The 5,000-Year History of China Is Hidden in This Province's Place Names
East of the Yellow River and west of the Taihang Mountains lies a land shaped by great mountains and rivers. The ancients called it Hedong, but today it is known as Shanxi.
The majestic Taihang Mountains gave Shanxi its name.
Many still remember the heavy rain that struck Shanxi in early October. During those days, I carefully studied the map of Shanxi three times and vaguely felt that the answer to "How important is Shanxi to China?" was hidden in the big and small place names of the province.
Which other Shanxi place names are you familiar with?
Opening the map, familiar names include the provincial capital Taiyuan at the heart of Shanxi, the "Coal Capital" Datong near Inner Mongolia, and Yuncheng, which faces the Guanzhong Plain across the Yellow River and was once the unique "Salt Administration City" of ancient times. Those enchanted by scenery may seek out Mount Heng and the Hukou Waterfall, while ancient architecture enthusiasts might immediately spot Mount Wutai and the Ancient City of Pingyao.
The Qiao Family Compound in Qi County, Jinzhong, gained nationwide fame through a TV drama of the same name.
As your gaze wanders to the surrounding areas, you might need to keep a dictionary handy. Uncommon characters and polyphonic words relentlessly challenge my language skills—is the "忻" in Xinzhou read as xīn or xī? What are the characters for "隰" in Xi County and "岢" in Kelan? Should the "猗" in Linyi County be read with the first or third tone? Why is "长" in Zhangzi County pronounced as zhǎng, and why is "峙" in Fanshi County actually read as shì?
Click to see if you can pronounce these Shanxi place names.
Do you recognize these uncommon characters in Shanxi's place names?
If you overlay ancient and modern maps of Shanxi, you'll discover that the "Yunzhong" in Su Shi's famous line, "Holding the envoy's tally to Yunzhong, when will Feng Tang be sent?" refers to today's Datong—what a beautiful name! Places like Fenglingdu and Yanmen Pass from Jin Yong's martial arts world guard the south and north of Shanxi respectively. The lyrics "Su San left Hongtong County" and "Riding a white horse through three passes" also sing of Shanxi's place names!
Although ancient Shanxi was surrounded by natural barriers, it still connected with the outside world.
Many of these passes and ferries remain well-known to modern people.
On the map of Shanxi, you can not only see the magnificence of its mountains and rivers but also glimpse the stories of generations striving and venturing through time. The place names in southern Shanxi clearly reflect the birth and creativity of ancient Chinese ancestors; in central Shanxi, you can see how the "Dragon City" dominated the Central Plains; in northern Shanxi, the flames of war once burned through the night, with soldiers, merchants, and immigrants all uttering the same names.
How many more secrets are hidden in this "land of mountains and rivers"?
The Great Wall serves as the northern barrier of Shanxi.
The people of Shanxi truly know how to name their homeland.
A person from Shaanxi and a person from Hebei, looking from the west and east respectively, might have completely different impressions—across the Yellow River, Shanxi appears to the Shaanxi native as "on the other side of the water," while beyond the Taihang Mountains, it seems to the Hebei native as lofty as a "city in the sky."
Wangmangling got its name from the legend of Wang Mang of the Western Han Dynasty pursuing Liu Xiu to this place, where they set up camp.
How do the "Tai"hang Mountains and the Yellow "River" define Shanxi?
"Tai" (太) — greater than "big" (大). The name Taihang was likely given by an ancient Hebei native, as the mountain range appeared immensely large and high, like a sky-reaching barrier. To the west and south, the final stroke of the Yellow River's "几"-shaped bend forms Shanxi's natural provincial boundary, equally insurmountable.
Many cities in Shanxi are named after the Yellow River.
The Taihang Mountains and the Yellow River—two vastly different landscapes—act like colossal "city gates," defining Shanxi's position in China from the west and east. The characters "太" (tài) and "河" (hé) also frequently appear in the names of places around Shanxi, evoking a sense of grandeur and power.
The majestic Taihang Mountains are reflected in Shanxi’s place names: Taigu District in central Shanxi at the western foothills means "valley of the Taihang"; the Taiyue Mountains, derived from Huotai Mountain, describe the grandeur of the main peak, Mount Huo; Hejin City, located at a strategic point along the Yellow River, means "great river ferry"; and Hequ County lies beside the winding "Yellow River bends."
Between the Taihang Mountains and the Yellow River are the Fen River, the Lüliang Mountains, and many other mountains and rivers. The phrase "表里山河" (a land of mountains and rivers) is exemplified to the extreme in Shanxi’s place names.
Between the mountains and rivers lies the linguistic artistry of the Shanxi people.
West of the Taihang Mountains, a series of narrow river valley corridors stretch from south to north, while on the other side stands the equally majestic and rolling Lüliang Mountains. Known in some geographical records as the "Backbone Ridge," though not bearing the title "ridge of the world" like the Taihang, the Lüliang Mountains resemble a giant beast lying across the land with a arched back—making the name "Lüliang" fitting.
Lüliang City is home not only to the Lüliang Mountains but also to the magnificent bends of the Yellow River.
In Shanxi, mountains and hills make up 80% of the land, while river valleys and basins account for only 20%. Living with mountains at their doors and rivers by their sides, the people of Shanxi naturally often use landscapes to name their hometowns. According to statistics, among the nearly 564 ancient and modern county names in Shanxi, those named after mountains and waters are the most common, accounting for almost one-third of the total.
Mount Li is said to be where Emperor Shun tilled the land and created the phenological calendar "Seventy-Two Pentads."
A closer look at these place names reveals the wisdom of the ancestors. While broader regional names like Shanxi and Hedong were chosen for simplicity, smaller place names were far more flexible. The convention of "yang for the south of a mountain and north of a river" was largely disregarded by Shanxi’s ancestors—there isn’t even a single county-level or above place name meaning "yin for the south of a river." So how did they choose names?
Eight springs emerge from the same location, with two groups of springs each having eight vents.
With so many mountains, descriptive terms were used to summarize their shapes: a city at the foot of mountains surrounded by ranges is called "Fanshi" (繁峙); mountains resembling walls in one of the Yellow River’s bends give the name "Yuanqu" (垣曲); flat land encircled by mountains is called "Gaoping" (高平); and with Longshou Mountain to the north and Yanmen Mountain to the south echoing each other, the place is named "Yingxian" (应县)—now you know why "Ying" is pronounced with the fourth tone.
Huguan County also contains Hukou Pass.
Metaphors were also used to capture the characteristics of mountains: "Yuxian" (盂县) describes a lowland surrounded by mountains, shaped like a basin; "Huguan" (壶关) refers to peaks encircling an area like a pot; and "Yicheng" (翼城) depicts a mountain shaped like a bird spreading its wings.
The vast basin plains between the mountains inspired exaggerated expressions of praise: "Taiyuan" is one example, as is the ancient name of Changzhi—"Shangdang." Located beside the Taihang Mountains with plains nearly a kilometer above sea level, it seems to "stand with the heavens." Su Dongpo once said: "Feihu and Shangdang are the ridge of the world, half-veiling the sunset before dusk."
The Shangdang Gate, built during the Sui Dynasty, stands at an altitude of 1,500 meters and is extraordinarily magnificent.
The sacred Buddhist mountain Wutaishan, with its five towering peaks, was originally called Wufengshan (Five Peaks Mountain). But the ancients recognized the geological wonder: the mountains resemble a slightly cupped fist, and the treeless summits look like built platforms—hence the more vivid name "Wutaishan" (Five Terraces Mountain).
The area encircled by the five peaks of Wutaishan features a large-scale complex of Buddhist architecture.
The terrain of two mountains enclosing a river was called "Dragon Gate" by the ancients. The mighty river rushing through narrow mountain passages creates turbulent, overwhelming waves, as if a hidden dragon were emerging from the water. Places named Dragon Gate exist in Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Henan. The Dragon Gate at the Shanxi-Shaanxi border is the most famous site in the legend of Yu the Great taming the floods. "Three waves strike Dragon Gate, a thunderclap on flat ground"—after Yu’s arduous efforts to open the Dragon Gate, the river flowed smoothly, farmland reappeared, and the people lived in peace and prosperity.
Yukoumen Yellow River Bridge connecting Shanxi and Shaanxi.
"Longmen" and "Yumen" are both related to Yu the Great.
That's right. The place names in Shanxi not only reflect imaginative landscapes and topography but also contain ancient myths and legends, as well as the earliest stories of Huaxia. The rivers and mountains encircle a square piece of land, as if carefully designed by the Creator, destined to stir extraordinary tales.
The "Theme Park" of Huaxia Civilization
Whether by coincidence or necessity, the three regions of Southern Shanxi, Central Shanxi, and Northern Shanxi each played a key role in different Huaxia stories. These stories are also embedded in the place names, both ancient and modern.
Why did Huangdi, Chiyou, and Nüwa all favor Southern Shanxi?
Some say that walking through Southwestern Shanxi, every step treads on deep historical soil. Nüwa, Yandi, Huangdi, Chiyou, Yao, Shun, Yu—almost all the legendary figures of early Huaxia history are recorded to have centered their activities here. Linfen, by the Fen River, was anciently called Pingyang and is said to be the capital of Yao; Yongji City was anciently called Puban and is regarded as the capital of Shun; Xia County, as its name suggests, is said to be the capital of Yu the Great, founder of the Xia Dynasty.
The name "Hukou" for Hukou Waterfall
first appeared in the "Tribute of Yu" chapter of the *Classic of History*, which records Yu the Great's efforts to control the floods.
Stories such as Nüwa Mending the Heavens, Shun Farming on Lishan Mountain, Yu Chiseling Longmen, and Leizu Sericulture all spread from the Southern Shanxi region. Some place names directly reflect ancient legends—Jishan County is where Houji taught people farming at the foot of Jiwang Mountain; Changzi County was where Emperor Yao enfeoffed his eldest son Danzhu, and it is also the place where Jingwei tried to fill the sea with twigs. In the story of the Foolish Old Man Moving Mountains, besides Taihang Mountain, the other mountain blocking his way was Wangwu Mountain on the border of Southern Shanxi.
Why did ancient myths and legends favor Southern Shanxi so much? Some scholars believe it is related to Shanxi's largest lake—Yuncheng Salt Lake.
Though the name "Yuncheng" does not include the word "salt," it is a unique city dedicated to salt production.
The Yuncheng Basin was originally an ancient lake area. Later, as the lake shrank and due to topographical and climatic influences, a rare salt pond formed in the Central Plains. Salt was a scarce resource in ancient times and crucial in the early stages of civilization. It can be said that whoever controlled salt had the qualification to lead various tribes. Coincidentally, the legendary and far-reaching battle between Huangdi and Chiyou also took place in Southern Shanxi. According to multiple historical records, the Chiyou tribe relied on the "wealth of the salt marshes," and that great battle was likely fought over control of the salt pond.
The salt fields in the Yuncheng Salt Lake area resemble a "God's color palette."
That great battle is also embedded in local place name culture. Legend has it that after Chiyou was killed, his body was dismembered, and people named the salt pond "Xiechi" and the place "Xiezhou." Another saying is that this was where Chiyou was "harmed" (hai), and to commemorate him, the locals pronounced "解" in "Xiezhou" as "hai."
Xiezhou Guan Yu Temple—"Hometown of Guan Yu" is another name for Xiezhou.
More interestingly, this area is not only a repository of myths and legends but also, through modern archaeological discoveries, has been confirmed as the cradle of Huaxia civilization.
The Taosi site excavated in Linfen City shows the embryonic form of a state and ritual system. Some scholars believe it was the capital of the early Xia Dynasty, Xiaxu, while others say it predates the Xia and was likely the capital of Yao, making it the earliest "China." From the site, it can be seen that the ancient calendar was established here, the earliest wells were popularized and used, and agricultural civilization developed rapidly, with ancient people living peaceful and prosperous lives.
The Taosi site—one of the origins of Huaxia civilization.
Southern Shanxi also gave birth to the earliest name for Shanxi. After the Xia and Shang Dynasties, the second ruler of the Western Zhou enfeoffed his younger brother Shuyu in "Tang," around the Linfen area. "Tang" was the earliest ancient name for Shanxi. After Shuyu's death, his son built a palace by the Jin River and changed "Tang" to "Jin." "Jin" remains the abbreviation for Shanxi to this day.
Did the name "Jinyang" make Emperor Taizong of Song angry?
Moving north from southern Shanxi, ancient legends fade into obscurity, replaced by the dramatic stories of the rivaling feudal lords during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.
Qixian County derives its name from the fiefdom of Qi Xi, a senior official of the Jin State during the Spring and Autumn Period. Xiangyuan County was established by Zhao Xiangzi, a Jin official and founder of the Zhao State. Jiexiu City is named after Jie Zitui, a revered Jin minister who retreated to Mianshan Mountain and died there. He is remembered for "cutting flesh to serve his lord" and "living in reclusion without seeking reward." The Cold Food Festival originated in his honor.
Over two thousand years ago, Jie Zitui lived in seclusion here, hence the mountain is also called Jie Mountain.
In the late Spring and Autumn Period, Zhao Yang (Jianzi), a chief minister of Jin, built a city named Jinyang in the strategic Fen River valley north of the Jin River. As the initial capital of Zhao for nearly thirty years, the political center of Shanxi began shifting from the south to the central region. During the Qin Dynasty, the Taiyuan Commandery was established, and by Emperor Wu of Han's reign, Bingzhou was formed with Jinyang as its seat, making it the true "Heart of Shanxi" and the most glorious predecessor of modern Taiyuan.
The Jin Temple, originally called the Jinwang Temple, was built in honor of Tang Shuyu, the founding feudal lord of the Jin State.
For over a thousand years since its founding, Jinyang served as the capital of three regimes—Zhao, Former Qin, and Northern Han—and as the secondary capital of six others: Eastern Wei, Northern Qi, Tang, Later Tang, Later Jin, and Later Han. In the late Sui Dynasty, Li Yuan and his son launched their campaign from Jinyang, captured Chang'an, and designated Jinyang as the Northern Capital. In 742, it was renamed Beijing, becoming one of the Five Capitals of the Tang Dynasty.
Besides Li Yuan and Li Shimin, Jinyang also produced dominant figures like Duke Wen of Jin and King Wuling of Zhao, as well as several emperors, earning it the reputation of a "dragon's lair" and the title "Dragon City."
The Jinyuan District of Taiyuan is the site of the ancient city of Jinyang.
Shanxi's place names also reflect the joys and sorrows of emperors. Wenxi County in Yuncheng got its name when Emperor Wu of Han, overjoyed upon hearing of a southern expedition's victory, named it "Hearing Joy." A millennium later, Emperor Taizong of Song felt great anger at the mention of Jinyang.
After two failed attempts to capture Jinyang, held by Northern Han, Emperor Taizong personally led a successful campaign. In a fit of rage and fearing its "dragon energy" might threaten his reign, he ordered the city destroyed. Yet, such an important city could not vanish entirely. Three years later, a new city was built at Tangming Town northeast of old Jinyang, forming the prototype of modern Taiyuan.
The name "Yuci" for the ancient city of Yuci relates to the Yu State during the Western Zhou Dynasty.
If there is a Dragon City, is there a Phoenix City? Indeed, Yuci is also known as "Phoenix City." According to the Yuci County Annals, "during Emperor Wu of Jin's reign, phoenixes gathered in Yuci," complementing Taiyuan's Dragon City to form a "dragon and phoenix bringing prosperity," hence the nickname.
Ying County, meaning "responding to mountains," is home to the world-renowned Yingxian Wooden Pagoda (Sakyamuni Pagoda).
The most beautiful place name is undoubtedly "Datong," meaning "Great Harmony Under Heaven."
Leaving southern and central Shanxi for the far north, this region has witnessed millennia of iron, blood, war, and peace in Chinese history, narrating an epic of collision and fusion between steppe and Central Plains cultures.
Xinzhou, Shanxi's largest prefecture-level city, is named after the northern stronghold "Xinkou." Legend says that after Emperor Gaozu of Han escaped the Siege of Baideng in the early Western Han Dynasty, his army "returned here joyfully." Since "欣" (joy) is interchangeable with "忻," the name Xinkou emerged. Strategically positioned between the Central Plains and the northern deserts, Xinzhou has long been called the "Key to Northern Shanxi."
The snow-covered south gate tower of ancient Xinzhou city; Xinzhou is also nicknamed "Joy."
Yanmen Pass, connecting to the northern deserts, witnessed 167 major battles, most famously the seesaw struggles between the Yang family of the Northern Song and the Liao forces. Deep in the Taihang Mountains, Niangzi Pass, the gateway to Hebei, earned its name when Princess Pingyang, Li Yuan's daughter, defended it with her army during the early Tang turmoil. Pingxing Pass is immortalized by the first major victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan.
Yanmen Pass in the snow was initially built by King Wuling of Zhao.
Of course, the most notable place name in northern Shanxi is Datong. Historically, the name originated from the Datong Army of the Tang Dynasty, which itself was named after the Datong River. During the Kaiyuan era, the Datong Army moved to Yunzhou, resulting in the Datong Army City alongside Yunzhou City. In the Liao Dynasty, the Datong Prefecture was established, transforming "Datong" from a military designation into a permanent place name.
Another ancient tale resonates more closely with the hopes of people both past and present. Legend has it that after Emperor Wu of Han defeated the Xiongnu, he named a local fortress "Datong" and built a city there, meaning to create an ideal society and achieve "Great Harmony Under Heaven."
The Yungang Grottoes in Datong, one of China's "Four Great Grottoes."
Photo 1 by Wang Huan, Photo 2 by He Jinchun, Photo 3 by Shi Yaochen
Such expectations seemed to gradually come true. Despite inevitable bloodshed and conflict, ethnic integration quietly took place here after the Eastern Han Dynasty. The Southern Xiongnu submitted to the Central Plains and were settled in northern Shanxi. The Cao Wei Dynasty further divided them into five groups and dispersed them throughout Shanxi. Additionally, northern ethnic groups such as the Jie, Qiang, Di, and Xianbei migrated inward one after another. Datong became the "melting pot" of the various ethnic groups of Huaxia.
The Datong Volcano, like a "great melting pot."
Particularly during the Northern Wei Dynasty established by the Xianbei people, Datong was not only the political, economic, military, and cultural center of northern China but also a hub for cultural exchange between the East and the West. With Emperor Xiaowen's move of the capital to Luoyang, the Sinicization movement achieved the peak of ethnic integration.
Ethnic groups can integrate, and so can place names.
Shanxi also has many place names formed through mergers.
Hidden in Shanxi's place names is the "ancestral home" of the Chinese people.
When speaking of Shanxi during the Ming and Qing dynasties, besides merchants, immigrants are perhaps the most notable.
The Shanhaiguan Pass of the Great Wall, where countless Shanxi people once came and went on both sides.
In the early Ming Dynasty, Shanxi experienced few wars, famines, or epidemics, and its population flourished. It had more people than Hebei and Henan provinces combined. As a result, the Ming government organized large-scale migrations out of Shanxi. The Shanxi people who left spread across 18 provinces, and their descendants later migrated to various southern regions and overseas. Over hundreds of years, they have spread all over the world.
Pingyao was originally called "Ancient Tao" and was once famous for its pottery.
In modern times, countless merchants and immigrants set out from here.
Hongtong County and the Great Pagoda Tree have long become synonymous with Chinese people seeking their roots. The name "Hongtong" originally meant "great water and rapid flow." By the banks of the Fen River, the people here were also "flowing" in all directions. "Ask me where my ancestors are from? The Great Pagoda Tree in Hongtong, Shanxi; what is the name of my ancestors' old home? The old stork's nest under the Great Pagoda Tree..."
The Ancestor Worship Square at the Great Pagoda Tree in Hongtong County.
After Shanxi immigrants settled in new places, they often named their new homes after their hometowns out of nostalgia for their native land. Thus, on the map, one can find many Shanxi place names that are not in Shanxi. For example, in Beijing's Daxing and Shunyi districts, immigrants brought place names such as Jishan Camp, Xia County Camp, Xinzhou Camp, and Zhangzi Camp, which still remain today, silently recounting the arduous history of their long journey.
The restored gate tower of Shanhaiguan Pass stands quietly at the junction of Shanxi and Inner Mongolia.
By the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, due to overpopulation, limited land, war, and famine, countless farmers left their homes in Shanxi to make a living elsewhere, known as "Walking to the West Mouth." Today, it is generally believed that the narrow definition of the "West Mouth" refers to Shanhaiguan Pass in northern Shanxi, which, along with Zhangjiakou in Hebei, is known as the two great passes of northern China. Heading north from Taiyuan, one had to cross the Fen River, Hutuo River, and Sanggan River. At the ferry crossings, reluctant family members and lovers could always be seen:
"Brother, you are walking to the West Mouth, little sister I truly cannot keep you,
Holding my brother's hand, I see him off to the entrance.
Over six centuries of large-scale migrations, Shanxi people have spread throughout China. As the saying goes, "Where sparrows fly, there are Shanxi people; where sparrows cannot fly, there are also Shanxi people." When called "Lao Xi'er," can the descendants who settled elsewhere still understand? Many returned home, but more did not. The offspring of the great locust tree may be right beside you and me.
Shanxi place names can trace origins and soothe nostalgia.
These are the stories within Shanxi's place names. They hold the grandeur of mountains and rivers, the legends of emperors and generals, and witness the joys and sorrows of generations of ordinary people. This square "memory box" has been sealed for too long, but once opened, it still illuminates past and present, near and far.
*History of Shanxi*, edited by Zhou Jirong, Shanxi Economic Press
*Wenyuan Lecture Series - Discovering Shanxi 2016*, compiled by Shanxi Provincial Library, Beiyue Literature and Art Publishing House
*History of Shanxi Local Chronicles*, Liu Yiling, Sanjin Publishing House