Yuxi (Chinese: 玉溪) is a prefecture-level city in the Yunnan province of the People's Republic of China. The administrative center of Yuxi is Hongta District. Yuxi is approximately 90 kilometres south of Kunming.Yuxi is located in the center of Yunnan province, about 90 kilometres (56 mi) south of Kunming, the provincial capital. Like much of the central and eastern parts of the province, it is part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.The area is 15,285 km2 (5,902 sq mi) and the population is approximately 2.5 million. Near Yuxi city is Fuxian Lake, the second-deepest freshwater lake in China, where there have been discovered ancient fossils that are now in the possession of the Yuxi museum.

Location

Located in the middle of Yunnan Province, Yuxi is neighbor to Kunming City, Simao District, Honghe and Chuxiong States.

Physical Features: Yuxi is in the west edge of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, with complex geographic features including mountains, valleys, lakes, plateaus and basins. Fuxian Lake is China's second deepest lake. The whole area extends from high northwest to low southeast. The urban city is about 1,630 meters (1,782 yards) above the sea level.

What to visit

There also are three other lakes around the city. They are Xingyun Lake, Qilu Lake, Yangzong Lake.

When to visit

The climate is warm and temperate in Yuxi. Yuxi has a significant amount of rainfall during the year. This is true even for the driest month. According to Köppen and Geiger, this climate is classified as Cfa. The average annual temperature is 18.9 °C in Yuxi. The average annual rainfall is 897 mm.  Best time to visit the region is between summer and autumn. Because of the high temperature difference between morning and night, you'd better take a coat when you go there in spring or autumn.

Local Highlights

 Endowed with pleasant climate, Yuxi is rich in crops and tobacco leaves, hence its honor 'Barn of Middle Yunnan Province' and 'Hometown of Yunnan Tobacco'. Yuxi Cigarette Company (Hongta Group) has become a famous cigarette making company. Its product brands such as Hongtashan, Ashima and Hongmei have been popular for many years in China. The area also has beautiful natural sceneries and colorful cultures. Various festivals, dances, musics and folk cultures of different ethnic minority groups should not be missed when traveling here. In addition, it is the hometown of Nie Er (1912-1935), the famous musician who has wrote many revolution songs including China's present national anthem.

Special Local Products

Handicrafts: Tonghai silver decorations and cloth umbrella .

Foods: Tonghai bean powder candy; sesame pieces; Huaning dried rice noodles; 'three treasures' on Mt. Yuanlao (beet, Citou Cai-a kind of potherb with thorns and Yangnai Cai (a kind of potherb with sheep-milk-like juice))

Useful Telephone Numbers

Tourist Complaints: 96927

Consumer Complaints: 12315

Car Rental for Tourist: 0877-2035985

Police: 110

Ambulance: 120

How to there 

From Kunming to Yuxi, it takes approximately two hours by train. There are two bus stations in Yuxi. The Central Bus Station is located near the crossroad on Shanhu Rd. Buses to Kunming and other provincial cities start from there every day. The Chengxi Bus Station is located on Qixing Street, from where visitors can go to Yuanjiang, Chengjiang, Jiangchuan and other counties. Yuxi city buses are quite convenient and cheap. The general ticket is from CNY1 to CNY2 per person.

Yuxi Huadeng Opera Troupe of Yunnan Province

The Yuxi Huadeng Opera Troupe of Yunnan Province, founded in October 1952, is a troupe with performers from the Han people and some ethnic groups including Hui, Yi Hani, Bai, Mongolian, Wa, Naxi and Lahu.

Once its founding, the art troupe has re-arranged or adapted about 100 outstanding traditional Huadeng Opera programs as part of its repertoire, including Jade medicine Jar, Cudgel with a Magic Healing Power, Gilded Fan, Monkeying Around in the Vegetable Garden, Zhuo Mei and Ah Luo, among others. Zhuo mei and Ah Luo was once staged during the Fifth China Opera Award and other six single awards. The newly choreographed modern Huadeng Operas include Barracks, Bloodshed on Jia-sa River, Affection and Love, Honeysuckle and Bamboo Fence, the last two being prize-winners of the 3rdand 6thWenhua New Opera Awards and the Excellent Opera Program Award of the national Modern Opera Exchange Performance.

The troupe's production crew includes playwrights Li Hongyuan and Ma Lianghua, performers Ma Zhongliang, Xu Baolong and Yang Liqiong.

Address: No.31, Yujianglu Route, Yuxi, Yunnan Province

Post code: 653100

Tel: (0877) 2023807

The Nie’er Park

The Nie’er Park is situated in the south of Yuxi City; newly built in memory of the People’s Composer Nie’er. It composes mainly of the Memorial Hall of Nie’er, the Purple Art Garden, and Zhiying Lake, all of which are of strict structures and beautiful buildings surrounded by green trees and flowers. It is a perfect combination of modern, graceful and majestic ethnic features. The Bronze Statue of Nie’er stands right in the center of the park.

Huilong Ecology Garden (Dayingjie)

skiing grass, hot spring, dodgem, tennis, frog bumping and other entertainment projects.

Huixi Park (Dayingjie)

With an area of 240 mu ( 16 hectares), exhibition hall of rare animals & plants, 43 ethnic houses.

Tianziyuan Hot Spring of Eshan (East Xiaojie Town of Eshan County)

8 kilometers from Eshan County Town; 30 kilometers from Yuxi City; 120 kilometers from Kunming.

Holiday Village of Elephant Trunk Hot Spring

One star hotel, 9 kilometers from Huaning County Town; 142 kilometers from Kunming.

Holiday Village of Yingyuetan Hot Spring (Dayingjie)

28 swimming pools of Japanese style.

Lingzhao Temple (10 kilometers from east Yuxi City)

set up in the Yuan Dynasty at Lingzhao Mountain.

Yuquan Temple (Dayingjie)

with an area of 60 mu ( 4 hectares), consists of Daxiong Palace, Druggist Palace, Dicang Palace, Zushi Palace, Caishen Palace and etc.