Name: Yuncheng

Chinese name: 运城市

Province: Shanxi

Status: Prefecture-level city

Population: 500,000 inhabitants

Area: 1,237 km²

Yuncheng is a prefecture-level city in southern Shanxi province. While not yet a major tourist destination, Yuncheng offers considerable appeal for travelers seeking to explore the remote corners of rural Chine.

History

The city of Yuncheng ranks among the oldest cradles of Chinese civilization. Human traces discovered in the region date back 1.8 million years.

Yuncheng served as the capital of the Shang dynasty under the reign of King Zu Yi.

Today

Nestled in Shanxi's rural landscape, Yuncheng presents an environment of orchards, wheat and rapeseed fields dotted with modest farmhouses.

The city's primary attraction remains the impressive sanctuary dedicated to Guan Yu, the Guandi Miao Temple. This edifice houses unexpected treasures that chronicle the bloody battles of history.

Three kilometers north of the city, you'll discover the Yongle Palace, considered a masterpiece of Chine's architectural heritage. This Taoist temple spans 800 m² and reveals magnificent wall frescoes.

Climate

Yuncheng enjoys a temperate continental monsoon climate. The average temperature in the coldest month, January, ranges between -1 and 6°C, while July, the warmest month, stays between 24 and 28°C. The frost period extends from mid-October through late March.

Summers are intensely hot, and winters more comfortable than in other cities across the province.

Train

Yuncheng lies on the Taiyuan-Xian railway line, and all trains stop here.

Long-distance buses

Buses from Luoyang, Henan, and Taiyuan travel directly to Yuncheng.

Regular services also connect the city to Xian and other cities throughout Shaanxi province.

What to do in Yuncheng?

• Discover Chine's largest sanctuary dedicated to Guan Yu at the Temple of the God of War.
• Visit the Yongle Palace, a Taoist temple dating to the Yuan dynasty.