Zigong

Zigong in southern Sichuan is historically known as the 'salt capital of China,' having mined brine and natural gas for salt production for nearly two thousand years. The remarkable Shenhai Well, drilled in the 19th century to over 1,000 meters, is the world's first ultra-deep brine well and still stands. The city's rich fossil beds gave rise to the Zigong Dinosaur Museum, built atop a major Jurassic excavation site. Zigong is famous nationwide for its dazzling lantern festival and its fiercely spicy salt-influenced cuisine. Salt-chemicals, machinery and tourism drive its economy.