Chenzhou, a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hunan Province, also known as "Fucheng", is located in central China and southeastern Hunan, in the area where the Nanling Mountains intersect with the Luoxiao Mountains, and where the Yangtze River system diverges from the Pearl River system, and is known as the "southern gate" to Hunan; it is situated in the subtropical climatic zone, and the terrain slopes from southeast to northwest. The terrain slopes from southeast to northwest; as of the end of 2021, the city has two districts, eight counties, and one county-level city under its jurisdiction, with a total area of 19,387 square kilometers; as of the end of 2022, the city's resident population was 4,636,800.
It was established in the Qin Dynasty, Chen County. Sui Kaihuang nine years (589), unified as Chenzhou. Later, it was called Guiyang County, then Chenzhou. The character "郴" means a town in the forest. Since ancient times, Chenzhou has been known as "the land of the Nine Immortals and the Two Buddhas", and is a blessed place for the development of Taoism and Buddhism. Chenzhou has convenient transportation, with the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway, Xialong Expressway, National Highway 107 and National Highway 106 running through the city. Chenzhou is rich in history and culture, with cultural celebrities such as Li Sicong, the hometown of Deng Zhongxia, Huang Kecheng and Zeng Zhongsheng, and the site of the Xiangnan Uprising. Meanwhile, it has colorful historical and cultural relics as well as attractions such as the Dongjiang Lake, Suxian Ridge, Wanhuayan, and the Mangshan National Forest Park.
Chenzhou city's GDP in 2023 was 311.058 billion yuan, an increase of 5.0% over the previous year.