Huaihua, also known as “Hecheng” and referred to as “Hezhou” or “Wuxi” in ancient times, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hunan Province. Located in the southwestern part of the province, it nestles between Wuling and Xuefeng Mountains, residing in the transitional zone between the subtropical Sichuan-Hubei-Hunan-Guizhou climatic region and the southern climatic region. As of the end of 2023, Huaihua administered 13 counties, county-level cities, and districts (including 1 administrative district), 1 national-level high-tech industrial development zone, and 1 international land port economic development zone, covering a total area of 27,600 square kilometers. By the end of 2023, the permanent resident population of Huaihua was 4.4721 million.
Huaihua has been known as the “Gateway to Guizhou and Yunnan” and the “Throat of the Whole Chu Area” since ancient times. It has witnessed the strategic transfer of the marching direction of the Red Army in Tongdao in 1934 and the acceptance of the Japanese surrender in 1945. As the birthplace of the hybrid rice, Huaihua is a national comprehensive transportation hub and an important node city for jointly constructing the New Western Land-Sea Corridor, the International Land-Sea Corridor Facing the Indian Ocean, and the Belt and Road Initiative. It has successively been approved as a national logistics hub for trade and commerce services and a national comprehensive circulation pivot city. Relying on Huaihua International Land Port, Huaihua has opened up four major international corridors, linking China with Laos PDR, Vietnam and Myanmar, established four major seaports, and launched 98 international and domestic transportation routes, forming a new pattern of opening up that relies on two corridors, connects with two oceans, and serves the dual-circulation paradigm.
Huaihua boasts a long history and profound culture. The Gaomiao Relics dates back to 7,800 years ago, making it one of the crucial birthplaces of farming civilization in southern China. The great patriotic poet Qu Yuan (340-278 BC) was exiled to the Yuan River basin in Huaihua, where he composed immortal masterpieces, such as Crossing the River and Li Sao (The Lament). The Tang dynasty poet Wang Changling (698-756) penned timeless verses like “Though separated by a mountain, we’ll share the same clouds and rain; the bright moon belongs not to a single town.” The entire city is a revolutionary base area and the hometown of prominent figures like Xiang Jingyu, Su Yu and Teng Daiyuan. With the largest number of traditional villages in Hunan Province, Huaihua is renowned both at home and abroad for attractions like Zhonghua Book Mountain, Tongdao Red Army Long March Transfer Memorial, Zhijiang Memorial Hall of the Victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the Acceptance of Japan’s Surrender, Anjiang Agricultural School Hybrid Rice Memorial Park, Hongjiang Ancient Commercial Town, and Yutou Ancient Dong Village. Huaihua is a charming place that keep tourists lingering on.
In 2023, Huaihua achieved a regional gross domestic product (GDP) of 194.852 billion yuan, marking a year-on-year growth of 5.6%.
(Translated by Yang Hong)