Yunyang District 郧阳区

History

Yun County was re-established in 1277 under the Yuan, and in the Ming dynasty it became the seat of Yunyang prefecture (郧阳府). In 1967 part of the county was split off to form what became Shiyan city, and on 17 December 2014 Yun County became Yunyang District. In the district town, the Shiyan Daily points to the rebuilt Yunyang prefectural school-temple (郧阳府学宫), moved from its original site, and the Ming-era Dafeng Granary (大丰仓).

Two sites reach much further back. The Qinglongshan (青龙山) dinosaur-egg fossil site is now a geopark that receives school study groups, and the "Yunxian Man" (郧县人) site lies at the mouth of the Quyuan River (曲远河) in Daliu (大柳乡).

What to see

Huxiaotan (虎啸滩), in Daliu on the Hubei-Shaanxi border, about 33 km from the district's Chengguan town, is a scenic area of deep gorges, cliffs, stepped waterfalls and caves at an average altitude above 780 metres. Its more than thirty named sights include the Three-Tier Waterfall (三叠飞瀑), White Tiger Cave (白虎洞) and the site of Mulong Temple (木龙寺).

Canglangshan National Forest Park (沧浪山国家森林公园) keeps large stands of wintersweet and bamboo and what the Shiyan Daily calls the primeval forest closest to central Shiyan. The Yungaisi Turquoise National Mine Park (云盖寺绿松石国家矿山公园), a replanted former turquoise mine near the Han in Baoxia (鲍峡镇) and Hujiaying (胡家营镇), opened in August 2023.

Food and traditions

Local snacks include sour-starch noodles (酸浆面), pulled noodles (扯面) and sanhe soup (三合汤), which was featured in the documentary series A Bite of China (舌尖上的中国). Yunyang yellow wine (郧阳黄酒) and Tanjiawan (谭家湾) shiitake are among the specialities the district promotes.

The Yunyang Phoenix lantern dance (郧阳凤凰灯舞), known locally as "playing the phoenix", has been on the national intangible-heritage list since 2014. Two men work the head and body of the phoenix while lanterns of flowers, peonies, the sun and clouds are held around the stage; the dance goes through set sequences such as the phoenix calling, leaving the nest and seeking the peony.

Highlights

• Huxiaotan 虎啸滩: Gorge-and-waterfall scenic area in Daliu on the Hubei-Shaanxi border, with more than thirty named sights.
• Qinglongshan dinosaur-egg fossils 青龙山恐龙蛋化石群: Dinosaur-egg fossil site, now a geopark that receives school study groups.
• Yungaisi Turquoise National Mine Park 云盖寺绿松石国家矿山公园: Former turquoise mine near the Han, replanted and opened as a park in August 2023.
• Sanhe soup 三合汤: Local soup featured in A Bite of China.
• Yunyang Phoenix lantern dance 郧阳凤凰灯舞: Lantern dance on the national intangible-heritage list since 2014.