Yaan (雅安)

1. Introduction

Ya'an City, abbreviated as Ya, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China, located in the central-western part of Sichuan Province. The city borders Chengdu City, Meishan City, and Leshan City to the east, Liangshan Prefecture to the south, Ganzi Prefecture to the west, and Aba Prefecture to the north. Situated in the Daxiangling area on the southwestern edge of the Sichuan Basin, the Qingyi River traverses its central region and flows through the urban area, while the Dadu River lies to the south. The city covers a total area of 15,046 square kilometers, with a population of 1.5468 million. The Municipal People's Government is located in Yucheng District. Ya'an is often referred to as the "Rain City" due to its frequent rainfall and is also a major habitat for giant pandas in Sichuan Province. Ya'an once served as the capital of Xikang Province and lies at the junction of the Sichuan Basin and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is home to ethnic minorities such as Tibetans and Yi people, earning it the titles "Throat of Western Sichuan," "Gateway to Tibet," and "Ethnic Corridor." Ya'an is an important tea-producing region in Sichuan, with Mengding Mountain being the earliest recorded site of tea cultivation in the world.

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2. History

In ancient times, it was the Qingyi Qiang Kingdom. During the Qin Dynasty, Yandao County (encompassing present-day Yingjing County and Yucheng District) was established and belonged to Shu Commandery. In the sixth year of the Yuanding era of the Western Han Dynasty (111 BCE), additional counties were established: Xi County (present-day Tianquan County), Maoniu County (present-day Jiuxiang Town, Hanyuan County), and Qingyi County (present-day Mingshan District and Lushan County area). These counties successively belonged to Shenli Commandery and Shu Commandery. In the first year of the Yanguang era of the Eastern Han Dynasty (122 CE), the Shu Commandery Dependent State was established, with its seat in Qingyi County. Later, the Qingyi Qiang requested to become an internal dependency. In the second year of the Yangjia era (133 CE), Qingyi County was renamed Hanjia County. In the first year of the Zhangwu era of the Shu Han state during the Three Kingdoms period (221 CE), the Shu Commandery Dependent State was changed to Hanjia Commandery, with its seat in Hanjia County (present-day Lushan County), belonging to Yi Province. In the sixth year of the Yongjia era of the Western Jin Dynasty (312 CE), Hanjia Commandery was divided into Shenli Commandery and Hanyuan Commandery. After the Yongjia era, Yandao County was abolished. In the second year of the reign of Emperor Fei of Western Wei (553 CE), Shiyang County (seat in present-day western Yucheng District) was established, belonging to Mengshan Commandery; Mengshan County (seat in present-day Mingshan District) was also established, subordinate to Mengshan Commandery.

In the early Sui Dynasty's Kaihuang era, Mengshan Commandery was abolished. In the 13th year of the Kaihuang era (593 CE), the former Mengshan Commandery was changed to Mengshan County; the former Mengshan County was renamed Mingshan County. In the third year of the Renshou era (603 CE), Lushan County (seat in present-day Lushan County) was established. In the fourth year of the Renshou era (604 CE), Ya Prefecture (seat in present-day Yucheng District) was established in Mengshan County. In the first year of the Daye era (605 CE), Hanyuan County (seat in present-day Qingxi Town, Hanyuan County) was established, belonging to Ya Prefecture. In the third year of the Daye era (607 CE), Ya Prefecture was renamed Linqiong Commandery, Mengshan County was renamed Yandao County, and the Yingjing Shuikou Garrison was established at the site of the former Yandao County town (present-day Yingjing County).

In the first year of the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty (618 CE), Linqiong Commandery was renamed Ya Prefecture, and Hanyuan County was changed to Yangshan County. In the third year of the Wude era (620 CE), Yingjing County was established at the Yingjing Shuikou Garrison, belonging to Ya Prefecture. In the eighth year of the Zhenguan era (634 CE), Baizhang County was carved out from Mingshan County, belonging to Ya Prefecture. In the second year of the Yifeng era (677 CE), Dadu County and Feiyue County were carved out from Yangshan County. In the second year of the Chang'an era (702 CE), Dadu County was merged into Feiyue County. In the first year of the Tianbao era (742 CE), Yangshan County was renamed Tongwang County, belonging to Li Prefecture. During the Five Dynasties period, the Former Shu state merged Feiyue County into Hanyuan County.

In the sixth year of the Qingli era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1046 CE), Tongwang County was merged into Hanyuan County. During the Yuan Dynasty, the Diaomen Pacification Commission (seat in present-day Tianquan County) was established, and later the Tianquan Pacification Office and the Liufan Pacification Office were separately established. In the 20th year of the Zhiyuan era (1283 CE), Lushan County was renamed Lushan County. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the Ming Yuzhen Daxia regime merged Yingjing County into Yandao County.

In the fourth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1371 CE), Yandao County was merged into Ya Prefecture. In the sixth year of the Hongwu era (1373 CE), Lushan County was renamed Lushan County, subordinate to Ya Prefecture; the Tianquan and Liufan Pacification Offices were combined to form the Tianquan Liufan Pacification Office. In the eighth year of the Hongwu era (1375 CE), Hanyuan County was abolished and the Li Prefecture Chief Office was established. In the tenth year of the Hongwu era (1377 CE), Mingshan County was merged into Ya Prefecture. In the eleventh year of the Hongwu era (1378 CE), the Li Prefecture Chief Office was elevated to the Li Prefecture Pacification Office. In the thirteenth year of the Hongwu era (1380 CE), Mingshan County was re-established, and Baizhang County was merged into it; Yingjing County was re-established, belonging to Ya Prefecture. In the 24th year of the Wanli era (1596 CE), the Li Prefecture Pacification Office was downgraded to a Battalion.

In the seventh year of the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty (1729 CE), Ya Prefecture was elevated to Ya Prefecture Superior Prefecture, and Ya'an County was established as its seat; the Tianquan Liufan Pacification Office underwent "bureaucratization of native offices" and became Tianquan Subprefecture, belonging to Ya Prefecture Superior Prefecture. In the eighth year of the Yongzheng era (1730 CE), the Li Prefecture Battalion underwent "bureaucratization of native offices" and became Qingxi County, belonging to Ya Prefecture Superior Prefecture.

In the second year of the Republic of China (1913 CE), superior prefectures and subprefectures were abolished and changed to counties. Counties such as Ya'an, Mingshan, Yingjing, Lushan, Qingxi, and Tianquan belonged to the Upper Southern Sichuan Circuit (renamed Jianchang Circuit the following year). In 1914, Qingxi County was renamed Hanyuan County. In 1928, the Muping Native Chieftain territory in the north of Tianquan County was separated to establish the Muping Administrative Bureau. In the 19th year of the Republic of China (1930 CE), the Muping Administrative Bureau was changed to Baoxing County, the name meaning "where treasures flourish"; the Jianchang Circuit was abolished in the same year. In the 24th year of the Republic of China (1935 CE), the counties belonged to the 17th Administrative Inspection District of Sichuan Province. In the 28th year of the Republic of China (1939 CE), Xikang Province was established. Except for Mingshan County, which was transferred to the 4th District of Sichuan Province, the remaining counties were incorporated into the 2nd Administrative Inspection District of Xikang Province.

During the period of the Republic of China, Ya'an City was under the jurisdiction of Xikang Province. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Xikang Province was still established, with Ya'an County as its capital, and the Ya'an Special District was also established. In 1950, the seat of Hanyuan County was moved to Jiuxiang Town. In 1951, Ya'an City was carved out from Ya'an County; Shimian County was established from the northern parts of Mianning and Yuexi counties and the western part of Hanyuan County. In 1952, the seat of Hanyuan County was moved to Fulin Town. In 1954, Mingshan County from the Wenjiang Special District was transferred to the Ya'an Special District. In 1955, Xikang Province was dissolved, and the Ya'an Special District was transferred to Sichuan Province. In 1959, Ya'an City was abolished and merged into Ya'an County. In 1968, the Ya'an Special District was renamed Ya'an Prefecture. In 1983, Ya'an County was abolished, and Ya'an City was re-established. In June 2000, Ya'an Prefecture and the county-level Ya'an City were abolished, and the prefecture-level Ya'an City was established; the former county-level Ya'an City was changed to Yucheng District. In September 2012, Mingshan County was abolished, and Mingshan District was established.

9. Geography

Ya'an City is located on the western edge of the Sichuan Basin, in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. It spans from 28°51′10″N to 30°56′40″N and 101°56′26″E to 103°23′28″E. It borders Chengdu City to the northeast, Meishan City to the east, Leshan City to the southeast, the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to the west, the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture to the south, and the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture to the north. It serves as a transitional zone between the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Chengdu Plain. The city boasts an excellent environment, surrounded by green mountains and traversed by four rivers, contributing to its fresh air.

9.1 Climate

Ya'an has been known for its abundant rainfall since ancient times, earning the saying "the sky leaks in Western Shu" and the common phrase "Ya'an has no three consecutive sunny days," leading to its nickname "Rain City."

Ya'an City falls within the subtropical monsoon climate zone. Its overall climatic characteristics are: no severe cold in winter, no intense heat in summer, four distinct seasons, abundant rainfall, synchronous occurrence of rain and heat, a long frost-free period, and ample heat. Spring warms up early, summer temperatures are relatively high, autumn brings frequent drizzles, and winter sees little frost and snow. The area experiences many night rains throughout the year and few foggy days annually. The complex geology and topography, along with significant elevation differences within the territory, result in prominent regional, transitional, and complex climate features. Meteorological elements show substantial vertical variation, creating a distinct three-dimensional climate. On some mountains, one can successively observe plants from subtropical, warm temperate, mid-temperate, cold temperate, subarctic, and arctic zones from the foot to the ridge. The Daxiangling (i.e., Niba Mountain) traverses the central part of the city, causing significant climatic differences between the north and south. The counties and districts in the northern part have many rainy days and few sunny days, with an annual average temperature around 15°C and total annual precipitation between 1000 and 1750 mm. In contrast, Hanyuan and Shimian counties in the south are influenced by mid- and low-level sinking airflows, forming a relatively unique dry and warm climate characterized by less cloud cover, more sunny days, longer sunshine duration, higher temperatures, an annual average temperature of 17–18°C, distinct dry and wet seasons, and less precipitation, with an annual total rainfall of only about 750 mm.

Meteorological Data for Ya'an City (1971–2000)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |--------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| | Record high °C (°F)| 18.2 (64.8) | 22.1 (71.8) | 27.7 (81.9) | 33.2 (91.8) | 35.1 (95.2) | 34.9 (94.8) | 35.2 (95.4) | 35.4 (95.7) | 34.9 (94.8) | 28.7 (83.7) | 24.5 (76.1) | 19.6 (67.3) | 35.4 (95.7) | | Average high °C (°F) | 9.4 (48.9) | 11.1 (52.0) | 15.6 (60.1) | 21.5 (70.7) | 25.5 (77.9) | 27.7 (81.9) | 29.6 (85.3) | 29.6 (85.3) | 24.9 (76.8) | 20.1 (68.2) | 15.5 (59.9) | 10.8 (51.4) | 20.1 (68.2) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | 6.3 (43.3) | 7.7 (45.9) | 11.6 (52.9) | 16.8 (62.2) | 20.8 (69.4) | 23.3 (73.9) | 25.1 (77.2) | 24.9 (76.8) | 21.0 (69.8) | 16.7 (62.1) | 12.4 (54.3) | 7.8 (46.0) | 16.2 (61.2) | | Average low °C (°F) | 4.1 (39.4) | 5.5 (41.9) | 8.8 (47.8) | 13.5 (56.3) | 17.5 (63.5) | 20.2 (68.4) | 22.0 (71.6) | 21.9 (71.4) | 18.5 (65.3) | 14.5 (58.1) | 10.3 (50.5) | 5.8 (42.4) | 13.6 (56.4) | | Record low °C (°F)| -2.8 (27.0) | -1.6 (29.1) | -0.7 (30.7) | 3.2 (37.8) | 10.0 (50.0) | 14.3 (57.7) | 17.1 (62.8) | 16.6 (61.9) | 12.9 (55.2) | 4.8 (40.6) | 1.2 (34.2) | -3.9 (25.0) | -3.9 (25.0) | | Average precipitation mm (inches)| 20.8 (0.82) | 31.9 (1.26) | 50.9 (2.00) | 93.0 (3.66) | 129.4 (5.09) | 181.0 (7.13) | 369.6 (14.55) | 433.6 (17.07) | 206.6 (8.13) | 98.3 (3.87) | 56.5 (2.22) | 20.9 (0.82) | 1,692.5 (66.62) | | Average precipitation days (≥0.1mm)| 13.3 | 16.1 | 18.6 | 17.8 | 19.1 | 19.3 | 20.1 | 18.8 | 20.8 | 20.4 | 16.3 | 12.6 | 213.2 |2 | | Average Relative Humidity (%)| 82 | 79 | 76 | 75 | 74 | 79 | 81 | 80 | 82 | 84 | 83 | 83 | 80 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Ya'an City administers 2 municipal districts and 6 counties.

• Municipal Districts: Yucheng District, Mingshan District
• Counties: Yingjing County, Hanyuan County, Shimian County, Tianquan County, Lushan County, Baoxing County

Among these, the three counties of Hanyuan, Shimian, and Baoxing enjoy preferential policies for ethnic minorities.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Of which: Ethnic Townships | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 511800 | Ya'an City | Yǎ'ān Shì | 15,046.10 | 1,434,603 | Yucheng District | 625000 | 10 | 57 | 29 | 13 | | 511802 | Yucheng District | Yǔchéng Qū | 1,062.53 | 368,909 | Qingjiang Subdistrict | 625000 | 5 | 8 | | | | 511803 | Mingshan District | Míngshān Qū | 618.18 | 254,632 | Mengyang Subdistrict | 625100 | 2 | 11 | | | | 511822 | Yingjing County | Yíngjīng Xiàn | 1,776.69 | 131,491 | Yandao Subdistrict | 625200 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 2 | | 511823 | Hanyuan County | Hànyuán Xiàn | 2,214.65 | 285,558 | Fulin Town | 625300 | | 12 | 9 | 5 | | 511824 | Shimian County | Shímián Xiàn | 2,678.63 | 114,116 | Xinmian Subdistrict | 625400 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 5 | | 511825 | Tianquan County | Tiānquán Xiàn | 2,390.29 | 132,033 | Chengxiang Town | 625500 | | 7 | 3 | | | 511826 | Lushan County | Lúshān Xiàn | 1,191.14 | 99,824 | Luyang Subdistrict | 625600 | 1 | 6 | 1 | | | 511827 | Baoxing County | Bǎoxīng Xiàn | 3,113.99 | 48,040 | Muping Town | 625700 | | 3 | 4 | 1 |

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5. Transportation

In terms of highways, National Highways 108, 318, and 351 pass through the area. Additionally, the G5 Chengdu-Ya'an Expressway, G5 Ya'an-Xichang Expressway, G4218 Ya'an-Kangding Expressway, and the Leshan-Ya'an section of the G93 Chengdu-Chongqing Ring Expressway connect to Chengdu, Xichang City, Luding County, and Leshan City respectively. It is 140 kilometers from Chengdu, with a travel time of just 1 hour and 40 minutes to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.

Regarding railways, the Chengdu-Ya'an section of the under-construction Sichuan-Tibet Railway opened at the end of 2018, featuring Ya'an Station and Mingshan Station.

6. Education

The higher education institution includes Sichuan Agricultural University. At the secondary level, Ya'an Middle School is renowned; established during the Qing Dynasty, it is a provincial key prestigious school.

7. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's resident population is 1,434,603. Compared with the 1,507,258 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was a decrease of 72,655 people over the past ten years, a decline of 4.82%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.49%. Among them, the male population is 725,878, accounting for 50.6% of the total population; the female population is 708,725, accounting for 49.4% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (with females as 100) is 102.42. The population aged 0–14 is 220,814, accounting for 15.39% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 is 906,108, accounting for 63.16% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above is 307,681, accounting for 21.45% of the total population, among which the population aged 65 and above is 244,069, accounting for 17.01% of the total population. The urban population is 757,151, accounting for 52.78% of the total population; the rural population is 677,452, accounting for 47.22% of the total population.

7.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's resident population, the Han ethnic group population is 1,355,888, accounting for 94.51%; the population of various ethnic minorities is 78,715, accounting for 5.49%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic group population decreased by 71,075, a decline of 4.98%, and its proportion in the total population decreased by 0.16 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities decreased by 1,580, a decline of 1.97%, and its proportion in the total population increased by 0.16 percentage points.

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8. Culture

Yaan boasts a rich historical heritage from the Han Dynasty, renowned for its "Three Wonders of Yaan": Yaan Rain, Yaan Fish, and Yaan Women. Designated as a "China Excellent Tourism City" and one of the "Top Ten Charming Cities in China" in 2006, Yaan is a popular destination for rural holiday tourism and self-drive tours in Sichuan Province. In 1869, French missionary Armand David, while preaching in Sichuan, discovered the giant panda near the Church of the Annunciation in Dengchigou. This made Yaan the site of the world's first giant panda discovery and the origin of its type specimen. In 2006, the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, with Yaan as a core area, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List. Yaan is also recognized as the birthplace of global tea culture and tea cultivation, being the earliest region in the world for artificially cultivated tea trees.

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Yucheng District

Yucheng District

Han Chinese population accounts for 94.51%; ethnic minorities account for 5.49%

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