The city of Yuncheng

Yuncheng lies in the south of Shanxi province, in northern China. Over four thousand years of history the city has been an important stop on the ancient Silk Road and one of the key cities of the Three Kingdoms era (220–280 AD) — and shortly before that era began, in the waning years of the Han dynasty, it was the birthplace of the general Guan Yu (160–220 AD), one of the most revered figures in Chinese history.

For more than 4,000 years Yuncheng has been known as a centre of salt production: the salt works fed the city long before its first temples appeared. Today the ancient quarters sit side by side with ordinary city streets — that is part of everyday life here, not a separate tourist route set apart from it.

Yuncheng's main historical landmark is the mausoleum and temple complex of Guan Yu, an architectural ensemble covering more than 10,000 square metres. The temple keeps the memory of the general, and a historical exhibition on that period is laid out alongside it.

The complex grounds still hold gardens and parks from the Ming dynasty and a ceremonial square. In effect it works as an open-air museum: you can walk from the temple halls to the parks at an unhurried pace, in a single visit.

Yuncheng stands where three provinces meet — Shanxi, Henan and Shaanxi — in the fertile valley of the Yellow River (Huanghe); the district covers 14,181 square kilometres. The ancient capital Xi'an, home to the Terracotta Army, is about 200 kilometres away.

The region's main natural asset is an ancient salt lake that served as a centre of salt production for centuries. Modern spa complexes now operate next to the lake, and the history of salt extraction itself is shown at the salt industry museum.

Besides the mausoleum of Guan Yu, the city holds several monuments from different eras:

•the Yonghegong temple complex

•the Baota pagoda from the Tang dynasty

•the city walls from the Ming dynasty

•the salt industry museum, devoted to the history of salt extraction

All of them are within the city itself — no separate trip out of town is needed.

Yuncheng airport (IATA: YCU) serves domestic flights; the drive from the airport to the hospital takes about 20 minutes — pickup and transfer for our patients are arranged and paid for by the hospital.

Railway. High-speed trains connect Yuncheng with Beijing, Shanghai and other major Chinese cities — some services reach speeds of up to 350 km/h.

Inside the city everything is handled by a taxi app — more on saving addresses in Chinese on your phone is covered on the transfer page. For a more complex situation the hospital has medical interpreters who stay available outside the sessions too.

Yuncheng is in northern China: it has a genuine winter and a hot, dry summer rather than the mild climate of the southern provinces. Pack for the season of your trip rather than for "China in general."