Yuncheng ()<!--Chinese in infobox; see WP:MOS-ZH--> 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.
Name
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".
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.
center|thumb|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 (). 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.
center|thumb|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.
center|thumb|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".
Archaeology
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.
Administration
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.
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!colspan="7" align="center" | Map
|-
|colspan="7" align="center" | <div style="position: relative" class="center">
</div>
|-
! Name
! Chinese
! Hanyu Pinyin
! Population (2010)
! Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
! Density (/km<sup>2</sup>)
|----------
|Yanhu District
|
|Yánhú Qū
|680,036
|1,237
|501
|----------
|Yongji City
|
|Yǒngjì Shì
|444,724
|1,221
|352
|----------
|Hejin City
|
|Héjīn Shì
|395,527
|593
|607
|----------
|Ruicheng County
|
|Ruìchéng Xiàn
|394,849
|1,161
|327
|----------
|Linyi County
|
|Línyī Xiàn
|572,508
|1,350
|393
|----------
|Wanrong County
|
|Wànróng Xiàn
|439,364
|1,037
|405
|----------
|Xinjiang County
|
|Xīnjiàng Xiàn
|332,473
|600
|533
|----------
|Xia County
|
|Xià Xiàn
|352,821
|1,328
|264
|----------
|Jishan County
|
|Jìshān Xiàn
|347,425
|680
|485
|----------
|Wenxi County
|
|Wénxǐ Xiàn
|404,150
|1,160
|328
|----------
|Jiang County
|
|Jiàng Xiàn
|281,643
|968
|279
|----------
|Pinglu County
|
|Pínglù Xiàn
|258,241
|1,151
|217
|----------
|Yuanqu County
|
|Yuánqǔ Xiàn
|231,018
|1,620
|136
|}
Climate
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 in January to in July, and the annual mean is . 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.
Notable people
- 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
thumb|Map including Yuncheng (labeled as YÜN-CH'ENG ) ([[Army Map Service|AMS, 1958)]]
Transportation
- 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.
See also
- Chinese frigate Yuncheng