Guyuan^ⓘ (Chinese: 固原; pinyin: Gùyuán), formerly known as Xihaigu (Chinese: 西海固; pinyin: xīhǎigù, Xiao'erjing: قُ‌يُوًا شِ), is a prefecture-level city in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. It occupies the southernmost section of the region, bordering Gansu province to the east, south, and due west. This is also the site of Mount Sumeru Grottoes (须弥山), which is among the ten most famous grottoes in China.^[2] As of the end of 2018, the total resident population in Guyuan was 1,124,200.^[3]

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Quick Facts 固原市 · قُ‌يُوًا شِ‎Kuyuan; Kuyüan, Country ...

Guyuan 固原市 · قُ‌يُوًا شِ‎ Kuyuan; Kuyüan
Prefecture-level city
Xumishan grottoes
Guyuan City (yellow) within Ningxia
Guyuan Location of the city center in Ningxia
Coordinates (Zhongxin Park (中心公园)): 36°00′36″N 106°15′25″E
Country	People's Republic of China
Region	Ningxia
Municipal seat	Yuanzhou District
Area
• Total	14,412.83 km2 (5,564.82 sq mi)
Elevation	1,777 m (5,830 ft)
Population  (2007)
• Total	1,455,200
• Density	100/km2 (260/sq mi)
GDP[1]
• Total	CN¥ 21.7 billion US$ 3.5 billion
• Per capita	CN¥ 17,819 US$ 2,861
Time zone	UTC+8 (China Standard)
Postal code	756000
Area code	(0)954
ISO 3166 code	CN-NX-04
Licence plate prefixes	宁D
Website	www.nxgy.gov.cn

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During the Warring States Period, Guyuan belonged to the territory of Qin state, later Qin Dynasty. The original name of the city began in the Ming dynasty (1452 AD). Because of the importance of its transportation in history, Guyuan was a war gate where Chinese soldiers trained and prepared to fight with northwestern minorities. In the Tang dynasty, most of the dealers from middle Asia need to go through this gate, then went to the capital, Chang’an.^[4]

According to the First Founder's Biography in History of Yuan Dynasty, Genghis Khan died in Liupan Mountain in Guyuan in 1227 AD, after a war with the Xixia dynasty for two decades.^[5]

Liupanshan National Forest Park is one of the most important features of Guyuan, with more than 530 species of wild medicinal plants. There are a number of diversified animals inhabited in the forest, for instance, the national first-class protected animal golden leopard, the third-class protected animal forest musk deer, golden eagle, and red-bellied golden pheasant.^[6]

Guyuan has a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate (Köppen Dwb), with long, cold, dry winters, and warm, rainier summers. With temperatures cooled by the elevation that exceeds 1,770 metres (5,810 ft), highs average slightly below freezing in January and reach only 25 °C (77 °F) in July. Much of the year's precipitation is delivered from June to September.

The city is served by Guyuan Liupanshan Airport, though travelers may also choose Zhongwei Xiangshan Airport and Yinchuan Hedong International Airport as well. The G70 Fuzhou–Yinchuan Expressway passes through the area on its way to the regional capital of Yinchuan.

As there is no high-speed railways to Guyuan, one of the fastest ways to travel^{[citation needed]} to Guyuan from a major city is an approximately 4-hour drive from Yinchuan, which is actually faster than traveling by train, which takes at least 5 hours^{[citation needed]}.