Ya'an, China
雅安市
Ya'an is a town of 612,056 people in Sichuan, China, founded in June 14, 2000.
Why visit Ya'an
Townapedia lists 42 museums and landmarks, 20 parks and trails, 26 places to eat, 28 places to stay and 11 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Ya'an Bi Feng Xia Base of CCRGCP, 雅安博物馆, 高颐阙 and Bifeng Valley Scenic Area.
Weather in Ya'an
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Ya'an
Ya'an (Chinese: 雅安; pinyin: Yǎ'ān; Wade–Giles: Ya-an) is a prefecture-level city in the western part of Sichuan province, China, located just below the Tibetan Plateau. The city is home to Sichuan Agricultural University, the only 211 Project university and the largest regional comprehensive university in Ya'an. As of the 2020 Chinese census, Ya'an has a population of 1,434,603.
From the Wikipedia article Ya'an (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Ya'an on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do11
Museums and landmarks42
30 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds20
8 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes26
14 more on the map.
History
Previously known as Yazhou-fu, the city is first mentioned during the Zhou dynasty (1122–255 BCE). It served as a county seat during the Qin and Han dynasties, but was subsequently taken by nomadic tribes. After being reintegrated into the Chinese Empire in the late 5th century, it was made the seat of the Ya Prefecture in 604. The modern Ya'an county was established in 1912. It became the provincial capital of Xikang province in 1951,
but has been a municipality under the administration of Sichuan province since 1955, when Xikang province was merged and became a part of Sichuan province.
The first giant panda was found in Baoxing County of Ya'an; Ya'an is also the origin of artificial planting tea of the world; Mengding Mountain in Mingshan County, has been keeping seven tea trees, which are believed to be the origins of tea, for more than 1,000 years.
"The busy little town [of Yaan] was full of life, for its market is the only trading centre for the Chinese and Tibetans from Kangting. Accompanied by two coolies, I crossed the long suspension bridge which oscillates alarmingly over the Ya Ho. I got separated from my coolies in the dense crowd which swarmed along the main street, but in the end found them, and my luggage, at the Catholic mission, where two venerable fathers welcomed me with the flowery courtesy of mandarins...
From the History section of Ya'an on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay28
Churches and places of worship12
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries24
Healthcare16
Map of Ya'an
189 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Leshan Airport (LSG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 95 km away.
- Linqiong 65 km northeast, about 1 h by car
- Meishan 81 km east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Leshan 88 km southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Ya'an, August 2020, Song Yanbo, CC0
- Bifengxia panda, NoGhost, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ya'an Museum 2014-09, 猫猫的日记本, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gao Yi Que7, Zeus1234, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 雅安私立明德初级中学校, ryank231231, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 碧峰峡山间瀑布 - panoramio, C.M. Osman, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built November 3, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.