Yongzhou has a long history. According to archaeological findings, as early as the late Neolithic age, Yongzhou people decorated stone tools and pottery with square, cylindrical and vein shapes. Rice remains dating back to 12000 were unearthed in Yuchanyan, Daoxian County. Shun Di's southern tour was buried in Jiuqi in the south of the Yangtze River, which was recorded in China's early classic works, The Book of Rites, Songs of the South and Historical Records.

The Tang and Song Dynasties were the prosperous period of Yongzhou culture and education. In the mid-Tang Dynasty, he served as the secretariat of Daozhou twice, and wrote books such as A Trip to Grave Robbery and The Thief Retired from Office. After leaving office, he opened up Wuxi forest of steles. Liu Zongyuan lived in Yongzhou for 10 years, and wrote such famous articles as Eight Chapters of Yongzhou and Snake Catcher. Influenced by Yuan and Liu, a large number of celebrities or relegated officials lived in the Tang Dynasty. In the Northern Song Dynasty, Zhou Dunyi (a native of Daoxian County) realized Taoism in Yueyan, Daozhou when he was young, and later wrote Taiji Illustration and Shu Tong, becoming the founder of Neo-Confucianism in the Song and Ming Dynasties. Huai Su, a famous monk in the Tang Dynasty, became a monk in Lvtian Temple in Yongzhou when he was young, and became a famous calligrapher with banana leaves instead of paper. His posts such as "Self-narration" and "Bitter Bamboo Shoots" had a far-reaching influence on later calligraphy. Up to now, the only female script dedicated to women in the world has been circulated in Shangjiangwei, Jiangyong County.

Yongzhou was called Lingling before Sui Dynasty. Lingling was named after Shun's burial of the Nine Mausoleums. According to Records of the Historian and Biography of Five Emperors, Shun "marched south, collapsed in the wilderness of Cangwu, and was buried in Jiuqi in the south of the Yangtze River as Lingling". Lingling belongs to Jingzhou in summer, southern Chu in Spring and Autumn and Warring States, and Changsha County in Qin.

Yongzhou is a relatively developed area of traditional opera culture in China. Since the Ming Dynasty, theatrical performances have appeared in China. Since then, after a long period of development, a large-scale local opera with local characteristics has been formed. At the same time, there are some local operas in Yongzhou, such as Lingling ancient painting opera, Qiyang minor and puppet show.

The main religions that Yongzhou residents believe in are Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Christianity, among which Buddhism, Taoism and Islam have had a great influence on Yongzhou's history, culture and art.