Yongzhou (Chinese: pinyin: is a prefecture-level city in the Hunan province of China. Yongzhou's old city is renowned for its beauty, with temples, towers and ancient city walls illustraitng the city's importance in the province of Hunan. An important trade gateway between northern China and the South China Sea, the city's harbor also made it a place of military significance.

Yongzhou is also important and worth visiting on cultural grounds. The many (non-religious) temples and the eight attractive landscapes of Yongzhou draw numerous tourists. At Ningyuan temple, one of the best-known, honor is paid to the greatest Chinese thinker (and local ruler), Confucius.