As early as the Paleolithic Age, human beings started to live in this area. The name of Shangluo came into being in the Warring States Period (476 BC-227 BC). In 1949, it was liberated and was then divided into two parts: a county-level city Shangzhou and Shangluo Area. In 2002, the two were combined into a prefecture-level city Shangluo. Shangluo has quite complicated physical features. Six mountains form various valleys where two rivers the Yangtze and the Yellow River cross. The mountain area extends from high northwest to low southeast like a huge palm. The north of Shangluo belongs to warm temperature zone while the south enjoys the subtropical climate. Four seasons are distinctive with dry and cold spring and wet and hot summer. The annual average temperature is from 7.8C (46F) to 13.9C (57F) at lowest and 37C (99F) to 40.8C (105F) at highest. Best time to visit Shangluo is either spring or autumn that is March to May or September to October.