Changshun County is located in central Guizhou Province, in the western part of Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. It is part of the Central Guizhou Economic Zone, the Core Urban Agglomeration of Central Guizhou, a key expansion area of the Gui'an New Area, and the "Guihui-Changlong" Guiyang-centered urban economic belt in Qiannan Prefecture. As a key county for national poverty alleviation and development in the new stage that is closest to the provincial capital within the Central Guizhou Economic Zone, Changshun County was designated as a National County for Agricultural Product Quality and Safety (the second batch) by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in 2019.
The county covers a total area of 1,548 square kilometers and administers 5 towns, 1 township, and 1 sub-district, with 95 villages (communities) in total. By the end of 2024, its total population stood at 270,000, among which ethnic minorities account for 57%.
During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, the region of Changshun belonged to the southern part of the two provinces (Jing and Liang) as recorded in Yu Gong (a classic Chinese geographical work). In the Warring States Period, it was part of the Qianzhong Commandery of the State of Chu. During the Qin and Han dynasties, it was under the jurisdiction of the Yelang Kingdom and later incorporated into Yelang County. In the Jin Dynasty, it was placed under Guangtan County of Yelang Commandery; in the Sui Dynasty, it belonged to Binhua County; and in the Tang and Song dynasties, it was part of Jinzhou and Xiangzhou respectively. The Yuan Dynasty established the Jinzhu Prefecture here, while the Ming Dynasty reorganized it into the Jinzhu Pacification Commission, and later set up Guangshun Prefecture through the "Gaitu Guiliu" reform (a historical policy that replaced hereditary ethnic minority chieftains with centrally appointed officials).
This long and distant history has endowed Changshun with a wealth of cultural heritages, including the mysterious Yelang culture, Tusi (chieftain) culture, Tunpu (garrison) culture, and imperial Buddhist culture.
During the Long March, the Central Red Army fought and moved through Changshun for several days. Wherever the Red Army went, it promoted revolutionary truths and spread the "seeds of revolution." Today, the "Changshun Red Army Slogan Memorial Hall" remains as a testament to this period.
In the early years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, Changshun witnessed many successful anti-bandit campaigns won with fewer troops against larger forces, and heroic models such as Xiao Guobao—a "Matrosov-style" combat hero (after Alexander Matrosov, a Soviet war hero)—emerged. Since the 21st century, cadres in Duncao Township of Changshun have earned the trust of the people by "acting as postmen, delivering people's livelihood needs, and carrying the people's hearts." Their efforts have helped build Changshun into a "spiritual highland" of Guizhou.
Changshun’s unique mountainous landscape, pleasant ecological climate, and mysterious ethnic customs have fostered abundant tourism resources. Within the county, there is 1 tourist resource site of Grade V, 9 of Grade IV, 15 of Grade III, and 20 of Grade II.
Aiming to become a "prefecture-level rural leisure tourism base," Changshun has focused on developing five core scenic spots: "One Mountain" (Baiyun Mountain), "One Lake" (Azalea Lake), "One Tree" (the Chinese Ginkgo King), "One Well" (Chaojing Well), and "One Mansion" (the Former Guangshun Prefecture Government). These scenic spots are geographically concentrated, linking together like pearls on a string to form a picturesque landscape.
With no severe cold in winter and no extreme heat in summer, Changshun has an average temperature of around 15.7°C, making it a paradise for health preservation and vacation.
Changshun boasts a prominent transportation and geographical advantage. It is 50 kilometers away from Guiyang (the provincial capital) and 150 kilometers from Duyun (the capital of Qiannan Prefecture). The Guangshun Development Zone in Changshun is adjacent to the Gui'an New Area, only 10 kilometers away from the core area of Gui'an New Area, making it a key expansion zone of the latter.
Currently, Changshun is actively building a comprehensive transportation network featuring "Four Expressways + One Railway," "Five Horizontal & Two Vertical Trunk Roads," and "Oil-Paved Roads Covering All Villages," as well as a new industrial development pattern of "One Park with Three Districts." In 2016, Changshun was awarded the title of "China's Annual Best Investment & Leisure Destination." Today, investing and starting businesses in Changshun aligns with the trend and comes at the right time.
In 2024, Changshun achieved steady economic and social development, with the following key indicators:
- Gross Regional Product (GRP): 10.337 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.6%;
- Total agricultural output value: 3.755 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.9%;
- Value-added of industrial enterprises above designated size: a year-on-year increase of 6.6%;
- Fixed-asset investment: a year-on-year increase of 6.1%;
- General public budget revenue: 412 million yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 3.3%;
- Total retail sales of consumer goods: 5.098 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 2.69%;
- Balance of RMB deposits in financial institutions: 9.268 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.6%;
- Per capita disposable income of urban permanent residents: 40,674 yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.4%;
- Per capita disposable income of rural permanent residents: 16,944 yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.1%.
In 2019, Changshun ranked first among the 33 poverty-stricken counties (cities/districts) in Guizhou in terms of the comprehensive evaluation of "excellent" in the poverty alleviation effectiveness assessment. On March 3, 2020, it was officially removed from the list of poverty-stricken counties upon public announcement by the Guizhou Provincial People's Government.
During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period (2021–2025), Changshun will closely follow the strategic arrangements of the Central Government, the Provincial Government, and the Prefectural Government. In accordance with the "1-4-4-6" overall framework, it will firmly grasp the "Four Major Opportunities," give full play to the "Four Major Advantages," vigorously implement the "Nine Major Projects" and the rural revitalization strategy, and embark on a new journey of comprehensively building socialist modernization.
- Gaitu Guiliu: A historical reform in China (primarily during the Ming and Qing dynasties) that replaced hereditary ethnic minority chieftains (Tusi) with officials appointed by the central government, aiming to strengthen central governance over ethnic minority regions.
- Tunpu Culture: A unique cultural form formed by Han people who settled in Guizhou as garrison troops during the Ming Dynasty, preserving traditional Han customs while integrating with local ethnic cultures.
- "14th Five-Year Plan": China’s national development plan for the period 2021–2025, guiding national economic and social development.
- Scenic Spot Grading: China classifies tourist resources into five grades (I to V), with Grade V representing the highest quality.
