Leshan (乐山)

1. Introduction

Leshan City (Sichuan dialect pinyin: No2san1), historically known as Jiazhou and Jiading, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China, located in the south-central part of Sichuan Province. The city borders Zigong City and Yibin City to the east, Liangshan Prefecture to the south, Ya'an City to the west, and Meishan City to the north. Situated in the southwestern part of the Sichuan Basin, its northern region lies within the Chengdu Plain, the eastern part belongs to the hilly area of central Sichuan, and the southwest is characterized by the Xiaoliangshan Mountains. The terrain is higher in the southwest and lower in the northeast. The Min River flows from north to south through the city, converging with the Dadu River and the Qingyi River in the urban area before exiting the city to the southeast. The city covers a total area of 12,720 square kilometers with a population of 3.2605 million. The municipal People's Government is located in Shizhong District. Leshan is a National Historical and Cultural City and an Excellent Tourist City of China. The famous Leshan Giant Buddha is situated on the east bank of the Min River, south of the Lingyun Temple, while Mount Emei, one of China's Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains, is located in the northwest of the city.

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2. History

Leshan has a long history, dating back over 2,000 years when it served as the capital of the Shu Kingdom under King Kaiming. During the Han Dynasty, it was established as Nan'an County. In the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Emei County and Pingqiang County were established. In the ninth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (589 AD), Emei County was renamed Qingyi County. The following year, Qingyi County was changed to Longyou County. In the thirteenth year of the Kaihuang era, Emei County was re-established.

During the Tang Dynasty, Longyou County served as the seat of Jiazhou. In the Song Dynasty, it was reorganized into Jiading Prefecture. During the Yuan Dynasty, it became Jiading Circuit. In the Ming Dynasty, it was changed to Jiading Directly Administered Prefecture. In the twelfth year of the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty (1734 AD), it was restored as Jiading Prefecture, and Leshan County was established. According to the Jiading Prefecture Gazetteer, the name "Leshan" was derived from "Zhile Mountain" within the county's territory, but the exact location of Zhile Mountain has been a subject of debate across different historical periods. The boundaries of Jiading Prefecture were not entirely the same as those of present-day Leshan City.

During the Republic of China era, it remained under the jurisdiction of Sichuan Province. In 1950, Leshan Special Administrative Region was established, and in 1968, it was renamed Leshan Prefecture. In 1978, Leshan County merged with Wutongqiao District to form Leshan City (a county-level city). In May 1985, Leshan Prefecture was abolished and upgraded to a prefecture-level city, establishing Leshan City as a prefecture-level administrative division. In 1997, six counties under its jurisdiction (Meishan County, Pengshan County, Renshou County, Hongya County, Danling County, and Qingshen County) were separated to form Meishan Prefecture.

3. Geography

Leshan City is located in the central part of Sichuan Province, at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu, and Qingyi Rivers in the southwestern part of the Sichuan Basin. The terrain is predominantly hilly, with mountainous areas in the southwest and alluvial plains along the rivers. It borders Meishan to the north, Zigong and Yibin to the east, Liangshan to the south, and Ya'an to the west.

3.1 Climate

The entire city falls within the central subtropical climate zone, characterized by mild and humid conditions, four distinct seasons, abundant rainfall, and pleasant springs and winters. The average elevation is approximately 500 meters. The annual precipitation is 1394 mm, with an average annual temperature of 17.2°C. The southwestern mountainous area exhibits significant vertical climatic variation. From the foothills to the mountain peaks, there is a complete sequence of climate zones: central subtropical, warm temperate, temperate, and cold temperate. This results in highly complex climatic conditions, making the region suitable for developing comprehensive agricultural operations and three-dimensional agriculture. It is a primary production area for timber, tea, medicinal herbs, and other crops, as well as a valuable tourism resource. Influenced by monsoons and topographic uplift, the climate is humid with plentiful rainfall.

Meteorological Data for Leshan City (1981–2010)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |--------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| | Record high °C (°F)| 19.3 (66.7) | 23.9 (75.0) | 32.5 (90.5) | 33.8 (92.8) | 36.5 (97.7) | 36.8 (98.2) | 37.6 (99.7) | 39.7 (103.5) | 36.3 (97.3) | 30.1 (86.2) | 25.7 (78.3) | 19.3 (66.7) | 39.7 (103.5) | | Average high °C (°F) | 10.1 (50.2) | 12.6 (54.7) | 17.3 (63.1) | 22.8 (73.0) | 27.0 (80.6) | 28.6 (83.5) | 30.7 (87.3) | 30.4 (86.7) | 26.2 (79.2) | 21.2 (70.2) | 16.9 (62.4) | 11.3 (52.3) | 21.3 (70.3) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | 7.2 (45.0) | 9.4 (48.9) | 13.1 (55.6) | 18.1 (64.6) | 22.1 (71.8) | 24.1 (75.4) | 26.2 (79.2) | 25.8 (78.4) | 22.3 (72.1) | 17.9 (64.2) | 13.7 (56.7) | 8.6 (47.5) | 17.4 (63.3) | | Average low °C (°F) | 5.1 (41.2) | 7.0 (44.6) | 10.2 (50.4) | 14.6 (58.3) | 18.6 (65.5) | 21.0 (69.8) | 22.9 (73.2) | 22.5 (72.5) | 19.7 (67.5) | 15.8 (60.4) | 11.5 (52.7) | 6.7 (44.1) | 14.6 (58.4) | | Record low °C (°F)| -1.4 (29.5) | 0.1 (32.2) | 0.2 (32.4) | 6.0 (42.8) | 10.5 (50.9) | 15.4 (59.7) | 18.5 (65.3) | 17.3 (63.1) | 13.6 (56.5) | 5.3 (41.5) | 2.2 (36.0) | -1.9 (28.6) | -1.9 (28.6) | | Average precipitation mm (inches)| 14.8 (0.58) | 24.0 (0.94) | 43.3 (1.70) | 87.0 (3.43) | 98.5 (3.88) | 153.5 (6.04) | 265.1 (10.44) | 294.7 (11.60) | 149.5 (5.89) | 58.0 (2.28) | 31.3 (1.23) | 11.8 (0.46) | 1,231.5 (48.47) | | Average precipitation days (≥0.1 mm)| 9.8 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.7 | 16.1 | 16.8 | 16.4 | 15.2 | 17.6 | 16.2 | 10.5 | 9.2 | 167.6 | | Average relative humidity (%)| 82 | 79 | 76 | 74 | 73 | 79 | 81 | 81 | 83 | 84 | 82 | 83 | 80 |

3.2 Resources

3.2.1 Mineral Resources

Approximately 30 types of resources have been identified. Among them, phosphorus, rock salt, limestone, kaolin, natural gas, gypsum, dolomite, mineral water, and mirabilite have relatively large reserves.

3.2.2 Hydropower

• Water resources: 85.51 billion cubic meters
• Theoretical hydropower potential: 7.9 million kilowatts
• Developable capacity: 5.75 million kilowatts
• Major hydropower stations: Gongzui Hydropower Station (700,000 kilowatts), Tongjiezzi Hydropower Station (600,000 kilowatts)

3.2.3 Local Products

The region is home to nationally protected rare plants such as Cathaya argyrophylla, Davidia involucrata, and Metasequoia glyptostroboides, as well as rare animals like the giant panda and the dead leaf butterfly. In 1986, a Song Dynasty kiln site was discovered in Xiba Town, Wutongqiao, Leshan City, bringing to light the widely used Xiba kiln ceramics. A large-scale investigation by Sichuan Province's scientific and technical personnel revealed that the Xiba kiln was almost on par with the Jian kiln and Jizhou kiln of the same era. Its main characteristic is the stunning and endlessly varied kiln transformations that occur during the firing process. Recently, a Xiba kiln lamp tree inscribed with "Taihe" was discovered, estimated to date from the period 1201–1208, during the reign of Emperor Zhangzong of the Jin Dynasty, suggesting that Leshan City may have been under Jin Dynasty rule at that time, rather than Southern Song rule.

4. Administrative Divisions

Leshan City administers 4 municipal districts, 4 counties, 2 autonomous counties, and has jurisdiction over 1 county-level city.

• Municipal Districts: Shizhong District, Shawan District, Wutongqiao District, Jinkouhe District
• County-level City: Emeishan City
• Counties: Qianwei County, Jingyan County, Jiajiang County, Muchuan County
• Autonomous Counties: Ebian Yi Autonomous County, Mabian Yi Autonomous County

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Including: Ethnic Townships | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 511100 | Leshan City | Lèshān Shì | 12,720.03 | 3,160,168 | Shizhong District | 614000 | 11 | 103 | 18 | 2 | | 511102 | Shizhong District | Shìzhōng Qū | 837.12 | 814,597 | Haitang Subdistrict | 614000 | 5 | 12 | | | | 511111 | Shawan District | Shāwān Qū | 605.26 | 144,931 | Tonghe Subdistrict | 614900 | 1 | 8 | | | | 511112 | Wutongqiao District | Wǔtōngqiáo Qū | 465.52 | 237,933 | Zhugen Town | 614800 | | 8 | | | | 511113 | Jinkouhe District | Jīnkǒuhé Qū | 598.16 | 38,727 | Yonghe Town | 614700 | | 2 | 3 | 2 | | 511123 | Qianwei County | Qiánwéi Xiàn | 1,367.92 | 416,673 | Yujin Town | 614400 | | 15 | | | | 511124 | Jingyan County | Jǐngyán Xiàn | 840.14 | 280,641 | Yancheng Subdistrict | 613100 | 1 | 14 | | | | 511126 | Jiajiang County | Jiājiāng Xiàn | 743.24 | 305,441 | Qingyi Subdistrict | 614100 | 2 | 7 | | | | 511129 | Muchuan County | Mùchuān Xiàn | 1,407.03 | 192,313 | Muxi Town | 614500 | | 8 | 5 | | | 511132 | Ebian Yi Autonomous County | Èbiān Yízú Zìzhìxiàn | 2,381.41 | 121,554 | Shaping Town | 614300 | | 7 | 6 | | | 511133 | Mabian Yi Autonomous County | Mǎbiān Yízú Zìzhìxiàn | 2,293.10 | 188,251 | Minjian Town | 614600 | | 12 | 3 | | | 511181 | Emeishan City | Éméishān Shì | 1,181.13 | 419,107 | Shengli Subdistrict | 614200 | 2 | 10 | 1 | |

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5. Transportation

• Chengdu-Kunming Railway, Chengdu-Guiyang Passenger Dedicated Line: Leshan Station
• G0512 Chengdu-Leshan Expressway, G93 Leshan-Yibin Expressway, Leshan-Zigong Expressway, G93 Leshan-Ya'an Expressway
• National Highway 348 passes through the area.
• Leshan Heavy-Duty Wharf (500-ton capacity) under construction:
• Leshan Tourist Airport under construction

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6. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 3,160,168. Compared with the 3,235,759 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was a decrease of 75,591 people over the past ten years, a decline of 2.34%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.24%. Among them, the male population was 1,585,671, accounting for 50.18% of the total population; the female population was 1,574,497, accounting for 49.82% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 100.71. The population aged 0–14 was 446,056, accounting for 14.11% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 1,939,933, accounting for 61.39% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 774,179, accounting for 24.5% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 606,448, accounting for 19.19% of the total population. The urban population was 1,678,367, accounting for 53.11% of the total population; the rural population was 1,481,801, accounting for 46.89% of the total population.

6.1 Ethnic Groups

Leshan City has 41 ethnic groups, with the Han, Yi, Hui, and Miao being the long-established indigenous ethnic groups. Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han population was 2,953,987, accounting for 93.48%; the total population of ethnic minorities was 206,181, accounting for 6.52%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han population decreased by 121,497, a decline of 3.95%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 1.57 percentage points; the total population of ethnic minorities increased by 45,906, a growth of 28.64%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 1.57 percentage points. Among them, the Yi population increased by 40,107, a growth of 26.2%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 1.38 percentage points.

Yi: The main ethnic minority, concentrated in the southern Mabian and Ebian Yi Autonomous Counties and Jinkouhe District.

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7. Sister Cities

• Gilbert, USA
• Fraser Coast, Australia
• Ichikawa, Japan

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Shizhong District

Shizhong District

The Han ethnic group accounts for 93.48% of the population; ethnic minorities account for 6.52%.

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