Guyuan

Guyuan  (Chinese: 固原; pinyin: Gùyuán), formerly known as Xihaigu (Chinese: 西海固; pinyin: xīhǎigù), is a prefecture-level city in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. It occupies the southernmost section of the region, bordering Gansu province to the east, south, and due west. This is also the site of Mount Sumeru Grottoes (须弥山), which is among the ten most famous grottoes in China.[1] As of the end of 2018, the total resident population in Guyuan was 1,124,200.[2]

Guyuan

固原市 · ﻗُﻮْﻳُﻮًا شِ

Kuyuan; Kuyüan
Guyuan City (yellow) within Ningxia
Guyuan
Location of the city center in Ningxia
Coordinates (Zhongxin Park (中心公园)): 36°00′36″N 106°15′25″E
CountryPeople's Republic of China
RegionNingxia
Municipal seatYuanzhou District
Area
  Total14,412.83 km2 (5,564.82 sq mi)
Elevation
1,777 m (5,830 ft)
Population
 (2007)
  Total1,455,200
  Density100/km2 (260/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+8 (China Standard)
Postal code
756000
Area code(s)(0)954
ISO 3166 codeCN-NX-04
Licence plate prefixes宁D
Websitewww.nxgy.gov.cn
"Cou-yuen-tcheou" and other "second-order" towns of Shaan-Gan from Du Halde's 1736 Description of China, based on reports from Jesuit missionaries

History

During the Warring States Period, Guyuan belonged to the territory of Qin state, later Qin Dynasty. The original name of the city began in the Ming dynasty (1452 AD). Because of the importance of its transportation in history, Guyuan was a war gate where Chinese soldiers trained and prepared to fight with northwestern minorities. In the Tang dynasty, most of the dealers from middle Asia need to go through this gate, then went to the capital, Chang’an.[3]

According to the First Founder's Biography in History of Yuan Dynasty, Genghis Khan died in Liupan Mountain in Guyuan in 1227 AD, after a war with the Xixia dynasty for two decades.[4]

Liupanshan National Forest Park

Liupanshan National Forest Park is one of the most important features of Guyuan, with more than 530 species of wild medicinal plants. There are a number of diversified animals inhabited in the forest, for instance, the national first-class protected animal golden leopard, the third-class protected animal forest musk deer, golden eagle, and red-bellied golden pheasant.[5]

Administrative divisions

Map
Name Hanzi Hanyu Pinyin Xiao'erjing Population (2003 est.) Area (km²) Density (/km²)
Yuanzhou District 原州区 Yuánzhōu Qū ﻳُﻮًاﺟِﻮْ ٿُو 490,000 4,965 99
Xiji County 西吉县 Xījí Xiàn ثِکِ ﺷِﯿًﺎ 460,000 3,985 115
Longde County 隆德县 Lóngdé Xiàn ﻟْﻮدْ ﺷِﯿًﺎ 190,000 1,269 150
Jingyuan County 泾源县 Jīngyuán Xiàn دٍﻳُﻮًا ﺷِﯿًﺎ 120,000 961 125
Pengyang County 彭阳县 Péngyáng Xiàn پْعیْا ﺷِﯿًﺎ 250,000 3,241 77

Geography and climate

Guyuan has a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate (Köppen Dwb), with long, cold, dry winters, and warm, rainier summers. With temperatures cooled by the elevation that exceeds 1,770 metres (5,810 ft), highs average slightly below freezing in January and reach only 25 °C (77 °F) in July. Much of the year's precipitation is delivered from June to September.


Climate data for Guyuan (1971−2000)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 13.1
(55.6)
18.3
(64.9)
22.8
(73.0)
30.1
(86.2)
31.5
(88.7)
32.2
(90.0)
34.6
(94.3)
33.8
(92.8)
31.5
(88.7)
24.8
(76.6)
20.2
(68.4)
14.1
(57.4)
34.6
(94.3)
Average high °C (°F) −0.4
(31.3)
2.1
(35.8)
7.4
(45.3)
15.1
(59.2)
19.9
(67.8)
23.2
(73.8)
25.0
(77.0)
23.7
(74.7)
18.7
(65.7)
13.0
(55.4)
6.9
(44.4)
1.5
(34.7)
13.0
(55.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) −8.1
(17.4)
−4.9
(23.2)
1.0
(33.8)
8.2
(46.8)
13.4
(56.1)
17.0
(62.6)
18.9
(66.0)
17.8
(64.0)
12.8
(55.0)
6.6
(43.9)
−0.3
(31.5)
−6.0
(21.2)
6.4
(43.5)
Average low °C (°F) −14.2
(6.4)
−10.6
(12.9)
−4.4
(24.1)
1.9
(35.4)
6.8
(44.2)
10.3
(50.5)
12.9
(55.2)
12.3
(54.1)
7.7
(45.9)
1.6
(34.9)
−5.5
(22.1)
−11.7
(10.9)
0.6
(33.1)
Record low °C (°F) −27.0
(−16.6)
−23.2
(−9.8)
−18.9
(−2.0)
−12.0
(10.4)
−6.4
(20.5)
0.1
(32.2)
4.0
(39.2)
3.1
(37.6)
−2.3
(27.9)
−11.2
(11.8)
−20.0
(−4.0)
−30.9
(−23.6)
−30.9
(−23.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 3.0
(0.12)
4.0
(0.16)
11.8
(0.46)
24.9
(0.98)
43.8
(1.72)
61.8
(2.43)
88.8
(3.50)
102.2
(4.02)
56.1
(2.21)
29.7
(1.17)
7.0
(0.28)
2.1
(0.08)
435.2
(17.13)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 2.1 2.9 4.3 3.4 5.9 8.7 12.2 11.9 8.1 4.4 2.6 1.9 68.4
Source: Weather China

Transportation

The city is served by Guyuan Liupanshan Airport, though travelers may also choose Zhongwei Xiangshan Airport and Yinchuan Hedong International Airport as well. The G70 Fuzhou–Yinchuan Expressway passes through the area on its way to the regional capital of Yinchuan.

As there is no high-speed railways to Guyuan, one of the fastest ways to travel to Guyuan from a major city is an approximately 4-hour drive from Yinchuan, which is actually faster than traveling by train, which takes at least 5 hours.

References

  • Guyuan YiZhong Middle School website
  • Afarther - A year-long commentary and photos of life in Guyuan by Allister Klingensmith
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