Yan'an Travel Guide

 

 

 

 

Location:

located between north latitude 35http://www.dayout.com.cn/images/chinese/degree.gifan Travel Guide(延安英文导游词)" TITLE=">>>Yan an Travel Guide(延安英文导游词)" />31' in the middle beaches of the Yellow River, the south of the Loess Plateau; faces the Shanxi province across the Yellow River, borders on the Gansu province in the west

Neighboring Areas:

 Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, and Gansu provinces; Ningxia Hui and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regions

Physical Features:

landforms mainly of loess hills; deeply covered with loess

Population:

1.93 million

Urban Population:

390 thousand

Area:

37,029 sq km

Nationalities:

Han, Hui, Manchu, Zhuang and Mongolian

History:

a history of more than 1300 years; the cradle of Chinese Civilization; set up as a city in 1937, being the capital of Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region; grew into a county in 1949; in 1972; being the famous revolutionary resort in China; used to be the headquarter and general rear during the China's War of Liberation (1945-1949); used to be the location of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party

Climatic Features:

warm and dry climate with frost-free period of 150-195 days;

Average Temperature:

annual average of 5.9http://www.dayout.com.cn/images/chinese/degree.gifan Travel Guide(延安英文导游词)" TITLE=">>>Yan an Travel Guide(延安英文导游词)" />C - 5.7http://www.dayout.com.cn/images/chinese/degree.gifan Travel Guide(延安英文导游词)" TITLE=">>>Yan an Travel Guide(延安英文导游词)" />C
Rainfall:

average annual of 686.8 mm

Mountains:

the Pagoda Hill, Mt. Qingliangshan, Mt. Wanhuashan, Mt. Qiaoshan, Mt. Fenghuangshan

Rivers:

the Yellow River, Weihe River, Jinhe River, Luohe River, Yanhe River, Wudinghe River; Jushui River; the Hukou Waterfall

 

 

 

Situated in Northern Shaanxi Province on the Loess Plateau, Yan'an overlooks the middle reaches of the Yellow River, the cradle of Chinese Civilization. Yan'an, called 'Yanzhou' in ancient times, has a history stretching back about 1400 years and it has long been the political, economic, cultural and military center of North Shaanxi.

 

 

Nowadays it is a city which boasts one district and twelve counties. Holding a prominent place in Chinese military history, Yan'an is a revolutionary holy place in China. It used to be the military headquarters during the Chinese Anti-Japanese War (1937-1945) and China's War of Liberation (1945-1949) and was the location of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

 

 

                             

 

                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This checkered past means that those who are interested inChinese modern revolutionary history and the Yan'an Spirit which was exhibited in 1942, and is still evident today, or those who want to examine the colorful folk customs and culture of the Loess Plateau, should make sure that they visit Yan'an.

 

 

The city has as many as 140 revolutionary sites, including Wangjiaping Site, Yangjialing Site, Date Garden, Pagoda Hill, Nanniwan, etc.

 It has also a number of historical sites such as Huangdi Mausoleum, Zhongshan Grottoes as well as natural scenic spots including Hukou Waterfalls of the Yellow River, Fenghuang Hill and Wanhua Hill. There truly is something for everyone to see.    

         

At the end of the Long March, the surviving remnants of the Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army reached the desolate and desperately poor area of Yan'an, Shaanxi Province. In what was to become known as the Yan'an Period (1935-1947), most of the policies of the CCP that had been started in the Jiangxi Soviet were further refined and many others were first tried out. Here, the lingering influence of the Soviet Union in the fields of organization, politics and strategy, was replaced by a specific Chinese interpretation of how things were to be done. It was from here that the image of an upright and patriotic CCP spread to become a feasible alternative for the increasingly corrupt and inept Guomindang

 

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In Yan'an, Mao Zedong's personal rule within the Party was consolidated; Mao Zedong Thought was formulated; the Mao cult was started; policies were set that were to guide literature and arts until the present day; rectification movements were employed to maintain discipline;

friendships were formed, and antagonisms emerged that would be fought out during the Cultural

Revolution; and the "mass line" ("from the masses, for the masses") was developed. It would all contribute to the formation of a myth that even today remains powerful among Party leaders.

 

Being of a temperate continental monsoon climate, Yan'an is an ideal place for you to visit all year round especially in summer.

Yan'an used to be a poor city but, in recent years, it has seen great changes including economic advancement, especially the development of some tourism-related industries and infrastructure construction.

As a result, transportation in Yan'an is convenient today. It is easily accessible by air, train or coach. As well, buses and taxies facilitate easy transportation within the city. The accommodation in Yan'an is generally considered to be inexpensive, convenient and comfortable.

 

In the light of the tourists, Yan’an’s attraction mainly lies in its “double yellowness and double sacredness”. The double yellowness refers to the Hukou Waterfall of the Yellow River and the Loess (Yellow Earth) Plateau folkways. Hailed as the sacred place of the Chinese revolution as well as of the Chinese nation, It hence got the name “double sacredness”.

Throughout history, Yan’an has been the political, economic, cultural and military center of north Shaanxin. As one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation, it has a rare historical and cultural legacy. According to statistics, the historical relics discovered in Yan’an amount to 5,808 sites, including 2,956 ancient cultural relics, 491ancient mausoleums, 177 grottos, 1,344 stone carvings and 180 ancient architectures. These historical relics are featured with a great variety and a wide distribution.

 

 

Facing the Phoenix Hill and the Pagoda Hill, the Oingliangshan (Refreshing) Hill pierces sharply into the sky and overlooks the Yanhe River. Here shelter grottos, stone carving and sculptures of different feudal dynasties, among which the No.1 Grotto is known as the Cave with 10,000 Buddhist Sculptures. The Qingliangshan Hill has many scenic spots. On the top stands the Taihemiao Temple, to its west lies the Shipiyan Rock and The Peach Blossom Grotto and on the hillside runs the Poem Lake, the Moon Well and Dijiaquan Spring. Moreover, it was where the Central Press, the Xinhua Broadcasting Station and the Xinhua News Agency once settled, winning itself the name of News Hill.

 

 

                          

 

Yanan's abundant local products include red dates (大红枣), Ganquan dried bean curd (甘泉豆腐干), millets (小米), buckwheat noodle (荞麦面条), walnuts, Chinese chestnuts (板栗), Chinese prickly ash (花椒), apples, noodles made of potato starch. Yan'an is also known for its folk arts and crafts such as small waist drums (腰鼓), farmer painting, paper-cut, drum art, wool and hemp embroideries, purple pottery (紫砂陶瓷), porcelain ware, and folk songs. They are available at all stores, plazas, shops in the hotels and each scenic area. You will no doubt find your trip to Yan'an very special and memorable.

• Shopping Area

1. Erdao Street (二道街) and Daqiao Street near the Yanhe River Bridge is full of stores and malls, with stuffs ranging from household products, local and special products, to arts and crafts.
2. Yan’an Department Store (Addr: Daqiao St.; Tel: 0911-2112328)
3. Minsheng Department Store (Addr: Zhongxin St.; Tel: 0911-2124897)

     

 

Yan'an is located on a relatively high altitude plateau (about 1000 meters above sea level). It has a temperate continental monsoon climate, and has a large temperature difference between day and night. The yearly average temperature is 9.3°C. Summer is cool, and is the best time to visit.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                             I love my hometown Yan an.

                                                                             By Wang.Di