Changde

Changde (常德; Chángdé) is a city in Hunan. The Changde Poetry Wall, covered in a variety of poems mostly from ancient China, stretches for 3 km (1.9 mi) along the Yuan River downtown and functions as a flood wall. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest wall with engraved arts in the world.

Understand

Changde as of 2012

Changde City is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hunan Province. The Changde city urban area, with a population of 1.4 million (2020), is the largest city in the prefecture of Changde (which has a total population of 5.3 million.

Changde city proper is made up of two districts, Wuling District (武陵区) and Dingcheng District (鼎城区).

Get in

By car

National Highways 207 and 319 run through the city.

Passengers from Hunan Province can choose to drive into Changde by themselves.

By plane

• 1 Changde Taohuayuan Airport (CGD  ^IATA 常德机场; Cháng​dé Jī​chǎng), ☏ +86 736-2922999. So far, domestic routes have been opened from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Kunming, Haikou, Wuhan, Chongqing, Nanjing, Nanning, Hangzhou, Fuzhou, Liuzhou, Xiamen, Tianjin, Dalian, Shenyang, Xi'an and other cities. It operates 8 routes including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Kunming, Haikou, Nanning and Tianjin, with more than 40 flights per week, and one flight per day from Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. There is a bus bound for the airport at the Civil Aviation Ticket Office. The fare is ¥10. The specific departure time depends on the flight. You can call in advance to inquire. (updated Sep 2023)

By train

• Changde Train Station (常德火车站; Cháng​dé Huǒ​chē​zhàn). This station lies between Zhangjiajie and Changsha on an eastwest line. It is possible to travel from nearly anywhere on China's extensive rail network to Changde, but from farther destinations (Beijing, for example) it would take more than 24 hours on the train.

By bus

• The Central Bus Station (中站; Zhōng​zhàn). This station has buses hourly from Changsha, Shimen, and a host of other destinations.
• The North Bus Station (北站; Běizhàn). This station has buses from Zhangjiajie, Cili, and other destinations.
• Liuye Lake Bus Station (柳叶湖站; Liǔyèhúzhàn). This station has buses from Yueyang, Huarong, and other destinations.
• The South Bus Station (南站; Nánzhàn). This station has buses from the Peach Flower Garden and other destinations.

Get around

• Bus: As of 2022, there are 57 bus lines in Changde urban area. All bus lines except the H5 line have a uniform fare of ¥2; the H5 line adopts segment pricing, ¥2 within the city and ¥4 through the airport expressway. Preferential policies and other The bus routes are the same.
• BRT: Changde BRT is the first BRT system in Hunan Province.
• Taxi: As of 2022, the starting price of a taxi in Changde city is ¥5 for 2 kilometers.

Climate

Changde City has a subtropical humid monsoon climate. The climate is warm, with four distinct seasons, short spring and autumn, long summer and winter; abundant heat, abundant rainfall, changeable spring temperature, scorching heat in summer, cold autumn rain, and severe cold in winter.

See

Simalou on Liuye Lake

• The Poem Wall. Stretching for miles along the north bank of the river, this wall of poetry is beautiful even for those who can not read the characters. The wall is flanked by a riverside park and makes for a great place to walk and people watch. For a different perspective, stop by at night when the multicolored lights are on. Free. 
• Buxingjie (Walking Street). This is the most happening part of town and a good place to shop for the most fashionable attire that Changde has to offer. Western food at both the east and west ends. The pedestrian street is a commercial street that integrates shopping, entertainment, and food. There are various brands of clothing stores, shoe stores, supermarkets, etc. where you can buy a variety of goods.
• Peach Flower Garden (桃花源; Táo​huā​yuán​), Taohuayuan Town, Taoyuan County (桃源县桃花源镇) (you can catch a bus here from the South Bus Station (南站; Nán​zhàn​)), toll-free: +86 400 985-6677. March to October: 08:30-18:00; November to February: 09:00-17:30; some areas of the park close half an hour earlier. This scenic garden was immortalized in Chinese poetry. ¥180 (the ticket is valid for 3 days). 

Do

• Bin Lake Park (滨湖公园 Bīnhú Gōngyuán​) (directly east of Changde Number 1 Middle School's main gate). This lakeside park is not only a great place to walk, but there is also a selection of carnival rides and games. From bumper cars to a miniature roller coaster to paddle boats, there are attractions here for both the young and the young at heart. Free to enter; prices of rides and games vary. 

Buy

• South of the Bridge Marketplace (桥南市场; Qiáonán Shì​chǎng). This massive marketplace has the cheapest prices in Changde on a huge variety of goods. Clothing, shoes, appliances, sporting equipment, toys, stationery, and countless other items are sold here. Be sure to bargain for the best deals. 

Eat

Wuling

• Changde Beef Noodles (常德牛肉粉; Cháng​dé Niú​ròufěn). Changde is famous for their rice noodles with beef. These can be found at most local restaurants, but you can find some of the best at the east end of walking street or outside the main gate at Number 1 Middle School (常德市一中). 
• Japanese Food (one block east of the walking street). Japanese noodle and sushi restaurant located on the first floor of the Better Life shopping complex. The noodles are especially good. ¥30-50 for a bowl of noodles. 
• KFC (one block east of walking street, on the west end of walking street, near the North Bus Station (北站), or at RT-Mar). KFC is more popular in China than it is in its country of origin and Changde is no exception. For some deep fried American fast food, look for the Colonel. KFC is quite expensive compared to local fare, so budget accordingly. Min. ¥25 for a main. 
• Changde Sauce Salted Duck (常德酱板鸭/湖南板鸭). Changde Sauce Salted Duck has crispy skin and tender meat, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with five flavors and the sweetness of the sauce. This is a famous specialty food in Changde City.Changde salted duck can be found everywhere in Changde. As long as you pay attention, you can buy authentic and delicious Changde salted duck on the street. (updated Oct 2023)
• Changde Spicy Meat Changde Spicy Meat (常德麻辣肉). Changde's Spicy Pork is popular for its rich, spicy, numbing aroma and unique Hunan flavor. However, if you can't eat spicy food, we suggest you ask the restaurant to reduce the spiciness. Many restaurants and spicy hot pot restaurants in Changde will have Changde Spicy Pork as part of their menu. Alternatively, you can buy it at a Hunan specialty store on the street. (updated Oct 2023)
• Lotus Sausage (莲花香肠). Lotus sausage is a traditional food of Changde, known for its unique production process. Lotus sausage can usually be bought at Changde food stalls, or if you want to take it home to your friends and relatives, you can buy it at a Hunan specialty store down the street. 10-50￥. (updated Oct 2023)

Drink

• 1 Modern China Tea Shop (茶颜悦色), Changde Youa International Plaza Store,Changde Wanda Plaza, ☏ +86 13317369745. 10:00-22:00. This restaurant originated in Changsha, Hunan Province and now has a branch in Changde. Although there are not as many stores as Changsha, you can also visit both malls to purchase. ¥14-26. (updated Oct 2023)
• syrup (糖水). Hunan has a rich sugar water culture. You can try various sugar water, such as red bean soup, mung bean soup, etc. Especially in summer, these sugar water can help cool down. Usually the people selling sugar water are old ladies carrying poles. You can pay attention to the elderly people carrying poles on the street. Or you can just find a restaurant that will have sugar water for purchase. ¥5-10. (updated Oct 2023)

Sleep

7天连锁酒店(常德朗州路店)7 Days Inn (Changde Langzhou Road Branch)585 Langzhou South Road, Wuling District, Changde City phone：0736-2917788;0736-2918899

Cope

• Changde Public Security Bureau, toll-free: +86 736 7958000. (updated Dec 2023)
• Changde Tourism Bureau, toll-free: +86 736 7266772. (updated Dec 2023)
• Changde Public Service, toll-free: +86 736 7256087. (updated Dec 2023)

Go next

• Changsha: It takes only 2 hours to travel via high speed train, where you can experience a lot of historical culture and traditional cuisine.
• Zhangjiajie: It is home to stunning landscapes which are a popular hiking destination. There are (infrequent) buses and trains from Changde, taking 2-3 hours.
• Yueyang: There are many buses and high speed trains from Changde to Yueyang, which only takes about 1 hour. There travelers can experience a lot of natural scenery and ancient buildings and architecture.
• Jingzhou: Jingzhou and Changde are neighbors, although Jingzhou is in Hubei Province and Changde is part of Hunan Province. It takes 2-3 hours to travel by high-speed train from Changde, so travelers can quickly experience the cultural differences between Hunan Province and Hubei Province.