Nanyang

About Nanyang

Nanyang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Henan province, China. The city with the largest administrative area in Henan, Nanyang borders Xinyang to the southeast, Zhumadian to the east, Pingdingshan to the northeast, Luoyang to the north, Sanmenxia to the northwest, the province of Shaanxi to the west, and the province of Hubei to the south.

Nanyang was the home of various important figures in Chinese history. It nurtured the "sage of science" Zhang Heng, "sage of medicine" Zhang Zhongjing, "sage of commerce" Fan Li, and "sage of intelligence" Zhuge Liang. It has also been home to contemporary celebrities such as philosopher Feng Youlan, military strategist Peng Xuefeng, novelist Yao Xueyin, inventor Wang Yongmin, and writer Er Yuehe.

In the name "Nanyang", Nan (南) means south, and Yang (阳/陽) means sun—the south side of a mountain, or the north side of a river, in Chinese is called Yang. The name came from Nanyang Commandery, a commandery established in the region during the Warring States period. Before the name "Nanyang" became associated with the city itself, it was referred to as "Wan" (宛...

Overview adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA. Photography via Wikimedia Commons.