As approved by State Council on June 8, 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 In 1999, as approved by the provincial government, Taixiang Town of Jiaoqu District was revoked and incorporated into Xueyan Town of Wujin City.[5]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 theYangtze River Delta region, in the northwestern part of theTaihu Lake Plain. It is bordered by the Yangtze River in the north,Taihu Lake in the south,Anhui Province andNanjing in the southwest,Wuxi in the east andZhenjiang 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 haveMaoshan.[6]
Changzhou hasTao Lake andGe Lake. Rivers areBeijing-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, makingFurong Lake, Yang Lake and Linjin Lake gradually shrink to the point of disappearing.[7][8]
The climate isHumid SubtropicalCfa, with cool winters and hot and humid summers. Changzhou has a wide range of temperature differences throughout the year.
Climate data for Changzhou, elevation 4 m (13 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1971–present)
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 theChangzhou Senior High School of Jiangsu Province.
Since 1908, Changzhou has been linked by rail withShanghai andNanjing (see below for transportation).
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.[13]
Approval for the establishment of Changzhou Export Processing Zone was given in June 2005 with a planned area of 1.66 km2 (0.64 sq mi). 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.[14]
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 160 km (99 mi) from Shanghai to the east and 110 km (68 mi) 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.[15]
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 oneyuan 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 3000pphpd), 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.
Changzhou is the home of theChina Dinosaurs Park located in theXinbei 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.[17]
In 2011, a new amusement park called CC Joyland (Chinese:环球动漫嬉戏谷;pinyin:Huánqiú dòngmàn xīxì gǔ) opened in Taihuwan near Taihu lake inWujin District in the south of Changzhou.[citation needed]
The city is also home to the Tianning Temple—one of the largestZen Buddhist temple and monasteries in China. The city recently rebuilt the Tianningpagoda in the temple grounds, which is adjacent to Hongmei Park. The pagoda, called theTianning Baota, was first built during theTang 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 153.79 m (504.6 ft). 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.[18]
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 theSpring 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.[citation needed] During the time of southSong 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 ofQing dynasty, Kangxi and Qianlong, two emperors southwardly visited, they ordered to build up the temporary palace here and reconstructed this pavilion.[citation needed]
