Yulin, Shaanxi

Yulin played host to the 11th CHIME (European Foundation for Chinese Music Research) conference in August 2006. From 26–29 August 2017, the 1st IGU-AGLE Commission's conference on 'Global Rural Development and Land Capacity Building.' was held in Yulin University.{{Cite web|url=https://igu-online.org/igu-commission-on-agriculture-and-land-engineering-inaugural-conference-26-29-august-2017/|title = IGU Commission on Agriculture and Land Engineering inaugural conference, 26–29 August 2017|date = 2 May 2017}}

Yulin is the northernmost prefecture-level city of Shaanxi, and borders Ordos City (Inner Mongolia) to the north, Xinzhou and Lüliang (Shanxi) to the east, Yan'an to the south, and Wuzhong (Ningxia) to the west. To the north and northwest of the city lies the Ordos Desert, though the countryside is very green due to the many small shrubs which have been planted to slow the process of desertification. The city is based in a valley which extends north–south, which rises to a large vantage point to the north east, from which there are views of the west and northwest.

Lake Hongjiannao lies on the border of Yulin and Ordos City, Inner Mongolia (39°06′N, 109°53′E). It is China's largest "desert freshwater lake".{{cite web|last=Yang|first=Yi|title=China's largest desert freshwater lake shrinking|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-11/28/c_132926455.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205103807/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-11/28/c_132926455.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 5, 2013|work=English.news.cn|publisher=Xinhua|date=2013-11-28}} The lake is relatively recent, formed around 1929 due to increased rainfall in the early 20th century; before, the basin was a wetland.

The lake is supplied by four rivers, but there is no outflow. When its surface area was about {{convert|60|km2|abbr=on}}, its maximum depth was {{convert|10.5|m|abbr=on}} and the average depth {{convert|8.2|m|abbr=on}}.{{Cite journal | last1 = Shen | first1 = J. | last2 = Wang | first2 = Y. | last3 = Yang | first3 = X. | last4 = Zhang | first4 = E. | last5 = Yang | first5 = B. | last6 = Ji | first6 = J. | doi = 10.1007/BF03183747 | title = Paleosandstorm characteristics and lake evolution history deduced from investigation on lacustrine sediments—The case of Hongjiannao Lake, Shaanxi Province | journal = Chinese Science Bulletin | volume = 50 | issue = 20 | pages = 2355–2361| year = 2005 | bibcode = 2005ChSBu..50.2355S | s2cid = 129656486 }} However, the lake has been shrinking sharply over the past decade, to {{convert|32|km2|abbr=on}} at the present. The shrinking has been attributed to reservoir construction, mining, and agricultural irrigation.

Lake Hongjiannao is an important breeding habitat for relict gull, a species classified as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is estimated that up to 5,000 pairs breed there, making it the largest breeding colony of relict gulls. Shrinking of the lake and changes in water quality are threatening the colony.{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2017 |title=Larus relictus |volume=2017 |page=e.T22694447A119398496 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22694447A119398496.en |access-date=13 November 2021}}

Yulin has a continental, monsoon-influenced semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk), with very cold, rather long winters, hot and somewhat humid summers. Monthly averages range from {{convert|−8.0|°C|1}} in January to {{convert|23.8|°C|1}} in July, and the annual mean is {{convert|9.3|°C|1}}. Spring is especially prone to sandstorms blowing in from the northwest. There is only {{convert|433.4|mm|in|abbr=on}} of precipitation annually, 75% of which occurs from June to September. Due to the aridity, diurnal temperature variation is large for most of the year, averaging {{convert|12.7|C-change|1}} annually. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 56% in July and August to 66% in November, the city receives 2,716.5 hours of bright sunshine annually.

{{Weather box

|width = auto

|location = Yulin, elevation {{convert|1157|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1971–2010)

|metric first = Y

|single line = Y

|collapsed = Y

|Jan high C = -0.6

|Feb high C = 4.4

|Mar high C = 11.3

|Apr high C = 19.1

|May high C = 24.5

|Jun high C = 28.7

|Jul high C = 29.9

|Aug high C = 27.5

|Sep high C = 22.6

|Oct high C = 16.3

|Nov high C = 8.3

|Dec high C = 1.0

|Jan mean C = -8.0

|Feb mean C = -2.9

|Mar mean C = 4.2

|Apr mean C = 11.7

|May mean C = 17.6

|Jun mean C = 22.1

|Jul mean C = 23.8

|Aug mean C = 21.6

|Sep mean C = 16.3

|Oct mean C = 9.5

|Nov mean C = 1.5

|Dec mean C = -5.9

|Jan low C = -14.2

|Feb low C = -9.1

|Mar low C = -2.0

|Apr low C = 4.8

|May low C = 10.7

|Jun low C = 15.6

|Jul low C = 18.2

|Aug low C = 16.6

|Sep low C = 11.2

|Oct low C = 3.9

|Nov low C = -3.8

|Dec low C = -11.5

|Jan record high C = 11.2 |Jan record low C = -30.0

|Feb record high C = 17.2 |Feb record low C = -28.5

|Mar record high C = 28.6 |Mar record low C = -18.3

|Apr record high C = 34.8 |Apr record low C = -10.5

|May record high C = 36.2 |May record low C = -2.8

|Jun record high C = 39.0 |Jun record low C = 5.1

|Jul record high C = 38.6 |Jul record low C = 10.4

|Aug record high C = 36.3 |Aug record low C = 5.4

|Sep record high C = 36.0 |Sep record low C = -2.7

|Oct record high C = 28.5 |Oct record low C = -10.4

|Nov record high C = 22.4 |Nov record low C = -20.2

|Dec record high C = 13.2 |Dec record low C = -29.7

|year high C = |year low C =

|year high F = |year low F =

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 2.8

|Feb precipitation mm = 4.2

|Mar precipitation mm = 9.4

|Apr precipitation mm = 21.6

|May precipitation mm = 31.5

|Jun precipitation mm = 42.8

|Jul precipitation mm = 97.3

|Aug precipitation mm = 123.5

|Sep precipitation mm = 60.6

|Oct precipitation mm = 26.0

|Nov precipitation mm = 11.4

|Dec precipitation mm = 2.3

|Jan humidity = 52

|Feb humidity = 46

|Mar humidity = 40

|Apr humidity = 38

|May humidity = 40

|Jun humidity = 48

|Jul humidity = 60

|Aug humidity = 66

|Sep humidity = 66

|Oct humidity = 59

|Nov humidity = 55

|Dec humidity = 52

|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 2.1

|Feb precipitation days = 2.6

|Mar precipitation days = 3.5

|Apr precipitation days = 4.2

|May precipitation days = 6.2

|Jun precipitation days = 8.6

|Jul precipitation days = 10.6

|Aug precipitation days = 11.0

|Sep precipitation days = 9.0

|Oct precipitation days = 6.0

|Nov precipitation days = 2.9

|Dec precipitation days = 1.8

|year precipitation days =

|Jan sun = 194.4

|Feb sun = 190.3

|Mar sun = 227.6

|Apr sun = 247.1

|May sun = 283.6

|Jun sun = 271.4

|Jul sun = 251.4

|Aug sun = 234.8

|Sep sun = 211.2

|Oct sun = 221.0

|Nov sun = 196.1

|Dec sun = 187.6

|year sun =

| Jan percentsun = 63

| Feb percentsun = 62

| Mar percentsun = 61

| Apr percentsun = 62

| May percentsun = 64

| Jun percentsun = 61

| Jul percentsun = 56

| Aug percentsun = 56

| Sep percentsun = 57

| Oct percentsun = 65

| Nov percentsun = 66

| Dec percentsun = 64

| year percentsun =

|Jan snow days = 3.4

|Feb snow days = 3.1

|Mar snow days = 1.9

|Apr snow days = 0.7

|May snow days = 0.1

|Jun snow days = 0

|Jul snow days = 0

|Aug snow days = 0

|Sep snow days = 0

|Oct snow days = 0.3

|Nov snow days = 1.8

|Dec snow days = 2.8

|year snow days =

|source 1 = China Meteorological Administration{{cite web |url=http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data |publisher=China Meteorological Administration |language = zh-hans |access-date=26 August 2023}}

{{cite web|url=https://experience.arcgis.com/template/e724038fda394e9d9b7921f10fd1aa55/page/%E7%BA%AF%E8%A1%A8%E6%A0%BC%E7%BB%9F%E8%AE%A1-(%E5%AF%B9%E6%AF%948110%E5%8F%98%E5%8C%96)/?org=UQmaps |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网|publisher=China Meteorological Administration |language = zh-hans | access-date =26 August 2023}}

{{cite web|url=http://old-cdc.cma.gov.cn/shuju/search1.jsp?dsid=SURF_CLI_CHN_MUL_MMON_19712000_CES&tpcat=SURF&type=table&pageid=3 |script-title=zh:中国地面国际交换站气候标准值月值数据集（1971－2000年）|publisher=China Meteorological Administration |access-date=2010-05-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055035/http://old-cdc.cma.gov.cn/shuju/search1.jsp?dsid=SURF_CLI_CHN_MUL_MMON_19712000_CES&tpcat=SURF&type=table&pageid=3 |archive-date=2013-09-21

}}

}}

Yulin consists of two districts, one county-level city and nine counties.

Coal mining is the main industry of Yulin. There is a new oil-field project (2005+) just to the west of Yulin which is drilling wells for natural gas, and this has brought a good deal of money into the local economy.

This new oil/gas development is the current largest onshore project cooperated by the PetroChina and International Energy Company (Shell) in Mainland of China since 1999 (Product Sharing Contract (PSC) signed). In 2005, this project progressed to the construction and drilling phase and delivered gas into Shaanxi-Jing No.2 pipeline in 2007. The target annual gas production is 3 billion cubic meters (BCM) after this project reaches its full production capacity.

• Yulin Yuyang Airport
• Shenyan Railway
• G1812 Cangyu Expressway
• G65 Baotou–Maoming Expressway
• China National Highway 210

Because of its relative isolation, a considerable amount of classical architecture remains in the city proper including the original city wall, some of which has been restored. Other cultural relics include the Zhenbeitai watchtower, built during the Ming dynasty, which is the largest troop fortress built on the entire Great Wall, with original and restored pieces of the original Great Wall juxtaposed on both sides. There is a large restoration in process on this area of the Great Wall. In addition, pieces of the ancient Great Wall built during the Qin dynasty are scattered along the outskirts of town. There is also the Red Stone Gorge, a canyon lined with grottoes containing carved ancient writing and Buddhist art. The town also contains an ancient pagoda.

The Chinese dialect of Jin is spoken in Yulin.

{{Empty section|date=January 2015}}

• Liang Shidu, Sui-era rebel leader
• Han Shizhong, Southern Song general
• Li Zicheng, rebel leader, Emperor of the Shun dynasty
• Zhang Xianzhong, rebel leader, Emperor of the Xi dynasty
• Du Yuming, National Revolutionary Army lieutenant general
• Zhang Dazhi, People's Liberation Army lieutenant general
• Hu Qili, politician, former first-ranked secretary of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party
• Zhang Weiying, economist, professor and writer
• Gao Zhisheng, human rights lawyer and dissident
• Yin Yuzhen, environmentalist
• Jiang Shigong, legal and political theorist, vice president of the Minzu University of China
• Yang Qian, Chinese-Australian table tennis player

After the mayor of Gillette, Wyoming visited a coal conference in China, a delegation from Yulin went to Gillette. These meetings eventually led both to become sister cities in 2012.{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Abby |date=2012-10-31 |title=Sister Cities |url=http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/news/local/article_57f3543a-85b8-5fab-bbb2-3bcba92b16ab.html |work=Gillette News Record |location=Gillette, Wyoming |access-date=2017-12-21 }}{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Abby |date=2012-06-12 |title=Gillette and Yulin, China, are on a path to be sister cities |url=http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/news/local/article_5d8a3f48-7292-5c04-b46b-93b1948f9b37.html |work=Gillette News Record |location=Gillette, Wyoming |access-date=2017-12-21 }}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.yl.gov.cn/ Official website of Yulin Government]
• [http://www.yulinu.edu.cn/ Yulin University]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100115115322/http://study-yulin.crec.org.cn/ How to study at the Yulin University]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100115115213/http://www.crec.org.cn/ CREC (The Research Centre for the Recovery of Ecology and Culture in the Loess-Plateau)]

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Category:Cities in Shaanxi

Category:National Famous Historical and Cultural City