Hanzhong has a long history. The ancient city of Hanzhong was founded in 45 BC1year. Originally Hanzhong County in the Qin Dynasty, it was changed to Hanchuan County in the early Sui Dynasty, and it was relocated in the Tang Dynasty. On February 2, 1996, the Hanzhong area was changed to the prefecture-level Hanzhong city. By the end of 2022, Hanzhong now governs 2 districts and 9 counties.

Hanzhong is known as the "birthplace of the Han family", and there are many cultural sites in the Three Kingdoms in the Han Dynasty. It is the hometown of Zhang Qian, the pioneer of the Silk Road. Zhang Qian's tomb is a world cultural heritage, and there is a famous burial place of Zhuge Liang under Dingjun Mountain. Wuhou Temple, known as "the first Wuhou Temple in China", is the fief and burial place of Cai Lun, the inventor of the four great inventions and papermaking.