Xiahe County
County
Native name夏河县 ·
Other nameSangqu
Postal code747100
Postal code747100
Coordinates35°12′00″N 102°31′03″E
CountryChina
ProvinceGansu
Autonomous prefectureGannan
County seatLabrang
Area total6274 km²
Population as of2020
Population total86355
Time zoneChina Standard (UTC+8)
Websitewww.xiahe.gov.cn
Xiahe County
Orderst
S夏河县
T夏河縣
PXiàhé Xiàn
Wyliebsang chu rdzong
ZwpySangchu Zong

Xiahe County (; , saŋ tɕʰə) is a county in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu province, China, bordering Qinghai province to the west. The name (both Chinese and Tibetan), which literally means "Xia River", refers to the Daxia River which runs through the county. It is home to the famed Labrang Tibetan Buddhist monastery, one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries outside the Tibet Autonomous Region. The town is populated largely by ethnic Tibetans, as well as some Hui and Han Chinese. The area is highly rural and pastoral (including yak and other animal rearing). The geography is mountainous. Over the past decades it has become a tourist attraction. The county was named Xiahe in 1928, after the Daxia River that flows through its territory.

History

Xiahe (Sangqu) used to be part of Qinghai when it was under the control of Chinese Muslim General Ma Qi.[1] It was the site of bloody battles between Muslim and Tibetan forces.[2][3][4]

In 1980, Xiahe mandible, a hominin fossil jaw, was discovered in Baishiya Karst Cave, Xiahe County.

Location

Xiahe (Sangqu) is found in the southern portion of Gansu province, along the western border with Qinghai province. It lies along the Daxia and Zhao rivers. It is on the northeast edge of the Tibetan Plateau. The average elevation is 2,900 to 3,100 m (9,500 to 10,200 ft) with the highest being 4,636 m (15,210 ft) and the lowest 2,160 m (7,087 ft).

Climate

Xiahe County has an alpine subarctic climate (Köppen Dwc) that grades into an alpine climate (ETH) at the highest elevations. The climate is characterised by mild, rainy summers and frigid, but dry and sunny, winters.

Administrative divisions

Xiahe County is divided to 8 towns and 5 townships.[5]

NameSimplified ChineseHanyu PinyinTibetanWylieAdministrative division code
Towns
Labrang Town
(Lazhang, Labuleng)		拉卜楞镇Lābǔléng Zhènbla brang grong rdal623027100
Panggurtang Town
(Wangge'ertang)		王格尔塘镇Wánggé'ěrtáng Zhènbang gur thang grong rdal623027101
Amqog Town
(Amuquhu)		阿木去乎镇Āmùqùhū Zhèna mchog grong rdal623027102
Sangkog Town
(Sangke)		桑科镇Sāngkē Zhènbsang khog grong rdal623027103
Gain'gya Town
(Ganjia)		甘加镇Gānjiā Zhènrgan gya grong rdal623027104
Martang Town
(Madang)		麻当镇Mádāng Zhènmar thang grong rdal623027105
Bora Town
(Bola)		博拉镇Bólā Zhèn'bo ra grong rdal623027106
Kocê Town
(Kecai)		科才镇Kēcái Zhènkho tshe grong rdal623027107
Townships
Damê Township
(Damai)		达麦乡Dámài Xiāngmda' med shang623027202
Qu'ngoin Township
(Qu'ao)		曲奥乡Qū'ào Xiāngchu sngon shang623027204
Tanggarnang Township
(Tangga'ang)		唐尕昂乡Tánggǎ'áng Xiāngthang dkar nang shang623027205
Jayü Township
(Zhayou)		扎油乡Zhāyóu Xiāngca yus shang623027206
Gyicang Township
(Jicang)		吉仓乡Jícāng Xiāngskyis tshang shang623027208

References

  1. ^ Frederick Roelker Wulsin, Joseph Fletcher, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, National Geographic Society (U.S.), Peabody Museum of Salem (1979). China's inner Asian frontier: photographs of the Wulsin expedition to northwest China in 1923 : from the archives of the Peabody Museum, Harvard University, and the National Geographic Society. illustrated ed. Mary Ellen Alonso (ed.). The Museum : distributed by Harvard University Press. p. 49. ISBN 0-674-11968-1. Archived 4 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  2. ^ Dean King (2010). Unbound: A True Story of War, Love, and Survival. illustrated ed. Hachette Digital, Inc. ISBN 978-0-316-16708-6. Archived 29 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  3. ^ Paul Hattaway (2004). Peoples of the Buddhist world: a Christian prayer diary. William Carey Library. p. 4. ISBN 0-87808-361-8. Archived 29 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  4. ^ Gary Geddes (2008). Kingdom of Ten Thousand Things: An Impossible Journey from Kabul to Chiapas. illustrated ed. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. p. 175. ISBN 978-1-4027-5344-2. Archived 30 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  5. ^ "zh:2022年统计用区划代码和城乡划分代码：夏河县" [2022 Statistical Area Numbers and Rural-Urban Area Numbers: Xiahe County]. National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China. 2022.