Kunming , the capital of Yunnan Province , is known as the “city of eternal spring .” Located in the middle of the Yunan Plateau 6,300 feet above sea level, subtropical Kunming is skirted by mountains to the north, east, and west, while to the south lies a large lake called Dian chi. Kunming has a mild climate and flowers bloom most of the year round. But its association with eternal spring can be misleading, because there are sometimes cold winds in winter, chilly days in spring, and heavy rains in summer. Generally speaking, though, the city's climate is kind to travelers most of the time.
Kunming has a history spanning more than 3,000 years. It is known to have been a small settlement as early as 109 B.C., trading in salt, silver, gold, silk and lumber. Through the eighth to the 13th centuries, it was the secondary capital of a small kingdom in the region, before falling to the Mongols in 1374. A small group of Mongols still exists at Tonghai, about 75 miles south of Kunming .
Yunnan Province , so named because of its location to the south of the Yun Mountains , is the home of 52 nationalities including the Han.
X ishan, or West Hill, is a 30-minute bus ride from kunming . It is really made up of four hills , which form a contour resembling a sleeping beauty, whose hair flows down to the water. For this reason Xishan is also called a sleeping beauty mountain. A forest stretches for several miles, containing ancient buildings such as the Huating Temple , the Taihua Temple , and the Sanqing Pavilion, nestling almost unseen, among the thick foliage. From Xishan you can get a fantastic view of Lake Dianchi .
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