Tongren has a long history that can be traced back to the Neolithic Age. About four to five thousand years ago, there was human labor on the land of Tongren.
In the Qin Dynasty, it was located in the hinterland of Qianzhong Commandery. During the Han Dynasty, it was placed under the jurisdiction of Wuling County, and during the Shu Han period, a county seat was established.
In the Tang Dynasty, Wan'an County was established and later renamed Changfeng County, which was divided into Sizhou, Jinzhou, and Qianzhou.
At the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, two propaganda and consolation offices were established: Sizhou and Sinan.
In the Yuan Dynasty, it is said that a fisherman infiltrated the bottom of the river at Tongyan and obtained three bronze statues, setting up the "Bronze Man and Small River Barbarian Military and Civilian Chief Court" under the jurisdiction of the Sinan Propaganda and Comfort Bureau.
In the eleventh year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1413), the Sizhou and Sinan Propaganda and Comfort Departments were abolished, and four prefectures were established in the current area, namely Tongren, Sinan, Shiqian, and Uluo, all of which were under the jurisdiction of the Guizhou Provincial Administration. In the third year of the Zhengtong era (1438), Uluo Prefecture was abolished and most of it was merged into Tongren Prefecture. Tongren is named after this.
In the Qing Dynasty, the establishment of Tongren remained unchanged.
In the first year of the Republic of China (1912), Tongren County (now Jiangkou County) was abolished and merged into Tongren Prefecture (now Tongren City). In February 1943, the province was reorganized into six administrative inspection districts. The Commissioner's Office of the Sixth Supervision District is located in Tongren, with jurisdiction over 9 counties including Tongren, Jiangkou, Yuping, Songtao, Yinjiang, Shiqian, Sinan, Dejiang, and Yanhe.
On January 12, 1950, the Tongren Special Zone was established, with the Commissioner's Office located in Tongren County. It governs 9 counties including Tongren, Yuping, Songtiao, Jiangkou, Yinjiang, Shiqian, Sinan, Dejiang, and Yanhe.
On October 22, 2011, the Tongren area was abolished as prefecture level Tongren City, and the original county-level Tongren City was abolished as Bijiang District, with the original county-level Tongren City administrative area as the new Bijiang District administrative area. Revoke Wanshan Special Zone and establish Wanshan District in Tongren City.