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |------------------|--------|--------|-------|-------|--------|--------|--------|--------|-------|-------|-------|-------|----------| | Record high °C | 22.6 | 26.6 | 29.1 | 34.9 | 39.1 | 41.3 | 42.1 | 40.6 | 37 | 35 | 29.9 | 21.1 | 42.1 | | Record high °F | 72.7 | 79.9 | 84.4 | 94.8 | 102.4 | 106.3 | 107.8 | 105.1 | 98.6 | 95 | 85.8 | 70 | 107.8 | | Average high °C | 6 | 9.2 | 14.5 | 21.6 | 27 | 31.4 | 32 | 30.9 | 27.2 | 22.2 | 14.8 | 8.1 | 20.4 | | Average high °F | 42.8 | 48.6 | 58.1 | 70.9 | 80.6 | 88.5 | 89.6 | 87.6 | 81 | 72 | 58.6 | 46.6 | 68.7 | | Daily mean °C | 0.9 | 3.9 | 8.9 | 15.7 | 21.2 | 25.8 | 27.5 | 26.4 | 22 | 16.3 | 9.1 | 3 | 15.1 | | Daily mean °F | 33.6 | 39 | 48 | 60.3 | 70.2 | 78.4 | 81.5 | 79.5 | 71.6 | 61.3 | 48.4 | 37.4 | 59.1 | | Average low °C | −2.8 | −0.2 | 4.3 | 10.4 | 15.8 | 20.8 | 23.8 | 22.9 | 17.8 | 11.6 | 4.8 | −0.9 | 10.7 | | Average low °F | 27 | 31.6 | 39.7 | 50.7 | 60.4 | 69.4 | 74.8 | 73.2 | 64 | 52.9 | 40.6 | 30.4 | 51.2 | | Record low °C | −18.3 | −20.6 | −11.3 | −3.0 | 3.9 | 11.6 | 16.6 | 13.8 | 4.5 | −1.2 | −8.8 | −17.5 | −20.6 | | Record low °F | (−0.9) | (−5.1) | 11.7 | 26.6 | 39 | 52.9 | 61.9 | 56.8 | 40.1 | 29.8 | 16.2 | 0.5 | (−5.1) | | Average precipitation mm | 17.3 | 20 | 32.5 | 38.8 | 71.4 | 101.6 | 220 | 136.2 | 79.2 | 45.4 | 30.1 | 15.4 | 807.9 | | Average precipitation inches | 0.68 | 0.79 | 1.28 | 1.53 | 2.81 | 4 | 8.66 | 5.36 | 3.12 | 1.79 | 1.19 | 0.61 | 31.82 | | Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 4.1 | 5 | 6.8 | 6.5 | 7.6 | 8.5 | 12.2 | 10.5 | 7.8 | 7 | 5.4 | 3.9 | 85.3 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 67 | 65 | 65 | 65 | 67 | 67 | 79 | 82 | 76 | 70 | 69 | 68 | 70 | | Mean monthly sunshine hours | 145 | 145.4 | 171 | 206.2 | 231.4 | 222.9 | 212.8 | 215.7 | 189.8 | 187.4 | 161.8 | 152.2 | 2,241.60 | | Percent possible sunshine | 46 | 47 | 46 | 53 | 54 | 52 | 49 | 52 | 51 | 53 | 52 | 50 | 50 |

4. Administrative Divisions

| Division Code | Division Name | Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|----------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------| | 341600 | Bozhou City | Bózhōu Shì | 8,521.23 | 4,996,844 | Qiaocheng District | 236800 | 9 | 72 | 7 | | 341602 | Qiaocheng District| Qiáochéng Qū | 2,262.89 | 1,537,231 | Huaxilou Subdistrict| 236800 | 3 | 20 | 2 | | 341621 | Guoyang County | Guōyáng Xiàn | 2,109.90 | 1,170,719 | Chengguan Subdistrict| 233600 | 3 | 20 | | | 341622 | Mengcheng County | Méngchéng Xiàn | 2,143.93 | 1,101,640 | Chengguan Subdistrict| 233500 | 3 | 12 | 2 | | 341623 | Lixin County | Lìxīn Xiàn | 2,004.50 | 1,187,254 | Chengguan Town | 236700 | | 20 | 3 |

5. Economy

Bozhou City is located in the northwest of Anhui Province and is a city with a long history and profound cultural heritage. Since its establishment as a prefecture-level city in 2000, Bozhou's economy has developed rapidly, with its economic aggregate continuously growing in recent years. In 2023, Bozhou achieved a regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 221.58 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.3%, ranking eighth in the province.

The economic structure of Bozhou City has been continuously optimized, with major industries including traditional Chinese medicine and healthcare, green food, cultural tourism, and new energy. Among these, the traditional Chinese medicine industry is one of Bozhou's characteristic industries. Bozhou is known as the "Capital of Chinese Medicine" and is the largest distribution and price formation center for Chinese medicinal materials in the country. Additionally, Bozhou boasts abundant agricultural resources and is recognized as an advanced city for grain production in China, with a relatively high level of agricultural mechanization.

The industrial development of Bozhou City is also quite prominent, with the proportion of industrial added value to GDP gradually increasing in recent years. In 2022, the proportion of industrial added value to GDP in Bozhou City was 25.2%. Bozhou is also actively promoting the development of strategic emerging industries, such as new energy vehicles, information technology, and biotechnology.

In terms of the service sector, the tertiary industry contributes significantly to Bozhou's economic growth. Bozhou is an important commercial and logistics hub city and has been designated as a national "Belt and Road" comprehensive demonstration county. Furthermore, Bozhou City is vigorously developing the digital economy, which has become one of the city's top ten key industries.

The infrastructure construction in Bozhou City is continuously improving, with a convenient transportation network that includes high-speed rail, highways, and shipping. These advantages provide strong support for the economic development of Bozhou City.

Bozhou City's economic development is in a favorable state, with its industrial structure gradually optimizing. In the future, it will continue to rely on its abundant resources and policy support to promote high-quality economic development.

6. Transportation

• National Highways 105 and 311 pass through the area.
• The Beijing-Kowloon Railway has a station at Bozhou.
• The Shangqiu–Hefei section of the Beijing–Hong Kong High-Speed Railway includes Lumiao Station (near the Anhui–Henan provincial border), Bozhou South Station, and Gucheng East Station.
• Bozhou Airport (under construction)

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7. Population

At the end of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 4.960 million, with an urbanization rate of 44.1%, an increase of 0.9 percentage points from the previous year.

According to the 2020 Seventh National Population Census, the city's permanent resident population was 4,996,844. Compared with the 4,850,657 people recorded in the Sixth National Population Census, the population increased by 146,187 over the ten-year period, a growth of 3.01%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.3%. Among them, the male population was 2,554,536, accounting for 51.12% of the total population; the female population was 2,442,308, accounting for 48.88% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 104.6. The population aged 0–14 was 1,279,489, accounting for 25.61% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 2,892,457, accounting for 57.89% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 824,898, accounting for 16.51% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 679,862, accounting for 13.61% of the total population. The urban population was 2,123,492, accounting for 42.5% of the total population; the rural population was 2,873,352, accounting for 57.5% of the total population.

7.1. Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 4,946,363, accounting for 98.99%; the population of ethnic minorities was 50,481, accounting for 1.01%. Compared with the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the Han ethnic group population increased by 146,587, a growth of 3.05%, with its proportion in the total population increasing by 0.04 percentage points; the population of ethnic minorities decreased by 400, a decline of 0.79%, with its proportion in the total population decreasing by 0.04 percentage points.

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8. Culture

8.1 National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

• Huaxi Theater (Flower Opera Tower)
• Yuchi Temple Site
• Cao Family Cemetery Complex
• Bozhou Ancient Tunnel
• Mengcheng Wanfo Pagoda (Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda)
• Gujing Gongjiu (Gujing Tribute Liquor) Brewing Site
• Nanjing Lane Old Bank

8.2 Cultural and Historical Sites

• Huazu Nunnery (Ancestral Temple of Hua Tuo)
• Tianjing Palace
• Zhuangzi Temple
• Daode Zhonggong (Palace of the Mean of Dao and De)
• Shang Dynasty King Cheng Tang's Cenotaph
• Baiyi Lüyuan (White Robe Vinaya Temple)
• King Tang's Tomb

9. Sister Cities

France Cognac

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Qiaocheng District

Qiaocheng District

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