| Changzhou | |
| Native Name: | 常州市 |
| Native Name Lang: | zh |
| Other Name: | Changchow |
| Settlement Type: | Prefecture-level city |
| Image Map1: | Changzhou locator map in Jiangsu.svg |
| Mapsize1: | 300px |
| Map Caption1: | Location of Changzhou City jurisdiction in Jiangsu |
| Pushpin Map: | China Jiangsu#Eastern China#China |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the city center in China |
| Coor Pinpoint: | Changzhou municipal government |
| Coordinates: | 31.811°N 119.974°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | People's Republic of China |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Jiangsu |
| Seat Type: | Municipal seat |
| Seat: | Xinbei District |
| Parts Type: | Divisions |
| Parts: | 5 districts, 1 city |
| Leader Title: | Party Secretary |
| Leader Name: | Chen Jinhu(Chinese: 陈金虎)[1] |
| Leader Title1: | Mayor |
| Leader Name1: | Sheng Lei(Chinese: 盛蕾 ) |
| Area Total Km2: | 4384.58 |
| Area Urban Km2: | 1872.1 |
| Population Total: | 5,278,121 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 census[2] |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Urban: | 3,601,079 |
| Population Density Urban Km2: | auto |
| Population Metro: | 12400000 |
| Population Density Metro Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type2: | GDP[3] |
| Demographics2 Info1: | CN¥ 705 billion US$ 106.7 billion |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Per capita |
| Demographics2 Info2: | CN¥149,275 US$22,600 |
| Postal Code: | 213000, 213100 (Urban center) 213200, 213300(Other areas) |
| Area Code: | 0519 |
| Timezone: | China Standard |
| Utc Offset: | +8 |
| Iso Code: | CN-JS-04 |
| Blank4 Name: | License Plate Prefix |
| Blank4 Info: | Chinese: 苏D |
| Blank5 Name: | Local dialect |
| Blank5 Info: | Wu |
Changzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu, China. It was previously known as Yanling, Lanling, and Jinling. Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Zhenjiang to the northwest, Wuxi to the east, and the province of Zhejiang to the south. The population of the Changzhou Municipality was 5,278,121 at the 2020 census.[4] [2] The city is the birthplace of Zhou Youguang who created the pinyin romanization system.
| Pic: | Changzhou name.svg |
| Piccap: | "Changzhou" in Chinese |
| Picsize: | 100px |
| Wuu: | Zaontsei (Changzhounese) |
| P: | Chángzhōu |
| Tp: | Cháng-jhou |
| W: | Ch'ang2-chou1 |
| Bpmf: | ㄔㄤˊ ㄓㄡ |
| Gr: | Charngjou |
| Order: | st |
As approved by State Council on June 8 of 1995, Wujin County was promoted to Wujin City, with the government set in Hutang Town. In 1999, as approved by the provincial government, Taixiang Town of Jiaoqu District was revoked and incorporated into Xueyan Town of Wujin City.[5]
Changzhou is located in the Yangtze River Delta region, in the northwestern part of the Taihu Lake Plain. It is bordered by the Yangtze River in the north, Taihu Lake in the south, Anhui Province and Nanjing in the southwest, Wuxi in the east and Zhenjiang in the west. It is equidistant from Shanghai and Nanjing, and 144 kilometres from the provincial capital Nanjing. Southwest of the Yili mountains, mountain peaks have Maoshan.[6]
Changzhou has Tao Lake and Ge Lake. Rivers are Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Wuyi Canal, Tai Ge Canal, Jingxi, South Canal and so on. Changzhou has a dense network of waterways, and in the 1930s, when flooding broke out in the southern part of the Yangtze River, Zhou Chen went to the southern part of the Yangtze River to control the water, he greatly promoted the enclosure of lakes to create fields. The local government created 37,000 mu of land in 20 years, making Furong Lake, Yang Lake and Linjin Lake gradually shrink to the point of disappearing.[7] [8]
See also: List of administrative divisions of Jiangsu.
The prefecture-level city of Changzhou administers seven county-level divisions, including five districts and one county-level city.
Its total population was 5,278,121 inhabitants at the 2020 census, a 1.4% annual increase since the previous census.
| + Population | Subdivision | Simplified Chinese | Hanyu Pinyin | Population [9] | Area | Density | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Proper | |||||||||
| Tianning District | Chinese: 天宁区 | align=right | Tiānníng Qū | align=right | 668,906 | align=right | 154.84 | align=right | 3,317.50 |
| Zhonglou District | Chinese: 钟楼区 | align=right | Zhōnglóu Qū | align=right | 658,537 | align=right | 132.93 | align=right | 3,806.03 |
| Suburban | |||||||||
| Xinbei District | Chinese: 新北区 | align=right | Xīnběi Qū | align=right | 883,125 | align=right | 508.91 | align=right | 1,172.72 |
| Wujin District | Chinese: 武进区 | align=right | Wǔjìn Qū | align=right | 1,277,487 | align=right | 1,065.26 | align=right | 1,571.56 |
| Jintan District | Chinese: 金坛区 | align=right | Jīntán Qū | align=right | 585,081 | align=right | 975.68 | align=right | 565.81 |
| Satellite cities (County-level cities) | |||||||||
| Liyang City | Chinese: 溧阳市 | align=right | Lìyáng Shì | align=right | 785,092 | align=right | 1,534.52 | align=right | 488.35 |
| Total | align=right | 5,278,121 | align=right | 4,372.15 | align=right | 1,050.28 | |||
| Dissolved district: Qishuyan District | |||||||||
Changzhou is an educational hub and is home to several universities, including Changzhou University, Hohai University (Changzhou campus), Jiangsu Teachers' University of Science and Technology, Jiangsu Teachers' University of Technology, and Changzhou Institute of Technology. The city also has a number of prominent secondary schools, including the Changzhou Senior High School of Jiangsu Province.
Since 1908, Changzhou has been linked by rail with Shanghai and Nanjing (see below for transportation).
According to Forbes ranking, Changzhou was the 9th best business city in mainland China in 2008. Changzhou data was reported at 662.228 RMB bn in Dec 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 577.386 RMB bn for Dec 2016. China's CN: GDP: Jiangsu: Changzhou data is updated yearly, averaging 130.818 RMB bn from Dec 1991 to 2017, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 662.228 RMB bn in 2017 and a record low of 10.545 RMB bn in 1991. China's CN: GDP: Jiangsu: Changzhou data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database's National Accounts – Table CN.AE: Gross Domestic Product: Prefecture Level City.[10]
Approval for the establishment of Changzhou Export Processing Zone was given in June 2005 with a planned area of 1.66km2. Near to Shanghai and Nanjing via convenient transportation links, the zone began operation in October 2006. Investors enjoy a series of preferential policies whilst all handle export procedures are handled inside the export processing zone. The zone focuses on electronic information, electromechanical integration and new materials.[11]
Changzhou National Hi-Tech District (CND) is a state-level high-tech industrial development zone. It is located in the northern part of Changzhou city. With a population of 500,000 and an area of 439 square km, the district is 160km (100miles) from Shanghai to the east and 110km (70miles) from Nanjing to the west. The district represents the highest-level and most sophisticated industrial park in Changzhou. More than 1,300 foreign companies and over 5,000 local industrial enterprises have been registered within the district of which around 40% are from European and American countries. Industries encouraged include engineering machinery, transformer & transmission equipment, automotive, locomotive & locomotive components, parts, precision machinery, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, photo-voltaic (PV) and new materials, chemicals, garment and textiles production, computer software and research & development. Some major investors include Terex, Komatsu, Ashland Chemical, Johnson, Caltex Oil Corp., Disa, +GF+, Rieter and General Electronics.[12]
The climate is Humid Subtropical Cfa, with cool winters and hot and humid summers. Changzhou has a wide range of temperature differences throughout the year.
See main article: Changzhou Metro. The Line 1 of the Changzhou Metro opened on 21 September 2019.[13] The Line 2 opened on 28 June 2021.
Located just south of the Chang Jiang (Yangtze River), Changzhou station is situated on the original Beijing–Shanghai railway. Changzhou North station was completed in 2011 and is located in the north of Changzhou in the Xinbei district on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway. Changzhou is also one of the main stops on the busy Shanghai–Nanjing intercity railway, with two stations located in Changzhou (Changzhou station and Qishuyan station).
Changzhou Benniu International Airport in Xinbei District is approximately 15km (09miles) from the city center.
Changzhou has a network of four elevated freeways: the Longcheng Avenue in the north, the Longjiang road in the west, the Qingyang road in the east, and the Changhong road/Jinwu (Jintan-Wujin) Freeway in the south.Together, these four roads make up the "Outer Ring Elevated Road" system.
Use of the BRT System costs one yuan and provides access throughout Changzhou. The BRT-only stations and road sections have the following specifications: separate bus lanes or bus-only roadways, a vast network of routes and corridors, high capacity buses operating both outside and inside these corridors, greater passenger volume as compared to that in mixed traffic lanes (about 3000 pphpd), enhanced station environments (not just simple bus shelters), pre-boarding fare collection and fare verification, electric buses, centralized system controls, real-time next bus information app, segregated bike lanes along main corridor(s) as well as station access for disabled persons.
The Changzhou dialect is a member of the Wu Chinese language family.
Other famous handicrafts of Changzhou are silk embroidery in a "crisscross" style and carvings made from green bamboo.
Changzhou is the home of the China Dinosaurs Park located in the Xinbei District of the city. The 5A rated Dinosaur Park has a collection of dinosaur bones and fossils from all over China. The park has 50 various fossils and more than 30 amusement programs including the Brontosaurus Roller Coaster and the Whirling Dinosaur Carriage. The fossils are located in a museum housed in a single building and the amusement rides are spread throughout the park which is categorized into six themed areas. Besides fossils and family oriented rides, Dinosaur Park is home to a giant panda and sea lions.[14]
In 2011, a new amusement park called CC Joyland opened in Taihuwan near Taihu lake in Wujin District in the south of Changzhou.
The city is also home to the Tianning Temple—one of the largest Zen Buddhist temple and monasteries in China. The city recently rebuilt the Tianning pagoda in the temple grounds, which is adjacent to Hongmei Park. The pagoda, called the Tianning Baota, was first built during the Tang dynasty (AD 618 – 907). Since that time it has been destroyed and rebuilt five times. The current reconstruction is built to the height specification of 153.79m (504.56feet). This makes it the tallest pagoda in China and perhaps also the world. Both the Hongmei Park and Tianning Temple are located just to the east of the city centre.[15]
As Changzhou is noted for its combs, the city has reconstructed its Fine Comb Lane area with contemporary architecture. Changzhou combs can be purchased in most places in the city.
Other sites include Changzhou's sunken city and area of archaeological ruins from the Spring and Autumn period.
Dongpo Park is located in the east part of downtown of Changzhou city, and its original name is Dongjiao Park. It covers 2.667 hectares, and is a typical Jiangnan Garden composed of cultural sites and natural landscape. During the time of south Song dynasty, the civilians of Changzhou established Yizhou Pavilion to commemorate, Su Dongpo, who was the great literature master and used to come to Changzhou. During the time of Qing dynasty, Kangxi and Qianlong, two emperors southwardly visited, they ordered to build up the temporary palace here and reconstructed this pavilion.
Changzhou also has attractive gardens such as the Wei Yuan. The Old Museum of Wisteria is also located in the city.