Journeymarvel.com – Yanjin is a city on the banks of the Nancy River in the mountains of Yunnan Province, China. The city is considered the narrowest city in the world and has been around for hundreds of years. Originally, this location was a former center for bronze, salt, and tea trading. Now, it has become a densely populated city. Since at least the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE), the Yanjin city area has been home to the Bo people. The Bo people are ancient people who have vanished from Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in southern China. They are one of several extinct ethnic groups from southern China.
The extremely narrow size of Yanjin city is also associated with historical defense considerations. During times of war, smaller city structures allowed for more effective defense against enemy attacks. Additionally, the dense city structure also allowed residents to interact more easily and maintain a tight-knit communal life.
Over time, Yanjin has grown and developed into the city it is today. Nowadays, Yanjin is one of the major tourist destinations in China. To get here, tourists have to travel through hilly terrain using four-wheeled or two-wheeled vehicles. When viewed from the air, it’s hard to believe there’s a city like this and so many people there. It’s unimaginable that the narrow space between these valleys is home to a city with a population of over 453,000 people. That’s what makes Yanjin city so unique.
This place has varying widths; the narrowest part of the city is 30 meters wide, while the widest part is 300 meters wide. Most of the city is situated on the riverbank, but there aren’t many bridges here. You also won’t find toilets or slums along the river route; instead, there are tall buildings akin to those in major city centers. Many multi-story buildings stand between hills, rivers, and several main roads as access for residents. As a narrow and dense city, vacant land is diminishing, and if there is any, it’s located on hillsides where it’s impossible to build a settlement.
Videos about this narrow city have circulated widely on the internet. People who see it will wonder, why would anyone want to settle in such a narrow city like this?
From an aerial perspective, the city does indeed look very narrow. But if we look deeper, Yanjin is no different from other cities. Here, there are markets, shops, roads traveled by several cars and motorcycles, as well as other entertainment venues. Clearly, the residents here are accustomed to the limitations of the city. Daily life in Yanjin is still influenced by ancient traditions and culture. The people here hold onto traditional values, and cultural events like festivals and ceremonies are still held regularly. Traditional craft skills such as bamboo weaving and calligraphy are also highly valued and preserved by the local residents.
Being a city located right on the riverbank, Yanjin is vulnerable to the threat of floods caused by river overflow. Therefore, as a precaution, most buildings and apartments located right on the riverbank are built on concrete stilts to protect them from floods if the water level rises.
Despite its extreme narrowness, Yanjin has uniqueness that other cities don’t possess. Unfortunately, although amazing, Yanjin’s infrastructure reportedly hinders its economic development. Surrounded by mountains on all sides, and with only one main road passing through the city, this settlement is considered difficult to access by many people.
