Capital city of Yunnan, China
About Kunming
Kunming is the capital and largest city of the province of Yunnan in China. The political, economic, communications and cultural centre of the province, Kunming is also a major tourism centre in China. It is nicknamed the "City of Eternal Spring" for its year-round mild climate. During World War II, Kunming was a Chinese military center and the location of the headquarters for the U.S. Army Forces China-Burma-British Raj. Wujiaba Airport served as the home of the First American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Republic of China Air Force, nicknamed the Flying Tigers. Kunming was also a transport terminus for the Burma Road.
Etymology
"Kunming" evolved from the name of an ancient ethnic group called the Kunming Yi or Kunming Barbarian (昆明夷). They were a branch of the Di-Qiang people. The Kunming Yi lived in the neighbouring region of Erhai Lake during the Western Han dynasty. The Han dynasty incorporated the territory of the Dian Kingdom and set up a commandery called Yizhou in 109 BC; the Han dynasty also incorporated the Kunming Yi into Yizhou Commandery soon after. Therefore, Kunming Yi expanded east to the Lake Dian area later. "Kunming" has acted as a place name since the Three Kingdoms period, but the reference was not clear because this ethnicity occupied a large region. In the Yuan dynasty, the central government set up "Kunming County" in modern Kunming; the name "Kunming" has continued to this day. …
History
Kunming long profited from its position on the caravan route through to South Asia and Southeast Asia. Early townships on the southern edge of Lake Dian (outside the contemporary city perimeter) can be dated back to 279 BC, although they have been long lost to history. Early settlements in the area around Lake Dian date back to Neolithic times. The Dian Kingdom, whose original language likely belonged to the Tibeto-Burman languages, was also established near the area. Dian was ruled by the Chinese Han dynasty under the reign of Emperor Wu of Han in 109 BC. The Han dynasty incorporated the territory of the Dian into their Yizhou Commandery, but left the ruler of Dian with the title. …
Geography
Kunming is located in east-central Yunnan province. Its administrative area is located between latitudes 24°23' and 26°22' N, and longitudes 102°10' and 103°40' E, with a total area of 21,600 square kilometres (8,340 square miles). Its widest stretch from the east to the west amounts to 140 kilometres (87 miles) while its longest stretch from the north to the south amounts to 220 kilometres (137 miles). Situated in a fertile lake basin on the northern shore of the Lake Dian and surrounded by mountains to the north, west, and east, Kunming has always played a pivotal role in the communications of southwestern China. Lake Dian, known as "the Pearl of the Plateau", is the largest lake in Yunnan and the sixth largest freshwater lake in China. It has an area of approximately 340 square kilometres (130 square miles). …
Content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA. Read the full article →