Zigong is located in the Sichuan Basin, and covers an area of 4,381 square kilometers. Granted the recognition as one of the Historical and Cultural Cities of China, Zigong has long been renowned as "Salt City" for its brine extraction techniques and the salt-related culture. In ancient China, salt was regarded as the energy for body and valued higher even than gold. Therefore, salt trading was always the most profitable business and salt merchants were the wealthiest people. Hence, Zigong had once been one of the richest cities in China.
The Fuxi River, a tributary to the Yangtze River, snakes through the city's core. The area is very humid and the visibility can be reduced dramatically in the area due to fog. The humidity and fog of Zigong can be attributed to that it sits on what was once a vast inland sea.
During the summer months, the temperatures can reach as high as 40 °C (104 °F); during the winter months, the temperatures hover around 15.5 °C (60 °F). The humidity hovers between 80% and 90% year round.
