It was applied to the island for the way it formerly stood athwart the mouth of the Yangtze, although time has now given it a round or heart-like shape[1] and moved it in line with Changxing.

[5] During the Down to the Countryside Movement, many of the sent-down youth from Shanghai travelled no further than Hengsha,[6] where they assisted in reclamation, urban defense, and propaganda efforts.

[7] Hengsha was named among the first set of national tourist resorts (t 國家級旅遊度假村, s 国家级旅游度假村, p guójiā jí lǚyóu dùjià cūn) by Beijing in October 1992.

In March 2002, the Shanghai Municipal Government approved plans to develop Hengsha as an international conference center and forest park, with tree coverage over at least 70% of the island.

Hengsha is located in the channel of the Yangtze River flowing south of Chongming and north of the districts of Baoshan and Pudong immediately before its entrance into the East China Sea.

[2] Hengsha is the site of significant land reclamation works, with dykes constructed to its southeast in order to drain and fill approximately 100 square kilometers during the lifetime of the project.

[2] The island is also being developed for ecotourism and high-end resorts, including an international conference center, communities of low-density luxury villas, and yacht clubs.