Langzhong, Sichuan Province, China

🇨🇳 Langzhong is a county-level city in north-eastern Sichuan province, China, located on the middle reaches of the Jialing River. It is administered as part of the prefecture-level city of Nanchong.

Langzhong is famous for its historic centre, home to 30,000 of its residents. It is one of the best preserved historic towns of China, dating back to the Tang dynasty. The city was also the seat of the former Anglican Diocese of Szechwan.

History The site of present-day Langzhong served for a time as the capital of Ba, a native but sinicized Sichuan state during China's Warring States period. It takes its present name from its role as the seat of Langzhong County, established by Qin two years after its 316 BC conquest of Shu and Ba. Under the Han and Tang, it was an important centre for astronomical research. Under the Yuan, Ming, and Qing, it was known as Baoning. Over the late imperial period, it served as Sichuan's provincial capital for a total of ten years. It was well known for its salt wells. Is has also long been an important military town of Sichuan.

Since 1985, the PRC government has awarded Langzhong with various accolades on three separate occasions. In 1986 the State Council named it a famous and historical town. In 1991, it was finally upgraded to county-level city status.

Geography Langzhong is located in the north-east of the province and the northern part of the Sichuan Basin on the middle reaches of the Jialing River. Within the city's administrative area, elevations generally increase from south-west to north-east and range from 328 metres (1,076 ft) to 888 metres (2,913 ft), while rivers flow for 59.4 km (36.9 mi). The area is dominated by low-lying mountains and hills.

Administrative divisions • Baoning Subdistrict (保宁街道) • Shaxi Subdistrict (沙溪街道) • Qili Subdistrict (七里街道) • Jiangnan Subdistrict (江南街道) • Hexi Subdistrict (河溪街道) • Baiya Town (柏垭镇) • Feifeng Town (飞凤镇) • Pengcheng Town (彭城镇) • Siyi Town (思依镇) • Wencheng Town (文成镇) • Erlong Town (二龙镇) • Shitan Town (石滩镇) • Laoguan Town (老观镇) • Longquan Town (龙泉镇) • Qianfo Town (千佛镇) • Wangya Town (望垭镇) • Miaogao Town (妙高镇) • Hongshan Town (洪山镇) • Shuiguan Town (水观镇) • Jinya Town (金垭镇) • Yutai Town (玉台镇) • Mulan Town (木兰镇) • Wuma Town (五马镇) • Tiangong Town (天宫镇) • Qiaolou Township (桥楼乡) • Boshu Hui Ethnic Township (博树回族乡) • Fengzhan Township (峰占乡) • Hefeng Township (鹤峰乡).

Transport • China National Highway 212.