Xinyu

The name 'Xīnyú (新余)' originates from 'Xīnyú (新渝)', the historical nomenclature bestowed upon the settlement during the era of the Three Kingdoms under the Wu. Its citizens dwell within a territory whose identity is inextricably linked to the Yu River (渝水)—the ancient name for the contemporary Yuan River (袁河). It is generally accepted that the etymology of the name is derived from the prefix Xin (新), signifying 'new', and the hydronym Yu (渝). Historical chronicles suggest that the transition from the original character '渝' to its homophonous variant '喻' during the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty was a result of gradual phonetic evolution. Throughout the imperial centuries, the city's orthography underwent several transformations, being rendered as 'Xinyu (新俞)' during the Southern Dynasty's Song period and 'Xinyu (新谕)' from the Qi to the Sui dynasties . …

Archaeological findings at the Shinianshan site of northwest Xinyu reveal that ancestors were living and thriving in this region as far back as the Neolithic Age, 5,000 years ago. Xinyu has a city-constructing history of more than 1,700 years. It became a county in 267 during the Three Kingdoms period, originally placed under the jurisdiction of the Ancheng Commandery. The fundamental geography of Xinyu has forever been defined by the majestic Mount Meng towering in the north and the meandering Yu River, flowing gracefully through the south. The ancient city wall of this foundational settlement was situated merely three li south of the present-day city center. The original settlement of Xinyu County is called 'Longchishu (龙池墅).' Throughout the subsequent Western and Eastern Jin dynasties, the region maintained its status as Xinyu County within the Ancheng Commandery. …

Xinyu has an area of 3,178 km2 (1,227 sq mi). It has a four-season, monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate. It can be very hot and rainy in summer. The city is located 135 km (84 mi) southwest of Nanchang, the provincial capital - about two and half hours away by car via highway. The terrain of Xinyu is varied, comprising plains (32.23%), hills (28.64%), and terraces (25.67%), with smaller portions of water and mountains. The average elevation is about 89.49 meters. The highest peak in Xinyu is Mount Meng (Mengshan) at 1,004 meters. Other peaks include Jiulong Mountain (523m), Yangtian Gang (447m), and Baizhang Peak (424m). Yangtian Gang, Mount Meng and Baizhang Peak are national and provincial forest parks. …