Why Yulin
Yulin is a prefecture-level city in the Shaanbei region of Shaanxi Province, China, occupying an administrative area of 43,578 square kilometers. Situated at the northern edge of the province, it shares borders with Inner Mongolia to the north, Shanxi to the east, Ningxia to the west, and Yan'an to the south. The urban center sits within a north-south valley, backed by an elevated viewpoint in the northeast offering panoramas of the west and northwest. Although bounded to the north and northwest by the Ordos Desert, much of the nearby landscape appears green due to extensive shrub planting designed to limit desertification.
Due to its relative isolation, Yulin retains a wealth of classical architecture and cultural landmarks. Portions of its original city wall have been preserved and restored. Key architectural highlights include an ancient pagoda and the Ming-era Zhenbeitai watchtower, which stands as the largest troop fortress along the entire Great Wall. At this site, sections of restored and original Great Wall structure sit side by side amid ongoing restoration efforts. Traces of ancient Qin dynasty wall sections are also scattered around the city outskirts. Nearby, the Red Stone Gorge features a scenic canyon filled with grottoes containing Buddhist artwork and carved ancient writing.
On the border with Inner Mongolia lies Lake Hongjiannao, recognized as China's largest desert freshwater lake. Emerging around 1929 from increased rainfall within a former wetland, the lake is fed by four rivers without any outward flow. Over recent years, its surface area has contracted from 60 square kilometers to 32 square kilometers, largely owing to agricultural irrigation, mining, and reservoir construction. Despite these environmental pressures, the lake serves as a critical breeding habitat for the vulnerable relict gull, hosting up to 5,000 breeding pairs.
Yulin experiences a continental, monsoon-influenced semi-arid climate marked by long, cold winters and hot, somewhat humid summers. Monthly average temperatures range from −8.0 °C in January to 23.8 °C in July, with an annual mean of 9.3 °C and bright sunshine totaling over 2,700 hours per year. Spring months are particularly prone to sandstorms blowing in from the northwest. Most of the annual precipitation of 433.4 millimeters falls between June and September. The city is accessible via Yulin Yuyang Airport, the Shenyan Railway, National Highway 210, and the G65 and G1812 expressways.
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