Xīchéng

Xicheng stands in the upper Han River valley, between the Qinling and the Daba Mountains. An ancient county seat, it became the centre of Jinzhou, whose name was associated with gold found in the Yue River valley. The Yuan absorbed Xicheng County into the prefecture. In 1583 the Ming renamed Jinzhou Xing'an; in 1782 the Qing raised Xing'an to a superior prefecture and established Ankang County at its seat. The old town remained the administrative centre of the river basin through these changes.