Why Chaoyang
Chaoyang is a prefecture-level city located in western Liaoning Province in northeastern China. Bordering Hebei Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to its west, it covers nearly 20,000 square kilometers, making it the largest city by land area within Liaoning. The region has a population of approximately three million people, with its main administrative and urban core housing around 430,000 residents. Its name, which translates to "morning sun," originates from an ancient poem in the Shijing associated with the nearby Fenghuang Mountain.
The area possesses a deep historical background spanning thousands of years. The over five-thousand-year-old Niuheliang Hongshan Cultural Ruins position the territory as a significant cradle of early Chinese culture. First recorded during the Early Han period in the third century B.C. as Liucheng County, the settlement later became known as Longcheng, or "Dragon City," when King Murong Huang established it as the capital of the Former Yan in 342 A.D. It retained capital status under the Later Yan and Northern Yan dynasties and grew into a primary center of Buddhism in Northeast China following the founding of Longxiang Temple in 345 A.D. During the Sui and Tang periods, the city flourished as a vibrant, multicultural hub home to various ethnic groups, including Khitans, Göktürks, and Sogdians, before undergoing shifts in control during the Mongol and Qing eras.
Widely recognized as China's "fossil city," Chaoyang is globally celebrated for its paleontological heritage. The Harqin region stands as the oldest known prehistoric site in northern China, while the local Jiufotang Formation has yielded major Early Cretaceous discoveries. Remarkable finds include early bird species such as Longipteryx chaoyangensis and Sapeornis chaoyangensis, alongside feathered dinosaurs like Microraptor, pterosaurs, and fossilized prehistoric insects. These significant discoveries have spurred local interest, including specialized marketplaces like Ancient Street where fossil vendors gather.
The climate in Chaoyang is dry and monsoon-influenced, ranging from continental to semi-arid, with cold, dry winters, warm summers, and brief spring and autumn seasons. Most of the annual rainfall is concentrated in July and August. Alongside an industrial sector manufacturing steel, textiles, and machinery, the regional economy relies heavily on agriculture, including crops such as wheat, corn, and fruit, as well as extensive cultivation of sea-buckthorn berries. Regional transit is supported by Chaoyang Airport.
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