From Barren Northwest to National Prominence: How Did Shaanxi's Largest City Achieve Its Remarkable Turnaround?
Cave dwellings, waist drums, paper-cutting, xintianyou folk songs, the Loess Plateau... These words easily remind people of Northern Shaanxi and Yan'an, but rarely of the "Northern Shaanxi within Northern Shaanxi"—the largest city in Shaanxi by area—
The Wave Valley in Jingbian, Yulin, resembles rolling red waves.
Also in Northern Shaanxi, Yulin is not as famous as the "Red Capital" Yan'an. Across Shaanxi, it cannot match the renown of Xi'an or Hanzhong. Yet this low-key "northern border city" of Shaanxi has quietly achieved multiple "reversals" in just a few decades.
From the most "rustic" small town in Northern Shaanxi to the most "prosperous" energy city; from being surrounded by desert in the early years of the People's Republic to being awarded the title of "National Forest City" in 2019—any one of Yulin's reversal achievements is enough to astonish the world.
Sand turned into farmland: the spectacular "green disks" in Yulin.
Yulin native Lu Yao wrote "Ordinary World" at the Yulin Hotel, but the landscapes and human stories of this land beneath his feet are anything but ordinary.
To protect the mountains and rivers behind it, Yulin was destined from its establishment to be a "city of suffering," destined to become a battlefield of dust and sand. Yet the yellow earth never stopped nurturing the people of Yulin, and the people of Yulin never abandoned this yellow land. They fought against poverty and against nature. The difficulty of Yulin's "transformation from ancient to modern" is as profound as it is moving.
The Chair Tower of Longwang Temple in Fugu,
Witness to countless wars and peace.
Located at the junction of five provinces and with an area equivalent to four Xi'ans, Yulin is a microcosm of Northern Shaanxi.
To the north, Yulin faces the Inner Mongolia Plateau across the Mu Us Desert, with continuous sandlands and grasslands, scattered beaches and lakes, vast and flat. To the east, Yulin borders Shanxi across the Yellow River. In the mountains at the Jin-Shaan border, the Yellow River cuts southward into a winding grand canyon, full of rapids and dangerous shoals.
To the west, Yulin connects with Gansu and Ningxia, while to the south lies the heart of the Loess Plateau, with crisscrossed ravines and rolling ridges like wheat ears. In the center of Yulin, the Great Wall stretches for thousands of miles, roughly separating the Loess Plateau from the Inner Mongolia Plateau.
Yulin's larger towns are situated along several rivers north and south of the Great Wall. The Wuding River is the "mother river" of the six southern counties of Yulin. Many are familiar with this river because of that Tang dynasty frontier poem: "Poor bones by the Wuding River, still dreamt of by spring boudoir hearts." The open flatlands along the Wuding River were famous battlefields, and the fate of ancient Yulin was as tragic as this poem suggests.
Two截然不同的地形，被长城分隔。
The Guanzhong Plain, known as the "land of four passes," has the居高临下的黄土高原 to its north, with no major passes to defend, and Yulin lies at the junction of agricultural and nomadic civilizations, like a bomb waiting to explode. Therefore, since the Qin dynasty, especially for Central Plains dynasties that established their capital in Chang'an, this barrier protecting the capital required "special attention." Today, place names across Yulin—Jingbian, Dingbian, Wubao...—all attest to the military struggles of the past.
The Qin and Han dynasties resisted the Xiongnu here; the famous general Meng Tian and Fusu, the eldest son of Qin Shi Huang, once stationed 300,000 troops here. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Northern Wei and the赫连夏, founded by descendants of the Xiongnu, fought back and forth here. The capital of赫连夏 was the now-famous统万城. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Liang Kingdom was entrenched here. Over three hundred years later, the Western Xia, Northern Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties successively confronted each other here, until the蒙古马蹄踏遍长城南北。
统万城，当地人称为“白城子”。
By the Yuan and Ming transition, the Mongol Yuan forces retreated to the desert, and conflicts between the Ming and Mongols were particularly frequent in the Yulin area. In the early Ming dynasty, today's Yulin city was still a small fortress. By the mid-Ming dynasty, to resist lightning raids by Mongol armies, the military administration moved from Suide to Yulin. From this time, Yulin Fort became one of the nine important garrison towns along the Great Wall.
Outside Jian'an Fort, the trajectory of the Great Wall can still be faintly seen.
Moreover, Yulin is precisely at the midpoint of the Ming Great Wall. If it fell, it would be like cutting a giant dragon in half, leaving head and tail unable to coordinate. Yulin's military importance is evident. It was also from the Ming dynasty that Yulin began to build and expand its city walls, undergoing "three expansions" to become the ancient city of Yulin we see today.
The three expansions of Yuyang are a testament to the enhanced military status of Yulin.
Therefore, since ancient times, unlike Chang'an, which served as the strategic capital region, or Hanzhong, a key transportation hub, Yulin has long been a military fortress where everything revolved around war preparedness. It was only after the Qing Dynasty unified the country that its military significance gradually diminished.
However, Yulin did not rise as a result. On the contrary, by this time, the city was surrounded by desert, as if it were about to be buried in dust and sand. According to the *Ming Jing Shi Wen Bian* (Collection of Ming Dynasty Statecraft Writings), Yulin in the Ming Dynasty was already "covered in accumulated sand up to the city walls, with yellow sand stretching as far as the eye could see." Arid, barren, and plagued by harsh weather, Yulin seemed to have been handed a script of suffering by fate itself.
From the Ming and Qing dynasties to the present, facing three major disadvantages—harsh environment, poverty, and weak cultural foundations—Yulin has undergone three remarkable comebacks, each akin to "rising from the ashes." A massive oasis emerged from the desert, transforming the once impoverished northern Shaanxi town that relied on subsistence farming into today's economic powerhouse—the second-largest GDP and highest per capita GDP in Shaanxi.
The Changqing Oilfield is located on the Loess Plateau.
Once surrounded by desert, now lush with greenery.
After the establishment of Yulin Wei, the Ming government implemented a system of garrison farming to ensure food self-sufficiency, encouraging land reclamation and cultivation on a scale larger than any previous dynasty. At the same time, annual controlled burning was carried out to prevent nomadic cavalry from venturing south for grazing and plundering. Even during peacetime, when war erupted, the trampling of horses and soldiers would stir up dust and sand, destroying forests and grasslands and exacerbating desertification.
The Mu Us Desert once encircled the city of Yulin on all sides.
By the late Qing Dynasty, the ancient city of Yulin had even shrunk southward. During the Republican era and the early years of the People's Republic, Yulin became one of the regions most severely affected by land desertification and sand encroachment in the country.
A local saying vividly captures the harsh environment of Yulin at the time: "When a windstorm blows, lamps are lit in the daytime, magpies lose their lives, and donkeys fall into ditches." The ecological conditions on the southern Loess Plateau were equally dire, with frequent droughts—nine out of ten years—and severe soil erosion.
But the people of Yulin did not succumb to the yellow sand. Instead, they launched a long-term campaign to "combat sand in the north and soil erosion in the south." The transformation from yellow sand and barren soil to green mountains and clear waters marked Yulin's first "comeback."
Aerial seeding for afforestation brought greenery back to Yulin.
In the 1960s, Yulin pioneered aerial seeding technology to rapidly expand afforestation areas. However, to ensure survival rates, extensive manual planting was still required. Generations of Yulin people have dedicated themselves to this cause of desert control.
Coupled with nationwide initiatives like the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Program and the Grain for Green Program, by 2019, the forested area in Yulin's sandy regions had increased from 600,000 mu (approximately 40,000 hectares) in the early years of the People's Republic to 21.57 million mu (approximately 1.44 million hectares), with forest coverage rising from 0.9% to 33%. The desertification control rate reached 93.24%, meaning the Mu Us Desert, which had plagued the region for centuries, was on the verge of "disappearing" from Yulin!
Terraced fields on the Loess Plateau rise layer upon layer.
The surroundings are no longer so "yellow."
Part of the film *My People, My Homeland* was shot in Yulin. One line stands out: "Didn’t you say your hometown was all about the Loess Plateau? Where’s the yellow earth?" The desert control story in the film moved audiences to tears, while the real-life achievements of Yulin fill its people with pride.
Today, Yulin is filled with vibrant greenery. With the improved environment, life has also become better. The transition from poverty to prosperity marks Yulin's second "comeback," made possible by its natural advantages.
Once relying on subsistence farming, now "sitting on a fortune."
Hundreds of millions of years ago, the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates led to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, causing fractures in the region of the Loess Plateau and forming rift basins. Rivers gathered into lakes, seas, and swamps. Coupled with a warm climate at the time, northern Shaanxi was lush with dense vegetation and teeming with wildlife. As the crust gradually subsided, trees were rapidly buried by sediment, turning into underground black treasures—coal and oil—like a "treasure basin."
Changqing Oilfield, China's largest oil and gas field.
Yulin possesses exceptionally rich and vast "energy," rare both domestically and internationally. The city has discovered 48 types of minerals across 8 major categories, particularly abundant reserves of coal, natural gas, and oil concentrated in one region. Every square kilometer underground contains 6.22 million tons of coal, 14,000 tons of petroleum, and 100 million cubic meters of natural gas, making it truly deserving of the title "China's Kuwait."
The Shenfu Coalfield, located at the border of Shenmu City and Fugu County, is currently China's largest coalfield and one of the world's seven major coal mines. Its proven coal reserves reach 134.94 billion tons, accounting for about 15% of China's discovered coalfields. Even if only the Shenfu Coalfield were mined nationwide, with an annual coal consumption of approximately 3 billion tons, it could be mined for a full 45 years.
Abundant reserves of coal, natural gas, and oil concentrated in one region.
Yulin can be called "China's Kuwait."
China's largest oil and gas field, Changqing Oilfield, spans Qingyang in Gansu and Yulin in Shaanxi. Twelve national natural gas trunk lines, including the West-East Gas Pipeline, Shaanjing, and Jingxi, crisscross Yulin, supplying natural gas to over 40 large and medium-sized cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, benefiting 500 million people.
The core hinterland of "West Coal East Transport," an important source of "West-East Gas Pipeline," and a major starting point of "West-East Power Transmission"... Today's Yulin is truly deserving of the title "China's Energy Capital." Now, a green transformation in energy production is also taking place in Yulin, with photovoltaic and wind power holding enormous development potential.
Wind power generation is making the transitioning coal city even more beautiful.
From a frontier military fortress to a cultural city today.
Its shining energy sector has not dimmed Yulin's cultural side. Becoming a National Historical and Cultural City is Yulin's third "counterattack." The cultural relics and historic sites preserved from the war period have become another valuable asset for Yulin.
The ancient city of Yulin, built for military defense, has another nickname—"Little Beijing" on the frontier. This is not an empty claim. During the Ming Dynasty, Yulin was the only city in the country where the emperor explicitly allowed its city walls to be taller than those of Beijing. With its flat city layout, wide streets, and sturdy walls, when Emperor Wuzong of Ming stationed at the Kaige Tower in Yulin, he said to his attendants, "Yulin is truly a little Beijing!"
"Facing the Yan Frontier to the north," the Western-style clock tower in Yulin city.
The ancient city of Yulin has a peculiar feature—it has no north gate. In fact, since its construction in the Ming Dynasty, Yulin has never had a north gate. Instead, a tall Zhenbeitai was built on the northern wall for observing enemy movements. Known as the "First Tower Under Heaven," Zhenbeitai is one of the "Three Great Wonders of the Chinese Great Wall," alongside Jiayuguan and Shanhaiguan, and has witnessed countless battles and campaigns.
Looking north from the "First Tower Under Heaven"—Zhenbeitai.
To the north of the ancient city of Yulin lies the Red Stone Gorge, renowned as the "Forest of Steles on the Frontier." Red cliffs stand opposed on the eastern and western banks, with the Yulin River flowing through. Ancient literati, artists, and even military generals stationed in Yulin enjoyed inscribing poems and expressions here.
On the cliffs along the west bank of the Yellow River stands the "First Stone City of China"—the Wubao Stone City. It is the best-preserved ancient county town in the northwest, dating back a thousand years. Integrated into the mountain terrain, it is as solid as a rock, earning it the nickname "Copper Wubao."
"Copper Wubao" is the throat between Shanxi and Shaanxi.
In fact, the most indelible "scenery" of Yulin, which has undergone three "counterattacks," is its people generation after generation and the enduring spirit of Yulin passed down through the ages.
Countless "Yugongs" of Yulin.
Years of war, harsh environments, and barren soil were the survival backdrop for the people of Yulin for centuries. Writer Wang Anyi, describing northern Shaanxi, said, "So narrow it feels like a crack in the world." This very narrowness shaped the character of the people of Yulin.
On the "red waves," a flock of pure white sheep passed by.
To change the face of poverty and backwardness, one must possess the momentum to move mountains and alter rivers. Yulin has produced fierce warriors and scholars rooted in the land—ultimately, they are all tenacious people who refuse to admit defeat or accept fate.
During the war years, the Yang Family Generals of Linzhou fought on the front lines for generations, leaving behind the legendary tale of "The Yang Family Generals" that is still sung today; Han Shizhong of Suizhou achieved great military feats in resisting the Jin and suppressing rebellions; and Li Zicheng, the "Dashing King" of the late Ming Dynasty, was born in Mizhi's Li Jiqian Village.
It is also lamentable to say that Yulin was one of the most heavily guarded frontier regions during the Ming Dynasty, and countless elite soldiers and generals of the Ming Dynasty hailed from Yulin. There was even a saying, "All regional commanders of the Ming Dynasty come from Yulin." Yet, in the end, it was also a native of Yulin who brought about the downfall of the Ming Dynasty.
The men of Northern Shaanxi are fierce and tenacious, capable of "moving mountains and altering rivers."
During the revolutionary era, Suide County established the first Party organization in Northern Shaanxi. The Qingjian Uprising of 1927 was the first armed uprising launched by Communists in the Northwest. In the 1930s, Yulin Middle School, a cradle of revolution, nurtured a group of revolutionary students such as Liu Zhidan, Xie Zichang, and Liu Lantao. The "Six Martyrs of the Wuding River," the "Eighteen Warriors of the Caiyuangou Tragedy"... countless people from Yulin sacrificed their lives for the revolution.
In times of peace, Yulin is represented by its scholars—Li Youyuan from Jiaxian County wrote the lyrics to the song "The East Is Red"; Liu Qing from Wubao County penned "The Builders," a work reflecting the traditions and upheavals of 20th-century rural life; and Lu Yao from Qingjian County devoted his heart and soul to writing "Ordinary World," a monumental work depicting the changes in contemporary urban and rural social life.
The prototype of "Yuanxi County" in "Ordinary World" is Gaojiabao.
Thirty or forty years ago, "Ordinary World" might have been one of the earliest "podcasts." Even before the book was completed, it was broadcast on Central People's Broadcasting Radio in 1988, reaching a cumulative audience of over 300 million listeners. It later swept the nation and directly influenced generations of young people's attitudes toward hardship. "Ordinary World" is an epic of survival for ordinary people, anchored in Yulin.
The "Yuanxi County" in "Ordinary World" is today's Gaojiabao in Shenmu City; "Shuangshui Village" is Wangjiabao in Qingjian County; and "Dongla River" is the Qingjian River... Beyond the correspondence of locations, the novel tells the story of Sun Shaoping leaving the mountains to venture into the outside world and Sun Shao'an staying on his homeland to endure rural transformations. The story of the Sun brothers is precisely the story of countless people from Yulin in the 1970s and 1980s.
Elderly people sitting along the streets of Gaojiabao, basking in the sun.
Sun Shaoping came from a poor background and endured countless hardships, but he never lost the courage to continue living. In writing this, Lu Yao was essentially telling his own story of suffering. "I am an ordinary person, but an ordinary person can also live an extraordinary life." Isn't this story of personal struggle exactly the script of Yulin people constantly striving on originally poor and constrained land?
The "Number One Mansion in the Northwest," the Jiang Family Manor in Mizhi County.
Thus, it is no surprise that Yulin writers like Lu Yao and Liu Qing rooted themselves in the land, pouring all their passion and energy into their creations, even at the cost of their lives. It is no surprise that "Mizhi's women, Suide's men" became a cultural phenomenon renowned nationwide. It is no surprise that the festive and auspicious BGM "Spring Festival Overture," essential for Chinese New Year, originates from Mizhi Yangge and this very land.
The Hengshan Lao Waist Drum resounds thunderously.
It is also no surprise that when deserts besieged the city, Yulin produced a large number of desert control heroes, such as Li Shoulin, Zhu Xubi, Shi Guangyin, Niu Yuqin, and the Bulanghe Women's Militia. The wind and sand eroded their youthful appearances, yet they dedicated their youth and lives to this land.
Facing life's twists and turns, they still radiate fierce vitality; confronting constrained land, they maintain a resilient attitude. This is the essence of the Yulin spirit.
No matter how they rise against adversity, the people of Yulin remain inseparable from the land. This once endlessly harsh land has now become a fervent ground for their efforts. Not only in energy, but today Yulin's agriculture, especially minor grains, is also outstanding. The once barren land now supports Shaanxi's second-largest granary.
Fugu County in northeastern Yulin is known as the "Hometown of Chinese Millet." Dingbian County in the southwest is an important potato-producing area, with planting areas accounting for 40% of the total arable land. Jiaxian County is the "Famous Hometown of Chinese Red Dates," with its ancient jujube garden hosting the world's best-preserved and largest millennium-old jujube tree grove...
As written in "Ordinary World": "Countless 'Foolish Old Men' moved mountains and rivers shovel by shovel and hoe by hoe." The people of Yulin, like the "Foolish Old Men," were nurtured by the land, devoted themselves to it, and ultimately achieved their "rise against adversity" on this very land.
There is no child in Yulin who has not run on the earthen slopes.
The counterattack stems from relentless self-improvement. With the landscape transformed, the legend of this land's resurgence continues.
Text by Waiting & Li Yi
Map reviewed by monk
Unsigned images | Visual China Group
*Yulin City Records*, compiled by Yulin City Records Compilation Committee, Sanqin Publishing House, 1996
*Shaanxi Provincial Records · Geography*, compiled by Shaanxi Provincial Local Records Compilation Committee, Shaanxi People's Publishing House, 2000