Fossils discovered in the mountain caves indicate that human settlers began to move here one hundred thousand years ago, and many Neolithic relics have been discovered in the city. Before the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC) established Shu Shire here, it successively belonged to Liangzhou, and the Shu Kingdom. The Qin Court carved out the 'Wuchi Dao' here to connect the economic and cultural communication of Yunnan with Central China. Located at the juncture of the Yunling Plateau and the Sichuan Basin, Zhaotong exhibits a typical mountainous landform, characterized by lofty mountains, deep valleys and great altitude differences. The city has a plateau monsoon climate. Due to the terrain, Zhaotong is sunny and warmer in the south region. The climate is capricious, ranging from the south's subtropical to the north's temperate. The temperature varies greatly in accordance with time and place. Zhaotong is an all-year-round tourist destination due to favorable weather and no distinct seasons.