Ankang () is a prefecture-level city in the south of Shaanxi Province in the People's Republic of China, bordering Hubei province to the east, Chongqing municipality to the south, and Sichuan province to the southwest. History The settlement of Ankang dates to the Stone Age, and its recorded history dates back more than 3000 years. The settlement was originally known as Xicheng. Ankang County was established in 1st Taikang year of the Western Jin Dynasty It later formed part of the Eastern Liang Prefecture, which was reorganized into the Jin Prefecture in the 3rd Feidi year of the Western Wei Under the Sui, this was renamed Xicheng Commandery () and, under the Tang, Ankang Commandery (). After the founding of the People's Republic of China (1949), the Ankang Office of the Shaanxi Province People's Government was set up in 1950, growing to become the Ankang Area Civic Administration in 1979. In 2001, Ankang Area became Ankang City with a city-level administration. Geography Due to its location south of the Qinling, Ankang is geographically considered to be part of southern China, yet, on administrative terms, as Shaanxi is officially part of Northwestern China, it is considered to be part of the Northwest. Ankang is located in the southeastern part of Shaanxi, north of the Daba Mountains and south of the Qinling. Measuring from east to west and from north to south, the prefecture-level city of covers an area of . The Han River (Hanshui) crosses it from west to east, forming a natural landform of "a plain between two mountains". Climate Ankang has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa), with cool, dry winters, and hot, humid summers. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from 3.7 °C (38.3 °F) in January to 27.0 °C (80.4 °F) in July, while the annual mean is 15.7 °C (60.1 °F). Most of annual precipitation occurs from June to September. Administrative divisions Ankang includes one District，one county-level city and eight counties, totaling 109 towns, 88 townships and 3 sub-district offices. Culture Ankang's history and culture is nearly the same as Chinese culture, but with distinctive characteristics and geographical features marked by its diversity, which integrates east and west, north and south. It is influenced by Shaanxi culture, Chinese culture and Diqiang culture, with elements Bashu and Jinchu culture to form the present-day Han River culture after thousands of years of assimilation and fusion. The operas