Yuncheng is a time-honored city, one of the oldest birthplaces of the Chinese nation. Tracks of human life in this area can be traced back to 1.8 million years ago. It was the seat of the capital of the first slave dynasty in Chinese history, Xia Dynasty (21st - 16th century BC). In the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC), it was administered under the Hedong Shire. Although administrative divisions in this region altered frequently in the following two thousand-odd years, it was habitually referred to as Hedong, meaning east of the Yellow River. The southeastern and northwestern areas of Yuncheng are lined with the Zhongtiao Mountain and Emeiling Mountain. Between the two mountains lies the Yuncheng Basin with an average altitude of 350-500 meters (1148-1640 feet). The Yellow River flows along the western and southern edges of the city. It is torrid in summer and a bit warmer in winter than other cities in Shanxi.