Kunming

 

(kūn'mĭng') , city (1994 est. pop. 1,240,000), capital of Yunnan prov., S China, on the northern shore of Dian Chi Lake. It is a major administrative, commercial, and cultural center of S China and leading transportation hub (air, road, rail), with rail connections to Vietnam. It is China's largest producer of copper. Coal is mined, and the city has an iron and steel complex. Other manufactures include phosphorus, chemicals, machinery, textiles, paper, and cement. Kunming has long been noted for its scenic beauty and equable climate. It consists of an old walled city, a modern commercial suburb, and a residential and university section. Although it was often the seat of kings in ancient times, Kunming's modern prosperity dates only from 1910, when the railroad from Hanoi was built. In World War II, Kunming was important as the Chinese terminus of the Burma Road. The city has an astronomical observatory, and its institutions of higher learning include Yunnan Univ. and a medical college. On the outskirts is a famed bronze temple, dating from the Ming dynasty. Kunming was formerly called Yunnanfu.

Kunming (Chinese: 昆明; pinyin: Kūnmíng; Wade-Giles: K'un-ming) is the capital city of Yunnan province, China. It has an estimated population of 5,740,000 including 3,055,000 in the urban area and is located at the northern edge of the large Lake Dian. Because of its year-round temperate weather, Kunming is often called the "Spring City" (春城).

History

Early townships in the southern edge of Lake Dianchi (outside the contemporary city perimeter) can be dated back to 279 BC, although long since lost to history.

In AD 765, Tuodong (拓东) city was founded.

In the 13th century, Marco Polo is thought to have traveled to this area and written about his fascination. The city was renamed Kunming by the Mongol rulers of the Yuan dynasty in 1276.

In the 14th century, Kunming was retaken by the Ming Dynasty, which built a wall surrounding present-day Kunming.

In the 19th century, Kunming suffered at the hands of rebel leader Du Wenxiu, the Sultan of Dali, who attacked and besieged the city several times between 1858 and 1868. Decades later Kunming began to be influenced by the West.

In the 20th Century, Kunming was targeted by the Imperial Japanese Air Force during their campaigns in China. The American Volunteer Group, also known as the Flying Tigers, flew out of Kunming in 1941 and 1942 in defiance of Japanese aggression. They also were tasked with defending China's lifeline to the outside world, the Burma Road and the Ledo Road, which had Kunming as its Northern terminus.

Economy

Kunming's economy was ranked 12th of all Chinese cities in 1992. The salt and phosphate mines around Kunming are some of China's best. Because of its location in a remote corner of China, Kunming was generally bypassed by China’s rapid economic growth in the 1990s. However, recently the city has received renewed attention, launching Kunming into becoming an international hub that China desperately needs to access different areas of South and Southeast Asia. Several railroads and highways have been planned to connect Kunming to areas of Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos, providing Kunming access to sea ports. Kunming economic authorities are active participants in the Greater Mekong Sub-region, promoting trade throughout China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Colleges and universities

• Yunnan University (云南大学) (founded 1923) member of GMSARN
• Kunming University of Science and Technology (昆明理工大学) member of GMSARN
• Southwest Forestry College [1] (西南林学院)
• Yunnan Agricultural University (云南农业大学)
• Yunnan Normal University (云南师范大学)
• Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (云南中医学院)
• Yunnan University of Finance and Economics (云南财贸学院)
• Kunming Medical College (昆明医学院)
• Kunming University (昆明大学)
• Kunming Teacher's College (昆明学院)

Note: Institutions without full-time bachelor programs are not listed.

Other

• Yunnan Arts College (云南艺术学院)

Chinese Language Schools in Kunming

• Yunnan University (云南大学) (founded 1923)
• Yunnan Normal University (云南师范大学)
• Keats School

Sister cities

• New Plymouth, New Zealand
• Denver, USA
• Wagga Wagga, Australia
• Zürich, Switzerland
• Chefchaouen, Morocco

External links

• More Kunming Information
• Kunming Travel Guide
• Kunming photos & map
• Kunming Portal
• Kunming Online Community
• Living in Kunming as a Foreigner

Prefecture-level divisions of Yunnan
Prefecture-level cities:	Baoshan | Kunming | Lijiang | Lincang | Pu'er | Qujing | Yuxi | Zhaotong
Autonomous prefectures:	Chuxiong | Dali | Dehong | Dêqên | Honghe | Nujiang | Wenshan | Xishuangbanna
List of Yunnan County-level divisions

Coordinates: 25°02′30″N, 102°42′18″E

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