Hengyang (衡阳)

1. Introduction

Hengyang City, abbreviated as Heng, historically known as Hengzhou and also called the "Wild Goose City," is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hunan Province, the People's Republic of China. It is located in the central-southern part of Hunan Province. The city borders Zhuzhou City to the east, Chenzhou City to the south, Yongzhou City to the southwest, Shaoyang City to the west, and Loudi City and Xiangtan City to the north. Situated in the Xiangzhong Basin, it is surrounded by mountains on all sides: the eastern part is the remnant range of the Luoxiao Mountains, the southern part is the remnant range of the Nanling Mountains, the western part is the remnant range of the Yuechengling Mountains, and the northern part is Mount Heng. The Xiang River enters from the southwest, flows through the entire city, and exits to the northeast, converging with tributaries such as the Chongling River, Zhengshui River, Leishui River, and Mishui River. The city covers a total area of 15,299 square kilometers, with a permanent population of 7.3375 million. The municipal government is located at No. 16, West Jiefang Avenue, Zhengxiang District. Hengyang is an important railway transportation hub in Hunan Province, where the Beijing-Guangzhou, Hengyang-Liuzhou, Hunan-Guangxi, Jishou-Hengyang, and Huaihua-Shaoyang-Hengyang railways intersect, making it a gateway to Guangdong and Guangxi in the south. Hengyang is named for its location south of Mount Heng (also known as the Southern Mountain). Huiyan Peak is the first peak of Mount Heng, and it is said that "wild geese flying south stop here to rest and turn back," hence Hengyang is also known as the "Wild Goose City."

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2. History

Warring States Period: Initially conquered by the State of Chu in the early Warring States Period, it was renamed Pang Yi and became an important town in southern Chu.

Qin Dynasty: It belonged to Changsha Commandery.

Han Dynasty: It was part of Ling County. In the fifth year of Emperor Gaozu of Han (202 BC), Ling County was established (located in present-day Linghu Township, Zhuhui District, not the Ling County established in the Song Dynasty, which is present-day Yanling County). By the end of the Western Han Dynasty, the Zhongwu Marquisate was established in the western part of Ling County.

Wu Kingdom: The eastern part of Changsha Commandery was divided into Xiangdong Commandery and Hengyang Commandery. In 220 AD, the Wu Kingdom established Xiangdong Commandery in the southeast of Changsha Commandery, with its seat in Ling County. Simultaneously, Hengyang Commandery was established in the west of Changsha Commandery, governing counties such as Zhengyang (present-day Hengyang County), Chong'an (present-day Hengnan County), Xiangnan, Xiangxi (present-day Hengshan, Hengdong, and Nanyue districts), Xiangxiang, and Yiyang. This marked the first appearance of a commandery named "Hengyang" in history. The area of present-day Hengyang City spans these two commanderies.

Western Jin, Eastern Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties: The Western Jin Dynasty continued the administrative system of the Wu Kingdom. During the Eastern Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, Xiangdong Commandery (with its seat in Linzheng County), the Hengyang Kingdom, and the Xiangdong Kingdom were successively established.

Sui Dynasty: In the ninth year of the Kaihuang era (589 AD), commanderies were changed to prefectures. Xiangdong and Hengyang commanderies were merged to form Hengzhou, and Linzheng County was renamed Hengyang County. The seats of both the prefecture and the county were located on the east bank of the Xiang River. In the third year of the Daye era (607 AD), it was renamed Hengshan Commandery, with its seat in Hengyang.

Tang Dynasty: In the fourth year of the Wude era (621 AD), Hengzhou was established. In 764 AD, the Tang Dynasty established the Hunan Observation Circuit, marking the earliest appearance of the name "Hunan" in history. The Hunan Observation Circuit was stationed in Hengzhou. During the Tianbao and Zhide eras, it was briefly renamed Hengyang Commandery. Hengzhou belonged to the Jiangnan West Circuit.

Song Dynasty: It was known as Hengzhou, also called Hengyang Commandery, and belonged to the Jinghu South Circuit. It served as the seat of the Hunan Judicial Commissioner.

Yuan Dynasty: Hengzhou Route was established, later reorganized as the Hengzhou Route Chief Administration. The Hunan Pacification Commission was set up in Hengzhou, subordinate to the Huguang Branch Secretariat. In the first year of the Yuanzhen era (1295 AD), frequent uprisings against grain levies and conscription occurred in Hengzhou, Yongzhou, Chenzhou, and Guizhou. The court established a Branch Bureau of Military Affairs in Hengzhou.

Ming Dynasty: In the early Hongwu era, it was reorganized as Hengzhou Prefecture, subordinate to the Huguang Branch Secretariat. It governed counties including Hengyang, Hengshan, Leiyang, Changning, Chalingzhou, and Guiyangzhou. During the mid to late Ming Dynasty, the princedoms of Yong and Gui were established, both with their seats in Hengyang.

Qing Dynasty: The Heng-Yong-Chen Circuit was established, stationed in Hengzhou Prefecture. It governed Hengzhou Prefecture (including Hengyang County, Qingquan County, Hengshan County, Leiyang County, Changning County, Anren County, Ling County, Guiyangzhou, Linwu County, Lanshan County, and Jiahe County), Yongzhou Prefecture (including Lingling County, Qiyang County, Dong'an County, Daozhou, Ningyuan County, Yongming County, Jianghua County, and Xintian County), and Chenzhou (including Yongxing County, Yizhang County, Xingning County, and Guidong County). In the tenth year of the Yongzheng era (1732 AD), Guiyangzhou was added, and the circuit was renamed the Heng-Yong-Chen-Gui Circuit. In the seventeenth year of the Kangxi era (1678 AD), Wu Sangui rebelled against the Qing Dynasty and later declared himself emperor in Hengzhou Prefecture, changing the state name to Zhou and renaming the capital Dingtian Prefecture.

Republic of China: In 1914, the Hengyang Circuit was established. In 1922, the circuit system was abolished. In 1937, the Fifth Administrative District was established. On January 1, 1942, the National Government established Hengyang City. In 1943, it became a province-administered city, the second in Hunan Province. In 1944, Japanese forces occupied Hengyang during the Battle of Hengyang. In 1945, after the victory in the War of Resistance, Hengyang was recovered. The National Government designated it as the only "Victory Memorial City of the War of Resistance" in the country. In October 1949, the Hengbao Campaign concluded, and the People's Republic of China took control of Hengyang.

People's Republic of China: In November 2013, the Binjiang New Area was officially launched, covering approximately 9 square kilometers in the northern part of Zhuhui District.

3. Geography

3.1 Geographical Location

Hengyang is located in the south-central part of Hunan Province, in the middle reaches of the Xiang River. It lies between 110°32'16" to 113°16'32" east longitude and 26°07'05" to 27°27'24" north latitude. It borders Zhuzhou, Youxian, and Anren to the east; Yongxing and Guiyang to the south; Lengshuitan, Qiyang, Dong'an, Shaoyang, and Shaodong to the west; and Shuangfeng and Xiangtan to the north. The city stretches 150 km from north to south and 173 km from east to west.

3.2 Topography and Landforms

Hengyang lies within the concave axial belt, surrounded by discontinuous ridges and mountainous areas formed by ancient rock layers. The city features extensive red hilly terraces composed of Cretaceous and Lower Tertiary red beds, forming a typical basin topography. The Hengyang Basin is higher in the south and lower in the north. The southern part of the basin has higher terrain, with mountains over 1,000 meters stretching for dozens of kilometers from east to west. The northern part is relatively lower; although the Hengshan Mountain Range is high, its peaks stand like a forest in the middle, with lower northward passages on both its eastern and western sides. The elevation on both banks of the Xiang River valley on the eastern side is below 100 meters. The overall terrain slopes from southwest to northeast, while the basin descends from the periphery to the center, exhibiting four levels of planation surfaces at 1,000 meters, 800-700 meters, 400-300 meters, and 150 meters. The area is surrounded by hills and mountains, with flatlands, hills, and mounds interwoven in the central region. The eastern part includes the Tian'guang Mountain, Sifang Mountain, and Yuanming'ao, which are extensions of the Luoxiao Mountains. The southern part features the extensions of the Nanling Mountains: Ta Mountain, Dayi Mountain, Tianmenxian, and Jingfeng'ao. The western part comprises the extensions of the Yuecheng Ridge: Xiongpi Ridge, Siming Mountain, and Tengyun Ridge. The northwestern and northern parts include Dayun Mountain, Jiufeng Mountain, and the Hengshan Mountain (also known as Nanyue). The overall terrain gradient is 7.9‰. Most peaks in the south are over 600 meters above sea level, with Tiantang Mountain in Changning being the highest at 1,265 meters. Peaks in the west are mostly over 500 meters, with Tengyun Ridge in Qidong being the highest at 1,044 meters. In the northeast, apart from Hengshan Mountain, the general ground elevation ranges from 300 to 500 meters above sea level. The highest point within the city is Zhurong Peak of Hengshan Mountain, at 1,300.2 meters; the lowest point is Pengbeigang in Hengdong, at only 39.2 meters.

The landform types in Hengyang City are predominantly mounds and hills. Mountains account for 21% of the total area, hills 27%, mounds 27%, plains 21%, and water surfaces 4%. The central area is extensively covered by Cretaceous and Tertiary red beds, spanning 3,550 square kilometers, forming the main body of the Hengyang Basin. There are 393 rivers and streams within the city, each with a length of over 5 km or a drainage area of over 10 square kilometers, totaling 8,355 km in length, resulting in a river network density of 0.55 km per square kilometer. The main stream of the Xiang River, originating from Xing'an in Guangxi, enters the city at Guiyang Town and flows through Qidong, Hengnan, Changning, the urban area, Hengyang County, Hengshan, and Hengdong, covering a length of 226 km within the city. Major first-order tributaries of the Xiang River within the city, each with a drainage area exceeding 3,000 square kilometers, include the Chongling River, Zheng River, Lei River, and Mi River. The theoretical hydropower resource potential is 876.1 MW, with a developable capacity of 641.7 MW.

3.3 Natural Resources

Animal Resources. It is known that Hengyang City has 30 species of mammals and over 170 species of birds belonging to 17 orders and 40 families. Plant Resources. The city has 1,047 species of woody plants belonging to 342 genera and 99 families.

Hengyang City is rich in mineral resources and industrial products. Its mineral resources include non-ferrous metals, ferrous metals, ceramic raw materials, construction materials, and auxiliary materials. It is renowned worldwide for its non-ferrous metals, earning the reputation as the "Hometown of Non-ferrous Metals" and "Hometown of Non-metallic Minerals." Non-ferrous metal ores include over 20 types such as lead, zinc, copper, tungsten, tin, antimony, titanium, and silver. Among these, lead-zinc ore reserves amount to 2.62 million tons, with the world-famous Shuikoushan lead-zinc mine located in Changning. Ferrous metal ores include iron and manganese, with iron ore reserves reaching 37.09 billion tons. Chemical raw materials mainly include salt, pyrite, and glauberite. Among construction materials such as salt rock, marble, and granite, the proven reserves of kaolin amount to 15.8 million tons. Auxiliary materials include fluorite, dolomite, and silica, with proven fluorite reserves reaching 7.94 million tons.

3.4 Climate

Hengyang has a central subtropical monsoon climate with four distinct seasons and ample precipitation. Spring and autumn are relatively cool and comfortable, with spring being more humid. Winter is cold, cool, and slightly damp, occasionally experiencing low temperatures with rain or snow. Summer is extremely hot and relatively humid. The annual average temperature is around 18°C, with an average annual precipitation of approximately 1,352 mm. | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |------------------|------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------|------|------|----------| | Record high °C | 27.7 | 32.2 | 36 | 37 | 37.3 | 38.6 | 40.2 | 41.3 | 38.7 | 36.5 | 32.6 | 24.9 | 41.3 | | Record high °F | 81.9 | 90 | 96.8 | 98.6 | 99.1 | 101.5 | 104.4 | 106.3 | 101.7 | 97.7 | 90.7 | 76.8 | 106.3 | | Average high °C | 9 | 11.2 | 15.6 | 22.4 | 27.5 | 30.8 | 34.5 | 33.6 | 29.3 | 23.9 | 18.1 | 12.3 | 22.3 | | Average high °F | 48.2 | 52.2 | 60.1 | 72.3 | 81.5 | 87.4 | 94.1 | 92.5 | 84.7 | 75 | 64.6 | 54.1 | 72.2 | | Daily mean °C | 6 | 8.1 | 11.9 | 18.1 | 23.1 | 26.6 | 29.8 | 29 | 25 | 19.7 | 14.1 | 8.5 | 18.3 | | Daily mean °F | 42.8 | 46.6 | 53.4 | 64.6 | 73.6 | 79.9 | 85.6 | 84.2 | 77 | 67.5 | 57.4 | 47.3 | 65 | | Average low °C | 3.8 | 5.8 | 9.3 | 15.1 | 19.9 | 23.5 | 26.2 | 25.6 | 21.8 | 16.6 | 11 | 5.6 | 15.4 | | Average low °F | 38.8 | 42.4 | 48.7 | 59.2 | 67.8 | 74.3 | 79.2 | 78.1 | 71.2 | 61.9 | 51.8 | 42.1 | 59.6 | | Record low °C | −4.3 | −4.8 | −0.3 | 3.7 | 10.2 | 13.2 | 18.9 | 18.3 | 12.8 | 5.5 | −0.7 | −5.9 | −5.9 | | Record low °F | 24.3 | 23.4 | 31.5 | 38.7 | 50.4 | 55.8 | 66 | 64.9 | 55 | 41.9 | 30.7 | 21.4 | 21.4 | | Average precipitation mm | 81.5 | 104.4 | 150.9 | 167.3 | 194.5 | 171.3 | 110.6 | 114.2 | 63.5 | 71.5 | 73.8 | 50.4 | 1,353.90 | | Average precipitation inches | 3.21 | 4.11 | 5.94 | 6.59 | 7.66 | 6.74 | 4.35 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 2.81 | 2.91 | 1.98 | 53.3 | | Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 16.2 | 15.3 | 19.7 | 18.5 | 16.9 | 13.4 | 9.6 | 10.5 | 8.8 | 11.9 | 9.8 | 9.5 | 160.1 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 79 | 80 | 80 | 79 | 77 | 78 | 70 | 73 | 74 | 74 | 73 | 73 | 76 |

5. Administrative Divisions

Hengyang City currently administers 5 municipal districts, 5 counties, and oversees 2 county-level cities on behalf of the province.

• Municipal Districts: Zhuhui District, Yanfeng District, Shigu District, Zhengxiang District, Nanyue District
• County-level Cities: Leiyang City, Changning City
• Counties: Hengyang County, Hengnan County, Hengshan County, Hengdong County, Qidong County | Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (sq km) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|----------------------| | 430400 | Hengyang City | Héngyáng Shì | 15,299.24 | 6,645,243 | Zhengxiang District | 421000 | 41 | 114 | 31 | 1 | | 430405 | Zhuhui District | Zhūhuī Qū | 218.65 | 337,337 | Guangdong Road Subdistrict | 421000 | 7 | 1 | 2 | | | 430406 | Yanfeng District | Yànfēng Qū | 83.23 | 247,791 | Yanfeng Subdistrict | 421000 | 6 | 1 | | | | 430407 | Shigu District | Shígǔ Qū | 104.78 | 227,515 | Huangshawan Subdistrict | 421000 | 7 | 1 | | | | 430408 | Zhengxiang District | Zhēngxiāng Qū | 111.65 | 478,072 | Zhengxiang Subdistrict | 421000 | 4 | 2 | | | | 430412 | Nanyue District | Nányuè Qū | 179.28 | 70,370 | Zhurong Subdistrict | 421900 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | 430421 | Hengyang County | Héngyáng Xiàn | 2,558.61 | 888,433 | Xidu Town | 421200 | | 17 | 8 | | | 430422 | Hengnan County | Héngnán Xiàn | 2,614.18 | 796,327 | Yunji Subdistrict | 421100 | 3 | 19 | 1 | | | 430423 | Hengshan County | Héngshān Xiàn | 934.93 | 335,704 | Kaiyun Town | 421300 | | 7 | 5 | | | 430424 | Hengdong County | Héngdōng Xiàn | 1,926.76 | 565,423 | Mishui Town | 421400 | | 15 | 2 | | | 430426 | Qidong County | Qídōng Xiàn | 1,871.01 | 766,920 | Yuhe Subdistrict | 421600 | 4 | 17 | 3 | | | 430481 | Leiyang City | Lěiyáng Shì | 2,648.25 | 1,140,675 | Caizichi Subdistrict | 421800 | 6 | 19 | 5 | | | 430482 | Changning City | Chángníng Shì | 2,047.90 | 790,676 | Yiyang Subdistrict | 421500 | 3 | 14 | 4 | 1 |

6. Economy

Historically, Hengyang was the largest old industrial base city in Hunan Province and the second-largest city in the province by population (only after the provincial capital, Changsha). In 2023, Hengyang's GDP reached 419.087 billion yuan, ranking fourth in the province (after the provincial capital Changsha, 1,433.198 billion yuan; Yueyang, 484.178 billion yuan; and Changde, 438.57 billion yuan).

6.1 Current Economic Situation

In 2013, Hengyang attracted 16 Fortune Global 500 companies, 16 large central state-owned enterprises, large multinational corporations, and over 10 top 100 domestic enterprises. It introduced 100 major projects with investments exceeding 100 million yuan each and undertook 500 industrial transfer projects. The city built 2 million square meters of standard factory buildings. Actual utilized foreign capital reached 700 million USD, a growth of 16%; actual utilized domestic capital reached 22.1 billion yuan, a growth of 13%. Total foreign trade import and export volume completed was 2.625 billion USD, a growth of 30%; processing trade import and export volume completed was 1.9 billion USD, a growth of 100%.

6.2 Agricultural Development

Hengyang is an important commercial grain production base in southern China and a significant production area for agricultural by-products such as live pigs. It has long been known as the "Land of Fish and Rice." Food crops include 6 major categories with 647 varieties, such as rice, wheat, legumes, sorghum, and corn. Economic crops include 4 categories with 54 varieties of oil crops; industrial raw material crops include 4 categories with 25 varieties; and subsidiary food crops include 5 categories with 72 varieties.

Traditional products of Hengyang include citrus, daylily, Xiang lotus, chili peppers, water chestnuts, lilies, tea, and sericulture. Famous local specialties known both domestically and internationally include Nanyue Yunwu Tea, Qidong Daylily, Hengdong Citrus, Taiyuan Black Lotus, and Qidong Grass Mats. Main livestock and poultry products include lean-meat pigs, commercial sheep, Xianghuang chickens, duck eggs, honey, meat rabbits, beef cattle, and fresh fish. Major economic fish species include silver carp, bighead carp, black carp, grass carp, common carp, bream, and crucian carp. The main output of agricultural, livestock, and aquatic products in Hengyang City is: grain, 3.1818 million tons; cotton, 26,736 tons; oil crops, 161,475 tons; slaughtered live pigs, 7.4901 million head; aquatic products, 151,300 tons. Hengyang has now established ten major commercial production bases for agricultural products: high-quality rice, cotton, lean-meat pigs, daylilies, specialty vegetables, specialty aquatic products, small fruits, mat grass, Xiang lotus, and citrus. The pattern of agricultural regionalization, scale, and industrialization is gradually taking shape.

6.3 Industrial Development

During the planned economy period, Hengyang was positioned as a national equipment manufacturing industrial base. From the 1950s to the 1980s, it was one of the three major industrial and commercial cities in central-southern China alongside Wuhan and Guangzhou. Along with Tangshan, Xuzhou, Mianyang, and Jinzhou, it was one of China's five major second-category industrial hubs and a center for industry and commerce in Hunan, making it a "preferred workplace" for people from other regions. In the 1990s, many large and medium-sized state-owned enterprises in Hengyang faced difficulties, with enterprises going bankrupt and workers being laid off, a period historically referred to as the "Lost Decade." With the advancement of state-owned enterprise reform, external capital, represented by TBEA, began merging and restructuring local Hengyang enterprises. Sinosteel invested 2 billion yuan to integrate the Hengyang Nonferrous Metallurgical Machinery Plant; China National Building Material Group invested 5 billion yuan to establish a high-value-added new energy building materials base in Hengyang focusing on four major industries: cement, glass, ceramics, and gypsum boards; Minmetals increased its investment by 1 billion yuan, bringing the centuries-old Shuikoushan Mine under central SOE management, and invested 5 billion yuan in Hengyang to launch a new project producing 400,000 tons of electrolytic copper annually, adding 20 billion yuan in production capacity and creating a nonferrous metals base in southern China. Sixteen central SOEs including Sinochem, CNNC, CNPC, and State Grid, as well as companies like Foxconn, Omron, and ZTE, have established operations in Hengyang. Hengyang's five major industrial clusters are: power transmission and transformation equipment manufacturing, salt and halogen chemical and fine chemical industries, nonferrous metal smelting and deep processing, steel smelting and pipe deep processing, and automobiles and parts. Its five characteristic industries are: mechanical equipment manufacturing, light textile, brewing and food processing, electronic information and new materials, bio-pharmaceuticals, and non-metallic materials and building materials. This has formed a 100-billion-yuan equipment manufacturing industry led by TBEA and Sinosteel Hengyang Heavy Machinery; a 100-billion-yuan mineral products deep processing industry led by China Minmetals and San'an Mining; a 100-billion-yuan salt and halogen chemical and fine chemical industry led by Kingboard Chemical and Xiangheng Salt Chemical; a 50-billion-yuan food processing industry led by Yanjing Beer and Wahaha; and a 50-billion-yuan new building materials industry led by China National Building Material and Heng Lifeng.

6.4 Commerce, Trade, and Logistics

Hengyang Huayang Commerce and Logistics City is the largest commerce and logistics base in central-southern China. It covers 5,130 acres with a total floor area of 8 million square meters and a total investment of 12 billion yuan. It is divided into market trade and transaction zones, comprehensive commercial service zones, warehousing and distribution zones, and supporting residential areas. It primarily deals in textiles and apparel, leather goods, food, electronics and digital products, hardware and machinery, building materials and furniture, small commodities, outlets, industrial raw materials, and finished products. It is a large-scale commerce and logistics city integrating commodity trade, product display, professional exhibitions, e-commerce, information exchange, logistics distribution, financial settlement, and leisure entertainment. Zhongyi Automobile Trade City is the first one-stop international auto trade city in South China. Covering 500 acres with an investment exceeding 900 million yuan, it is the largest, highest-grade, most fully functional, and best-equipped (both hardware and software) auto trade hub in central-southern Hunan. Hengyang Commercial Pedestrian Street is a headquarters economy agglomeration area in Hengyang and a project under the National Development and Reform Commission's guidance fund plan for modern service industry comprehensive reform. It covers 175.26 acres with a floor area of 499,281 square meters and a total investment of 4.5 billion yuan.

Hengyang Yangliu Automobile Sales District covers 605 acres. Its sales reached 3 billion yuan in 2011. It is the largest comprehensive automobile sales district south of the Yangtze River, integrating car parks, automotive culture, track experiences, and automobile sales. It boasts the most comprehensive range of car brands and specifications, the best service, and the most complete supporting facilities, radiating throughout the southern Hunan region.

6.5 Large and Medium-sized Enterprises

Large and medium-sized enterprises in Hengyang City include: Hengyang Steel Tube Group, Foxconn Hengyang Industrial Park (Foxconn Industrial New City), Omron Precision Electronics (Hengyang) Co., Ltd., TBEA Hengyang Transformer Co., Ltd., Shuikoushan Nonferrous Metals Group Co., Ltd., Sinosteel Hengyang Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd., Hengyang Automobile Group Co., Ltd., CNNC 272 Uranium Industry Co., Ltd. (formerly CNNC 272 Factory), Jinhu Copper Industry Co., Ltd., Datang Group Leiyang Power Plant, Hengyang Sinosteel Hengzhong Casting & Forging Co., Ltd., Heng Lifeng Ceramics Co., Ltd., Hengyang Tiantianjian Comb & Hairpin Industrial Group Co., Ltd., Hunan Yuhua Chemical Group Co., Ltd., etc.

On the 2016 list of Hunan's Top 100 Private Enterprises, four Hengyang companies ranked in the top fifty: TBEA Hengyang Transformer Co., Ltd., Huarong Construction Engineering (Group) Co., Ltd., Hunan Hengzhou Construction Co., Ltd., and Hengyang Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd.

6.6 Industrial Parks

• National Level: Hengyang High-tech Industrial Development Zone.
• Provincial Level Parks: Hengyang Songmu Industrial Park, Hengdong Industrial Park, Hengshan Economic Development Zone, Changning Shuikoushan Economic Development Zone, Qidong Economic Development Zone, Leiyang Economic Development Zone, Hengyang Xidu Economic Development Zone.
• Industrial Concentration Areas: Hengyang Baishazhou Industrial Park, Hengnan County Yunji Industrial Park, Hengyang Dapu Industrial Park, Hengyang Steel Tube Deep Processing Industrial Cluster Area.
• Comprehensive Bonded Zone: Hengyang Comprehensive Bonded Zone.

7. Transportation

Hengyang boasts a superior geographical location, being close to the coast, adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao, connecting the east and the west. It serves as the inland area of the coastal regions and the frontier of the inland areas; "controlling Guangdong and Guangxi, locking Jing and Wu," it is situated at a crucial north-south thoroughfare, acting as the gateway to Guangdong and Guangxi. Historically, it has been a place where merchants gathered and a distribution center for commodities in the Jiangnan region. It is not only a national comprehensive transportation hub but also a national logistics hub.

7.1 Highway

Hengyang is one of China's 45 major highway transportation hub cities. It has formed a ring expressway around the city, with highways crisscrossing and extending in all directions. The G65 Baotou-Maoming Expressway (Shangrao-Ruili Expressway), G4 Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway, G72 Quanzhou-Nanning Expressway (including the Hengyang-Kunming, Hengyang-Datong, and Hengyang-Yanling Expressways), S80 Hengyang-Shaoyang Expressway, the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway duplicate line (Hunan's first two-way six-lane expressway) Tanheng Expressway and Henggui Expressway, and the Nanyue Expressway all converge in the urban area of Hengyang. National Highway 107 (Beijing to Guangzhou), National Highway 322 (Hengyang to Youyiguan, Guangxi, and Vietnam), and the Sannan Highway (connecting southern Hunan, southern Jiangxi, and southern Fujian) run through the entire territory. The Yilouheng Expressway is under construction, and the Chaling-Qiyang Expressway is in the planning stage. By the end of December 2010, with the completion and opening of the 148-kilometer mainline Hengyang-Shaoyang Expressway, the total expressway mileage in Hengyang reached 572 kilometers, ranking first in the province. There are currently five national first-class long-distance bus passenger hub stations in the urban area of Hengyang.

• Hengyang Central Bus Station
• Linghu Bus Station
• Huaxin Bus Station
• Hengyang South Bus Station
• Wangjiang Bus Station

7.2 Railway

The Hengyang railway hub connects railways from seven directions, extending its reach across the country. The Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway (Wuhan-Guangzhou section) run parallel with four tracks; the Hengyang-Liuzhou Railway and the Hunan-Guangxi Railway run parallel with three tracks; the Jishou-Hengyang Railway (single-track electrified, with provisions for double-tracking, designed for 160 km/h) began construction in 2008; the Huaihua-Hengyang section of the Lanzhou-Xiamen Railway (double-track electrified, designed for 200-250 km/h) began construction in 2012; the Ankang-Zhangjiajie-Hengyang Railway, part of the Xi'an-Guangzhou Rapid Railway (double-track electrified, designed for 200 km/h), was included in the 12th Five-Year Plan. By the end of 2013, the freight capacity of Hengyang Station was expected to become the largest in southern China.

• Hengyang Railway Station: One of the 36 special-class stations under the former Ministry of Railways, located on Dongfeng Avenue in Zhuhui District, with daily trains to major and medium-sized cities across the country.
• Hengyang East Station: On October 6, 2009, the new Hengyang station on the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway was named Hengyang East Station by the former Ministry of Railways. It is the largest non-provincial capital city station on the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway and is a first-class station. The station has 9 platforms and connects to the China State Railway Group's Hengyang-Liuzhou Railway, Jishou-Hengyang Railway, Huaihua-Hengyang Railway, and Ankang-Zhangjiajie-Hengyang Railway. It has a connecting line to Hengyang North Station. Connected to the central urban area via Hengzhou Avenue, it takes only about one and a half hours to travel from Hengyang south to Guangzhou and north to Wuhan.
• Hengyang North Station: A special-class station located in Zhuhui District. Known for its large throughput and high level of modernization, it is one of the five major marshalling yards in China's railway network, with an average daily arrival and departure of 26,000 freight cars. The construction of the Huaihua-Shaoyang-Hengyang Railway includes the renovation plan for the Hengyang North hub. After renovation, Hengyang North Station will become one of the important railway freight stations in South China.
• Hengyang West Station: Located in Yanfeng District, built in 1938, it is a second-class station.
• Hengyang South Station: Located within the Baishazhou Industrial Park, it handles both passenger and freight services. The freight yard is designed for a scale of 3 million tons with 2 freight lines, and a long-term plan for 5 million tons with 4 freight lines.
• Leiyang Station: Located in Leiyang, it is a second-class station.
• Leiyang West Station: Located in Yuqing Township, Leiyang, it is a third-class station. It has 2 main lines and 2 arrival/departure tracks.
• Hengshan Station: Located in Xintang Town, Hengdong County, it is a third-class station.
• Hengshan West Station: Located in Hengshan County, it is a third-class station. It has 2 main lines and 2 arrival/departure tracks.

7.3 Waterway

Hengyang is rich in water transport resources, with rivers such as the Xiang River, Lei River, Zheng River, and Mi River flowing through its territory. The Xiang River connects upstream to the Li River and downstream into Dongting Lake, providing access to rivers and the sea. The Port of Hengyang can accommodate 2,000-ton ships year-round. A comprehensive three-dimensional transportation network integrating railway, highway, waterway, and air transport has been formed. The 2009 "Xiang River Shipping Development Plan Report" clearly proposed the "Yangtze River and Pearl River Water System Connection Project Plan—combining with hydroelectric cascade development to build the Xiang-Gui Canal into a Class III waterway navigable for 1,000-ton ships." This aims to achieve a 2,000-ton waterway connection to the Yangtze River north of Hengyang and a 1,000-ton waterway connection to the West River (main stream of the Pearl River) south of Hengyang. The Hengyang Dingjiaqiao Thousand-Ton Port is located in the Baishazhou Industrial Park on South Xiangjiang Road. It possesses the second-largest lifting piece wharf among China's inland rivers and faces the Dongzhou Island Scenic Area. The Hengyang Songmu Thousand-Ton Port and Jintang River Port are both located in the Songmu Industrial Park.

7.4 Aviation

Hengyang currently has two airports: Hengyang Airport (Bajialing Airport) and Nanyue Airport. Hengyang Airport (Bajialing Airport) is currently idle, and Nanyue Airport is the only operational airport in Hengyang today.

Hengyang Airport (Bajialing Airport) is located on the east bank of the Xiang River in Zhuhui District, north of the railway station. Hengyang Airport was first built in September 1929. During the Republic of China period, it had both irregular and regular flight routes. During the War of Resistance against Japan, it became the largest Sino-US military airport in the south and an important aviation transit station for the Nationalist government. In November 1995, with the complete relocation of the 11th Civil Aviation Flight Brigade, Hengyang Airport became idle and is now only used as a training ground for the Hunan designated skydiving team.

Nanyue Airport was built in Yunji Town, Hengnan County, and began operations on December 23, 2014. It is the 6th civil transport airport in Hunan Province and the 30th in the central-southern region of China. Nanyue Airport has a flight area classification of 4C. It features an apron of 31,000 square meters, a runway of 2,600 meters, a terminal building of 14,300 square meters, and 5 aircraft parking stands.

8. Education

In the Tang Dynasty, there were only 17 academies recorded nationwide, with Hengyang accounting for five of them. During the Song Dynasty, Hengyang's academies were again the most prominent in the region, with the Shigu Academy and Wending Academy being nationally renowned. In the Ming Dynasty, nine new academies were established in Nanyue alone.

In 1902, the Qing government began promoting modern education. The Lianhu Academy in Hengyang was converted into the Hengqing Official Primary School, the Yueping Academy into the Qingquan County Official Primary School, the Shigu Academy into the Hengyang County Official Primary School, and the Duling Academy into the Leiyang County Official Primary School.

In 1904, the Hengzhou Prefecture Middle School and the Hunan Southern Route Normal School were established. In 1907, the Hunan Southern Route Official Industrial School was founded, marking the beginning of secondary and vocational education in Hengyang. In 1908, Ms. Liu Zhenkun, who had returned from studying in Japan, advocated for the establishment of the Hengshan County Private Kaizhi Women's School, pioneering women's education in southern Hunan.

According to the Hengyang City Annals, as of 2008, Hengyang City had 7 regular higher education institutions, 434 middle schools, 1,959 primary schools, 7 regular secondary specialized schools (excluding sports schools), 4 special education schools, 297 registered kindergartens, and 759 private schools (training classes) of various levels and types.

Many of Hengyang's modern prestigious schools evolved from educational institutions established during the Republic of China era. The Chuanshan Academy evolved into Chuanshan Middle School, the Datong Middle School evolved into Hengyang No. 7 Middle School, and the Taoshu Middle School evolved into Dusi Street Primary School. Seven high schools, including Hengyang No. 8 Middle School, Hengyang No. 1 Middle School, Hengyang Railway No. 1 Middle School, and Yueyun Middle School, are designated as exemplary regular senior high schools in Hunan Province. Hengyang No. 8 Middle School, also ranked among China's top 100 high schools, originated from the Hunan Private Chengzhang Middle School.

Hengyang Normal University was established in March 1999 through the merger of the former Hengyang Normal College and Hengyang Education College. In February 2001, the Hunan Third Normal School was incorporated into Hengyang Normal University.

University of South China was established in March 2000 through the merger of the former Central South Institute of Technology, Hengyang Medical College, and the Sixth Research Institute of Nuclear Industry. In 2012, the university, originally classified as a second-tier institution, was elevated to first-tier status.

The "Hengyang University Town" is a large-scale university park in central and western China, serving as a center for advanced talent cultivation, scientific research, and academic exchange in northern South China.

9. Population

At the end of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 6.5774 million. Among them, the urban population was 3.6691 million, with an urbanization rate of 55.78%, an increase of 0.55 percentage points from the end of the previous year.

According to the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the permanent resident population of Hengyang City was 7,141,462, accounting for 10.87% of Hunan Province's population, ranking first in the province. The population density was 467 persons per square kilometer. The sex ratio was 107.77 males per 100 females. By educational attainment, those with a university degree or above accounted for 5.96% of the total population; those with a junior high school education or above accounted for 61.03%; and the illiterate population accounted for only 2.83%. There were 1,942,737 family households in the jurisdiction, with a family household population of 6,756,437, accounting for 94.61% of the total population. The average family size was 3.48 persons. In terms of age composition, the population aged 14 and below was 1,459,121, accounting for 20.43% of the total population; the population aged 15–64 was 5,044,393, accounting for 70.64%; and the elderly population aged 65 and above was 637,948, accounting for 8.93%.

According to the 2020 Seventh National Population Census, the city's permanent resident population was 6,645,243. Compared with the 7,148,344 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was a decrease of 503,101 people over ten years, a decline of 7.04%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.73%. Among them, the male population was 3,427,248, accounting for 51.57% of the total population; the female population was 3,217,995, accounting for 48.43%. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 106.5. The population aged 0–14 was 1,395,771, accounting for 21% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 3,907,599, accounting for 58.8%; and the population aged 60 and above was 1,341,873, accounting for 20.19% of the total population, of which those aged 65 and above numbered 979,181, accounting for 14.74%. The population living in urban areas was 3,606,453, accounting for 54.27% of the total population; the population living in rural areas was 3,038,790, accounting for 45.73%.

9.1. Ethnic Groups

The population of Hengyang is predominantly Han Chinese, with ethnic minorities mainly living scattered. The indigenous ethnic minority is the Yao people. Data from the 2000 Fifth Population Census shows that the Han population in Hengyang City was 6,768,081, accounting for 99.75% of the regional population. Ethnic minorities numbered 16,810, accounting for 0.26% of the province's ethnic minority population, ranking 9th in terms of ethnic minority population size, and constituting 0.25% of the regional population. Fifty of China's 55 ethnic minority groups are represented in Hengyang. Each ethnic minority group in Hengyang City has a population below 10,000. Among them, the Yao people numbered 3,051, accounting for 18.15% of the regional ethnic minority population; the Miao people numbered 2,178, accounting for 12.96%; the Tujia people numbered 2,094, accounting for 12.46%. The Mongolian, Zhuang, and Hui populations each exceeded 1,000, with 1,816, 1,392, and 1,118 people respectively. The Dong, Manchu, and Yi populations each exceeded 500, with 794, 686, and 527 people respectively. Nine ethnic groups including the Bouyei and Hani had populations over 100. Seventeen ethnic groups including the Jingpo, Blang, and Tu had populations over 10. The relatively concentrated Yao community in Hengyang resides in Tashan Township and Miquan Township of Changning City. The Hui community is relatively concentrated in the area from the railway station to the airport apron in Zhuhui District. The remaining ethnic minorities are scattered across various schools, government institutions, and enterprises.

In 2020, among the city's permanent resident population, the Han population was 6,614,152, accounting for 99.53%; the combined population of various ethnic minorities was 31,091, accounting for 0.47%. Compared with the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the Han population decreased by 516,442, a decline of 7.24%, and its proportion of the total population decreased by 0.22 percentage points. The combined population of various ethnic minorities increased by 13,341, a growth of 75.16%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 0.22 percentage points.

• Ethnic Minority Township Tashan Yao Ethnic Township in Changning City is the only ethnic minority township in Hengyang, established in 1984 with the approval of the Hunan Provincial People's Government. Tashan is located at an altitude of 1,200 meters, a high and cold mountainous area. The Yao people of Tashan once lived in poverty without electricity, tap water, roads, or vehicle access. With the help of China's ethnic policies and poverty alleviation and development policies, the Yao people of Tashan have developed tourism such as the Xijiang Rafting and Yao Ethnic Folk Village, and established tea plantations and farms. The living standards of the Tashan Yao people have significantly improved. The local area has also built a provincial-standard demonstration nursing home and renovated boarding primary and secondary schools.

Tashan Yao Ethnic Township has limited external exchanges, which has helped preserve the Yao people's distinctive ethnic culture and means of production and livelihood relatively intact. Changning City plans to preserve Yao culture by organizing the publication of historical books on the Yao people, training Yao artists, and promoting Yao characteristic projects. On January 19, 2009, Changning's first Yao Culture Room officially opened to the public. The exhibits include tools and items related to Yao production and daily life, historical records and classics of the Yao people in Changning, traditional Yao costumes, utensils, wine vessels, long drums, etc. The historical book on the Yao people, "Changning Yao Homeland," has been published by China Photographers Publishing House.

10. Religion

In the early years of the Qing Dynasty, Islam was introduced to Hengyang as Hui people settled in the region. In the mid-17th century, Catholicism spread to various parts of Hunan. After 1840, Hengyang became a center for Catholic missionary work, hosting bishops of the Hunan Diocese, Southern Hunan Diocese, and Changsha Diocese. In 1930, the Hengyang Diocese was established as a separate entity, with Bai Changqing serving as its first bishop. The London Missionary Society of Protestant Christianity was the first to conduct missionary work in Hengyang. Father Wang Lianqing, a Hengyang native residing in Wuhan, along with Father Peng Lansheng from Changsha, arrived in Hengyang in 1892 to carry out missionary activities.

In 1862 and 1900, two large-scale missionary incidents occurred in Hengyang, historically known as the "Hengzhou Missionary Cases." During the second Hengzhou Missionary Case, Catholic clergy members such as Fan Huaide, Dong Zhexi, and An Shouren lost their lives.

Today, Hengyang City is a key city for religious affairs in China. It has five municipal-level religious organizations and eleven county-level religious organizations. There is one religious institution (the Nanyue Female Taoist Class of the China Taoist College). The city has 560,000 religious believers and 1,002 religious personnel. There are 480 registered and certified religious sites in the city, including four designated as national key religious sites by the State Council and fifteen approved and announced as key sites by the provincial government. Religious representatives from Hengyang, particularly from Buddhism and Taoism, have frequently traveled to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and other regions for academic exchanges with local religious communities.

11. Culture

11.1 City Tree and City Flower

At the 14th meeting of the 8th Hengyang Municipal People's Congress Standing Committee in January 1986, the camphor tree was designated as the city tree of Hengyang, and camellia and Chinese rose were designated as the city flowers of Hengyang.

The cultivation of camphor trees in the Hengyang region has a long history, with camphor trees from various dynasties planted throughout the area. At Huangchaling, there are two thousand-year-old camphor trees planted during the Tang Dynasty, with trunk diameters exceeding 300 cm and heights over 25 meters. Within the urban area, there are 14 ancient camphor trees planted before the Ming Dynasty. In 1987, the Municipal Garden Management Office registered and archived 34 century-old camphor trees in the urban area.

During the Qing Dynasty, camellias were already widely cultivated in the region. The "Qingquan County Annals" compiled in the 28th year of the Qianlong reign listed camellias as a famous flower of Hengyang. Also in the Qing Dynasty, Chinese roses were commonly planted in urban gardens and private residences in Hengyang. In the 1950s, the Municipal Garden Management Office further introduced Chinese roses as street greening flowers. They became widely planted in flower beds of various units and private residences across Hengyang.

11.2 Culinary Culture

Xiang cuisine, centered on Changsha, Hengyang, and Xiangtan, is the main representative of Hunan cuisine. It emphasizes fragrant, fresh, sour, spicy, crispy, and tender flavors. Its cooking techniques excel in stewing, braising, curing, steaming, and stir-frying. In 2008, at the Second Hunan Province Innovative Cuisine Competition, Hengyang chefs achieved second place in the province with 10 gold and 15 silver medals.

Hezhepi (Sweet Potato Noodle Sheets): Hezhepi is a type of sweet potato noodle sheet made from congealed sweet potato starch paste. It has many folds resembling a lotus leaf. Dishes made with Hezhepi include Hengyang-style Fake Mutton, Qidong Hezhe Fish Head, Hezhepi with Stewed Boneless Meat, Hezhepi with Three Delicacies Soup, and Hezhepi Stewed with Soft-shelled Turtle.

Yulin Xiangyao (Yulin Fragrant Waist): Also known as Pagoda Fragrant Waist or Guan Duizi Fragrant Waist, this is a signature first-course dish in Hengyang-style banquet menus. It was created by the family chef of Peng Yulin, a Qing Dynasty Hunan Army general from Hengyang, based on local snacks like fish balls, yellow sparrow balls, and pot-roasted meatballs. This dish combines various snack varieties in one bowl, stacked like a pagoda, offering diverse flavors.

Hengyang Suoluo (Hengyang Sucking Snails): Also known as "Drinking Snails." Chefs first place field snails or river snails in clean water with tea oil to purge impurities, fasting them for two to three days. Then, they mix lean minced pork with water and feed it to the snails. After clipping the snail tails and thoroughly cleaning them, they are stir-fried over high heat in a wok with tea oil, salt, Shaoxing wine, and other seasonings. To eat, one places the snail opening to the mouth and sucks (drinks) to extract the meat, hence the name "sucking (drinking) snails." This dish features a delicious, fresh broth and a refreshing, pleasant taste.

Qidong Daylily (Hemerocallis): Daylilies have been cultivated in large tracts in Qidong for over 500 years. They were first introduced and planted by brothers Guan Fumin and Guan Fushun from elsewhere in the first year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty. Qidong daylilies have a grass-green middle section on the stem with brownish-green ends, uniform luster, plump flesh, a fragrant aroma, and a sweet taste. They have successively won gold medals at the Hengyang Agricultural Expo and the Hunan Agricultural Expo. The products sell well in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, and are exported overseas.

11.3 Time-honored Brands

In the first batch of "China Time-honored Brands" selected by the Ministry of Commerce, Hengyang's Yang Yuxing Noodle Restaurant was included. In the list of "Hunan Time-honored Brands" announced by the Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce, Hengyang has five: Hengfei Cable, Shigu Brand Crispy Thin Mooncake, Huzhi Brand Huzhi Wine, Moucai Brand Huzhi Wine, etc.

• Yang Yuxing Noodle Restaurant: In 1890, Yang Yuchen, a native of Changsha, founded the Yang Yuxing Noodle Restaurant in Hengyang. It gained fame under the management of the second-generation successor, Yang Yousheng. However, the Hengyang Yang Yuxing has no familial relationship with the Changsha Yang Yuxing.
• Shigu Brand Crispy Thin Mooncake: Crispy Thin Mooncake is a specialty of Hengyang, originally named Crispy Thin Sesame, also known as Grand Tutor Cake or Palace Cake, with a production history of over 140 years. The most authentic version is the Shigu Brand Crispy Thin Mooncake produced by the old-established Nanbeite Food Co., Ltd. from the Republican era.
• Huzhi Wine: Huzhi Wine was initially a homemade wine by farmers near Linghu Lake, anciently called Ling Wine. It became a tribute wine for the imperial court as early as the Northern Wei Dynasty. Many places in Hengyang produce Huzhi Wine. Besides the "Huzhi Brand Huzhi Wine" and "Moucai Brand Huzhi Wine" selected as Hunan Time-honored Brands, "Xidu Huzhi Wine" is also protected as a geographical indication product by the former General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

11.4 Cultural Venues

As of August 2016, Hengyang City had established a total of 46 public libraries, cultural centers, art galleries, museums, and memorial halls; 205 comprehensive cultural stations in townships and sub-districts; 174 community cultural activity centers; and opened 4,887农家书屋 (village reading rooms).

Hengyang City Library: The only prefecture-level public library in Hunan that has been preserved as an intact institution until after the founding of the People's Republic. It was consecutively rated as a National First-Class Library and a National Civilized Library by the Ministry of Culture in 1999 and 2004.

Hengyang City Museum: A National Third-Class Museum, a National Key Museum, and a Hunan Provincial Social Science Popularization Base.

Hengyang Industrial Museum: The first industrial museum in Hunan Province and the first industrial museum in China built within a high-tech industrial park.

Hengyang Children's Library: The earliest established prefecture-level children's library in Hunan Province, a National Second-Class Library.

11.5 Traditional Festival Customs

• Spring Festival Character Lanterns Xinwu Yuanjia in Xiachong Village, Luoqiao Town, Changning City, has a unique Spring Festival custom of "Character Lanterns." These are 28 lanterns with characters written on both sides and paintings of flowers, plants, insects, fish, and the twelve zodiac animals on the sides. Among several dragon dance teams, there is one "Character Lantern" team composed of 28 teenagers. The lantern bearers arrange the lanterns to form patterns like "large couplets," "small couplets," "large and small lantern mountains," etc., composing various phrases and poems with the twenty-eight lanterns.

• Jiepai Fire Lantern Festival On the seventh day of the second lunar month, Jiepai Town in Hengyang County holds the traditional folk activity "Fire Lantern Festival," which has a history of six hundred years. Villagers light torches, red candles, colored lanterns, etc., and parade through streets and alleys, accompanied by dragon dance teams, praying for favorable weather and good harvests.

• Lantern Festival Lantern Release Ceremony In Zhangmu Township and Jibing Town of Hengyang County, every year on the afternoon of the Lantern Festival, each household places a pair of candles and incense sticks by their fields, praying for a bumper harvest. After 6 PM, each household lights the incense and candles, placing them along the path from the main hall all the way to the riverbank. The intention is to send the household's bad luck to the river with the incense and candles, letting it flow to the sea with the river water.

11.6 Traditional Opera

Hengyang Huagu Opera and Hengyang Xiang Opera are unique genres流传 (circulated) in the Hengyang region. Hengyang Xiang Opera is a product of the combination of Kunqu art and Hengyang's local regional culture. Hengyang opera was once quite popular among the people. Hengyang Xiang Opera actor Tan Baocheng performed "Drunken Beating the Mountain Gate" for Mao Zedong six times and received praise. In 1953, the Hengyang Xiang Opera troupe for "Drunken Beating the Mountain Gate" traveled to North Korea with the Chinese People's Liberation Army慰问团 (condolence delegation) to perform, creating a spectacle where one play was performed 117 times over three consecutive months. In the 1950s and 1960s, the queue for tickets in front of the Hengyang City Huagu Opera Troupe could stretch dozens of meters long. According to Tang Jiaguo from the Hengnan County Huagu Opera Troupe, in the early 1990s, in the countryside, "there were five or six thousand people watching the opera, some traveling dozens of miles bringing their cooking pots to see the play." Hengyang Xiang Opera fan Ou Wannian recalled that in the early 1950s, Hengyang Xiang Opera had four or five new plays every month.

After 1985, Hengyang's opera began to decline, as many people were no longer willing to watch traditional opera. The Hengyang Huagu Opera Troupe was almost stagnant from 1992 to 1996, with no performance tasks and no rehearsal venue. The Hengnan County Huagu Opera Troupe also stopped receiving salaries after 1996, relying on the actors themselves to perform at红白喜事 (weddings and funerals), birthday banquets, and other commercial events in the countryside to support their families. Performance opportunities for Hengyang Xiang Opera also greatly decreased.

However, through the joint efforts of various parties, Hengyang's traditional opera has received a certain degree of protection. In 2005, the Hengyang Xiang Opera Amateur Association was established, allowing fans to gather at Yanfeng Square to listen to or perform opera together. In 2006, Hengyang City established a leading group for rescuing and protecting Hengyang Xiang Opera, increasing financial support for the Hengyang Xiang Opera Troupe. In 2006 and 2008, Hengyang Xiang Opera, Hengyang Huagu Opera, and Hengyang Qiju Opera were successively included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Starting June 26, 2014, the Hengyang Municipal Government launched the "Weekend Public Theater" at the Hongqi Grand Theater, featuring mainly Hengyang Huagu Opera, Qiju Opera, and Xiang Opera performances, open to the public for free every Saturday.

11.7 Handicrafts

Famous handicrafts in Hengyang City include Nanyue Woodturning, Nanyue Bamboo Carving, Jiepai Porcelain, and Hengdong Daqiao Paper-cutting.

• Nanyue Woodturning: Woodturning artisans use shrubs from deep forests to create crafts, with a wide variety exceeding a thousand types. Palm bowls are古朴耐用 (simple, rustic, and durable), and turned wooden basins are as thin as paper.
• Jiepai Porcelain: The Jiepai stratum is rich in porcelain clay with high aluminum oxide content. Jiepai porcelain mainly consists of日用瓷 (daily-use ceramics) like tableware and tea sets. The porcelain is清白透明 (pure white and translucent), with well-coordinated patterns and colors. Particularly, the thin-bodied porcelain produced in Jiepai is as thin and even as paper, with柔和 (soft) shades of color and镂空 (openwork) modeling, earning considerable reputation.
• Nanyue Bamboo Carving: Nanyue Bamboo Carving was already quite famous during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty. Using high-quality捕竹 (a type of bamboo) as raw material, it often uses bold blocks to体现透视 (show perspective) and凹凸线条 (concave-convex lines) to刻画细部 (depict details). Carving themes often include feathers, flowers, animals, and landscapes/architecture. Main varieties of bamboo carving include flower vases, tea canisters, flower tubes, and rice measuring tubes.
• Hengdong Daqiao Paper-cutting: Folk paper-cutting craft in Hengdong County has a history of over 500 years. Daqiao Township in Hengdong County was named "Hunan Province Paper-cutting Art Hometown" in 1997. Hengdong Daqiao Paper-cutting originated in the late Ming Dynasty, with rich themes. Traditional themes often depict wedding celebrations,福禄寿诞 (happiness, prosperity, longevity, and birthdays),五福吉祥 (five blessings and auspiciousness),五谷丰登 (bumper harvests), etc. Modern themes often depict山水风光 (landscapes),和谐社会 (harmonious society),祖国新貌 (new look of the motherland), etc.### 11.8 Film and Television Works
• Accompanying Study: Starring Hengyang-born actress Wu Yujuan, filmed at Hengyang No.1 High School.
• The Looming Storm: Starring Duan Yihong, Jiang Yiyan, etc., filmed in locations such as Shuikoushan in Changning and the Metallurgical Factory in Zhuhui District; producer Xiao Gancao is from Hengyang.
• Tang Qunying: Soul of a Generation of Women: Starring Tian Hairong, Xu Min, etc., filmed at Tang Qunying's former residence, Lu Family New House, and other locations.
• The Galloping Era: Starring Tong Dawei, Jiang Xin, etc., filmed at Hengyang Normal University, University of South China, Hengyang West Station, Zhongzheng Library, and other locations.
• Forged by Fire: Starring Wang Lei, Zhao Yingzi, Liu Wei, etc., filmed at University of South China, Hengshan Science City, and other locations.

11.9 Media

11.9.1 Newspaper Industry

Hengyang Daily is the official newspaper of the Hengyang Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China. It was first published on October 16, 1949, and its predecessor was Hengyang News. In the selection of the China Prefectural and Municipal Newspaper News Awards and the Provincial Prefectural and Municipal Newspaper News Awards, Hengyang Daily has consistently ranked second among prefectural and municipal newspapers in the province for nearly a decade and has been rated as an advanced unit in newspaper operation and management in the province for three consecutive years. New Vision Newspaper was first published in 1959. Its predecessor was Hengyang Radio and Television Newspaper, and it is the city's only family life service newspaper.

11.9.2 Radio and Television

Hengyang People's Radio Station was established on May 1, 1959. It currently operates two channels: FM101.8 Hengyang Traffic & Economy Radio and FM98.9 Hengyang Comprehensive Radio. It is the oldest radio station among the 14 prefecture-level cities in Hunan Province and the only one that has never ceased broadcasting.

11.10 Local Chronicles

Records of Mountains and Rivers in Central Hunan by Luo Han, a native of Leiyang during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, is the earliest local chronicle of the Hengyang region. It was scattered and lost due to warfare in the late Yuan Dynasty. During the Song Dynasty, works such as Illustrated Treatise of Hengzhou, Illustrated Records of Hengzhou, and Gazetteer of Hengzhou also appeared but were lost due to warfare; at most, only fragments have been preserved through citations in other works. The extant local chronicles of Hengyang include:

• Hengyang City Chronicles: 1998 edition, 2008 edition.
• Hengzhou Prefecture Chronicles: Ming Wanli edition, Ming Jiajing edition, Qing Kangxi edition, Qing Qianlong edition, Qing Guangxu edition.
• Hengyang County Chronicles: Qing Qianlong edition, Qing Tongzhi edition (illustrated records).
• Qingquan County Chronicles: Qing Qianlong edition, Qing Tongzhi edition.

11.11 Tourism

Hengyang is a China Excellent Tourism City. Mount Heng (Nanyue) is the flagship of Hengyang's tourism, while the Cai Lun Bamboo Sea and Nanyue are considered the two "godfathers" of Hengyang's tourism industry. During the 12th Five-Year Plan period, Hengyang City focused on major tourism projects such as the expansion and quality improvement of the core Nanyue scenic area, China Fuhai Tourism Resort, Yumu Mountain Leisure & Expo Park, Leishui Bay International Yacht Club, and Cai Lun Bamboo Sea Tourism Scenic Area. These large-scale projects aim to promote the significant development of Hengyang's tourism and establish it as a tourist destination with international influence in southern China.

• Mount Heng (Nanyue) One of China's Five Great Mountains, renowned as the "Chinese Longevity Mountain," "the Most Graceful of the Five Great Mountains," "the Profound Region of Civilization," "the Sacred Site of Religion," "the Famous Mountain of the War of Resistance," and "the Best Place for Snow Appreciation in Southern China." Wei Yuan of the Qing Dynasty wrote in Ode to Mount Heng: "Mount Hengshan (in the north) is like walking, Mount Taishan is like sitting, Mount Huashan is like standing, Mount Songshan is like lying, only Mount Heng (Nanyue) is uniquely like flying." It is a center of Chinese religious culture and the birthplace of the Southern Chan, Tiantai, and Caodong schools of Buddhism, as well as the Nanyue and Qingyuan lineages of Chan Buddhism. It is the most famous Taoist sacred site in southern China, hosting the third of the Taoist Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens—the Zhuling Grotto-Heaven—and the Qingyutan, Guangtiantan, and Donglingyuan Blessed Lands among the Taoist Seventy-Two Blessed Lands. In 1982, Mount Heng was approved by the State Council to be included in the first list of National Key Scenic Areas as a famous natural and cultural landscape in China. In 2000, it became one of the first national AAAAA tourist attractions. In 2001, it received the honor of being a "National Model Civilized Scenic Tourist Area," the top national and only one in Hunan. In February 2006, it was selected into the first list of National Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites. In 2006, it was rated as one of the "50 Most Worthwhile Places for Foreigners to Visit in China." In March 2007, it became one of the first national AAAAA scenic areas. On August 1, 2007, Mount Heng (Nanyue) was approved by the State Council as a National Nature Reserve. In 2008, it was rated as one of the "Top Ten Scenic Spots Most Loved by the Public in China."

• Jiangkou Bird Islet Located 22 kilometers from Hengyang City, Jiangkou Bird Islet is situated in the middle and lower reaches of the Lei River, surrounded by water on all sides. It was listed as a National Key Bird Nature Reserve in 1984. The core area of the islet covers 35 hectares and consists of three islands: Chenjia Islet, Zhangjia Islet, and Longjia Islet. The islet is shaded by ancient trees and tall bamboo, with a warm and cool climate. Nearby reservoirs and ponds are scattered like stars, and rice fields and forests stretch continuously, providing abundant food for birds, making it an ideal kingdom for bird activities. Throughout the year, birds from 17 orders, 38 families, and 181 species inhabit and breed here, with a total population exceeding 100,000. Early morning and dusk, when birds leave and return to their nests, are the best times for bird watching. Countless birds fly in flocks, earning it the reputation of "a paradise for birds among people."

• Eight Scenes of Hengzhou "The Misty Rain over Wild Goose Peak" (current Huiyan Peak), "Stone Drum Rivers and Mountains," "The Rear Cave of Zhuling," "The Fishermen of Qingcao" (current Stone Drum Academy, the adjacent Zhuling Cave, and nearby Qingcao Bridge), "Spring Stream by the Flower Medicine Temple," "Snow Play on Yueping" (current Yueping Mountain in Yueping Park and the destroyed Flower Medicine Temple originally southwest of Yueping Mountain), "Peach Blossom Waves on East Islet" (current Dongzhou Island), and "White Lotuses of West Lake" (current West Lake Park) constitute the Eight Scenes of Hengzhou. An anonymous poet wrote: "The misty rain over Wild Goose Peak is truly praiseworthy; Stone Drum's rivers and mountains are splendidly magnificent. The spring stream by Flower Medicine shows the dragon's claw; Snowy Yueping Ridge resounds with birds' chatter. Inside Zhuling Cave are a thousand poems; At Qingcao Bridgehead, a hundred wineshops stand. Behold the warm waves of peach blossoms on East Islet; West Lake blooms with white lotus flowers at night."

• City of Huxiang Culture Stone Drum Academy (the foremost of China's Four Great Academies), Huiyan Peak Scenic Area (the First Peak of Nanyue), Huxiang Culture Museum (Hengyang City Museum), Hengyang War of Resistance Memorial City (Chiang Kai-shek's stone inscription, located in Yueping Park), Hengyang Defense Battle Memorial Hall, Ming-Qing Street (Peng Yulin's Residence on the Sanjiang Scenic Belt, Zeng Guofan's Father-in-law's Former Residence, Dongyue Temple, Xiangshui Mingzhu), Yumu Mountain, Dongzhou Island (the most famous academy of the Qing Dynasty, Chuanshan Academy), West Lake Park (Zhou Dunyi's Love Lotus Pavilion, Taiji Square, Xia Minghan's Bronze Statue), Laiyan Pagoda, Jielong Pagoda (opposite Huiyan Peak), Zhuhui Pagoda, Ling County Ancient City, Tianzi Tomb (Son of Heaven Tomb), Hengyang University Town, etc.

• Forest Parks and Wetland Parks Hengyang City has a total of 3 national forest parks and 5 provincial forest parks. National forest parks include: Qidong Siming Mountain Forest Park, Gouloufeng National Forest Park, Changning Tiantang Mountain Forest Park. Provincial forest parks include: Zijin Mountain Forest Park, Qishan Forest Park, Sifang Mountain Forest Park, Cai Lun Bamboo Sea, Chenping Forest Park.

11.12 National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

• Nanyue Martyrs' Shrine
• Nanyue Temple
• Marquis Cai's Temple
• Hengzhou Kiln
• Yunji Kiln
• Shuikoushan Lead-Zinc Mining and Smelting Site
• Dayu Village Wang Clan Ancestral Hall
• Wang Chuanshan's Former Residence and Tomb
• Nanyue Cliff Carvings
• Luo Ronghuan's Former Residence
• Site of the Southern Hunan Students' Union
• Sites of the Southern Hunan Uprising

12. Sister Cities

As of 2005, Hengyang City has established sister city relationships with six foreign cities.

• Ritto, Japan (October 7, 1992)
• Podolsk, Russia (September 20, 1993)
• Tournai, Belgium (December 10, 1994)
• Bila Tserkva, Ukraine (November 14, 1995)
• Fuengirola, Spain (September 24, 1999)
• Călărași, Romania (October 15, 2002)

4. 城市规划

衡阳东站将在64平方公里的大范围内，打造城市副中心，武广新区的空间结构为“一核两轴六组团”。 一核：以衡阳东站交通枢纽为中心，结合耒水河滨水发展带，规划服务于衡阳和华南北部地区的商业商务中心与文化娱乐休闲中心，共同构建规划区的发展核心。两轴：顺应城市空间演化与经济流向，承接未来城市发展轴向，构筑规划区东西向城市发展主轴，同时也形成规划区的发展与景观主轴，展示衡阳东大门的城市形象；以耒水河水域为纽带，结合功能布局及景观设计，构筑规划区南北向发展次轴，同时也是展示规划区自然景观特色的第二条景观轴线。

衡阳国际商贸区位于武广新区中心，根据商业物业大手笔、大规模、高规格的发展趋势，宜将项目打造为具有国际视野的商务中心、高档的购物中心、高尚的休闲娱乐和文化中心，鼓励银行、保险、证券等金融机构入驻，鼓励大型公司在该地段设立中部地区区域性总部。 衡阳东站周边地区，功能定位为“南中国区域性铁路客运中心和具有商务功能的交通枢纽型城市副中心”。 武广新区整体定位为南国最大交通枢纽。按照规划，这块国土资源部批准的节约集约用地试点地区，居住人口将达到50万。 武广客运专线犹如一条长藤，串起了武汉、长沙、衡阳、郴州、广州5个城市，而这5个城市2020年人口将增至4000万。衡阳为华南北部地区区域性中心城市，与广州（华南地区区域性中心城市）、武汉（华中地区区域性中心城市）、长沙（华中南部地区区域性中心城市）并列为中南地区四大中心城市之一，2020年衡阳西南云大都市区面积2351平方公里人口将达800万，衡阳武广新区无疑将发展为衡阳西南云大都市区东部中心城区。

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Named for its location on the south side of Mount Heng.

Zhengxiang District

Leiyang City

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