Source of the Pearl River, a thousand-year-old tradition of Cuan culture—An overview of Qujing City
introduction
In the eastern part of Yunnan, the Wumeng Mountains stretch endlessly, and the Nanpan River flows gently from the Maxiong Mountains, beginning its magnificent journey as the Pearl River embarks on its long and winding course. This red land, covering a total area of 28,900 square kilometers, is Qujing, known as the "Key to Yunnan and Guizhou, the Throat of Yunnan." Connecting Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi provinces, Qujing has historically been the first gateway for Central Plains civilization to enter Yunnan, and a fertile ground for the harmonious coexistence of multiple ethnic groups. As a sub-center city of Yunnan Province and the province's second-largest economy, Qujing carries a rich historical and cultural heritage, abundant natural resources, magnificent karst landscapes, and vibrant modern vitality. It is the birthplace of the Cuan culture, the source of the Pearl River, a kingdom of ancient fish fossils, and a red hotbed of revolutionary history traversed by the Red Army during the Long March. From the hoofprints of the Qin Dynasty's Five-Foot Road more than two thousand years ago to today's extensive high-speed rail network; from the era when the Cuan clan dominated southern China during the Wei and Jin Dynasties to the contemporary era of coordinated industrialization, urbanization, and modernization, Qujing is writing a magnificent chapter unique to the land of eastern Yunnan at the intersection of history and reality.
Qujing City administers three urban districts (Qilin, Zhanyi, and Malong), one county-level city (Xuanwei), and five counties (Fuyuan, Luoping, Shizong, Luliang, and Huize). It also boasts a national-level economic and technological development zone. At the end of 2024, the city had a resident population of 5.634 million and a registered population of 6.7853 million. It is home to multiple ethnic groups, including Han, Yi, Hui, Miao, Zhuang, Buyi, Shui, and Yao, with hundreds of thousands of minority residents. This diverse cultural tapestry creates a vibrant, inclusive, and rich regional character. Qujing has received numerous national honors, including National Civilized City, National Sanitary City, National Garden City, National Forest City, and National Model City for Supporting the Army and Giving Preferential Treatment to Families of Servicemen. It is a core city in eastern Yunnan Province known for its livability, business environment, and thriving cultural and tourism industries.
I. Geographical Location and Natural Environment: The heart of the Wumeng Mountains, the source of the Pearl River
Qujing is located between 103°03′ and 104°32′ east longitude and 24°21′ and 27°03′ north latitude, situated on the slope transitioning from the eastern Yunnan Plateau to the western Guizhou Plateau in the central part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. It borders Liupanshui and Qianxinan in Guizhou and Baise in Guangxi to the east, Kunming to the west, Wenshan and Honghe to the south, and Zhaotong and Bijie in Guizhou to the north. It serves as a land transportation hub connecting Yunnan to inland provinces and is an important component of the central Yunnan urban agglomeration. It also occupies a crucial node position in the construction of the Western Land-Sea New Corridor and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor.
Topographically, Qujing is characterized by plateau mountains, intermontane basins (dams), and karst landforms. The Wumeng Mountains traverse the northern and eastern parts of the city, forming continuous mountain ranges and crisscrossing valleys. Scattered throughout the city are large and small dams, with the Luliang Dam being the largest plateau plain in Yunnan, boasting fertile land and historically serving as the granary of eastern Yunnan. The terrain within the city is extremely varied, with the highest point located at Guniuzhai, Dahailiangzi, Huize County, at an altitude of 4017.3 meters; the lowest point is at the confluence of the Nanpan River and the Huangni River in Luoping County, at an altitude of only 695 meters. This significant difference in elevation creates a rich and diverse natural landscape.
The climate is subtropical plateau monsoon, with four distinct seasons but mild temperatures, and an average annual temperature of about 14.5℃. Winters are mild, with temperatures rarely dropping below 0℃ in most areas; summers are not scorching, with temperatures in the height of summer mostly not exceeding 28℃. The diurnal temperature range is moderate, the air is clean, and blue skies and white clouds are common year-round. Locals often use the dialect phrase "好在" (hǎozài, meaning "fortunately") to describe the comfortable and livable climate of this land. Rainfall is concentrated in summer and autumn, with clear wet and dry seasons, and abundant sunshine, providing excellent conditions for plateau agriculture and forest ecosystems.
Qujing is the source of the Pearl River, China's third longest river. The Chushuidong Cave on the eastern slope of Maxiong Mountain in Zhanyi District is the true source of the Pearl River. A clear spring gushes from the mountain, forming the Nanpan River, which flows south, connecting countless waterways, crossing Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, and Guangdong, and finally emptying into the South China Sea, nourishing the entire Pearl River Delta. Xu Xiake, during his travels in eastern Yunnan, specifically visited Maxiong Mountain to investigate the source of the Pearl River, leaving behind valuable geographical records. "One drop of water divides three rivers, one stream separates two basins" is a unique geographical wonder of Maxiong Mountain. Here, the water source splits into the Nanpan River, Beipan River, and Niulan River, belonging to the Pearl River and Yangtze River basins respectively. A single mountain divides the water, connecting two major river systems, a true geological marvel.
The city boasts vast forest areas, totaling 1.6469 million hectares, and 38 nature reserves at various levels, rich in biodiversity resources. It is home to national first-class protected wild plants such as the Southern Yew and the Guizhou Cycas; and 13 national first-class protected wild animal species, including the Black-necked Crane, the Forest Musk Deer, the Black-necked Reeves' Pheasant, and the Chinese Merganser, inhabit and breed here. Every winter, large numbers of Black-necked Cranes migrate to Dahai Grassland and Nianhu Lake in Huize County to overwinter, becoming a highly iconic ecological landscape in eastern Yunnan. Qujing features well-developed karst landforms, with peak forests, caves, underground rivers, and waterfalls scattered throughout the area: Luoping boasts continuous peak forests and the Jiulong Waterfall Group with its ten cascading waterfalls; Shizong's Phoenix Valley houses a giant cave; and Luliang's colorful sand forests, formed by millions of years of sand weathering, create a vibrant and colorful landscape, collectively forming Qujing's magnificent landscape painting.
Meanwhile, Qujing is also a world-class treasure trove of paleontological fossils, known as the "Kingdom of Ancient Fishes." Numerous early vertebrate fossils have been unearthed in the Devonian strata dating back 420 million years, filling a crucial gap in the evolutionary history of life from jawless fish to jawed fish. The Luoping Biota is a world-renowned Triassic marine fossil assemblage, with a large number of well-preserved ancient marine fossils, providing irreplaceable physical evidence for the study of ancient marine ecology and the evolution of life. It is Qujing's unique natural scientific calling card.
II. Historical Development: A Millennial Passage, the Core of Southern China
Qujing is one of the earliest developed and oldest regions in Yunnan, with traces of human activity dating back to the Paleolithic era. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, it belonged to the Mimo tribe of the ancient Dian Kingdom, where tribes lived together and agriculture, fishing, and hunting gradually developed. After Qin unified the six kingdoms, it built the Five-Foot Road to manage the southwestern frontier. This road, only five feet wide, ran south from Yibin in Sichuan, passing through Zhaotong and Qujing, and reaching the Dianchi Lake area. The Five-Foot Road broke down the transportation barriers between the Central Plains and the southwestern frontier, allowing iron tools, agricultural techniques, and cultural systems from the Central Plains to flow continuously into eastern Yunnan. Qujing thus became the first stop for people from the Central Plains entering Yunnan, initiating more than two thousand years of continuous cultural exchange.
In 109 BC, during the second year of the Yuanfeng era of the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Wu of Han opened up the southwestern barbarians and established Yizhou Commandery. Wei County was established in the area of present-day Qujing, marking the earliest county-level administrative division in Qujing. In 225 AD, during the third year of the Jianxing era of the Shu Han Dynasty in the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang led a southern expedition, pacifying the southern regions. Jianning Commandery was established in Wei County, and the Yijiang Governor's Office was moved there, governing the entire southern region, encompassing most of present-day Yunnan, southern Sichuan, and western Guizhou. Qujing thus became the political and military center of the southern region. Legend has it that Zhuge Liang convened an alliance with local tribes, effectively governing the border regions and promoting ethnic harmony, creating a stable environment for the subsequent rise of the Cuan clan.
In the sixth year of the Tai Shi era of the Western Jin Dynasty, the imperial court established Ningzhou , one of the nineteen prefectures in the country, with its capital in Wei County. Ningzhou was directly under the central government's jurisdiction, marking the first time in Yunnan's history that a separate prefecture-level administrative region was established. Qujing, as the seat of Ningzhou, officially became the capital of the southwestern frontier. For nearly five hundred years, from the Western Jin Dynasty to the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty, the Cuan family guarded the southern part of Yunnan, a period known in history as the Cuan rule. The Cuan family was originally a large Han Chinese surname that migrated south from the Central Plains. After settling in eastern Yunnan, they integrated with various local ethnic groups over a long period, forming the unique Cuan culture. The Cuan culture inherited from the ancient Dian culture and paved the way for the Nanzhao and Dali cultures, representing one of the three major peaks of ancient Yunnan civilization.
The most precious relics of the Cuan culture are two national treasure steles—the Cuan Baozi Stele and the Cuan Longyan Stele, collectively known as the "Two Cuan." The Cuan Baozi Stele, now located at Qujing No. 1 Middle School, was carved during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Its calligraphy is simple and unadorned, serving as a living fossil of the transition from clerical script to regular script. The Cuan Longyan Stele, preserved in Luliang County, was carved during the Liu Song Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties. The Qing Dynasty scholar Kang Youwei praised it as "the first masterpiece of divine craftsmanship." The inscriptions record the origins and achievements of the Cuan family, making them not only calligraphic treasures but also primary historical materials for studying the history of ethnic minorities in the southwestern frontier during the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties.
During the Tang Dynasty, Quzhou and Jingzhou were established in this area, and the two regions were contiguous, later collectively known as "Qujing," from which the name Qujing originated. After the rise of the Nanzhao Kingdom, the political center of southern China shifted westward to Dali, and Qujing's status transformed into that of an important town in eastern Yunnan. During the Dali Kingdom period of the Song Dynasty, Shicheng Prefecture was established. In the thirteenth year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty, the Qujing Circuit General Administration was established, formally establishing the circuit-level administrative system. In the fifteenth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, the Qujing Military and Civilian Prefecture was established, and a large number of soldiers and civilians from the Central Plains followed Mu Ying to Yunnan to cultivate land, resulting in a large-scale migration of Han Chinese population. Central Plains agriculture, architecture, education, and culture spread widely in eastern Yunnan. In the early Qing Dynasty, the Yunnan-Guizhou Governor-General's Office was briefly located in Qujing, and later the Yidong Circuit was established, governing a large area of eastern Yunnan.
Since modern times, Qujing has been a place of turbulent change, where the flame of revolution was ignited. In 1927, the first local Party organization was established in Qujing, making it one of the earliest areas in Yunnan to carry out revolutionary activities. In 1935 and 1936, the First and Second Front Armies of the Red Army passed through Qujing during their Long Marches, leaving their mark on the land of veteran revolutionaries such as Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Zhu De. The Red Army captured Malong and Xuanwei, held an important meeting at Sanyuan Palace, launched the Battle of Hutou Mountain, and expanded its ranks in Shuicheng. More than 2,400 young men from the Cuan region joined the Red Army, and more than 17,000 sons and daughters of Qujing sacrificed their lives for national liberation. The former site of the Red Army at Sanyuan Palace, the site of the Battle of Hutou Mountain, and the Shuicheng Red Army expansion base together constitute an important red education base in Yunnan, where the red gene is deeply ingrained in this land.
In modern times, Qujing has continuously undergone administrative adjustments. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Qujing Special District was established, later renamed Qujing Prefecture. In 1997, Qujing Prefecture was abolished and Qujing City, a prefecture-level city, was established, completing the transition from prefecture to city. Subsequently, Malong and Zhanyi were successively changed from counties to districts, gradually forming the current administrative division pattern of 3 districts, 1 city, and 5 counties. Throughout its long history, the Five-Foot Road, the Cuan Stele, and the stories of the Long March have layered upon each other, and the Central Plains culture, indigenous ethnic culture, and revolutionary culture have continuously merged, creating a rich and diverse historical background for Qujing.
III. Cuan Culture and Diverse Ethnic Groups: The Charm of Cuan Villages and the Coexistence of Hundreds of Ethnic Groups
The character “爨” (Cuan) is complex in its strokes and originally meant cooking over a fire; it is also the most distinctive cultural symbol of this land. Cuan culture is not a single-ethnic culture, but rather a complex regional culture formed by the long-term coexistence and integration of Han immigrants and local ethnic groups such as the Yi and Pu since the Wei and Jin dynasties. For centuries, the Cuan clan governed southern China, upholding national unity, promoting inclusive governance, maintaining connections between the border regions and the Central Plains, and encouraging trade among various ethnic groups, with agriculture, handicrafts, and commerce developing simultaneously. In addition to the two Cuan steles, the “Alliance Stele of the Duan Clan and the Thirty-Seven Tribes” also exists in Qujing, recording the historical fact of the alliance of various tribes in eastern Yunnan during the Dali Kingdom period, witnessing the history of peaceful coexistence among the various ethnic groups in ancient Southwest China.
Contemporary Qujing continues to revitalize Cuan culture. Cuan-style calligraphy has entered school classrooms, and the creation of Cuan pottery, Cuan cultural and creative products, and Cuan cultural songs and dances continues. Cuan culture museums and Cuan culture towns have been established, and ancient stone inscriptions have stepped out of museums and integrated into the urban landscape, making the obscure and distant Wei and Jin frontier civilization a city cultural symbol that citizens can touch and perceive.
Qujing is a multi-ethnic region with rich and diverse folk customs. The Yi people are the most populous minority group in the area, and their Torch Festival is their grandest celebration. Every summer, villages light torches and hold bullfights, wrestling matches, and song and dance festivities, praying for favorable weather and abundant harvests. The Buyi people live along the Duoyi River in Luoping and Shizong counties. Their traditional folk customs include the March 3rd water-splashing song festival, five-colored rice, and bamboo pole dance. The Miao people celebrate the Flower Mountain Festival, where young men and women dance with reed pipes and parade in their finest attire. The Hui people maintain a long-standing commercial culture, and their halal cuisine and Islamic architecture are distinctive. Luliang preserves the custom of "stealing greens," where people pick vegetables from the fields on the night of the Lantern Festival, symbolizing welcoming the new year and good fortune—a unique local custom in eastern Yunnan.
This land has produced numerous outstanding individuals and boasts a rich and enduring cultural heritage. Huize produced Tang Jiyao, a leader of the National Protection Movement who left an important mark on modern Chinese history; the renowned mathematician Xiong Qinglai, born in Mile (anciently part of the Qujing cultural sphere), was a founder of modern Chinese mathematics; and countless other writers, scientists, and revolutionaries emerged from the Wumeng Mountains. Local folk arts are diverse and vibrant: Xuanwei lanterns, Luoping Buyi folk songs, Fuyuan Shui folk dances, folk paper-cutting, wood carving, and pottery—many of which have been included in various levels of intangible cultural heritage lists.
Culinary culture is the most vibrant embodiment of Qujing's humanistic spirit. Qujing cuisine is renowned far and wide. Xuanwei ham, one of China's three most famous hams, boasts a centuries-old curing process, resulting in a fresh, fragrant, and rich flavor that is sold throughout the country. Fuyuan pickled cabbage and pig's trotters, with their tangy and appetizing aroma, are a staple on the tables of people in eastern Yunnan. Huize's "Eight Bowls of Lamb" perfectly preserves the traditional banquet style of the Wumeng Mountains. Luoping honey, rapeseed, Luliang hemp-fiber fried dough twists, Qujing steamed rice noodles, and Zhanyi spicy chicken create a rich and layered flavor profile of eastern Yunnan. Qujing cuisine blends highland ingredients, Sichuan and Guizhou flavors, and local cooking techniques, resulting in a savory, rich, and vibrant dish. The saying "Play in Yunnan, eat in Qujing" is widely circulated.
IV. Resource Endowment and Industrial Development: A Major Town in Eastern Yunnan, Undergoing Industrial Transformation
Qujing is a major resource city in Yunnan Province, rich in mineral resources. 29 types of minerals have been discovered, with coal, phosphate, and lead-zinc reserves ranking among the top in the province, earning it the nickname "Southwest Coal Sea." Relying on its abundant mineral resources, Qujing has long been an important energy, chemical, and metallurgical base in Yunnan, serving as the cornerstone of the province's industrial development. Over the past few decades, thermal power, coal chemicals, non-ferrous metals, and building materials industries have formed the foundation of Qujing's industry, providing energy and raw material security for Yunnan's industrialization.
However, with the development of the times, Qujing has embarked on a path of industrial transformation and upgrading, no longer relying solely on resource extraction. Currently, Qujing is focusing on the construction of "one center, one model, and two zones," strengthening five major sectors: modern manufacturing, green energy, new materials, plateau-characteristic modern agriculture, and cultural tourism and health care. It is promoting the green transformation of traditional heavy industries, vigorously developing new energy industries such as photovoltaics and wind power, and creating industrial clusters for green silicon, green aluminum, and fine chemicals. Projects such as Xinyi Glass, polysilicon, and new energy batteries have been successively launched, and the industrial structure is transforming from "black resources" to green and low-carbon.
Highland agriculture is another major pillar industry in Qujing. The vast highland plains, with abundant sunshine and fertile soil, make Luliang, Zhanyi, Malong, and Luoping important agricultural production bases in Yunnan. Luoping's million mu of rapeseed not only create a world-class sea of flowers but also make it a major rapeseed producing area in China. Xuanwei potatoes, Huize grains, Shizong vegetables, Fuyuan konjac, marigolds, and other specialty agricultural products are cultivated on a large scale. Qujing is an important grain, vegetable, and meat supply base for Yunnan, with its highland specialty agricultural products continuously exported. Xuanwei ham and Luoping rapeseed oil are nationally renowned brands.
Locational advantages drive commerce and logistics. The Shanghai-Kunming High-Speed Railway, Nanning-Kunming Railway, Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, and Hangzhou-Ruili Expressway all traverse the area, with high-speed rail connecting to Kunming and Guiyang, providing rapid access to the national high-speed rail network. Qujing is a logistics hub in eastern Yunnan, leveraging its transportation infrastructure to develop into a regional commercial center, radiating to northeastern Yunnan, western Guizhou, and northwestern Guangxi. As a national-level development zone, Qujing Economic and Technological Development Zone continuously optimizes its business environment, attracting manufacturing and new materials enterprises to settle in the area and promoting the integration of industry and city.
As a sub-center city of Yunnan Province, Qujing's urban construction is progressing steadily. Qilin, the main urban area, is the city's core. Following the conversion of Zhanyi and Malong counties into districts, the city's urban clusters have continued to expand, with ongoing improvements to urban roads, parks, public healthcare, and educational facilities. Universities such as Qujing Normal University and Qujing Medical College are rooted locally, continuously cultivating talent for eastern Yunnan. The city prioritizes ecological protection, constructing extensive urban green spaces and riverside parks, integrating forests into the city, and encircling rivers and lakes, achieving parallel development of industry and ecological conservation.
V. Cultural and Tourism Resources: A landscape of mountains and rivers, offering scenic views throughout the region.
Qujing boasts five cultural and tourism highlights: the source of the Pearl River, the world's largest natural garden, the ancient fish kingdom, the red soil, and the hometown of Cuan culture. Six cultural and tourism corridors—the Pearl River Source Tracing Roots, the World Garden, the Origin of Life, the Spectacular Mountains and Waters, the Red Soil, and the Historical and Cultural Corridor—connect the scenic spots throughout the region. The area has a complete range of tourism resources, including mountains and rivers, humanities, paleontology, and red tourism.
Luoping is Qujing's most dazzling cultural tourism destination. Every early spring, millions of acres of rapeseed flowers bloom simultaneously, creating a golden sea of flowers that blankets the mountains and fields. The towering peaks amidst this floral paradise make it the world's largest natural garden. The Jiulong Waterfall Group features ten cascading waterfalls, powerful and majestic during the rainy season, and gentle and beautiful during the dry season. The Duoyi River boasts emerald green waters and travertine terraces covering its banks, with Buyi ethnic villages scattered along its banks, exuding the charm of a southern water town. The Jinji Peak Cluster, with its continuous karst peaks, is a paradise for photography enthusiasts.
Huize , an ancient city of copper merchants with a thousand-year history. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was an important copper mining area in the country. Copper from Dongchuan was transported to the capital from here, supporting the minting of Qing dynasty currency. The ancient city is well-preserved, with numerous guild halls. The Jiangxi Guild Hall and Huguang Guild Hall are exquisitely built with ornate carvings, witnessing the prosperity of copper merchants in those days. Dahai Grassland, a high-altitude grassland at over 3,000 meters above sea level, has vast meadows, herds of cattle and sheep, wildflowers in spring, green grass in summer, golden hues in autumn, and snowscapes in winter. Nianhu Lake is tranquil and serene, where black-necked cranes roost in during winter. The lake and birds blend together, making it a photographer's paradise.
Luliang , the largest plain in Yunnan, boasts colorful sand forests that have been weathered over millions of years. Red, yellow, orange, and gray sand pillars stand tall, creating a unique and magnificent landscape that combines geological science education with tourism value. The Cuan Longyan Stele is located in Xueguanbao, Luliang, a pilgrimage site for calligraphy enthusiasts.
Zhanyi is the source of the Pearl River. Ma Xiong Mountain Forest Park offers a spectacular view of the three rivers formed by a single drop of water, allowing visitors to trace the true source of the Pearl River. Haifeng Wetland, a high-altitude karst wetland, features interwoven peaks, lakes, and reeds, teeming with waterbirds and is known as "Little Guilin of Yunnan," boasting a rich, pristine natural environment.
Shizong boasts Phoenix Valley with its enormous karst caves and deep canyons, while Nandan Mountain is covered in lush forests. Junzi Mountain is ablaze with rhododendrons in spring, dotted with bizarre peaks and rocks. Fuyuan is characterized by its mountain scenery and Shui ethnic customs. Xuanwei, in addition to its ham culture, preserves the relics of the Five-Foot Road in the Dongshan Scenic Area and the Kedu Ancient Post Road, with ancient passes and inscriptions telling tales of the road's vicissitudes.
Red tourism is also an important sector in Qujing. The Sanyuan Palace Red Army Long March Site, the Hutoushan Battle Site, and the Huize Shuicheng Red Army Expansion Base record the Red Army's Long March in eastern Yunnan and are important destinations for Party history study and red tourism research. Paleontological research tourism is booming, with the Luoping Biota National Geopark and the Ancient Fish Fossil Museum providing popular science education on life evolution for young people.
Qujing boasts diverse seasonal tourism offerings: Luoping's flower sea in spring, alpine meadows and waterfalls in summer, Huize Ancient City and Dahai Grassland in autumn, and black-necked crane viewing in winter. It's a year-round destination. Unlike the bustling crowds of Dali and Lijiang, Qujing combines magnificent natural scenery with rich cultural heritage, preserving its original ecological environment well, making it ideal for self-driving tours, study tours, and cultural exploration.
VI. Contemporary Development, People's Livelihood, and Future Prospects
After years of development, Qujing's urban landscape has been continuously renewed, and people's livelihoods have steadily improved. The education system has been continuously improved, with solid basic education. Qujing Normal University, as a local undergraduate institution, continues to serve the cultivation of talent in eastern Yunnan. The medical and health system covers both urban and rural areas, and a four-tiered medical network at the city, county, township, and village levels is gradually being established. Urban and rural infrastructure has been continuously improved, with rural roads and drinking water projects progressing steadily, consolidating poverty alleviation achievements and promoting rural revitalization.
Ecological protection is the bottom line for Qujing's development. As the source of the Pearl River, Qujing bears the significant responsibility of protecting the water environment of the upper reaches of the Pearl River. The city is promoting watershed management, mine ecological restoration, and natural forest protection, managing the Nanpan River and Niulan River basins, and safeguarding the Pearl River's water source. It is also promoting the construction of green mines, transforming barren mountains left by past mining into green spaces, coordinating the conflict between mineral development and ecological protection, and preserving the green mountains and clear waters of the Wumeng Mountains.
Ethnic harmony is the foundation of Qujing's stability and development. The city continues to promote the creation of ethnic unity and progress, respects the customs and habits of all ethnic groups, supports the development of cultural tourism and distinctive agriculture in ethnic minority villages, and ensures that people of all ethnic groups live, study, work, and enjoy life together in harmony, with diverse cultures coexisting peacefully.
Currently, Qujing, based on its position as a sub-center city of Yunnan Province, is actively undertaking the spillover of industries from central Yunnan and opening up channels to the inland. In the future, Qujing will continue to enhance its five city brands, strengthen its three major directions of green industry, plateau agriculture, and cultural tourism and health care, and transform its locational advantages, resource advantages, and ecological advantages into advantages for high-quality development, building a livable, resilient, and intelligent modern city in the Cuan region.
Conclusion
The Pearl River originates from Mount Maxiong and has flowed for millennia, nourishing the red land of Qujing. From the merchants traveling along the Five-Foot Road to the ancient and vigorous inscriptions on the Cuan Stele; from the undying red flame on the Long March to the million acres of rapeseed flowers blooming every year; from a traditional industrial and mining city to a green industrial new city, the story of Qujing is a grand narrative of frontier development, ethnic integration, civilization continuation, and era-defining changes.
Majestic Wumeng Mountains and flowing Pearl River; the enduring charm of the Cuan people and the magnificent landscape of Qujing. Qujing possesses not only the majestic natural beauty of the plateau mountains and rivers, but also a profound cultural heritage spanning two thousand years, and the vibrant energy of the new era. It is both an ancient gateway from the Central Plains to Yunnan and a frontier for Yunnan's opening up to the inland; it is both a bountiful granary of eastern Yunnan and a new industrial city undergoing industrial upgrading and green transformation; it is both a homeland of harmonious coexistence among multiple ethnic groups and a distant destination for countless tourists to explore its landscapes and seek its history. Amidst the tides of the times, Qujing, at the source of the Pearl River, is writing a new chapter for the land of Cuan people with a steady and vigorous spirit.