Guangyuan () is a prefecture-level city in Sichuan Province, China, bordering the provinces of Shaanxi to the northeast and Gansu to the northwest. The city has a population of 2,305,657 as of the 2020 census. Located roughly between the provincial capitals Chengdu, Lanzhou, Xi'an and Chongqing municipality, it is considered the northern gateway to Sichuan. It is an ancient city, notable for its relics and tombs. History Formerly known as Lizhou (, or Li prefecture), Guangyuan was the birthplace of Wu Zetian, the only woman in Chinese history to bear the title Empress Regent. On May 12, 2008 a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurred. 4,822 people were killed, 28,245 injured, and 125 missing in the city as of June 7, 2008. Economy Guangyuan's economy is based on a diverse array of heavy industry, as well as mining and agriculture. Plant 821, a former large plutonium producing reactor, now used to process nuclear waste, is located near Guangyuan. The city is an important production center for traditional Chinese medicine. Administrative divisions Climate Transport Located roughly between the provincial capitals Chengdu, Chongqing, Lanzhou, Xi'an, Guangyuan is an important traffic hub in northern Sichuan. The city has a port on the Jialing River, which is the closest inland port to Northwest China, and navigable all the way the east coast. China National Highway 212 G5 Beijing–Kunming Expressway G5012 Enguang Expressway G75 Lanzhou–Haikou Expressway Baoji–Chengdu railway (part of the main route from Chengdu to Xi'an and Beijing) Xi'an–Chengdu high-speed railway (completed in December 2017) Lanzhou–Chongqing high-speed railway Guangyuan Panlong Airport Cuisine Guangyuan is known for Wangcang noodles. References External links Official website of Guangyuan Government Cities in Sichuan Prefecture-level divisions of Sichuan