Shaoyang (simplified Chinese:  traditional Chinese: pinyin: is a prefecture-level city in Hunan province, People's Republic of China. Shaoyang is in the south west of Hunan, not far from Hengyang city.

Shaoyang has a history of 2500 years and remains an important commercial and transportation city in Hunan. It has one metropolitan area and 8 suburban counties, with a population of 7 million.

Shaoyang is one the major forest reserve areas in Hunan province. It had a forest coverage 42.7% which is the highest in Hunan province. The Nan Shan Pastures, with 23 millian acres, is one of the biggest in Southern China which provide dairy products and meat for Hunan province.

Shaoyang is home to Shaoyang University. The school is composed of former Shaoyang Normal College and Shaoyang College.

Shaoyang dialect of Lou Shao group of dialects of Xiang is spoken here.

Shaoyang is the setting of Justin Hill's novel The Drink and Dream Teahouse, which was banned in China in 2001.