Nanchong, city in east-central Sichuan sheng (province), China. Nanchong is situated in the valley of the Jialing River, which is a northern tributary of the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang). Nanchong lies along the west bank of the Jialing, which provides easy water transport to Chongqing, some 95 miles (150 km) to the south. To the north and northeast, highways and railways give access to southern Shaanxi province, and a rail line and major highway connect Nanchong to Chengdu, to the west; there are also important road links east to Wanxian as well as to Chongqing.
Nanchong’s name dates to the early Sui (581–618) period. From Song times (960–1279) it was the seat of the Shunqing superior prefecture, by which name it is still commonly known. The original Nanchong was some 12.5 miles (20 km) farther upstream; the present city dates from Ming times (1368–1644).
Nanchong is not only an important communications hub but also the chief market for an extremely prosperous and productive agricultural plain. It is a major grain market (supplying rice to Chongqing) and also markets sweet potatoes, cotton, hemp, tobacco, and other agricultural products.
The city is notable as one of the largest centres of silk production in Sichuan, with silk factories and weaving, dyeing, and printing plants producing silks of high quality. Nanchong also has a handicraft industry specializing in lacquer goods. Exploitation of major oil fields in the area, discovered in 1958, began in the 1960s, with production subsequently becoming large-scale. The city has a petroleum refinery, and machinery manufacture and food processing are also important. Pop. (2002 est.) city, 508,859; (2007 est.) urban agglom., 2,174,000.