Yan'an

Yan'an was populated at least as early as the Xia dynasty, when it formed part of Yong Prefecture. The area was not part of the subsequent Shang dynasty, and was instead inhabited by the Guifang, who fought against the Shang dynasty. The area was later inhabited by the Quanrong and the Xianyun during the Western Zhou period. During the Spring and Autumn period, the area was inhabited by the Beidi people. In the early portions of the Warring States period, the central and northern parts of present-day Yan'an belonged to the state of Wei, while the southern part belonged to the state of Qin. Later on in the Warring States period, the whole area was conquered by the Qin state. Upon the establishment of the Qin dynasty in 221 BCE, the area was organized as part of Shang Commandery. The area remained part of Shang Commandery during the Han dynasty. …

Yan'an is located in northern Shaanxi on the Loess Plateau, with a latitude spanning from 35°21′ to 37°31′ N, and a longitude spanning from 107°41′ to 110°31′ E. The city is bordered by Yulin to the north, Xianyang, Tongchuan, and Weinan in the Guanzhong region to the south, Linfen and Lüliang of Shanxi to the east across the middle reaches of the Yellow River, and Qingyang of Gansu to the west across the Ziwu Ridge (Chinese: 子午岭). The city's elevation is hilly, and is higher in the northwest, and lower in the southeast, ranging from 388.8 to 1,809.8 metres (1,276 to 5,938 ft) above sea level in elevation. The average elevation of Yan'an is approximately 1,200 m (3,940 ft), and Yan'an's urban core has an elevation of about 960 metres (3,150 ft) above sea level. In addition to the Yellow River flowing through Yan'an, the city's major rivers include the Yan River and the Luo River. …

Yan'an's culture is more broadly part of the Shaanbei culture that exists throughout northern Shaanxi. The area has unique traditional music, which often incorporates the use of waist drums, most notably those from Ansai District. The area also unique traditional paper cutting crafts. Yaodong, cave dwellings indigenous to the Loess Plateau, are also indigenous to the wider northern Shaanxi region. The Erdao Street Night Market (Chinese: 二道街夜市; pinyin: Èrdào Jiē Yèshì) is a street market in Baota District which features many of the hallmarks of Shaanbei culture, including local cuisine, décor, and folk music.