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The Yellow Emperor, Huangdi,has helped Zhuolu in Hebei Province carve a name as a tourist resort.

Though it has been widely accepted that Huangling County in North Shaanxi is the final resting place of the Yellow Emperor, a debate was sparked last year, centering on Zhuolu County, about 200 kilometers northeast of downtown Beijing.

A battle is on to lay claim to the final resting place of the Yellow Emperor - and millions of yuan in tourist revenue.

The Yellow Emperor, or Huangdi as he is often known, is believed by Chinese people to be the father of the nation. Yet even he would never in his wildest dreams have anticipated the bickering that would continue 5,000 years after his death.

A number of historians and archaeologists say Zhuolu should be considered the final resting place of the Yellow Emperor.

The significance of the debate cannot be understated. The Yellow Emperor has long become a symbol of the spirit of the Chinese nation. Millions of tourists from across the world visit the mausoleum in Shaanxi's Huangling County every year, helping make tourism one of the pillar industries.

Behind the discussion is the huge benefit for the large number of tourists.

Zhuolu is fighting for a share of the fame of the Yellow Emperor and the consequent tourism boost that would create.

According to legend, the Yellow Emperor formed an alliance with Yandi (Yan Emperor) against the invasion of Chiyou, the chieftain of the Jiuli Tribe. A decisive battle was fought at Zhuolu in the northwestern part of the present Hebei Province.

Legend goes that at the beginning of the battle, Chiyou sneezed out a thick fog which lasted three days. The soldiers of Huangdi could not tell their directions.

Fortunately Huangdi led his men out of the danger by the "compass chariot" he had invented, winning a total victory.

The alliance of Huangdi and Yandi split after Chiyou was defeated because, it was said, Yandi intended to infringe upon the various tribes and seize the leading position of the alliance, while the chieftains of the tribes preferred to obey Huangdi.

As a result, the two leaders fought at Banquan. After three fierce battles, Huangdi won victory and was made the "Son of Heaven" by the tribe chieftains.

He was actually the chief of a tribe that led a nomadic life near today's Zhuolu County in Hebei province.

Believe it or not, the Yellow Emperor reputedly had 100 sons and had under his control an extensive territory spreading over the Yellow River valley and the Yangtze River valley.

Over a long period of time he and his people gained an immense store of knowledge and experience in work, and were responsible for many important inventions and innovations. These included building houses; making boats and vehicles; creating bows and arrows; devising numerals; introducing a version of the calendar; raising silkworms and reeling raw silk from cocoons; dyeing and weaving, and introducing a written language and musical composition. He was also the founder of traditional Chinese medicine.

Many of these activities related to Huangdi are said to have taken place in today's Zhuolu.

That is also why a popular local saying has it that if you want to learn about China in the past 100 years, go to Shanghai; if you want to know about the past 1,000 years, go to Xi'an, and if you want to go back 5,000 years, go to Zhuolu in Hebei Province.

Many related relics can still be found in Zhuolu. About 40 kilometers southeast of the town of Zhuolu, an ancient "city" named Zhuolu Ancient City or Xuanyuan Ancient City is claimed as the Yellow Emperor's residence. A building modeled after ancient Chinese architecture stands here and is open to visitors.

About 1.5 kilometers from the ancient city is a mulberry field which is said to be where Huangdi's wife, Yuan, raised silkworms. Also close to the city is a well named Huangdi Well. Clean water flows from it all year long.

Around the city can be found old bricks and pottery. Archaeologists have dated some of these pieces back at least 3,000 years.

About 20 kilometers southeast of today's Zhuolu town, there is a 918-metre-high hill named Qiaoshan, or Bridge Hill. There is strong evidence to suggest that the Yellow Emperor lived here. A number of history books say that after the Yellow Emperor passed away, he was buried on Qiaoshan.

But a place of the same name is also found in Shaanxi Province. Since ancient times, the Chinese, living in the country or abroad, have always looked upon the tomb on Bridge Hill in Shaanxi as their own spiritual home. The Shaanxi-based Bridge Hill lies about 1 kilometer north of Huangling County in Shaanxi Province.

Extending east to west, Bridge Hill in Zhuolu merges with Ziwuling or Meridian Hill at its westernmost point on the Shaanxi-Gansu border, looking like an undulating dragon with Bridge Hill as the head. Lofty and imposing, Bridge Hill commands a sweeping view of the surroundings. This, geomancers would say, is a good location for a tomb.

According to an official of Zhuolu County government, Zhuolu will also build a temple on Bridge Hill for people to show respect to the Yellow Emperor.

To get there, drive along Jingzhang Highway (Beijing-Zhangjiakou) to Zhuolu Exit. It takes above 2.5 hours.