Fūshī

Fushi was the seat county of Yan'an, where the Yan River winds between the hills of northern Shaanxi. The county seat moved to the western bank in 1045, and Yan'an became a major administrative and military centre during the Song wars with Western Xia. Across the river rise the hills of Qingliang and Baota, whose temples, caves and inscriptions overlook the valley.

The Ming changed Yan'an Circuit into a prefecture in 1369, retaining Fushi as its seat county. Under the Qing it continued to govern a wide group of counties, though several subordinate Zhou were made directly administered in 1725. Gazetteers recorded the Yan River, which flowed past the east gate, as well as the Buddhist caves and inscriptions of Qingliang Mountain. The town's riverside setting and its commanding hills remained central to its life as a regional centre.