Changzhou Overview

Changzhou is a historic Jiangnan city that combines more than 3,200 years of cultural heritage with strong modern industries. Known as the “Dragon City,” it is one of the important central cities in the Yangtze River Delta region and has developed a unique identity through the integration of advanced manufacturing, ecological leisure and cultural tourism. With its emerging reputation as the “New Energy Capital” and its goal of becoming a first-class tourism destination in China, Changzhou is building a new development model that combines industrial strength with the charm of Jiangnan culture.

Basic Information and Geographical Location

Changzhou is located in the southern part of Jiangsu Province (江苏省), in the central area of the Yangtze River Delta. It lies between approximately 31°09′–32°04′ north latitude and 119°08′–120°12′ east longitude. The city borders Wuxi (无锡) to the east, connects with Nanjing (南京) and Zhenjiang (镇江) to the west, and is adjacent to Anhui Province (安徽省) and Xuancheng (宣城) in the south. It is located almost midway between the two major metropolitan areas of Shanghai (上海) and Nanjing (南京), giving it an important strategic position within the Yangtze River Delta economic circle.

Changzhou covers a total area of approximately 4,372 square kilometers and administers five districts, including Jintan District (金坛区), Wujin District (武进区), Xinbei District (新北区), Tianning District (天宁区) and Zhonglou District (钟楼区), as well as Liyang City (溧阳市), a county-level city under its administration.

Changzhou has a history of more than 3,200 years. Its recorded history began in the Spring and Autumn Period when Jizha (季札), son of King Shoumeng of Wu, established his fief in Yanling. The city was officially named Changzhou during the Sui Dynasty. Over thousands of years, it has developed a distinctive Jiangnan cultural identity combining education, commerce, craftsmanship and innovation.

Climate Features

Changzhou belongs to the northern subtropical humid monsoon climate zone. Influenced by seasonal monsoon circulation, the city enjoys four clearly distinguished seasons, abundant rainfall and sufficient sunshine.

The annual average temperature is approximately 16.6℃. January is the coldest month, with an average temperature of around 3.6℃, while July is the hottest month, averaging about 28.7℃. Annual precipitation reaches approximately 1,218.6 millimeters, mainly concentrated in spring and summer, especially during the plum rain season around June. The city receives about 1,967 hours of sunshine annually.

The mild climate, rich water resources and fertile Jiangnan landscape provide favorable conditions for ecological tourism, outdoor recreation and year-round cultural travel.

Connected Cities and Transportation

Changzhou is located at the heart of the Yangtze River Delta transportation network and has developed a highly integrated transportation system connecting railways, highways, aviation and waterways.

The railway network is one of Changzhou’s major advantages. The Shanghai–Nanjing Intercity Railway (沪宁城际铁路) and Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway (京沪高铁) pass through the city, providing convenient connections to Shanghai (上海), Nanjing (南京), Hangzhou (杭州) and other major cities. Changzhou Railway Station and Changzhou North Railway Station serve as important transportation hubs.

The city is connected by several major expressways, including the Shanghai–Nanjing Expressway (沪宁高速), Nanjing–Hangzhou Expressway (宁杭高速) and Yangzhou–Liyang Expressway (扬溧高速). These highways provide efficient access to surrounding cities and tourism areas.

In aviation, Changzhou Benniu International Airport (常州奔牛国际机场) is a national first-class port with domestic routes covering major Chinese cities and international or regional routes connecting destinations such as South Korea, Laos and Hong Kong. In terms of water transportation, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal (京杭大运河) passes through the city, while Changzhou Port (常州港) is an important national first-class open port along the Yangtze River.

The city’s urban transportation system is also improving rapidly, with metro lines, buses and shared mobility services providing convenient travel options for residents and visitors.

Population and Ethnic Groups

By the end of 2025, Changzhou had a permanent population of approximately 5.42 million people, with an urbanization rate of about 79.88%. The registered population was around 3.89 million.

The population is mainly Han Chinese. As an economically developed city in the Yangtze River Delta, Changzhou also attracts people from different regions of China and a growing number of international professionals, students and business visitors due to its industrial development and international cooperation.

Cultural Characteristics

Changzhou’s cultural identity can be summarized through four major themes: “Dragon City Culture, Historical Figures, Jiangnan Gardens and Intangible Cultural Heritage.”

The city is widely known as the “Dragon City (龙城)”, a name associated with ancient legends and historical traditions. This cultural symbol has become an important part of Changzhou’s urban identity.

Changzhou has long been a center of education and scholarship. Throughout history, it produced numerous outstanding scholars, including 19 top-ranked imperial examination scholars and nearly 3,000 jinshi (进士). In modern times, the city produced influential figures such as Qu Qiubai (瞿秋白), Zhang Tailei (张太雷) and Yun Daiying (恽代英), known as the “Three Heroes of Changzhou,” as well as scientists and artists including Hua Luogeng (华罗庚) and Liu Haisu (刘海粟). The city has also produced many academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Changzhou has a rich tradition of Jiangnan culture and craftsmanship. Its cultural heritage includes Jintan Paper Cutting (金坛刻纸), Liuzhen Bamboo Carving (留青竹刻), Changzhou Comb Making (常州梳篦) and Random Stitch Embroidery (乱针绣). These traditional crafts reflect the city’s long history of artistic creativity.

The city also preserves elegant Jiangnan garden culture, with historical gardens and traditional neighborhoods representing the refined lifestyle of southern China.

Economic Development

Changzhou is one of the strongest industrial cities in Jiangsu and an important advanced manufacturing base in the Yangtze River Delta. In 2025, the city’s GDP reached approximately 1.081 trillion yuan, officially entering the ranks of trillion-yuan cities.

The city has developed a globally influential new energy industry cluster. Known as the “New Energy Capital of China,” Changzhou has established a complete industrial ecosystem covering energy storage, battery manufacturing, new energy vehicles and related technologies. The scale of the new energy industry exceeded 850 billion yuan, making it one of the most important new energy manufacturing centers in China.

Changzhou also has a strong advanced manufacturing foundation. Among the 41 major industrial categories in China, the city covers 37 categories, with manufacturing contributing approximately 42.8% of GDP. Intelligent manufacturing equipment, high-end machinery and strategic emerging industries have become key economic drivers.

Tourism and cultural industries are also important components of Changzhou’s economic development. By combining theme tourism, ecological leisure, cultural heritage and industrial tourism, the city is creating a diversified tourism economy linked with its manufacturing strengths.

Changzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism: Positioning and Inbound Tourism Development Plan

The Changzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism (常州市文化广电和旅游局) is the main government department responsible for cultural and tourism development, including tourism planning, destination marketing, tourism industry management, public cultural services and international tourism promotion.

The bureau is promoting Changzhou’s transformation from a regional leisure destination into a nationally recognized and internationally attractive tourism city through integrated development of culture, ecology, industry and innovation.

Core Positioning

The Changzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism focuses on building Changzhou into a first-class tourism destination city in China with distinctive local characteristics.

Supported by the Changzhou Tourism Promotion Regulation (《常州市旅游促进条例》), the city follows a development strategy based on regional integration, industrial integration and smart tourism services. Its long-term goal is to become a famous leisure and vacation destination in the Yangtze River Delta and an important tourism city with international appeal.

Changzhou aims to transform from traditional sightseeing tourism toward diversified experiences, including leisure holidays, cultural exploration, industrial tourism, study tours and ecological recreation.

Inbound Tourism Development Strategies and Measures

The Changzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism is strengthening inbound tourism development through several major strategies.

First, the bureau is improving the city’s tourism product system for international visitors. Based on Changzhou’s advantages in history, manufacturing, education and ecology, it is developing themed tourism products including cultural heritage tours, industrial experience tours, study tours, ecological vacations and red tourism. The city is especially promoting international study tours based on resources such as the history of Changzhou’s outstanding figures, traditional culture and advanced manufacturing industries.

Second, Changzhou is expanding all-region tourism development. The bureau is promoting cooperation between urban tourism, rural tourism, industrial tourism and cultural tourism, creating a comprehensive tourism network rather than relying only on individual attractions. Special attention is given to developing night tourism, cultural consumption and immersive experiences under the “Dragon City Night” tourism brand.

Third, the bureau is strengthening regional cooperation within the Yangtze River Delta. Changzhou actively cooperates with neighboring cities including Shanghai (上海), Nanjing (南京), Suzhou (苏州) and Wuxi (无锡) to promote shared tourism resources, joint marketing and visitor exchange. This helps integrate Changzhou into larger international tourism routes in eastern China.

Fourth, Changzhou is improving smart tourism and international visitor services. The city is developing digital tourism platforms, multilingual information services and convenient travel systems to improve overseas visitors’ experience. Through the “Changzhou Hospitality” service brand, the city continues to enhance tourism reception standards, international payment convenience and public tourism facilities.

By combining its 3,200-year cultural heritage, advanced manufacturing advantages and Jiangnan lifestyle experience, the Changzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism is positioning Changzhou as a distinctive international tourism destination where traditional culture and modern innovation meet.