Lóngdé

Longde lies on the western slopes of the Liupan Mountains, where roads lead toward Guyuan, Pingliang and the western frontier. Its name grew out of the Song fort of Longde, established in a region contested with Western Xia. The Jin raised the settlement to county status, and under the Yuan the county seat was moved to Longgan City at the foot of the mountains. The Ming rebuilt the walls and stationed a garrison here; the fortifications were later altered and rebuilt under the Qing.