Wèinán

Weinan takes its name from its position south of the Wei River, on the eastern part of the Guanzhong plain. Between the river and the Qinling foothills, the district lay on the approach to the capital region from the east. In January 1556 the great earthquake centred near Hua County devastated Weinan along with neighbouring Huazhou and Huayin. A Ming official who witnessed the disaster recorded severe loss of life across the Wei valley. Under the Qing, Weinan County belonged to Xi'an prefecture.