Chinese Name: 宜宾市 (yí bīn shì)

Population: 5,180,000  

Area: 13,283 square kilometers (5,129 square miles) 

Nationalities: Han 

Administrative Division: 1 district (Cuiping); 9 counties (Yibin, Nanxi, Jiang'an, Changning, Gaoxian, Junlian, Gongxian, Xingwen, Pingshan) 

Seat of the City Government: 9, Shunan Lu, Cuiping District, Yibin City 

Useful Telephone Numbers: Tourist Complaints: 0831-96927
                                           Weather Forecast: 121
                                          Zip Code Inquiry: 184

Bank of China Yibin Branch: 65, Nanjie Jie, Cuiping District, Yibin City
China Post Yibin Branch: 1, Nanjie Jie, Cuiping District, Yibin City

Location: Situated in the south region of Sichuan Province, Yibin City neighbors Luzhou City in the east, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in the west and Zigong City in the north within the province. The city also shares a boundary with Zhaotong City of Yunnan Province in the south.        

History: Yibin County was first built during the Qin (221BC-206BC) and Han (206BC-220AD) dynasties. It had been the centre of administration for several dynasties, and it was a town of great military importance and was the scene of an old battle field in history.
 
Physical Features: The terrain of the city slopes downward from the southwest to the northeast. Low mountains and hills are the main components of Yibin’s landform. Valleys are dotted among the mountains and hills, with occasional areas of flat plain, which only occupies eight per cent of its total land area.                 

Climate: Located in the subtropical monsoon climatic zone, the city enjoys an annual average temperature of around 18 ℃ (64.4℉). Bursts of precipitation are common at night during the summer. Relatively, it is a little bit warmer in Yibin’s winter.   
     
When to Go: Each year as the spring turns into summer and summer into autumn, it is favorable for visitors to make their trip to Yibin, that is to say the periods during May and June, August and September.   

Special Local Products:
Wuliangye Liquor, Yibin black tea, shredded beef, Xufu Yacai (bean sprout), bamboo crafts
Xingwen, Gongxian and Junlian counties are the main areas of Sichuan where the Miao ethnic minority lives in compact communities. Visitors can pick and buy their favorite batik articles and embroidery made by the Miao people while traveling through Miao villages.

 Attractions:
Shihai Dongxiang literally means Stone Sea and Land of Caves. The scenic area covers an area of 121 square kilometers (47 square miles) combining spectacular stone forest on the surface and karst caves underground. Tianqian Cave, Stone Sea and the 'Number One Earth Pit' in the world are the main spectacles of the scenic areas. Xingwen County where the Shihai Dongxiang is located is an important Miao residential area in Sichuan full of historic and cultural relics as well as full-bodied Miao flavors. 

Bamboo Sea in Southern Sichuan is a well known national tourist area in Jiang'an and Changning counties. The bamboo forests contribute to the humid and favorable microclimate of the bamboo sea, and the air is fresh and rich in oxygen anions. Apart from the far-reaching green bamboo forests, deep and quiet valleys, babbling brooks, pretty waterfalls and emerald lakes are all the inevitable components of the natural beauty of the Bamboo Sea in Southern Sichuan. 

Other Scenic Spots: Old Town of Lizhuang, Old Town of Longhua, Shicheng Mountain, Xijiashan Folk House 

Travel Tips:
1. Shihai Dongxiang is about four hours' drive from Chengdu and Chongqing, circa two hours from Luzhou and twenty minutes from the county seat of Wenxing. The Bamboo Sea in Southern Sichuan is about 328 kilometers and 318 kilometers (204 miles and 198 miles) from Chengdu and Chongqing respectively and 64 kilometers (40 miles) from the city proper of Yibin. Buses can be easily found in the south bus station of Yibin. Shihai Dongxiang and the Bamboo Sea are not far away from each other, and about one hour is needed by bus.
2. The bamboo banquet in the Bamboo Sea scenic area is real dainty. Dishes are made of bamboo shoots or other parts of bamboo. Visitors might taste it as well.
3. Yibin Airport is situated in Laiba Town which is only seven kilometers (4.3 miles) from downtown Yibin. At present, it has flights to Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Kunming. Public bus No.8 services the airport.
4. Yinbin Railway Station is situated in the west suburb.
5. There are four main bus stations serving in the city proper.
The New Bus Station: Yingbin Lu, Cuiping District
Beimen (North Gate) Bus Station: No.89, Cuiping Lu, Cuiping District
Ximen (West Gate) Bus Station: Beicaochang, Zhenwu Lu, Cuiping District
Nan'an Bus Station: Niumachang, Hangtian Zhong Lu, Cuiping District
6. With downtown Yibin as the center, visitors can take ships northwestward to the Leshan Giant Buddha along the Minjiang River, or eastward to Luzhou and Chongqing along the Yangtze River.