Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture[a] (Northern Yi: /nɛ˨˩ʂa˧/) is an autonomous prefecture occupying much of the southern extremity of Sichuan province, People's Republic of China. Its seat is Xichang. Liangshan covers an area of 60,261 km2 (23,267 sq mi) and has over 4.8 million inhabitants as of 2020.[1] It has the largest population of ethnic Yi (or Nosu) among China's prefectures. Liangshan contains a number of isolated villages high up on its cliffs, often known as "cliff villages".[3]
Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture | |
|---|---|
| Name transcription(s) | |
| • Chinese | 凉山彝族自治州 涼山彞族自治州 (Liángshān Yízú Zìzhìzhōu) |
| • Yi | ꆃꎭꆈꌠꊨꏦꏱꅉꍏ (niep sha nuo su zyt jie jux dde zho) |
    | |
 Location of Liangshan Prefecture in Sichuan | |
| Coordinates (Liangshan Prefecture government): 27°53′N 102°16′E / 27.88°N 102.27°E | |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Province | Sichuan |
| Prefecture seat | Xichang |
| Area | |
• Total | 60,261 km2 (23,267 sq mi) |
| Population (2020)[1] | |
• Total | 4,858,359 |
| • Density | 81/km2 (210/sq mi) |
| GDP[2] | |
| • Total | CN¥ 131.5 billion US$ 21.1 billion |
| • Per capita | CN¥ 28,276 US$ 4,540 |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (China Standard) |
| ISO 3166 code | CN-SC-34 |
| Website | www |
| Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 凉山彝族自治州 | ||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 涼山彞族自治州 | ||||||
| |||||||
| Abbreviation | |||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 凉山州 | ||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 涼山州 | ||||||
| |||||||
| Yi name | |||||||
| Yi | ꆃꎭꆈꌠꊨꏦꏱꅉꍏ niep sha nuo su zyt jie jux dde zho | ||||||
Xichang has the Xichang Qingshan Airport and the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The prefecture also features a substantial network of railways for both passengers and freight.
Terrain and climate
editThe Anning River, which runs into the Jinsha River (Yangtze River headwaters), is the main river in the area.
Owing to its low latitude and high elevation, Liangshan has a mild climate. Under the Köppen system, the prefecture belongs to the humid subtropical zone (Köppen Cwa). Winters feature mild days and cool nights, while summers are very warm and humid. Monthly daily mean temperatures range from 9.6 °C (49.3 °F) in January to 22.3 °C (72.1 °F) in July. Unlike much of the province, which lies in the Sichuan Basin, humidity levels in winter are rather low, but like the rest of the province, rainfall is concentrated in the months of June through September, and the prefecture is virtually rainless in winter.
Cliff villages
editDue to the mountainous terrain, many villages that lie among the mountain cliffs of Liangshan Yi are isolated from the rest of Sichuan. They are called cliff villages as they tend to be isolated and lie at vertical heights of about 800 m (2,600 ft).[4] Access to these cliff villages tends to be through vines of trees along the cliffs and steep ladders made of ropes. In 2016, the state run The Beijing News reported one such village called Atulie'er where children climbed up a rope ladder for two hours to reach their home from school, often leading to falls and deaths.[5] In light of this, the local government constructed a special steel ladder (dubbed "Stairway to heaven") in November 2016 for people to climb up and down in a safer manner.[6]
Subdivisions
editLiangshan directly controls two county-level cities, 14 counties, and 1 autonomous county.
| Map | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Hanzi | Hanyu Pinyin | Yi | Yi Pinyin | Population (2010 Census) |
Area (km2) | Density (/km2) |
| Xichang City | 西昌市 | Xīchāng Shì | ꀒꎂꏃ | Op Rro Shyp | 712,434 | 2,655 | 268.33 |
| Yanyuan County | 盐源县 | Yányuán Xiàn | ꋂꂿꑤ | Ce Mo Xiep | 350,176 | 8,388 | 41.74 |
| Dechang County | 德昌县 | Déchāng Xiàn | ꄓꍣꑤ | Dep Cha Xiep | 214,405 | 2,284 | 93.87 |
| Huili City | 会理市 | Huìlǐ Shì | ꑌꄷꏃ | Nyi Ddix Shyp | 430,066 | 4,527 | 95.00 |
| Huidong County | 会东县 | Huìdōng Xiàn | ꉼꄏꑤ | Hop Do Xiep | 362,944 | 3,227 | 112.47 |
| Ningnan County | 宁南县 | Níngnán Xiàn | ꆀꆆꑤ | Nip Nap Xiep | 170,673 | 1,667 | 102.38 |
| Puge County | 普格县 | Pǔgé Xiàn | ꁌꐭꑤ | Pu Jjyt Xiep | 155,740 | 1,905 | 81.75 |
| Butuo County | 布拖县 | Bùtuō Xiàn | ꀭꄮꑤ | Bux Te Xiep | 160,151 | 1,685 | 95.04 |
| Jinyang County | 金阳县 | Jīnyáng Xiàn | ꏁꇉꑤ | Shyx lo Xiep | 165,121 | 1,587 | 104.04 |
| Zhaojue County | 昭觉县 | Zhāojué Xiàn | ꏪꐦꑤ | Juo Jjop Xiep | 251,836 | 2,699 | 93.30 |
| Xide County | 喜德县 | Xǐdé Xiàn | ꑝꅇꑤ | Xit Ddop Xiep | 165,906 | 2,206 | 75.20 |
| Mianning County | 冕宁县 | Miǎnníng Xiàn | ꍿꆈꑤ | Rruo Nuo Xiep | 351,245 | 4,423 | 79.41 |
| Yuexi County | 越西县 | Yuèxī Xiàn | ꃺꄧꑤ | Vyt Tuo Xiep | 269,896 | 2,257 | 119.58 |
| Ganluo County | 甘洛县 | Gānluò Xiàn | ꇤꇉꑤ | Ga Lo Xiep | 195,100 | 2,156 | 90.49 |
| Meigu County | 美姑县 | Měigū Xiàn | ꂿꈬꑤ | Mo Ggu Xiep | 221,505 | 2,573 | 86.08 |
| Leibo County | 雷波县 | Léibō Xiàn | ꃀꁧꑤ | Mop Bbo Xiep | 223,885 | 2,932 | 76.35 |
| Muli Tibetan Autonomous County | 木里藏族自治县 | Mùlǐ Zàngzú Zìzhìxiàn |
ꃆꆹꀒꋤꊨꏦꏱꅉꑤ | Mup Li Op Zzup
Zyt Jie Jux Dde Xiep |
131,726 | 13,252 | 9.94 |
Ethnic groups in Liangshan, 2010 census
edit| Nationality | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Yi | 2,226,755 | 49.13% |
| Han | 2,155,357 | 47.55% |
| Tibetan | 60,679 (2000) | 1.49% (2000) |
| Mosuo and Mongol | 27,277 (2000) | 0.67% (2000) |
| Hui | 18,385 (2000) | 0.45% (2000) |
| Miao | 11,912 (2000) | 0.29% |
| Lisu | 9,121 (2000) | 0.22% (2000) |
| Buyei | 5,459 (2000) | 0.13% (2000) |
| Nakhi | 5,199 (2000) | 0.13% (2000) |
| Others | 8,751 | 0.22% |
See also
edit- Asteroid 121001 Liangshanxichang
Notes
edit- ^
- simplified Chinese: 凉山彝族自治州; traditional Chinese: 涼山彞族自治州; pinyin: Liángshān Yízú Zìzhìzhōu
- Yi: ꆃꎭꆈꌠꊨꏦꏱꅉꍏ, niep sha nuo su zyt jie jux dde zho
References
edit- ^ a b "四川省第七次全国人口普查公报（第二号）" [Seventh National Census of the Sichuan Province (bulletin No. 2)]. Sichuan Statistics Bureau. 2021-05-26. Archived from the original on 24 Aug 2021.
- ^ 四川省统计局、国家统计局四川调查总队 (September 2016). 《四川统计年鉴－2016》. 中国统计出版社. ISBN 978-7-5037-7871-1.
- ^ Chi, Ma (25 May 2016). "Kids climb vine ladder in 'cliff village' in Sichuan". China People's Daily. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ Chi, An (21 November 2016). ""Ladders of heaven" gives new path to cliff village in China's Sichuan". Xinhua. Beijing News. Archived from the original on 22 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ "Steel replaces vine ladders in China's "Cliff Village"". Sina News. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ Wang, Serenetie; Hunt, Katie (26 October 2016). "China: Cliff-top village builds steel ladder for children to go to school". CNN News. Retrieved 22 November 2016.