Níngyuǎn

Ningyuan lies beside the Wei River in the mountains of southeastern Gansu. The river runs east through the district, receiving several tributaries from the surrounding hills. A Song fort was established here in 1019 and became Ningyuan County in 1104. Its seat remained in the same town through later dynasties. A stone inscription of 1536 describes improvements to the county town and its Confucian school under a Ming magistrate, preserving a detailed account of the local rebuilding work.