Heyuan was in the south of ancient Yangzhou, and was part of Chu State in the Warring States Period and was set up as a county in Longchuan in the Qin Dynasty. In the year 483, or the first year of Yongming Reign of the Southern Dynasty, Longchuan County was divided into Heyuan County, which belonged to Naihai Shire. In the second year of Tianjian Reign of Southern Liang,(year 503), Heyuan belonged to Lianghua Shire. In Sui-Tang Dynasties, it belonged to Xunzhou. In the first year of? Qianheng Reign of Southern Han Dynasty(year 917), Xunzhou was divided into Zhenzhou and Xunzhou, and Heyuan district was under the administration of Xunzhou. In the fifth year of Tianxi Reign of the Song Dynasty(1021), Zhenshou was renamed to Huizhou. In the second year of Hongwu Reign of the Ming Dynasty(year 1369), Xunzhou was merged into Huizhou. In 1913 Heyuan district was ruled by Chao Xun Dao under the Guangdong Governor’s Government, and later was under the direct administration of Dongjiang Executive Commission of Guangdong Revolution Government. After the establishment of new China, it was successively ruled under Dongjiang Executive Commission, Dongjiang Executive Commissioner’s Office, East Guangdong Executive Office, Shaoguan District, and Huiyang District. On Jan 7, 1988, the State Council approved to withdraw Heyuan County and establish Heyuan Municipality, which administrates Yuancheng District, the Suburb District, Longchuan, Zijin, Lianping and Heping County. On Mar 2, 1988 the municipal committee and government were officially started. In Aug 1992, approved by the State Council, Heyuan Municipality was listed into the coastal economic opening zones and became a district which can enjoy both preferential policies for mountainous areas and for costal opening zones. On Nov 8, 1993, the State Council approved to withdraw Heyuan’s Suburb District and establish Dongyuan County, with the county committee and government located in Mujing, Xiantang

　　Heyuan is the inhabitation center of the Hakka people in Dongjiang River area. During Baiyue period, the Yue people from Jangsu and Zhejiang lived among the minorities in a dispersed status, as played an important roll in developing the culture of Guangdong. After the Qin Empire had conquered Baiyue, immigrants from Shanxi entered into Guangdong, bringing with them the culture of the Yellow River. After that each time when there was a war in mid-China, there were immigrants entering into Lingnan area in the south, who, together with the native nations, were mutually assimilated, thus the Hakka culture came into its shape.