Located in the northwest of Jiangxi Province and established as a city in August 2000, Yichun now governs 10 counties, county-level citiesanddistricts—Yuanzhou, Zhangshu,Fengcheng,Jing’an,Fengxin,Gao’an, Shanggao, Yifeng, Tonggu and Wanzai, and 3characteristicareas—Yichun Economic Development Zone, Yiyang New District and Mingyueshan Hot Spring Scenic Spot. Yichun has a total land area of 18,700 square kilometers, taking up one ninth oftheprovince’s land area andranking6thin the province. It boasts a population of 6.1 million which accounts for about one eighth of the province andranks3rdin theprovince.

Yichun is a cultural city of a longhistory.It’s namedfor“the delightful spring near thecityproper”. Established as a county in the sixth year ofEmperorGaozu’s Reign in the Han Dynasty (in 201 B.C.), Yichun has a history of about 2200 years, reputedas“A Gorgeous Land in Jiangnan and A Place of Cultural RelicsandProsperity”. The placeof“natural treasures,outstandingpeople”as described in Preface to Tengwang Pavilion by literary magnate WANG Bo. Yichun is a holy land of Zen Buddhism. Among the One Sect and Five Schools, three schools (Linji, Weiyang and Caodong) were born in Yichun. The Mazu Built Taoist Venue and Baozhang Established Monastic Rules for Buddhists with epoch-making significance in the history of Buddhism took placeinJing’an County and Fengxin County respectively...