Shanxi, which means the west of the mountain, is situated in the mid-western part of China. Shanxi is known as Jin for short because it was the place where the Kingdom of Jin was located during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B. C). Shanxi is one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization and enjoys the reputation of being the cradle of Chinese civilization. Shanxi covers an area of 156, 000 square kilometers with a population of 36 million; there are 11 cities and 117 counties, county level cities and districts. Shanxi has a long history and a brilliant culture and, with its tremendous ancient buildings of top historical and artistic value, is honored as the museum of ancient arts. Seventy percent of the nation’s ground cultural relics are in Shanxi. Shanxi is famous for its natural resources. Shanxi enjoys a temperate continental climate with four sharply contoured seasons; the annual precipitation is 400-650 mm, but is not evenly distributed. By the end of 2021, there are 7,252 kindergartens, 4,668 primary schools, 1,538 junior middle schools, 517 senior middle schools, and 82 regular colleges and universities.