in 1958 and links Changde with several other Chinese cities including Haikou, Beijing, Shanghai, Kunming, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Tianjin, Liuzhou, Chongqing, and Wuhan. The airport is located approximately south of the city. Water Since the Yuan river has a minimum channel depth of over two meters year-round, it is navigable by thousand-ton ships. Yuanguan port in Changde is the second largest port in Hunan province covering an area of 200 mu (13 hectares). Construction of the new port began in 1999 and the first and second stages were completed in 2008 with two thousand-ton berths, two five-hundred-ton berths and one three-hundred-ton berth. Since 2012, The port of Changde is linked directly to the port of Shanghai. Tourism Changde is home to several tourist attractions. A few of them are located within the city but the most important of them are in the counties outside the city. Inside the city tourist areas include Liuye Lake, Taiyang Mountain, Changde Poetry Wall, and Walking street. Liuye Lake is now a national AAA tourism area with facilities for local, national, and international sporting events such as the 8th Asian Rowing Championship. The lake is an important recreation area for the city. Outside the city in Taoyuan county is the famous Taohuayuan () or "Peach Blossom Spring" in English, named after the fable by Tao Yuanming. The area is famous for its plentiful peach blossoms and natural scenery. Education Changde is home to several institutions of higher education. Hunan University of Arts and Science Changde Vocational and Technical College Changde Financial and Economic School () Notable people Chen Sisi - Vice-president of the Central Military Commission Political Work Department Song and Dance Troupe born in 1976 Ding Ling - Modern author born in Linli county, Changde in 1904 Jian Bozan - Marxist historian born in Taoyuan county, Chandge in 1898 Lin Boqu - Prominent early leader of the Chinese Communist Party born in Shujing, Linli county, Changde in 1886 Liu Yuxi - famous Tang Dynasty poet worked as a minor government official in Changde (then Langzhou) for nine years Song Jiaoren - Revolutionary political leader and founding member of the Kuomintang born in Taoyuan county, Changde in 1882 Ying Er - Actress Yuan Chunqing - Party Chief of Shanxi province and former governor of Shaanxi province born in Hanshou county, Changde in 1952 Xiang Xiang - Pop singer whose career began in 2004 born in