Yueyang
/ˈjuː.jɑːŋ/noun
A city in northeastern Hunan Province, China, on the eastern shore of Dongting Lake.
Did you know?In traditional Chinese geographic naming, yang referred to the sunny side of a mountain or the north side of a river, linking the name to ancient ideas of cosmic balance rather than merely a location.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Old Chinese
岳
“A great or sacred mountain; the character later became associated with Mount Yue.”
Ancient Chinese
Classical Chinese
陽
“The sunny, bright, or north-facing side of a mountain; also associated with the active principle in yin-yang thought.”
589 CE
Middle Chinese
岳陽
“The name was established in the Sui period for the area associated with Mount Yue and its sunlit side.”
11th Century
Chinese
岳陽樓
“Yueyang Tower, a celebrated tower overlooking Dongting Lake, helped make the place-name famous in Chinese literature.”
Modern English
English
Yueyang
“The standard English romanization of 岳阳, the modern city name.”