Capital · Industrial centre · Historic city · Anhui
Hefei
合肥
Science city on Chaohu, from Three Kingdoms fortress to electric-car hub
Hefei is the capital of Anhui, in the centre of the province on the northern shore of Chaohu. A frontier fortress of the Three Kingdoms and the home of the Song judge Bao Zheng and the Qing statesman Li Hongzhang, it grew from a modest county town into a provincial capital after 1952 and has since become a national centre of science and of the electric-vehicle, display and semiconductor industries.
Key facts
Overview
Hefei's name is traditionally explained as the place where the Fei River divides and rejoins (合). Its strategic position between the Yangtze and the Huai made it a fortress in the Three Kingdoms wars, and for centuries it was a prefectural town known mainly as the home of Lord Bao.
After it became the provincial capital in 1952, factories and universities moved in; the arrival of the University of Science and Technology of China in 1970 made it a research city. Since the 2000s city-backed investment in display panels, memory chips and electric vehicles has made Hefei one of the fastest-growing cities in China.
Names and nicknames
庐州
Name of the prefecture from the Sui to the Qing; still used for local culture and food.
包公故里
“home of Lord Bao”
After Bao Zheng, the incorruptible judge of the Northern Song.
History
In 215 the Wei general Zhang Liao repulsed a much larger Wu army under Sun Quan at Xiaoyaojin, one of the famous battles of the Three Kingdoms. Bao Zheng (999–1062) was born in Hefei and is buried there. Li Hongzhang and the Huai Army made the region important in the late Qing. The city became capital of Anhui in 1952.
215
Battle of Xiaoyao Ford
Zhang Liao's defence of Hefei against Sun Quan became a celebrated episode of the Three Kingdoms.
999–1062
Life of Bao Zheng
The upright Song official became the hero of countless operas and stories about justice.
1952
Capital of Anhui
Hefei replaced Anqing as the provincial seat and grew rapidly.
1970
USTC moves to Hefei
The University of Science and Technology of China relocated from Beijing, anchoring the city's research institutions.
2006
EAST fusion device
The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science achieved first plasma.
Landmarks
Historic site
Lord Bao Memorial Temple
包公祠
Memorial hall to Bao Zheng on the Bao River, with his tomb nearby.
Museum
Anhui Museum
安徽博物院
Provincial museum with Chu bronzes from Shouxian, Huizhou architecture and the Four Treasures of the Study.
Park or garden
Xiaoyaojin Park
逍遥津公园
Park on the site of the Three Kingdoms battle.
Historic site
Li Hongzhang's Former Residence
李鸿章故居
Late-Qing mansion in the city centre.
Neighbourhoods
Sanhe
三河古镇
Old water town in Feixi county where three rivers meet.
Binhu New Area
滨湖新区
New district on the shore of Chaohu.
Food
Luzhou roast duck
庐州烤鸭
Roast duck served with a sweet-savoury sauce and shaobing flatbreads.
Wushan tribute goose
吴山贡鹅
Braised goose from Changfeng county, once sent as tribute.
Sesame cakes
麻饼
Round cakes coated in sesame, a traditional gift.
Culture
Hefei's culture is shaped by its Three Kingdoms and Song heritage and by its universities. Lu opera (庐剧) is the local stage form, and Huangmei opera is widely performed. The city's recent identity is scientific, with national laboratories in quantum information and fusion energy.
Getting around
- The Hefei Metro links the old centre, the southern districts, the airport and Hefei South station.
- Hefei South is the main high-speed station; Hefei station serves older lines.
- Hefei Xinqiao International Airport lies north-west of the city.
Day trips
Chaohu
巢湖
The lake's shores and the hot springs of Bantang.
Shouxian
寿县古城
Walled town in Huainan, last capital of Chu, with a Song-era wall.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Hefei Municipal People's Government — Hefei Municipal People's Government (retrieved 27 September 2026)
- Seventh National Population Census communiqués — National Bureau of Statistics of China (retrieved 27 September 2026)
- Hefei — Encyclopaedia Britannica (retrieved 27 September 2026)
More cities in Anhui
- Huangshan黄山Scenic area · Historic city · Cultural centreThe Yellow Mountain and the villages of old Huizhou
- Wuhu芜湖Port · Industrial centreYangtze rice market and car-making city
- Anqing安庆Historic city · Cultural centre · PortOld provincial capital on the Yangtze, home of Huangmei opera and the Tongcheng school
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