Before the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC), this area was dwelled by the Yue (a collection of many clans and tribes). During the Qin and early Han dynasties (206BC-220AD), Shanwei belonged to the Nanhai Shire. It has a history of more than 2,100 years from the year of 111BC that Haifeng County, the primary form of Shanwei, was established. Shanwei city lies in the south foot of Lianhua Mountain facing south to the sea. The northern part of the city mainly consists of mountainous areas, while the hills and terraces are generally distributed in the central area. The south coastal part of Shanwei is occupied by plains. On the whole, the mountainous and hilly areas make up the major land of the city. The city enjoys a subtropical monsoon climate with obvious oceanic features. The weather is temperate and it is rich in rainfall and sunshine. Usually, its rainy season begins from the late March to early April and ends in the mid-October.