History of Changzhou
“The Ruins of Yancheng”, comprise the remains of a walled city located in the Wujin district of Changzhou that was founded over 3000 years ago at the beginning of the Western Zhou dynasty. The earliest record of a settlement on the site of modern Changzhou is as a commandery founded in 221 bc at the beginning of the Qin Dynasty. During the interregnum between the Sui and Tang, the city of Piling was the capital of Shen Faxing’s short-lived Kingdom of Liang (ad 619 to 620). Changzhou got its present name meaning “ordinary prefecture” in 589. Following construction of the Grand Canal in 609, Changzhou became a canal port and transshipment point for locally-grown grain, and has maintained these roles ever since. The rural counties surrounding Changzhou are noted for the production of rice, fish, tea, silk, bamboo and fruit.
Maps of “Tchang-chou-hien” and “Kia-ting-hien” from Du Halde’s 1735 Description of China, based on accounts by Jesuit missionaries.
During the Taiping Rebellion of the 1850s, one of five palaces housing the leaders of the so-called “Kingdom of Celestial Peace” was constructed in Changzhou. Today the ruins of the “King’s Palace” can be found near the People’s No.1 Hospital.
In the 1920s, Changzhou started to attract cotton mills. The cotton industry got a boost in the late 1930s when businesses began relocating outside of Shanghai due to the Japanese occupation. Unlike many Chinese cities, Changzhou continued to prosper even during the upheavals of the Cultural Revolution of 1966–76. Today it is an important industrial center for textiles, food processing, engineering (diesel engines, generators, transformers and other machinery), and high technology.
Historical changes
On January 1, 1953, Changzhou was set as provincially administrated municipality.
In 1958, Zhenjiang Prefecture was renamed as Changzhou Prefecture, and the administration office was moved from Zhenjiang to Changzhou. Changzhou was incorporated by Changzhou Prefecture.
In 1959, Changzhou Prefecture was changed into Zhenjiang Prefecture, and the administration office was moved from Changzhou to Zhenjiang. Changzhou was incorporated by Zhenjiang Prefecture.
In 1960, Wujin County of Zhenjiang Prefecture was incorporated into Changzhou.
In 1962, Changzhou was changed into provincially administrated municipality and Wujin County was incorporated into Zhenjiang Prefecture.
In 1983, when the municipally affiliated county system was carried out, Wujin County, Jintan County and Liyang County of Zhenjiang were incorporated into Changzhou. The urban area was divided into five municipally administrated districts, Guanghua, Tianning, Zhonglou, Qishuyan and Jiaoqu. At that time, Changzhou administrated three counties and five districts.
From September of 1986, as approved by State Council, Guanghua District was revoked and the previous administrative area was incorporated into Zhonglou District and Tianning Districrt. Liyang County was changed into Liyang City (county level). At that time, Changzhou administrated one city, two counties and four districts.
In 1993, Jintan County was changed into Jintan City.
In 1995, Longhutang Town, Xinqiao Town, Baizhang Town and Weitang Town of Wujin County were incorporated into Jiaoqu District. As approved by State Council on June 8 of 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.
Source From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changzhou#History
