Recently, China Weather Network released a "National Spring Longing Map," with Kunming, the Spring City, ranking first nationwide with a spring season lasting 146 days. While most parts of the country still experience chilly spring weather, Kunming has already donned the garb of spring, and when the rest of the country is already sweltering in the summer heat, Kunming remains refreshingly cool.

Aerial view of the urban area of Kunming. Photo by Jiang Wenyao from Xinhua News Agency.

What exactly is the reason for the exceptionally long spring in Kunming? Let's uncover the mystery together.

View of Kunming City. Photo by Zhou Mi.

Kunming enjoys long sunshine hours and a short frost period, with an average annual temperature of around 15 degrees. At an altitude of 1,891 meters, its temperature remains relatively stable. Located in the subtropics, Kunming receives consistent solar radiation throughout the year, creating a warm climate. Situated on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, its high altitude leads to thin air and rapid heat dissipation. This "natural air conditioning" effect, combined with frequent summer rains, prevents extreme heat. In winter, strong solar radiation due to its low latitude keeps temperatures from dropping too low. These "low-latitude plateau" characteristics make Kunming warm in winter and cool in summer, with spring and autumn blending seamlessly.

South Dianchi Lake International Wetland Park, Jinning District, Kunming. Photo by Yang Zheng.

Natural barrier, saying "No!" to cold air!

The terrain of Kunming, surrounded by mountains on three sides, effectively blocks the southward movement of cold air. In winter, the cold air from Siberia loses energy after crossing the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Wumeng Mountains, making it challenging to form severe cold. At the same time, the cold air from the north meets the warm and humid air from the southwest on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, forming a "quasi-stationary front." Kunming, located on the west side of the front, is often under the control of warm air, resulting in many sunny days. This phenomenon further reduces the number of cold days in Kunming.

Children are taking photos in the lavender field along the Dianchi Lake Greenway in Chenggong District. (Photo by Hu Yuya)

Dynamic adjustment and warmth linger here.

In summer, Kunming is influenced by the southwest monsoon, which brings abundant precipitation and dilutes the high-temperature period with cloudy and rainy weather. In winter, it is affected by the dry and warm southwest wind, resulting in clear and dry weather. Meanwhile, Dianchi Lake, as a natural regulator, mitigates the impact of extreme high and low temperatures through water evaporation and heat capacity. With a frost-free period of 278 days throughout the year, Kunming boasts a vegetation coverage rate of 46.5%, and its extended plant photosynthesis period contributes to a constant-temperature effect, earning the city the nickname "urban green lung." Kunming, with its unique romantic charm, prolongs the experience of spring for a long 146 days. In every corner of this "City of Spring", you can find the traces of spring. Over 100 main roads in Kunming are decorated with more than a thousand varieties of flowers, turning them into moving palettes. When these colors blend with the aroma of coffee beans and the sweet fragrance of flower cakes in the city's small streets and alleys, they form a unique urban color spectrum equation.

The cherry blossoms are in full bloom at Yuantong Mountain. Photo by Gao Wushuang.

Bougainvillea in Kunming. Photo by Chen Fei and Men Shihui.

Rapeseed flowers Wolong Ancient Fishing Village, Chenggong. Photo by Chen Fei.

Pear blossoms in Wanxi Chong, Chenggong. Photo by Gao Wu Shuang.

Tulips in Lao Yuhe National Wetland Park. Photo by Hu Yuya.

Take a bite of spring vegetables and keep the essence of spring in your heart.

When you stroll through the bustling streets of Kunming, you can most directly experience the saying, "A riot of flowers gradually bewitches the eyes!" Hundreds of edible flowers are served on the dining table, forming a unique "flower feast" experience. There are also countless "wild herbs and vegetables" that are beyond description. The food and dishes are all infused with the fragrance of flowers and grass, making it easy for you to get "drunk with spring" without realizing it.

A dazzling array of "wild herbs and vegetables." Photo provided by Kunming Municipal Committee Publicity Department

Fresh flowers in dishes. Photo provided by Kunming Municipal Committee Publicity Department

In spring, Kunming is like a flowing painting, with the changing seasons unfolding into a series of continuous floral events. The sunlight on the plateau gilds every inch of land with a warm golden glow. The integration of culture and nature makes living here an immersive life experience. What you can encounter in Kunming in spring is not just a romantic "flower event." The unique charm of Spring City makes living here the aspiration of countless people. Enjoy the mountains and rivers to your heart's content. Ride along the Greenway around Dianchi Lake, with the crisp chirping of birds. If you want to experience more magnificent spring scenery, you can hike up to Xishan to enjoy the vastness of Dianchi Lake, visit Shilin to marvel at the magic of Ashima or explore Dongchuan to appreciate the wonders of nature.

Overlooking Dianchi Lake. Photo by Chen Fei.

Dongchuan Red Land. Photo provided by Kunming Municipal Committee Publicity Department

Karst scenery in Shilin. Photo from Yunnan Daily

Xishan Maomao Qing. Photo provided by Kunming Municipal Committee Publicity Department

The bustling atmosphere soothes the hearts of people most.

When it comes to the romance of spring in Kunming, it is the most heartwarming and down-to-earth charm. Wandering through the Old Streets of Kunming, sipping a cup of coffee, getting a trendy hairstyle in Haiyan Village, and watching the sunset at night, enjoying a hearty barbecue at Nanqiang Market... All these scenes are telling us: "Kunming, you still understand me!"

Nanqiang Street Alley. Photo by Hu Yuya.

Kunming Old Street. Photo from Yunnan Daily 

Kunming Old Street. Provided by Kunming Municipal Committee Publicity Department

Sunset in Haiyan Village. Photo by Gao Wushuang

From travel to residence, Kunming, with its long spring, is becoming a "second hometown" for many people. Every corner of this city is writing a romantic way of living here in spring. Every dawn and dusk here is a new poem. Why not take some time to travel and live in Kunming, to experience the romance of the 146-day-long spring, and to feel this beauty that "starts with mountains and rivers and ends with the warmth of daily life"?

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(Editors: Carl, Ines)