Changsha

Changsha is the capital of Hunan, China, sitting along the lower part of the Xiang River. It is one of the most crowded cities in the country, full of busy streets and tall buildings. Over ten million people call Changsha home, making it a very important place in China.

For thousands of years, Changsha has been a center for culture, trade, and learning. Ancient kilns there made some of the world's earliest porcelain, and famous schools helped shape ideas across China. Even today, Changsha remains a place where new ideas grow, with many colleges, scientists, and inventors working there.

Now, Changsha is known for making big machines, new materials, and many modern products. It has become a key city for business, especially with links to Africa and other parts of the world. With lots of tall buildings, busy factories, and bright lights, Changsha shows how China is growing and changing.

Names

Chángshā is the pinyin romanization of the Mandarin pronunciation of the Chinese name written 長沙 in traditional characters or 长沙 in simplified ones. The name means "long sandy place" and has been used since the 11th century BC. Originally, it referred to the area around the city, not the city itself.

In ancient times, the area was known by different names. The Chu settlement was called Qingyang. Later, during the Han dynasty, the capital of the Changsha principality was called Linxiang, meaning "[Place] Overlooking the Xiang River". In the Tang and Southern Chu periods, the city was known as Tanzhou because of its role in overseeing Tan Prefecture.

History

Main article: History of Changsha

Early history

Development of Changsha began around 3000 BC with the growth of the Longshan culture, though clear proof is still being studied. People definitely lived and thrived here during the Bronze Age, leaving behind many pieces of pottery and other objects.

Ancient Chinese legends tell stories about the Flame and Yellow Emperors visiting the area. Records from Sima Qian say the Yellow Emperor gave the lands of Changsha to his son Shaohao. During the Spring and Autumn period (8th–5th century BC), the Yue culture spread into the region. In the following Warring States period, the state of Chu took control of Changsha. Its capital, Qingyang, became a key outpost. Many tombs from this time have been found since 1951–57, with over 3,000 discovered so far. Under the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC), Changsha served as a base for trips south into Guangdong, helping to establish the Nanyue kingdom.

During the Han dynasty (3rd century BC – 3rd century AD), Linxiang was the capital of the principality of Changsha. It began as a client state ruled by Liu Bang's ally Wu Rui, acting as a shield against uprisings and invasions. By 202 BC, Linxiang had city walls for protection. The famous Mawangdui tombs were built between 186 and 165 BC. One of these tombs held Lady Xin Zhui, whose body was amazingly well preserved when found in the 1970s. These tombs also contained early copies of the Tao Te Ching and other important writings.

After Wu Rui’s descendant Wu Zhu died without children in 157 BC, the area was given to a branch of the imperial family. It was later taken over and briefly controlled by others before being made Linxiang County and Changsha Commandery.

The Three Kingdoms state of Wu ruled Changsha for some time, and many documents from this period have been found. After this, the Wu Emperor of Jin gave Changsha to his son Sima Yi. At first, the local government managed over 100 counties, but later lost control of some to local leaders.

In the 6th-century Sui dynasty, the area was renamed Xiangzhou to Tan Prefecture, and the city became known as Tanzhou. It was officially named Changsha after Zhaotan in AD 589. During the Anshi Rebellion, the city suffered when it was taken by rebels.

In the early 10th century, Changsha was the capital of the Southern Chu Kingdom founded by Ma Yin (马殷) in 907. This kingdom lasted about 50 years before being overtaken by the Southern Tang in 951.

Under the Song dynasty, the Yuelu Academy was founded in 976. It was destroyed by war in 1127 but rebuilt in 1165, when the famous philosopher Zhu Xi taught there. It was destroyed again by the Mongols when they established the Yuan but restored later under the Ming. Graduates from the academy in the early 1800s helped shape important changes in China. In 1903, it became Hunan High School, and today’s Hunan University traces its roots to the Yuelu Academy.

During the Mongol invasion of the Southern Song, Tanzhou was strongly defended but eventually fell, leading to a tragic loss among the defenders. Under the Ming (14th–17th centuries), the city was renamed Changsha again and made an important prefecture.

Modern history

Under the Qing (17th–20th centuries), Changsha was the capital of Hunan and grew as a major rice market. During the Taiping Rebellion, the city was under attack for three months in 1852 or 1854 but managed to hold out. The rebels moved toward Wuhan, and Changsha became a key base for the government’s efforts against the rebellion.

The 1903 Treaty of Shanghai opened Changsha to foreign trade in 1904. This brought international businesses, factories, churches, and schools to the city. A college started by Yale alumni later became a medical center named Xiangya and a school named the Yali School.

Following the Xinhai Revolution, the railway connecting to Hankou in Hubei opened in 1918 and later reached Guangzhou in Guangdong Province in 1936. Though Changsha’s population grew, it stayed mostly focused on trade until after 1937, when small factories for cotton-textile, glass, and metals began to appear.

Mao Zedong, the founder of the People's Republic of China, began his career in Changsha. He studied at the Hunan Number 1 Teachers' Training School from 1913 to 1918 and later returned to teach and lead from 1920 to 1922. The school was destroyed during the Chinese Civil War but has since been rebuilt. A museum now stands where Mao once worked, showing photos and items from the 1920s.

After the Chinese Civil War, Changsha slowly rebuilt. With reforms starting in the 1990s, the city grew quickly, becoming a key center in central and western China. In 2007, Changsha joined with nearby cities in a plan to become a more sustainable and friendly place to live. In 2015, a new area called Xiangjiang New Area was created to help the city grow even more.

Geography

Changsha is located in northeast Hunan Province, near the lower part of the Xiang River. It lies between certain longitudes and latitudes, touching several nearby cities. The city covers a large area, with its highest point being Mount Qixing and its lowest point at Zhanhu.

The Xiang River runs through the city, dividing it into two parts. One side is mostly for business, while the other is more for culture and learning. The area has many rivers and tributaries, making the water system quite complete and dense. Changsha has a humid subtropical climate, with warm summers and cool winters, and it gets plenty of rain throughout the year. The four seasons feel different, with summer being hot and rainy, autumn comfortable, winter chilly, and spring rainy and cloudy.

Administration

The city of Changsha is divided into six different areas called districts, one county, and two smaller cities. These parts help organize the city's government and services.

Government

Main articles: Politics of Changsha and Government of Changsha

Changsha has leaders who help run the city. One leader is called the CPC Party Secretary, and the current one is Wu Guiying. Another important leader is the mayor, and the current mayor is Zheng Jianxin.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Changsha

Changsha is one of China's more developed cities. In 2024, its money per person was very high, showing it is a wealthy place. The city is important in many big plans for China's growth and trade with other countries. It is known for making construction machines and other important products.

Since the 1990s, Changsha has grown quickly. It has strong media and TV industries and is home to one of China's most influential TV stations.

By 2021, Changsha's total money made was very large, putting it among the richest cities in its area. Many big international companies have offices there.

The Changsha ETZ helps grow high-tech and new material industries. The Liuyang ETZ focuses on biological products, technology, and health foods.

Tourism

See also: Category:Tourist attractions in Changsha

Tourism is very important in Changsha. The city is often named the best place for visitors in China. Many interesting places to see are there, such as the Yuelu Academy and the Changsha Meixihu International Culture and Arts Centre made by a famous design company from Britain. Other popular spots include the Young Mao Zedong statue on Orange Isle, Meixi Lake Park, Changsha IFS Tower, Window of the World, Kaifu Temple, and Changsha Ice World.

Places of interest

Mt. Yuelu

Yuelu Mountain is found on the west side of the Xiangjiang River. It has many kinds of plants and trees, some of which are very old and special.

Orange Island

Orange Island sits in the middle of the Xiangjiang River. It is big and sandy, formed long ago by the river. You can see sculptures and other interesting things there.

Huaminglou

Huaminglou is a famous place to visit and is very important for protecting China’s culture. It was once the home of Liu Shaoqi, an important leader from China’s past.

Hunan Museum

The Hunan Museum is one of the best museums in China. It has many historical and artistic treasures and is found on Dongfeng Road in Changsha.

Demographics

As of the 2020 Chinese census, Changsha had a population of 10,047,914 people. About 7,355,198 of them lived in the city's main urban areas. Most people in Changsha are Han Chinese. There are also many people from other ethnic groups, such as the Hui, Tujia, and Miao peoples. In the year 2000, around 48,564 people from these smaller groups lived in Changsha, making up about 0.7% of the city's population. There are twenty different ethnic minorities in Changsha, though some groups have fewer than 1,000 members.

Culture

Changsha is a vibrant city with a rich culture. It is home to Hunan Broadcasting System, one of China's largest TV networks, which creates popular shows like Super Girl. This has helped grow many entertainment places in the city, such as singing bars, dance clubs, and theaters.

The city is famous for its spicy Hunan cuisine. A popular snack from Changsha, Juewei Duck Neck, has over 10,000 locations worldwide. Changsha also has a special style of traditional embroidery called Xiang embroidery, and new technology is helping create fresh designs for this art form.

Changsha has big sports stadiums, like Helong Stadium, where local teams play. The city also has the Hunan Provincial Museum, which holds many important artifacts from ancient times. Nearby, the Mawangdui tomb contains well-preserved items from the Han dynasty, including important texts and banners.

Changsha is a sister city with St. Paul, Minnesota. They are working together on projects, like a China garden and sharing special statues.

Education and research

Research and Innovation

Changsha is an important place for science and new ideas in China. It is where important inventions were made, like super hybrid rice, China's first supercomputer, and the first laser 3D printer. In 2010, the National Supercomputing Center was set up at Hunan University, making it the first such center in Central China.

Changsha does very well in research compared to other cities. It is ranked high in the world for science work and is a key place for new ideas in China and Asia. The city has many research centers and labs, showing it is a leader in learning and discovery.

Colleges and universities

Main article: List of universities and colleges in Hunan

Changsha has a long history of learning, with old schools and academies. Today, it has many colleges and universities. As of 2025, there are 62 higher education schools in Changsha, making it a top place for education in China.

The city has four very important universities: Central South University, Hunan University, Hunan Normal University, and the National University of Defense Technology. These schools are known around the world for their work. Other schools in Changsha are also well-respected, making the city a strong place for learning and studying.

Transportation

Changsha is well connected by roads, rivers, rail, and air travel. It is an important center for industry, tourism, and services.

The city has many bus routes and a subway system with six lines. The first subway line opened in 2014, and more lines have been added since then. There are also fast train links between Changsha and nearby cities, as well as an express train link to the airport.

Major highways connect Changsha to other parts of China, and there are three main bus stations for trips inside and outside the province. The city is near important rivers used for shipping goods.

The main train station is in the city center, and there is a newer high-speed rail station that opened in 2009. The international airport offers flights to many cities in China and around the world. Before the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport was one of the busiest in the world.

City honors and rankings

Changsha has earned many important titles and rankings. It is one of the top cities in the world for tall buildings and was named one of China's happiest cities. It is also recognized as a leading city for science and technology. Additionally, Changsha was the first Chinese city to be named a "World Creative City in Media Arts" by UNESCO. The city is growing quickly and is expected to become one of the largest economies in the world in the coming years.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in China

By the end of June 2018, Changsha had formed friendly city relationships with 49 cities in other countries.

Changsha is twinned with:

• Brazzaville, Congo
• Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
• Kagoshima, Kagoshima, Japan
• Mogilev, Mogilev Region, Belarus
• Mons, Hainaut, Belgium
• Brooklyn, New York, United States
• New Haven, Connecticut, United States
• Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
• Annapolis, Maryland, United States
• Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
• Fribourg, Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland
• City of Auburn, New South Wales, Australia
• Entebbe, Uganda

Consulates general/consulates

See also: List of diplomatic missions in China

Changsha has two foreign consulates. This makes it the second city in Central China to host foreign representatives, after Wuhan.

Laos

Malawi

Notable people

Many famous people come from the Greater Changsha Metropolitan Region. Some of them are:

• Mao Zedong – The founding leader of China
• Zeng Guofan – A very important leader in China long ago
• Liu Shaoqi – President of China from 1959 to 1968
• Zhu Rongji – Prime Minister of China from 1998 to 2003
• Hu Yaobang – Leader of China's main political party from 1982 to 1987
• Yang Kaihui – Mao Zedong’s second wife
• Huang Xing – A leader in China’s fight for independence
• Tian Han – Writer of China’s national anthem
• Wang Tao – An economist
• Zhou Guangzhao – A famous scientist
• Zhou Jianping – Designer of China’s space program
• Lei Feng – A well-known soldier
• Tan Dun – A composer for movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
• Xiong Ni – An Olympic diver who won gold medals
• Li Xiaopeng – An Olympic gymnast who won gold medals
• Liu Xuan – An Olympic gymnast who won gold medals
• Qi Baishi – A famous painter
• Shen Wei – A dancer who made dances for the 2008 Beijing Olympics
• He Jiong – A popular TV host
• Zhao Wendi – A footballer born in 2001

Astronomy

Changsha is shown by the star Zeta Corvi in a Chinese constellation.