Zhengning County 正宁县

Setting and landscape

The county is roughly triangular, higher and broader in the east, where the Ziwu Ridge forest covers the land, and narrower in the farmed plains and valleys of the centre and west. Three rivers, the Zhidang (支党河), the Silang (四郎河) and the Jiayu (嘉峪河), cut it into four tablelands and three valleys. Elevations run from 880 to 1,756 m; the mean temperature is 9.9°C and annual rainfall about 609 mm, and forest covers 48.9 per cent of the county.

History

The county has recorded 51 Neolithic sites, some with cultural layers up to 3 m thick, and local tradition places a tomb of the Yellow Emperor (黄帝冢) here. Between 212 and 210 BC Meng Tian (蒙恬) built the Qin Straight Road (秦直道), which runs for 70 km through the county; in 110 BC Emperor Wu of Han led his army along it on the way to the northern frontier.

Its administrative history starts with the Han counties of Duyue (独乐) and Yangzhou (阳周). In 598 the Sui renamed Yangzhou Luochuan (罗川) after the Luo River. In 742 Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, after dreaming of immortals at Luodi (罗底), sent envoys who dug up 27 jade figures in Luochuan county, and the county became Zhenning (真宁). In 1723 it was renamed Zhengning to avoid the personal name of the Yongzheng emperor, Yinzhen (胤禛). In 1932 the Sicunyuan revolutionary committee (寺村塬革命委员会) was set up here, described by the county as the first red government of the Shaanxi–Gansu border area; Liu Zhidan (刘志丹), Xie Zichang (谢子长) and Xi Zhongxun (习仲勋) were among the revolutionaries active in the county. The county was merged into Ning County in 1958 and restored in 1962.

What to see

The county names the Yellow Emperor's tomb, the ancient city of Luochuan (罗川古城) and the Qin Straight Road among its historic sites.

Food and local products

Longmi (陇蜜) apples, Gonghe (宫河) scallions and Luochuan pipe tobacco (罗川旱烟) are the county's best-known farm products, while Zaosheng cattle (早胜牛) and perilla (紫苏) are native breeds and plants. Folk arts include sachets (香包), paper-cutting and embroidery.

Highlights

• Qin Straight Road 秦直道: Meng Tian's military road of 212–210 BC, which runs 70 km through the county.
• Luochuan ancient city 罗川古城: Ancient city site named by the county among its historic sites.
• Sicunyuan revolutionary committee 寺村塬革命委员会: Set up in 1932, described as the first red government of the Shaanxi–Gansu border area.
• Gonghe scallions 宫河大葱: One of the county's best-known farm products.