Longyang(隆阳) was used to be called Yongchang(永昌) which means“For a long moment, prosperous prosperity”, it was also known as LanCheng(兰城). Longyang is one of the earlier developing areas in Yunnan historically, the border town of all previous dynasties and is also the necessary of the southern silk road of our country to India, Burma, Iran and other countries.

Early History

In the period of Zhou dynasty, Longyang District was the first city of Ailao Country. The setting up of Longyang started from the western emperor Wu of Han dynasty. At the beginning, it belongs to the Yizhou Prefecture. After the eastern Han dynasty, there were Yongchang Prefecture, Yongchang Jiedu(永昌节度), Yongchang Fu(永昌府).

In The Three Kingdoms, Yongchang county belongs to the Shu-Han, in the southern and northern dynasties, there’s also the Yongchang prefecture. Yongchang became the important town of Nanzhao(南诏), there’s the Yongchang Jiedu in the Tang dynasty. In the southern and northern Song dynasties， Yongchang Jiedu  turned into Yongchang Fu, It was the beginning of Yongchang Fu.

Further Development

Since the establishment of the People's Republic of China, On January 5, 1950, Baoshan countypeople's government was set up. In 1968, Baoshan county revolutionary committee was established over the jurisdiction of the revolutionary committee of Baoshan area. On December 30, 2000, the State Council approved the revocation of Baoshan district and the county-level Baoshan city, set up the regional Baoshan city, then the Longyang district was established.In June 2001, Baoshan city people's government changed to the Baoshan city Longyang district people's government. The following was still 20 towns and townships. On November 28, 2005, Longyang district had 18 towns and townships part of the township administrative division adjustment.

The Southern Silk Road

The Silk Road or Silk Route is an ancient network of trade and cultural transmission routes that were central to cultural interaction through regions of the Asian continent connecting the West and East by merchants, pilgrims, monks, soldiers, nomads, and urban dwellers from China and India to the Mediterranean Sea during various periods of time.Extending 6,000 kilometres (4,000 miles), the Silk Road derives its name from the lucrative trade in Chinese silk carried out along its length, beginning during the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). The Central Asian sections of the trade routes were expanded around 114 BC by the Han dynasty, largely through the missions and explorations of Chinese imperial envoy, Zhang Qian.The Chinese took great interest in the safety of their trade products and extended the Great Wall of China to ensure the protection of the trade route.

Trade on the Silk Road was a significant factor in the development of the civilizations of China, the Indian subcontinent, Persia, Europe, the Horn of Africa and Arabia, opening long-distance, political and economic relations between the civilizations.Though silk was certainly the major trade item from China, many other goods were traded, and religions, syncretic philosophies, and various technologies, as well as diseases, also travelled along the Silk Routes. In addition to economic trade, the Silk Road served as a means of carrying out cultural trade among the civilizations along its network.The main traders during antiquity were the Chinese, Persians, Somalis, Greeks, Syrians, Romans, Armenians, Indians, and Bactrians, and from the 5th to the 8th century the Sogdians. Following the emergence of Islam, Arab traders became prominent.

In June 2014 UNESCO designated the Chang'an-Tianshan corridor of the Silk Road as a World Heritage Site.