History of Weinan

As a significant area between the ancient Chinese capital Xi’an and Luoyang, Weinan has a long history.

Ancient

The ancient Dali Man lived in the modern area of Weinan. The Xiagui county was settled in the year of 668 BC by the state of Qin. Weinan got its name in the year of 360 by the Former Qin regime. In the Tang Dynasty, 10 emperors were buried in Weinan after their death. On the morning of 23 January 1556, the deadliest earthquake on record with its epicenter in Huaxian killed approximately 830,000 people, destroying an 840 kilometre-wide (520 mi) area.

Modern

The Weinan prefecture-level city was established in 1995, in replacement of the Weinan prefecture. Due to the construction of the Sanmenxia Dam, the economy of the city was restricted to agricultural sections and therefore the development level of the city is much lower than other cities in the province. The city developed rapidly after economic reform in China. The east part of Guanzhong Plain now belongs to the city, making Weinan the second most populated city in the Shaanxi province, after the capital Xi’an.