Changsha was in the first group of cities designated as “national famous historical and cultural” cities. It has a history of more than 3,000 years. It was the place where Qu Yuan, a great patriotic poet in the state of Chu during the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC) and Jia Yi, a renowned scholar in the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) once lived; a well-known Chu-Han City; and, the center of Confucian learning in Hunan.
Changsha features many famous historical sites, including: the Mawangdui Han Dynasty Tomb; the Four-Goat Square Zun; the Three Kingdom Wu bamboo slips; Yuelu Academy, and Tongguan Kiln. It is the cradle of Huxiang culture which is famous for its practicality and inclusiveness.
The 1898 Reform Movement and the first Democratic Revolution which ended the Qing Dynasty originated, among other places, in Changsha. It is one of the new democracy movements’ birthplaces. It is the birthplace of such historic celebrities as Huang Xing, Cai E, and Liu Shaoqi.
Changsha is known as a "Mainland City with the Best Overseas Image", an "East Asia Cultural City", and "City of Media Arts" in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. It is the cradle of renowned cultural brands such as "Hunan TV", "Hunan Publishing", and "Hunan Animation".
Changsha has 58 higher educational institutions, 97 independent research institutions, 52 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, 14 national engineering and technology research centers, and 15 national key engineering laboratories.
Changsha is also known for its scientific research achievements, including hybrid rice breeding technology, the Tianhe supercomputer, and the 3D sintering printer-- the first one produced in China.
Historical & Cultural Figures from Changsha
Changsha, the capital of central China's Hunan Province, is a long-standing city that has nurtured many influential figures throughout history. From late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, one of the founders of the People's Republic of China, to today's super social platform WeChat's creator Zhang Xiaolong, prominent figures from different generations, who were born or lived in this city, demonstrate the depth of this city's history and talented people. To know this city, we have to know these great personalities.
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| Mao Zedong | Zeng Guofan |
Tan Sitong |
| Lei Feng |
Ouyang Yuqian | Tan Dun |
| Zhang Xiaolong |