Yuncheng

• Name — Yuncheng • Native Name — 运城市 • Native Name Lang — zh-Hans • Type — Prefecture-level city • Image Map — Location of Yuncheng Prefecture within Shanxi (China).png • Map Caption — Location of Yuncheng City jurisdiction in Shanxi • Pushpin Map — Shanxi#Eastern China#China • Pushpin Label Position — right • Pushpin Map Size — 240 • Pushpin Caption — Location of the city center in Shanxi • Coor Pinpoint — Yulin municipal government • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — People's Republic of China • Subdivision Type1 — Province • Subdivision Type2 — County-level divisions • Subdivision Name1 — Shanxi • Subdivision Name2 — 13 • Seat Type — Municipal seat • Seat — Yanhu District • Government Type — Prefecture-level city • Leader Title — Communist Party Secretary • Leader Name — Wang Yuyan • Leader Title1 — Mayor • Leader Name1 — Wang Qingxian (王清宪) • Elevation M — 370 • Area Total Km2 — 14183 • Area Urban Km2 — 1205 • Area Metro Km2 — 1205 • Population Total — 4774508 • Population Urban — 928334 • Population Metro — 928334 • Population Density Km2 — auto • Population Density Urban Km2 — auto • Population Density Metro Km2 — auto • Demographics Type2 — GDP • Demographics2 Title1 — Prefecture-level city • Demographics2 Info1 — CN¥ 164.4 billion US$ 25.8 billion • Demographics2 Title2 — Per capita • Demographics2 Info2 — CN¥ 34,425 US$ 5,508 • Postal Code Type — Postal code • Postal Code — 044000 • Area Code — 0359 • Time Zone — China Standard • Utc Offset — +8 • Custom Label2 Sec1 — License Plate • Custom Data2 Sec1 — 晋M • Custom Label3 Sec1 — Administrative division code • Custom Data3 Sec1 — 140800 • Iso Code — CN-SX-08 • Population As Of — 2020 census

• Order — st Yuncheng is the southernmost prefecture-level city in Shanxi province, People's Republic of China. It borders Linfen and Jincheng municipalities to the north and east, and Henan (Luoyang and Jiyuan to the east, Sanmenxia to the south) and Shaanxi (Weinan) provinces to the east, south and west, respectively. As of the 2020 census, its population was 4,774,508 inhabitants (5,134,779 in 2010), of whom 928,334 (680,036 in 2010) lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of Yanhu District. One can note than Pinglu County, 205,080 inhabitants in the south, is now part of Sanmenxia built-up (or metro) area. Yuncheng is a city that was born and prospered from salt. It is named after the "City of Salt Luck". The city is historically associated with the Yuncheng Salt Lake (运城盐湖), one of the largest natural salt lakes in China, which has been exploited for thousands of years and provided a crucial economic foundation for the region. In ancient times, the salt from Yuncheng was an important source of revenue and even influenced regional trade routes, making the city a strategic economic center. Due to its geographical location, Yuncheng also serves as a gateway connecting Shanxi with Henan and Shaanxi, making it an important transportation and cultural hub in the Yellow River basin. The city is served by Yuncheng Yanhu International Airport, several national highways, and high-speed railway lines, which further strengthen its role as a regional transport node.

Yuncheng was called the "Salt Family" in the Spring and Autumn Period. In the Han Dynasty, the salt city was named "Siyan City". Emperor Taizong of the Yuan Dynasty named Yuncheng Salt Lake "Shenghui Town" because it benefited the world. The city was built at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and was named "Phoenix City" was later renamed "Yuncheng" because of the "City of Salt Luck".

Yuncheng is one of the important birthplaces of Chinese civilization. The legendary Chinese ancestors such as Nüwa, Lei Zu, Chi You, Shun, and Yu all were said to have lived here. It is even alleged that Yu established the Xia Dynasty here. During the Warring States Period, the Wei State established its capital here. This marked the beginning of dynastic history in China and laid the foundation for early state formation, making the region not only a political center but also a cultural hub influencing the Central Plains. Anyi, the capital of Wei, is located in Xia County, Yuncheng today. Hedong Salt Pond is the earliest salt pond developed and utilized in the world, with a mining history of more than 4,600 years. As an important strategic resource, salt ponds were the common goal of various tribes in the Central Plains of China in ancient China. From the ancient legend of the Yellow Emperor's battle with Chiyou, to the historical records of King Mu of Zhou, Emperor Cheng of Han, Emperor Zhang of Han, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Kangxi and other emperors visiting successively, the Hedong Salt Pond has been regarded as a "national treasure" by successive dynasties. The salt pond not only supported the livelihoods of local people, but also served as a financial and military resource for dynasties. • Illustration — The Taiping Xingguo Temple Pagoda (太平兴国寺塔) in Anyi, Yuncheng, c. 1940s. In early China, it was the location of the state of Kunwu (zh-Hans-CN). Yuncheng was the site of the Yuncheng Campaign (三打运城), battle between the Kuomintang army and the People's Liberation Army during Chinese civil war. • Illustration — The Salt Lake Temple (盐池神庙), overlooking Yuncheng, c. 1920s–1930s. Visible is the Haiguang Pavilion (海光楼), which was destroyed in 1947. Yuncheng currently has 6,205 immovable cultural relics, 102 national key cultural relics protection units, and 55 wooden buildings before the Yuan Dynasty. • Illustration — The site traditionally associated with Emperor Shun playing the zither, within the Salt Lake Temple complex on a terrace overlooking Yuncheng Salt Lake, c. 1920s–1930s. According to legend, the sage-king Shun played the five-stringed qin here and composed the "Ode to the South Wind".

In July 2022, archaeologists announced a discovery of a 2.8 cm long 5,200 years old stone carving chrysalis in a semi-crypt house at the Shangguo Site in Wenxi County. Archaeologists made suppositions that this house may have belonged to the Yangshao Culture period, based on the unearthed pottery pieces. According to archaeologist Tian Jianwen, the discovery of stone carving chrysalises provided significant information for the study of the silkworm culture in China.

Yuncheng is located between 34°35′-35°49′ north latitude. There are 13 county-level administrative divisions under Yuncheng's jurisdiction, including 1 district, 10 counties and 2 county-level cities. The Municipal executive, legislature and judiciary are in Yanhu District, together with the CPC and Public Security Bureau. • Map * • Name — Chinese — Hanyu Pinyin — Population (2010) — Area (km 2) — Density (/km 2) • Yanhu District — 盐湖区 — Yánhú Qū — 680,036 — 1,237 — 501 • Yongji City — 永济市 — Yǒngjì Shì — 444,724 — 1,221 — 352 • Hejin City — zh-Hans-CN — Héjīn Shì — 395,527 — 593 — 607 • Ruicheng County — 芮城县 — Ruìchéng Xiàn — 394,849 — 1,161 — 327 • Linyi County — 临猗县 — Línyī Xiàn — 572,508 — 1,350 — 393 • Wanrong County — 万荣县 — Wànróng Xiàn — 439,364 — 1,037 — 405 • Xinjiang County — 新绛县 — Xīnjiàng Xiàn — 332,473 — 600 — 533 • Xia County — 夏县 — Xià Xiàn — 352,821 — 1,328 — 264 • Jishan County — 稷山县 — Jìshān Xiàn — 347,425 — 680 — 485 • Wenxi County — 闻喜县 — Wénxǐ Xiàn — 404,150 — 1,160 — 328 • Jiang County — 绛县 — Jiàng Xiàn — 281,643 — 968 — 279 • Pinglu County — 平陆县 — Pínglù Xiàn — 258,241 — 1,151 — 217 • Yuanqu County — 垣曲县 — Yuánqǔ Xiàn — 231,018 — 1,620 — 136

Yuncheng has a continental, monsoon-influenced semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk), with four distinct seasons. Due to its southerly location and position to the north of the Zhongtiao Mountains, allowing for downsloping when winds are from the south, it is among the warmest locales in the province. Winters are cold and very dry, while summers are hot and humid. Monthly mean temperatures range from −0.6 °C in January to 27.5 °C in July, and the annual mean is 14.23 °C. Over 60% of the annual rainfall occurs from June to September.The average frost-free period across the city is between 188 and 238 days. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 45% in March to 54% in May and July, the city receives 2,219 hours of bright sunshine annually, low by Shanxi standards and North China.

• Guan Yu, general and deified historical figure • Guan Hanqing, Dramatist • Jing Haipeng, PLAAC astronaut • Zhang Ziyi, Chinese zootechnician • Gladys Aylward, British missionary who works in the city in the 1930s • Illustration — Map including Yuncheng (labeled as YÜN-CH'ENG 運城) (AMS, 1958)

• Yuncheng Station Has a maximum daily passenger volume of 14,000 • China National Highway 209 • G59 Hohhot–Beihai Expressway • Datong–Xi'an Passenger Railway, with frequent service to Beijing, Taiyuan, and Xi'an. Besides the Yuncheng North Railway Station (near Yuncheng's central city), the railway also has stations at Yongji and Wenxi. • Yuncheng Yanhu International Airport (ICAO: ZBYC, IATA: YCU) is located on Guan Gong West Street in Taocun Town, Yancheng City, Shanxi Province, China.