Why Yiyang
Yiyang is a prefecture-level city located along the Zi River in the Hunan province of China. Positioned near Lake Dongting and sharing a northern border with Hubei province, the municipality covers an expanse of 12,144 square kilometers. As of the 2010 census, the area was home to over 4.3 million residents spread across its administrative divisions, which encompass two districts, one county-level city, and three counties.
The region has a long historical background, with Yiyang County established in 221 BC following the Qin conquest of the Chu state. Its name was derived from the location of the administrative seat on the northern bank of the Yi River, known today as the Zi River. During the Western Han period, much of the territory was integrated into the Principality of Changsha commandery. Topographically, the vicinity features hilly agricultural terrain primarily dedicated to the cultivation of rice, alongside crops of tea and bamboo.
Local culture in Yiyang is highlighted by Huaguxi, a traditional form of Hunanese opera enjoyed throughout the region. The area is also recognized for its distinctive style of Xiang cuisine, which relies heavily on pure chili peppers to produce famous spicy dishes. The local speech, known as the Yiyang Dialect or Yiyong-Wa, belongs to the New Xiang dialect family and preserves ancient vocabulary and pronunciations with limited Mandarin influence. While hard for outsiders to comprehend, it is widely spoken across the municipality, though an accent closer to Old Xiang is used in western Anhua County.
Visitors to the city can explore notable sights such as the White Deer Temple and the Former Residence of Zhou Libo, a prominent Chinese author who was born in the area. Another figure associated with the city is diplomat Ho Feng-Shan, who rescued many Jewish families in Europe and China during World War II. The city is also home to Hunan City University, and modern religious life includes active communities of both Buddhism and Christianity.
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