Located in the central and western part of Guangdong Province, Yunfu was officially established in 1994, and is the youngest prefecture-level city in the province.
The place was named Yunfu County in the Tang Dynasty (AD 742) as a mountain there was shrouded in mist. The mountain had a name "Yunwu", and was known as the Emerald of Yunfu and Pearl of Sanluo. It has a 1,140-meter-high peak, and a range of other mountains extending from it. Therefore, Yunwu Mountain is also known as the origin of all other mountains in the city.
If you are an outdoor enthusiast, this Guangdong hiking trail, Bapai Mountain (八排山) is worth visiting, for it has a unique wilderness with bizarre trees. Tiantangding (天堂顶), at the mountain's peak, is a secret garden for climbers. In spring, the mountaintop's grasslands are dotted with mucuna birdwoodiana tutcher, azaleas, and more, making a heaven-like place for visitors.
The Modao Mountain site in Yunfu filled the gap in Guangdong's early Paleolithic culture, and it pushed the history of human activities in the region back to 600,000-800,000 years ago. Carried with the cultural memory of the life of Lingnan ancestors, the site served as the cradle of Lingnan culture.
Yunfu also boasts the fusion of sea and land routes along the ancient Silk Road, as well as the millennium-old Nanjiang Culture. Nanjiang River, the longest river within Yunfu, is one of the birthplaces of Lingnan culture and have multiple ethnic groups, such as Han, Yao, and Zhuang.
Yunfu is endowed with 47 kinds of minerals, with its industries of limestone, granite, marble, and others can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty. This has earned Yunfu the moniker of City of Stones in China. Among all of the mineral resources, its pyrite is the most famous. The pyrite reserves on Dajin Mountain (大金山) in Yunfu rank first in Asia and second in the world. Yunfu is home to the world's largest pyrite chemical production base.
In the same time the city input great effort in environmental protection. Since 2019, the mine restoration area in Yunfu has reached 106.67 hectares.
In particular, under both Chinese and western cultural influences, Yunfu artisans have transformed the craftsmanship of stone carving into works of art and spread Yunfu's name.
From the birthplace of Lingnan ancestors to becoming the youngest prefecture-level city in Guangdong Province, Yunfu is blessed with capable hand to work miracles for a bright future.
Author | Ariel
Editor | Wing, Steven, Abby
