Xīnhuà

Xinhua belongs to the hill and river country of central Hunan, where cultivated valleys, woodland, and routes along the Zi River connect local communities. Rice and other crops support households on suitable ground, while forest products, crafts, and exchange add to livelihoods. The varied terrain creates practical differences between neighboring places and encourages movement along particular river and overland corridors.

The area was historically associated with Meishan. In 1072, under the Northern Song, the upper part of Meishan was organised as Xinhua County while the lower part became Anhua. The county's later history combined local traditions and agricultural communities with the institutions of successive dynasties; the Zi River provided a route through the hilly interior.