Hefei, capital of Anhui province, has an area of some 7,029.48 square km and a population of 4.8 million. It is the hometown of Bao Zheng (999—1062), a famously impartial official in the Northern Song Dynasty (960—1127). Hefei, known as a city half covered with mountain and half with lake, combines the delicate beauty of the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers and blends the flavor of South and North of China. It is a place where traditions coexist with the modern, and natural landscapes exist side by side with historical sites. It enjoys the reputation of being a garden city as well as the "city most suitable for people to live in". Hefei was among the first group of national garden cities approved by the state.

With a history of more than 2,000 years, Hefei has numerous scenic and historic interest sites. Good examples include Xiaoyaojin, an ancient battlefield of the Three Kingdoms period (220—280); the Jiaonutai Platform, a military drilling rostrum built by Cao Cao (155-220), a famous politician and strategist of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25—220); Mingjiao Temple; Memorial Park of Lord Bao which features the Song-style architectures; Sanhe Town which is a land of water with a history of some 10,000 years; Former Residence of Li Hongzhang (1823—1901), a high-ranking in the late Qing Dynasty (1616—1911); Former Residence Liu Mingchuan (1836—1896), the first Taiwan Governor of the Qing Dynasty; and Yaogang, the Site of the General Front Committee of the Crossing the Yangtze River Campaign in 1949, a major cultural relics unit under state protection.

Hefei is also a city of science and education. It is home to over 50 institutions of higher learning, such as the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and the China PLA College of Electronic Engineering, and more than 200 scientific and research institutions, including the Hefei Institute of Physical Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is currently the first national scientific and technological innovation pilot city. The Hefei science and education tour has become a famous tourism brand of Anhui. In Hefei, visitors can feel the "Lord Bao culture” (Lord Bao refers to Bao Zheng, and he was regarded as the symbol of justice in China), explore the secrets of the Academgorodok, enjoy the picturesque scenery and appreciate the glamour of Anhui.