Dazhou

Dazhou () is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of Sichuan province, China, bordering Shaanxi to the north and Chongqing to the east and south.^[1] At the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025, the resident population will be 5,304,300, the urbanization rate is 52.72%, the urban population is 2.794 million, and the rural population is 2.506 million live in the built-up (or metro) area made of 2 urban districts.^[2]

History

Dazhou's history goes back to the Eastern Han dynasty when in 90 AD it was made a county by the name of Liweizhou (历为州). Then until the Liao dynasty its name was Zaidi (在地). During the Liao and Tang dynasties its name was again changed, this time to Tongzhou (通州). Finally in the Song dynasty it was given its present name of Dazhou.

Notable people from Dazhou include the Three Kingdoms writer Chen Shou, Song dynasty astronomer Zhang Sixun, and Ming and Qing dynasty philosopher and educator Tang Zhen. Dazhou also made notable contributions to the Communist Revolution. Red Army heroes such as Xu Xiangqian, Li Xiannian, Xu Shiyou, Wang Weizhou (王维舟), and Zhang Aiping were all from or lived in Dazhou.

The partially preserved mausoleum complex of the Shen (沈) family in Qu County (particularly its gate towers known as que) built in the Han dynasty, is a well-known architectural monument.^[3]

Geography and climate

Dazhou is the easternmost prefecture-level division of the province, bordering Ankang and Hanzhong (both in Shaanxi) to the north, Chengkou County, Kai County, and Wanzhou District of Chongqing to the east, the Chongqing counties of Liangping and Dianjiang to the south, Guang'an to the southwest, Nanchong to the west, and Bazhong to the northwest. It is centrally located between Chongqing and Xi'an. The area is 16,600 square kilometres (6,400 sq mi).^[4]

The terrain is largely mountainous (Daba Mountains and adjacent ranges).

Typical of the Sichuan Basin, Dazhou has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) and is largely mild and humid, with four distinct seasons. Winter is short, mild, and foggy, though actual precipitation is low. January averages 6.1 °C (43.0 °F) and, while frost may occur, snow is rare. Summers are long, hot and humid, with highs often exceeding 33 °C (91 °F). The monthly daily average in July, the warmest month, is 27.4 °C (81.3 °F). Rainfall is light in winter and can be heavy in summer, and over 70% of the annual total occurs from May to September. The annual frost-free period lasts around 300 days.^[5]

Administration

It is one of Sichuan's most populous cities with 5,468,097 residents as of 2010 census.

Economy

Dazhou is an important river and land transportation hub for the region. Numerous national highways, expressways, and rail lines pass through Dazhou connecting it directly with major cities in China such as Chengdu, Xi'an, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, etc., making it one of Sichuan's important trade centers.^[6]

Dazhou has numerous natural resources including large natural gas fields and an abundance of mineral resources such as salt, coal, manganese, lithium, and limestone. Major agricultural products include pork, beef, and tea. Other industries are chemical production, coal power, metallurgy, textiles, building materials, and processed food.^[7]

Tourism

Dazhou has both cultural and natural attractions. There are several national and provincial cultural sites and many national and provincial protected forests and nature reserves. Xuanhan's Baili Gorges have scenery and rapids, leading to the nickname "Little Three Gorges". Mountains are this area's greatest attraction.

Bashan Grand Canyon, formerly known as "Xuanhan Baili Gorge," is located in Xuanhan County, Dazhou City, Sichuan Province. It is designated as a national 4A-level tourist attraction, a national geopark, and a provincial nature reserve. The area features karst landforms with caves, gorges, and diverse flora and fauna, and preserves historical sites such as Fan Kuai's garrison and ancient plank roads.^[8]

Batai Mountain, located in the eastern part of Batai Township, Wanyuan City, Dazhou, Sichuan Province, is named for its multi-tiered stepped landform. It is designated as a national 4A-level tourist attraction, a national geopark, and a national natural heritage site. The main peak, Xinbatai, has an elevation of 2,272.3 meters, with other peaks including Laobatai, Duxiu, and Zhujian.^[9]

Wufeng Mountain National Forest Park, also known as the "Bamboo Sea Park," is located in the eastern part of Dazhu County, Dazhou City, Sichuan Province. Covering an area of 876 hectares with an elevation ranging from 600 to 1,080 meters, it has a subtropical humid climate. Approved by the State Forestry Administration in 2002, it has since been designated as a national 3A- and 4A-level tourist attraction, a provincial-level tourist resort, and an ecological tourism demonstration area.^[10]

Dazhou Museum is located at 4 Yongxing Road, Tongchuan District, Dazhou, Sichuan Province, covering an area of 5,700 square meters with a total building area of 9,261 square meters. The museum was established in 2006 and opened to the public in 2011. It houses approximately 11,000 cultural relics, of which 3,586 are on display, including national first- to third-class relics.^[11]

Longtan River is located in Wanyuan, Dazhou, Sichuan. The rafting course is about 10 kilometers long, divided into rapid, gentle, and family-friendly sections, with the rafting season running from May to October. Along the route lies the karst cave "Yuquan Cave," noted for its underground river and stalactite formations. A 5-kilometer riverside trail connects waterfalls, ancient trees, and other scenic spots.^[12]

Points of interest

Until 2016 a highrise building with 26 floors at 31°11'28"N 107°30'43"E had a 20-metre-tall electricity pylon on its roof. In 2016 the line including the pylon was dismantled. [1]

Transportation

• China National Highway 210
• Xiangyu Railway (Xiangyang, Hubei−Chongqing)
• Dazhou–Chengdu railway
• A branch line from Dacheng to Wanzhou, Chongqing where it connects with the Yiwan Railway
• Dazhou Jinya Airport, a new airport opened in May 2022

References

1. ^ "UNdata | record view | Series not found!"
2. ^ "2025年[四川]达州市人口总人数口多少和第七次人口普查结果 年龄金字塔结构 民族组成情况-红黑人口库". www.hongheiku.com. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
3. ^ Victor Segalen, "Chine. La grande statuaire", and "Les origines de la statuaire en Chine", p. 46 sq
4. ^ "达州市人民政府_达州概况_达州概况" [Dazhou Municipal People's Government_Dazhou Overview_Dazhou Overview]. www.dazhou.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
5. ^ "达州市地情". 四川省情网
6. ^ "达州市人民政府_达州发展_达州交通". www.dazhou.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
7. ^ "盘点 | 中国矿产之都大盘点，总有一个是你的家乡_储量". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 2024-06-21.^{[dead link]}
8. ^ "达州市人民政府_景区推介_巴山大峡谷旅游景区" [Bashan Grand Canyon Scenic Area]. www.dazhou.gov.cn. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
9. ^ "【八台山】万源八台山风景区官网" [Official website of Batai Mountain Scenic Area]. www.bts517.com. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
10. ^ "达州市人民政府_景区推介_五峰山旅游景区" [Dazhou Municipal People’s Government – Scenic Area Promotion – Wufeng Mountain Tourist Area]. www.dazhou.gov.cn. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
11. ^ "达州市博物馆" [Dazhou Museum] (in zh-CN). www.dzmuseum.cn. Archived 2025-01-26 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
12. ^ "漫游达州（14）丨"大巴山第一漂"清凉上线！_四川在线" [Roaming Dazhou (14) | 'The No.1 Rafting in Daba Mountains' Now Open for a Cool Experience! – Sichuan Online]. sichuan.scol.com.cn. Retrieved 2025-09-21.

External links

• Official Website (in Chinese)