Huzhou

Huzhou, city, northern Zhejiang sheng (province), southeastern China. It is situated close to the southern shore of Lake Tai, some 45 miles (75 km) north of the provincial capital Hangzhou and 39 miles (63 km) west of Jiaxing. Situated at the confluence of the Dongtiao and Xitiao rivers, which flow into the lake, Huzhou has excellent waterway connections with the whole northern Zhejiang plain.

The city was established as a county, Gucheng (later Wucheng), in the 2nd century bce. In 266 ce the city became the administrative seat of the commandery (district controlled by a commander) of Wuxing. After some temporary changes of name, the city became the seat of Huzhou (prefecture) in 602, its name (literally, “Lake Prefecture”) derived from its proximity to Lake Tai. In 982 the city was divided into two counties, Wucheng and Gui’an. By the 11th century it was a major centre of trade, the largest centre of commerce in the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) delta region after Hangzhou and Suzhou in Jiangxu province. In 1225 it was renamed Anjizhou, but in 1280 the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty (1206–1368) restored the name Huzhou. Under the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911/12) dynasties, it was the seat of a superior prefecture (also called Huzhou) and became a prosperous administrative centre.

In the 1860s the surrounding area was one of the last strongholds of the Taiping Rebellion (1850–64); from 1862 to 1864 the area was under the control of rebel forces, who looted and pillaged the city and its surroundings. After Nanjing was taken by Qing troops in July 1864, the rebel leadership fell back on Huzhou, which was then occupied by the loyalist armies. During that period the city suffered great damage, and its population was much reduced. After the establishment of the republic in 1911, the superior prefecture was abolished, and the city became the seat of Wuxing county in 1912. In the 1930s, when the area was badly hit by a depression in the silk handicraft industry, for which Wuxing had a world reputation, there was much unrest, with several minor uprisings in the district.

In 1979 Huzhou was reestablished as a city and was upgraded to a prefecture-level city in 1983. The city is an important commercial centre. The surrounding area is densely populated and has been intensely farmed since at least the 7th century. The area produces rice, oilseeds, mulberries, and silkworms and is also well known for sheep raising. The chief industries in the city are silk reeling and the weaving of fine silk fabrics. There are also rice-polishing and oil-extracting works and some pharmaceutical, electronic-engineering, and chemical industries. A rail line between Xuanzhou (in Anhui province) and Hangzhou runs about 10 miles (16 km) west of Huzhou. Highways running through the northern and southern outskirts of the city connect with major expressways northeast to Shanghai and south to Hangzhou.

Huzhou is a gateway for visitors to scenic Lake Tai. Mount Mogan, a renowned summer resort area, is just to the southwest of the city. Tourism has become increasingly important to the local economy. Pop. (2002 est.) 351,539.