Changde City was founded over 2,300 years ago during the Warring States Period. Anciently known as Wuling and Langzhou, it was renamed Changde during the Northern Song Dynasty. Changde is a significant birthplace of Chinese moral culture, agricultural culture, and Xiang-Chu culture. Rice fields dating back approximately 6,500 years have been discovered on Chengtou Mountain in Li County, and the folk song "Changde, the Mountains of Virtue" continues to this day. Qu Yuan and Song Yu wrote masterpieces such as "Heavenly Questions" and "Nine Arguments" in Changde. The city boasts 48 national and provincial intangible cultural heritage items, including Changde silk string music, Changde Gaoqiang (high-pitched singing), Lishui boatman's songs, and Changde leicha (a type of tea). In March 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Changde for the first time, declaring it a "place of cultural heritage." The entire Changde region is part of the Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing, and Guizhou Revolutionary Base Areas. In modern times, Changde has produced numerous prominent figures, including Wang Erzhuo, Lin Boqu, Jian Bozan, Shuai Mengqi, and Ding Ling. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, Changde has produced 27 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
On August 4, 1949, the entire Changde region was liberated, and the Changli Special District (renamed Changde Special District on August 28) was established, governing nine counties: Changde, Taoyuan, Lixian, Linli, Shimen, Cili, Anxiang, Nanxian, and Huarong, and two cities: Changde and Jinshi.
In November 1952, the Yiyang Special District was abolished, and its Yiyang City, Yiyang County, Yuanjiang County, Hanshou County, Anhua County, and Taojiang County were transferred to the jurisdiction of the Changde Special District.
In December 1962, the Yiyang Special District was restored, and six counties and one city: Yiyang City, Yiyang County, Yuanjiang County, Anhua County, Taojiang County, Huarong County, and Nanxian County were separated, leaving Changde with jurisdiction over eight counties and two cities.
In January 1988, the State Council approved the establishment of Changde City, which governed two districts and seven counties: Wuling District, Dingcheng District, Hanshou County, Taoyuan County, Li County, Anxiang County, Cili County, Shimen County, and Linli County, and acted as a proxy for Jinshi City. In December 1988, Cili County was transferred to Dayong City (now Zhangjiajie City), and Changde City took on its current administrative structure, administering two districts, six counties, and one city: Wuling District, Dingcheng District, Hanshou County, Taoyuan County, Linli County, Shimen County, Li County, Anxiang County, and Jinshi City.