An administrative organization was first established in Meishan in the year 496 during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. It was known then as Meishou, but today it is well known by all Chinese as the hometown of Su Dongpo (Su Shi) and his two sons, all of whom are great poets of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). The Minjiang and Qingyi rivers flow through Meishan, creating broad alluvial plains along them. Most regions in western and eastern Meishan geographically consist of low mountainous areas. The city has four distinct seasons and is characterized by moderate weather that reflects a subtropical, humid climate. There is an abundance of rainfall during the monsoon season accompanied by less sunlight. Due to the general terrain of the city, which is higher in the east and lower in the west, the annual temperature varies with the elevation changes.