Why Guyuan
Guyuan is a prefecture-level city situated in the southernmost portion of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in China. Sharing borders with Gansu Province across its western, southern, and eastern boundaries, the city rests at an elevation exceeding 1,770 meters above sea level. Historically known by names such as Xihaigu and Dayuan, Guyuan stands as the oldest urban settlement in Ningxia, featuring a resident population of over 1.1 million people.
Founded in 114 BC under the name Gaoping, the settlement served as the capital of Anding Commandery and grew into a crucial stop along the Northern Silk Road. During the Warring States Period, the area belonged to the Qin state. Owing to its strategic geographical position, it functioned for centuries as a vital military outpost where soldiers prepared for battles against northwestern groups. Foreign merchants traveling from Central Asia during the Tang Dynasty regularly passed through this transport hub en route to the imperial capital of Chang'an. The name Guyuan was officially adopted in 1452 during the Ming Dynasty. Historical records also note that Genghis Khan died at nearby Liupan Mountain in 1227 following a two-decade conflict with the Xixia Dynasty. Although major historic landmarks like a local bell tower were dismantled in the 1970s to construct an air-raid shelter, portions of the ancient city wall remain visible.
The surrounding territory hosts notable cultural and natural attractions. Guyuan is home to the Mount Sumeru Grottoes, which are recognized among the ten most famous grotto sites in China. Environmental highlights include Liupanshan National Forest Park, a protected sanctuary containing more than 530 species of wild medicinal plants. This woodland habitat shelters a range of native animal species, including the golden leopard, forest musk deer, golden eagle, and red-bellied golden pheasant.
Guyuan experiences a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate characterized by long, dry, cold winters and warm, moist summers. Average daytime temperatures remain just below freezing in January and reach approximately 25 °C in July, with most precipitation arriving between June and September. Travelers can reach the area using Guyuan Liupanshan Airport, or by flying into nearby airports in Zhongwei or Yinchuan. Motorists can access the city via the G70 Fuzhou–Yinchuan Expressway. Because high-speed rail services do not extend to the city, driving from Yinchuan takes roughly four hours, offering a faster alternative to the five-hour conventional rail journey.
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