Get to know Bozhou
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- Administrative area
- Prefecture-level city · 地级市
- Part of
- Anhui
- Chinese name
- 亳州市
- Local areas
- 4 local areas
Area & population
- Area in the source
- 8,522.58 km²
- Population · 2020 census
- 4,996,844
- Administrative seat
- Qiaocheng District
Source: cited geographic source, as of the dates shown.
Setting and landscape
The land is almost level and tilts gently to the southeast; only a dozen or so limestone knolls, among them Longshan (龙山) and Shigong Shan (石弓山), rise in the east. Meandering rivers and repeated southward floods of the Yellow River have left low ridges, slopes and saucer-shaped hollows across the plain. Bozhou sits on the Qinling–Huai climate line, where subtropical and temperate monsoon climates meet.
History
The provincial government traces the city to about 3,700 years ago, when King Tang of Shang (商汤) set up his capital at Bo (亳). Later called Qiao (谯), it was designated an auxiliary capital by the Cao Wei state in 221, and the name Bozhou dates from 579. The city government names Cao Cao (曹操), Laozi (老子), Zhuangzi (庄子), the physician Hua Tuo (华佗) and Hua Mulan (花木兰) among those born here. Hua Tuo's Five Animal Exercises (华佗五禽戏), a health routine that imitates the tiger, deer, ape, bear and bird, entered the national intangible heritage list in 2011.
What to see
The Huaxilou (花戏楼), an opera stage covered in openwork brick and wood carving and painted throughout, is a national key cultural relic. Also in the urban area is Cao Cao's underground military tunnel (曹操运兵道), which experts quoted by the province call China's earliest and most complete underground 'Great Wall'. The city also holds the Cao family tombs (曹氏宗族墓群), Huazu'an (华祖庵), Hua Tuo's former home with its herb garden, and the Beiguan quarter (北关历史街区), whose 36 old streets and 72 lanes keep their Ming and Qing look. Guoyang (涡阳) has Laozi's Tianjing Palace (天静宫), and Mengcheng (蒙城) has the Wanfo Pagoda (万佛塔), the Zhuangzi Shrine (庄子祠) and the Yuchisi site (尉迟寺遗址), which the city calls the 'first primitive village'.
Food and local products
At a provincial government press conference in Bozhou, the city's speakers suggested starting the day with beef flatbread (牛肉馍) and a bowl of sa tang (撒汤), and recommended medicinal cuisine and heritage dishes such as Cao Cao fish head (曹操鱼头) and Huazu braised duck (华祖焖鸭). Gujing Gongjiu (古井贡酒) liquor comes from Gujing town (古井镇), where brewing relies on Ming and Qing fermentation pits; the technique joined the national intangible heritage list in 2021. Bozhou grows hundreds of medicinal herbs, notably white peony root (亳白芍), a national geographical-indication product, and the provincial government describes its herb market as the world's largest trading centre for Chinese medicinal materials.
Sources for this guide
历史文化名城——亳州_安徽省人民政府 · Anhui Provincial People's Government
古井贡酒_安徽省人民政府 · Anhui Provincial People's Government
华佗五禽戏 - 中国非物质文化遗产网·中国非物质文化遗产数字博物馆 · China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
蒸馏酒传统酿造技艺（古井贡酒酿造技艺） - 中国非物质文化遗产网·中国非物质文化遗产数字博物馆 · China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
亳州市 - 维基百科，自由的百科全书 · Wikipedia (Chinese) · CC BY-SA 4.0
“大美安徽·看亳州”新闻发布会 · Information Office of the Anhui Provincial People's Government (Anhui News)
Original English written from the listed sources and checked sentence by sentence against quoted extracts by a separate reviewer. Updated 2026-09-30.
Explore Bozhou
Core places to explore, with English and Chinese names.
Places to explore around Bozhou
Huaxilou in Bozhou, photographed in February 2026 · 亳州花戏楼 Photograph date recorded by the source: 10 February 2026, 17:07:49.Huaxilou花戏楼
Qing-dynasty guild temple in Bozhou built by Shanxi and Shaanxi merchants, known for its brick-carved gate and opera-scene woodcarvings.
Read the place guide →
Tianjing Palace · 天静宫Tianjing Palace天静宫
Tianjing Palace, north of Guoyang's county seat, is a Daoist temple complex devoted to Laozi and also known as Laozi Temple or Zhong Taiqing Palace.
Read the place guide →
A Warring States-period ceramic pigeon figurine on display at Bozhou Museum · 亳州博物馆藏战国陶鸽 Source-recorded photograph date: 2016-06-23 09:55:36.Bozhou Museum亳州博物馆
Bozhou Museum in Qiaocheng District traces the city's cultural history, with inscribed bricks from the Cao family tombs among its distinctive displays.
Read the place guide →
AI illustration · AI 示意图（仅供参考，非该地点实拍）Cao Cao Troop Tunnels曹操运兵道
The Cao Cao troop tunnels are a network of historic brick passages beneath Bozhou's old city in Qiaocheng District.
Read the place guide →Local life & food
Bozhou local specialties
亳州市特色美食 · 10 specialties to discover
Bozhou beef-filled flatbread 亳州牛肉馍AI illustration · AI 示意图
The crust is crisp and substantial, while inner layers hold moist, savory beef and aromatic seasonings. It is more filling than a thin pancake.
Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Cao Cao chicken 曹操鸡AI illustration · AI 示意图
The skin becomes soft and flavorful, and the meat should separate readily from the bones. It is a rich savory poultry dish rather than a crisp roast.
Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Beef-Filled Flatbread 牛肉馍
Beef-Filled Flatbread (牛肉馍) is a large round pie of thin dough layers rolled around minced beef, a local snack of Qiaocheng District (谯城区) in Bozhou (亳州), Anhui.
Read the dish guide →
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Guoyang Dry-Tossed Noodles 涡阳干扣面AI illustration · AI 示意图（仅供参考，非实拍）
Guoyang Dry-Tossed Noodles (涡阳干扣面) are drained alkaline wheat noodles turned out over a bed of blanched bean sprouts and seasonings, from Guoyang County (涡阳) in Bozhou, Anhui.
Read the dish guide →
Mengcheng Peppery Sa Soup 蒙城撒汤AI illustration · AI 示意图（仅供参考，非实拍）
Mengcheng Peppery Sa Soup (蒙城撒汤) is listed among the local specialties of Bozhou, Anhui. The term 汤 points to soup.
Read the dish guide →
Lixin Tribute Bread 利辛贡馍
Lixin Tribute Bread (利辛贡馍) is listed among the local specialties of Bozhou, Anhui. It is grouped here with street food & snacks; retain the complete Chinese name when comparing local menus.
Read the dish guide →Photo adjustments
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Bozhou Thick Baked Flatbread 亳州锅盔
Bozhou Thick Baked Flatbread (亳州锅盔) is a very large, thick round of sesame-topped bread from Bozhou (亳州), Anhui.
Read the dish guide →Photo adjustments
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Yimen Smoked Beef 义门熏牛肉
Yimen Smoked Beef (义门熏牛肉) is a speciality of Yimen town (义门镇) in Guoyang County (涡阳县), Bozhou (亳州), Anhui: beef that is cured for days, steamed for hours and finally passed through oil.
Read the dish guide →Photo adjustments
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All dish names · 全部菜名 (10)
- Bozhou beef-filled flatbread · 亳州牛肉馍
- Cao Cao chicken · 曹操鸡
- Beef-Filled Flatbread · 牛肉馍
- Guoyang Dry-Tossed Noodles · 涡阳干扣面
- Mengcheng Peppery Sa Soup · 蒙城撒汤
- Lixin Tribute Bread · 利辛贡馍
- Bozhou Thick Baked Flatbread · 亳州锅盔
- Yimen Smoked Beef · 义门熏牛肉
- Herbal Medicinal Chicken · 药膳鸡
- Chicken Stewed with Starch Sheets · 粉皮炖鸡
More dishes from across Anhui are in the Anhui food guide.
Counties & districts in Bozhou
4 areas belong directly to Bozhou.
4 areas
Qiaocheng District 谯城区
Qiaocheng District (simplified Chinese: 谯城区; traditional Chinese: 譙城區; pinyin: Qiáochéng Qū), formerly named Bo County (亳县), anciently named Qiao County (谯县), is a district of the city of Bozhou, Anhui…
Explore the area →CountyGuoyang County 涡阳县
Guoyang County (simplified Chinese: 涡阳县; traditional Chinese: 渦陽縣; pinyin: Guōyáng Xiàn) is a county in the northwest of Anhui Province, China, bordering Henan province to the north.
Explore the area →CountyMengcheng County 蒙城县
Mengcheng County is a county in the northwest of Anhui Province, China. It is under the administration of Bozhou city, bordering Lixin County.
Explore the area →CountyLixin County 利辛县
Lixin is a county located in north-eastern Anhui province, China, under the jurisdiction of Bozhou City. It is a county famous for its education system and beef production.
Explore the area →No areas match this name.
Plan your visit
Getting there
Search for 亳州市 in a map app to find stations and your accommodation.
Where to stay →Build your route
Huaxilou and Tianjing Palace are both listed here. The linked place guides have entrance and visit details.
Continue with Anhui →More in Anhui
Sources & geographic information
Administrative names and parent areas: Official geographic directory · Reference date 2026-09-06.
Some facts checked against 亳州市 — Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photo: Huaxilou · Windmemories · CC BY-SA 4.0. Full frame retained; proportionally resized and converted to WebP. No retouching or changes to the photographed subject. Card displays may crop the view.
Photo: Tianjing Palace · Source photographer · License not provided. EXIF orientation normalized; resized without changing aspect ratio; converted to WebP. No subject edits.
Photo: Bozhou Museum · 三猎 · CC BY-SA 4.0. Full frame retained; proportionally resized and converted to WebP. No retouching or changes to the photographed subject. Card displays may crop the view.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins mark approximate centres, not entrances or boundaries.