A historic city on the Loess Plateau, home to China's largest oil and gas field and the ancestral roots of the Zhou Dynasty.
Qingyang, located in eastern Gansu Province on the Loess Plateau, is a city of remarkable historical and economic significance. Known as the "Hometown of Chinese Medicine" and the birthplace of the Zhou Dynasty ancestors, it has been inhabited for over 7,000 years. Today, Qingyang is best known as the home of the Changqing Oilfield, China's largest oil and gas field, which has transformed the region into a major energy hub.
The city sits on the Dongzhi Loess Plain, the world's largest and most intact loess tableland, offering dramatic landscapes of flat plateau tops dissected by deep ravines. This unique geography has shaped both the region's agriculture — renowned for its buckwheat, millet, and medicinal herbs — and its traditional cave dwellings.
Qingyang is also a treasure trove of folk culture. Its paper-cutting, shadow puppetry, and clay sculpture traditions have been recognized as national intangible cultural heritage. The local cuisine, characterized by lamb dishes, buckwheat noodles, and sour soup, reflects the hardy, resourceful character of life on the Loess Plateau.
Qingyang's history stretches back over 7,000 years to the Neolithic Yangshao culture. Archaeological sites in the region have revealed early agricultural settlements, confirming the area as one of the cradles of Chinese civilization.
During the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC), Qingyang held special significance as the ancestral homeland of the Zhou people. According to historical records, Buzhu, the grandfather of King Wen of Zhou, migrated to this region and taught the local people farming techniques. The Zhou Ancestral Mausoleum commemorates this foundational period.
Throughout the imperial era, Qingyang served as an important strategic outpost on the frontier between agricultural China and the nomadic peoples of the north. The Beishiku Temple, carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty, stands as a testament to the region's role in the spread of Buddhism along the Silk Road.
During the 1930s, the Nanliang Base Area was established in Qingyang, becoming an important strategic location in the Shaanxi-Gansu border region.
Since the discovery of the Changqing Oilfield in the 1970s, Qingyang has undergone rapid economic transformation, emerging as one of China's most important energy production centers while working to preserve its rich cultural and natural heritage.
Qingyang's economy is dominated by the energy sector, centered on the Changqing Oilfield — China's largest oil and gas field, with annual production exceeding 60 million tons of oil equivalent. The oil and gas industry accounts for over 60% of the city's GDP and has driven rapid urbanization and infrastructure development.
Agriculture remains an important sector, with the region being a major producer of buckwheat, millet, medicinal herbs, and apples. The unique loess soil and climate conditions produce high-quality agricultural products that are increasingly marketed as specialty goods.
The cultural and tourism sector is growing, with attractions like the Zhou Ancestral Mausoleum, Beishiku Temple, and the Nanliang Historical Site drawing increasing numbers of domestic tourists seeking historical and cultural experiences.
Qingyang's GDP is approximately 78 billion yuan, with the energy sector being the primary economic driver. The city is working to diversify its economy through agricultural modernization, tourism development, and renewable energy projects.
Discover the culinary treasures of Qingyang, from traditional street food to imperial cuisine.
Qingyang Xifeng Airport (IQN) — serves flights to Beijing, Lanzhou, Xi'an, and other major cities, about 20 minutes from downtown
Qingyang is connected by conventional railway (Xi'an-Yinchuan line). High-speed rail is under development
No metro
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