Cangzhou is located in the southeast of Hebei Province. It faces the Bohai Sea in the east, borders Baoding City in the west, adjoins Shandong Province in the south, and is adjacent to Beijing and Tianjin in the north. In 1988, Cangzhou was approved by the State Council as one of the open coastal cities. At present, Cangzhou administers 4 county-level cities, 10 counties, and 6 districts. Covering an area of 14,000 square kilometers, Cangzhou has a total population of 6.85 million.
Cangzhou is an ancient city with long history. The Grand Canal is passing through its territory from the north to the south for about 214 kilometers. The rich and generous culture left over from the ancient times has melted together the hometown of acrobatics, martial arts, casting, Ya pear, golden-thread dates, and winter dates. These have made up a colorful and fascinating picture of folk customs along the Grand Canal.
Cangzhou is populated by over 45 nationalities. Within its territory, there are over 100 mosques. Among them, the most representative ones are Botou Mosque and Cangzhou North Grand Mosque. Botou Mosque is one of the key historical relics to be protected by the State. It was first constructed in Ming Dynasty. Through 18 years of construction, it was finally completed in 1420.
As an old revolutionary base areas, there arose many heroes on this hot land during the anti-Japanese war, such as national hero Ma Benzhai and his Ethnic Hui Detachment, Dr. Norman Bethune——a champion for internationalism, Yanling Anti-Japanese Guerilla in the Baiyangdian Lake, site of City Work Dept. North China Bureau, CPC Central Committee in Botou, etc.
Cangzhou faces Bohai Sea in the east. Here, you can view the sea, enjoy the seafood, or watch the ships' handling operation on an offshore yacht. Through this modern comprehensive port, you can imagine how Cangzhou goes from the Grand Canal to the sea and to the world.