It is split in two by the Ou River, which flows 388 kilometers before finally reaching the city of Wenzhou and emptying into the East China Sea.

[1][2] Qingtian county was officially established in the 2nd year of Jingyun (711) as a part of the Kuozhou prefecture (aliase of present-day Lishui).

[3] The etymology of its name derives from a grass with bamboo-like leaves that can be turned into cyan-colored dyes, which is abundant in the paddy fields at the foot of the mountain in the county's northern corner.

[4] In 1197 (3nd year of Qingyuan, Southern Song), in a major reconstruction project initiated by the local notable Zheng Ruxie (郑汝谐), all the shabby thatched cottages in the county town were replaced with houses built of ceramic tiles, significantly improving the county's sanitary conditions whilst reducing the risk of fire.

[citation needed] Owing to its scarce arable lands and its vibrant overseas communities that brought ideas and news from the Western world, Qingtian was the earliest region where the Chinese Communist Party began its activities in southwestern Zhejiang.

[13] Waves of intense political violence occurred in Qingtian during the early phase of Cultural Revolution as part of the nationwide violent struggles.