Gùchéng

Gucheng is an old place name in the Huai River country of southern Henan. Local tradition connects it with a fortified settlement mentioned in accounts of the struggles between Chu and neighbouring states in the Spring and Autumn period. The surrounding plain is crossed by tributaries of the Huai, with cultivated land and villages spread across its low ground. The name preserves the memory of an old stronghold in this riverine landscape.