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Hengshui
CityQ58724· pop 44· linked from 747 articles

Hengshui () is a prefecture-level city in southern Hebei province, People's Republic of China, bordering Shandong to the southeast. It borders the cities of Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei, to the west, Xingtai to the south, and Baoding and Cangzhou to the north. As of the 2020 census, its population was 4,212,933 inhabitants, out of whom 805,000 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of Taocheng urban district. At the end of 2024, the city's resident population was 4.1299 million, down 27,700 from the end of the previous year. The urbanization rate of the resident population is 58.17%.

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Place details

Locality
桃城区
Region
河北省
Country
中国
Population
522,147
Timezone
Asia/Shanghai

via OpenStreetMap · GeoNames

Air quality

58US AQIModerate
PM2.5
11.5 µg/m³
PM10
14.6 µg/m³
As of 2026-08-11 11:00 · Open-Meteo

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Key facts

Settlement.name
Hengshui
Settlement.native_name
衡水市
Settlement.native_name_lang
zh
Settlement.nicknames
Peach City (), Lake City ()
Settlement.settlement_type
Prefecture-level city
Settlement.image_caption
From top, left to right: Downtown Taocheng District; Hengshui Lake; View from Hengshui Middle School; Hengshui Railway Station
Settlement.mapframe
yes
Settlement.mapframe zoom
7
Settlement.mapframe point
none
Settlement.map_caption1
Location of Hengshui City jurisdiction in Hebei
Settlement.pushpin_map
China Hebei#China Northern Plain#China
Settlement.pushpin_map_caption
Location of the city centre in Hebei
Settlement.subdivision_type
Country
Settlement.subdivision_name
People's Republic of China
Settlement.subdivision_type1
Province
Settlement.subdivision_name1
Hebei
Settlement.seat_type
Municipal seat
Settlement.seat
Taocheng District

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Instance of
big city
Official name
衡水市
Country
China
Located in
Hebei
Population
4212933
Area
8836.78
Time zone
UTC+08:00
Shares border with
Cangzhou
Official website
www.hengshui.gov.cn
Image
衡水.jpg
Dialing code
318
Licence plate code
冀T
Show 4 more facts
Commons category
Hengshui
topic's main category
Category:Hengshui
postal code
053000
category of associated people
Category:People from Hengshui
Sources (2)

via Wikidata · CC0

Travel guide

Get in

By Train: Hengshui is connected by high-speed trains from major cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, and Shijiazhuang. The Hengshui Railway Station offers frequent services, making it a convenient gateway. By Bus: Long-distance buses from neighboring cities operate regularly to Hengshui. By Air: The nearest airport is Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport (石家庄正定国际机场), about 120 km away. From the airport, buses and trains provide connections to Hengshui.

Get around

Birdwatching at Hengshui Lake: The lake is a sanctuary for migratory birds, especially rare species like cranes. A favorite activity for nature lovers. Explore Local Markets: Visit bustling markets like Hengshui Traditional Market to try local snacks and shop for unique goods like tea and handicrafts. Cultural Festivals: If visiting during local festivals, take part in celebrations like the Lantern Festival or Dragon Boat Festival.

Do

Local Handicrafts: Hengshui is known for its traditional Chinese paintings and calligraphy, which can be purchased in local art shops.

Hengshui Laobaigan Liquor: A famous local liquor that makes for a unique souvenir, available at specialty shops and local markets.

Tea and Herbs: Various teas and medicinal herbs are sold in Hengshui’s markets, reflecting local health practices and culture.

Buy

Local Handicrafts: Look for traditional Chinese paintings and calligraphy, reflecting Hengshui’s artistic heritage. Hengshui Laobaigan: Purchase this locally famous liquor as a unique souvenir from Hengshui. Tea and Herbs: Traditional Chinese teas and medicinal herbs are available at local markets, perfect for those looking to bring home a taste of local culture.

Eat

Hebei Dishes: Hengshui cuisine is hearty, with dishes like noodles, dumplings, and locally sourced fish. Try Hengshui Laobaigan liquor, a famous local spirit, often paired with meals. Street Food: Local markets offer a variety of street foods, including steamed buns, fried pancakes, and skewers. Restaurant Recommendations: Head to popular local restaurants like Xiaofang Dumpling House for authentic dumplings or Hengshui Lake Seafood Restaurant for fresh fish from the lake.

Travel guide from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0)

~7 min read

Encyclopedic overview

9 sections
Contents
  • Administrative divisions
  • Education
  • Sights
  • Geography and climate
  • Air pollution
  • Religion
  • Gourmet food
  • References
  • External links

Hengshui () is a prefecture-level city in southern Hebei province, People's Republic of China, bordering Shandong to the southeast. It borders the cities of Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei, to the west, Xingtai to the south, and Baoding and Cangzhou to the north. As of the 2020 census, its population was 4,212,933 inhabitants, out of whom 805,000 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of Taocheng urban district. At the end of 2024, the city's resident population was 4.1299 million, down 27,700 from the end of the previous year. The urbanization rate of the resident population is 58.17%. It is on the Beijing–Kowloon railway.

Hengshui has a long cultural history. During the Three Kingdoms period, Yuan Shao once stationed millions of troops in Jizhou to compete with Cao Cao. Dong Zhongshu, a great philosopher of the Western Han Dynasty and a great master of the Confucian school, was born in Hengshui Jing County. Hengshui now has two national-level cultural relics protection units: the Jingxian Fengshi Tombs and the Relic Pagoda, plus the Houzhong Han Tomb, Shuangzhong Han Tomb, Xiyuantou Han Tomb in Jizhou, the Qinglin Temple Pagoda in the old city, and the Taocheng District There are 19 provincial key cultural relics protection units including Baoyun Temple Pagoda.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Hengshui” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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