Tianshui, known as Qinzhou and Shanggui in ancient times, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Gansu Province and a sub-central city in Gansu Province approved by the People's Government of Gansu Province. By the end of 2019, it had jurisdiction over 2 districts and 5 counties, with a total area of 14300 square kilometers. By 2021, the permanent resident population of Tianshui City is 2.9565 million, and the gross regional product is 75.033 billion yuan.

Tianshui is located in the western region of China, the southeast of Gansu Province, the western section of the Qinling Mountains, and the middle reaches of the Weishui River. It is a sub-core city of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration, an important node city of the Silk Road Economic Belt, an old national industrial base and one of the important equipment manufacturing bases. By 2019, there were 16 provincial engineering technology research centers, 1 national enterprise key laboratory, and 6 provincial enterprise key laboratories; There are 5 ordinary universities (including TVU).

Tianshui has a long history and culture. It is the important birthplace of the Chinese nation and Chinese civilization, the birthplace of Fuxi, the "head of the three emperors", the birthplace of Fuxi culture, the national historical and cultural city, and the national smart city. It has a civilization history of more than 8000 years, a written record history of more than 3000 years, and a city construction history of more than 2700 years. It is known as the "hometown of Emperor Xi". The "five cultures" represented by Fuxi culture, Dadiwan culture, early Qin culture, Maijishan grottoes culture and the ancient battlefield culture of the Three Kingdoms constitute Tianshui's rich historical and cultural resources. As of October 2020, there are 470 cultural relics protection units in Tianshui, including 17 national and 54 provincial.