Yichang is a city in the west of Hubei Province in the center of China. It lies at the junction of the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River and has long been known as the "Gateway to the Three Gorges" and the "Sichuan-Hubei Gullet". In ancient times, Yichang was called "Yiling" because of the saying: "when you arrive, the waters become peaceful and the mountains become low rolling hills". In Chinese, “Yi” can mean peaceful, while “Ling” refers to a landscape of low rolling hills. In the Qing Dynasty (1636–1912), the city was renamed "Yichang", which means "potential for prosperity".
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Yichang has a long history. Human activity in the Qingjiang River Basin goes back 100,000 to 200,000 years. During the Spring and Autumn (770 - 476 BC) and Warring States (c. 475 - 221 BC) periods, Yichang was the western fortress of Chu State (c. 1030 – 223 BC). In 278 BC, Qin State commander Bai Qi "attacked Chu, conquered Ying and burned Yiling", the first mention of the name “Yiling” in historical records. The Jin Dynasty (8 February 266–10 July 420) established Yidu Prefecture and unified the four counties of Yiling, Yidao, Henshan and Yichang, the name “Yichang” appearing for the first time in historical documents.
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