Tongchuan City
Tongchuan (铜川) is located in the central section of Shaanxi Province, 68 km. (42 mi.) away from Xi'an and 72 km. (45 mi.) from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport. It constitutes an important part of Guanzhong economic belts and is the place you'll definitely pass if you go and visit the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor and the holy revolutionary city Yan'an. Administering three districts, one county, one economic and technical development zone, twenty-three towns, eleven villages and ten street offices, it covers an area of 3,882 sq.km. (1,499 sq. mi.) and has a population of 860,000 among which 53% live in the urban areas.
Tongchuan has a long history and 675 places of interest among which four are under national protection and eighteen under provincial protection. The most renowned tourist attractions include Yaowangshan Stele Forest, Jianglv Temple, Yuhua Palace, Yaozhou Kiln Site, and the Xiangshan Temple.
Tongchuan has a continental monsoon climate with a dry, cold winter, a hot summer and changeable spring and autumn. At present, 68 species of wild animals including three species of rare animals: Panthera pardus, musk deer and otter, all under national protection live there and 645 kinds of seed plants grow there.
Thirty Industrial sectors such as coal, food, chemical, textile, pottery and construction materials are developing rapidly in Tongchuan. The most impressing of all is the apple production industry. Currently, Tongchuan has an area of 350,000 land for cultivation of apples and achieves an output of 196,000 tons and an optimal fruit rate of 45%. The planting area of Red Fuji accounts for more than 65% and a green food production base for Red Fuji has been established there. Other quality fruits such as grapes, dates, pears, and peaches are also grown in Tongchuan.