Hotan Prefecture (和田地区)

1. Introduction

Hotan Prefecture (Uyghur: خوتەن ۋىلايىتى‎, Latin Uyghur: Hoten Wilayiti; formerly known as "Khotan Prefecture", renamed "Hotan Prefecture" in 1959) is a prefecture under the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, located in the southwestern part of Xinjiang. Hotan Prefecture is situated at the southernmost tip of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It lies to the south against the Kunlun Mountains and the Karakoram Mountains, while its northern part extends deep into the heart of the Taklamakan Desert. To the east, it borders Qiemo County of the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture; to the west, it connects with Yecheng, Maigaiti, and Bachu Counties of Kashgar Prefecture; to the north, it adjoins Shaya and Awat Counties of Aksu Prefecture; and to the south, it neighbors the Tibet Autonomous Region. To the southwest, it shares a border with the actual control zones of India and Pakistan in Kashmir. The prefecture spans approximately 670 kilometers from east to west and about 600 kilometers from north to south, with a boundary line of 264 kilometers. Its total area is 247,800 square kilometers. The administrative office of the prefecture is located at No. 3 Tanai North Road, Hotan City.

2. Etymology

Tang Dynasty: Khotan was referred to as "瞿萨旦那" (Gostana), a name likely derived from Sanskrit, meaning "earth's milk" or "the milk of the earth," associated with local myths and legends.

Yuan Dynasty: Khotan was known as "斡端" (Khotan), a name closer to the pronunciation in modern Uyghur.

Qing Dynasty: Khotan gradually evolved into "和阗" and was officially renamed "和田" in the late Qing Dynasty.

3. History

The Tocharians lived in this region more than 2,000 years ago. The ancient Kingdom of Khotan was one of the world's earliest Buddhist states and served as a cultural bridge for Buddhist culture and learning to spread from India to China. In 60 BCE (the second year of the Shenjue era), the Western Han court established the Protectorate of the Western Regions as an interface with states such as Pishan, Khotan, Hanmi, Qule, Jingjue, and Ronglu. In 2 CE (the first year of the Yuanshou era), the kings of these states were enfeoffed, their officials were granted titles and seals according to the Han system, and a "Grain Office" was established in Jingjue.

Fifty-seven years later, the Kingdom of Khotan flourished, and neighboring states submitted to it. In 73 CE, after being attacked by Ban Chao of the Eastern Han, Khotan became subordinate to the Eastern Han but regained independence when Eastern Han influence waned and withdrew from the Western Regions. In the 3rd century, Khotan was among the five major states of the Tarim Basin, alongside Shanshan, Kashgar, Kucha, and Karasahr. The Western Jin granted titles such as Shizhong, Da Duwei, and Feng Jin Da Hou to the kings of these five states. After the 4th century, Khotan became subordinate to regimes such as the Former Liang and Former Qin and was attacked by nomadic peoples like the Tuyuhun and Hephthalites. From the 5th to the 10th centuries, the language of the Kingdom of Khotan was Saka (Sakan), possibly a descendant of Gandhari. The inhabitants of Khotan at the time, the Sakas, were likely Caucasian people of the Indo-European language family. As a hub for trade between East and West, Khotan absorbed cultures from regions such as Iran and India. While Zoroastrianism flourished in the Kingdom of Khotan, many Buddhist temples were also built. The Kingdom of Khotan was ruled by the Vijaya (Visa) family, whose Chinese surname during the Tang Dynasty was "Yuchi."

In the early 7th century, Khotan was under the control of the Western Turks. Later, the Tang Empire launched a western expedition against the Western Turks. In 648, Khotan, along with Kashgar, Kucha, and Karasahr, was incorporated into the "Four Garrisons of Anxi" under Tang influence. In 675 (the second year of the Shangyuan era), to resist Tibetan attacks, the Tang established the Pisha Protectorate in strategically important Khotan. However, in 790, both the Anxi Protectorate and the Beiting Protectorate were conquered by the Tibetans, and Khotan also came under Tibetan rule. After the Tibetan retreat, the Li family established an independent regime in Khotan, and King Li Shengtian was enfeoffed by the Later Jin as the "King of the Great Treasure Kingdom of Khotan."

In the 10th century, Khotan began to struggle with the Islamic Karakhanid state of Central Asia. The rulers of Khotan, aware of the threats they faced, arranged for the Mogao Caves to depict an increasing number of deities alongside them. In the mid-10th century, Khotan was attacked by Musa, a ruler of the Karakhanids. At a critical moment of Turkification and Islamization in the Tarim Basin, the Karakhanid leader Yusuf Qadir Khan conquered Khotan around 1006. Under Karakhanid rule, Khotan was Islamized, and its Iranian-Indian culture disappeared. Moreover, due to changes in major trade routes, post-Islamization Khotan faded from international trade and transformed into a regional trading center.

In 1041, the Karakhanid Khanate split into eastern and western parts, with Kashgar's Eastern Karakhanid Khanate (the Harun line) holding Khotan. During the reign of Kublai Khan in the Yuan Dynasty, Khotan was renamed Odon or Wuduan City, and the Odon Pacification Commissioner's Marshal Office was established, ruled by the Mongol imperial clan. Marco Polo, in The Travels of Marco Polo, recorded Odon as a city thriving in agriculture and textiles. He wrote: "This is part of the Beshbalik province, and the inhabitants all worship Muhammad. It has many cities and towns, the most magnificent of which is like the provincial capital. Livelihood resources are abundant, and cotton is produced here in great quantities. There are many vineyards, manors, and orchards. The people make a living through trade and industry and are not at all warlike."

In 1755, the Qing Empire defeated the Dzungar Khanate. In 1759 (the 24th year of the Qianlong era), the Khotan Ministerial Office was established in Khotan, under the jurisdiction of the Yarkand Ministerial Office, thoroughly suppressing the Aqtaghlik. Under Qing rule, Khotan was garrisoned with a small number of troops and served as one of the bases for local governance. From the 18th to the 19th century, the population of Khotan gradually increased, and residential areas expanded beyond the ancient city walls. In 1828, for defense purposes, a new city was built near the old city.

In the 9th year of the Guangxu era (1883), Khotan was established as a directly administered prefecture, headquartered in Karakash (present-day Moyu County town).
In the 28th year of the Guangxu era (1902), Pishan County was established; 23 villages from the eastern part of Khotan County and 15 villages from the western part of Yutian County were separated to form Lop County.
In the 2nd year of the Republic of China (1913), Khotan Directly Administered Prefecture was changed to Khotan County.
In the 4th year of the Republic of China (1915), Moyu County was separated from Khotan County.
In the 9th year of the Republic of China (1920), the Khotan Circuit was established.
In the 17th year of the Republic of China (1928), the Khotan Circuit was changed to the Khotan Administrative Region, with an Administrative Chief Office established.
In the 18th year of the Republic of China (1929), Qira County was established.
In the 32nd year of the Republic of China (1943), the Khotan Administrative Region was changed to the Khotan Special District, with an Administrative Inspector Commissioner's Office established.
In the 36th year of the Republic of China (1947), Minfeng County was established.
On December 22, 1949, the 15th Regiment of the Chinese People's Liberation Army arrived in Khotan.
In 1950, the Khotan Special District Commissioner's Office was established.
In September 1959, "Khotan" was changed to "Hotan."
In June 1971, the Khotan Special District was changed to the Hotan Prefecture.
In 1977, the Hotan Prefecture Administrative Office was established.
In 1979, the Hotan Administrative Office was established.
In September 1983, Hotan City was separated from Hotan County.

3. Geography

The Hotan region extends south over the Kunlun Mountains to the northern Tibetan Plateau. It borders the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture to the east, the Aksu Prefecture to the north, and the Kashgar Prefecture to the west. To the southwest, it adjoins the Karakoram Mountains and the disputed Kashmir region between India and Pakistan. The region stretches approximately 670 kilometers from east to west and 600 kilometers from north to south, with a boundary line of 264 kilometers. Its total area is 247,800 square kilometers, of which mountains account for 33.3%, deserts and Gobi for 63%, and oases for only 3.7%. These oases are fragmented by deserts and Gobi into over 300 patches of varying sizes. Hotan has an arid desert climate, with an average annual precipitation of only 35 mm and an average annual evaporation as high as 2,480 mm. There are 36 rivers of various sizes within its territory, with the Karakash River and the Yurungkash River being the two largest, having a combined annual runoff of over 7.3 billion cubic meters. The terrain is lower in the north and higher in the south, gently sloping from west to east. The elevation rises from 1,050 meters in the north to 7,167 meters in the southern mountains. The boundaries between the mountainous areas, hills, and northern plains are distinct. Roughly divided geomorphologically, half is basin and half is mountainous. The oasis area covers 9,730 square kilometers. The high Kunlun Mountains in the south of Hotan arc across the region from east to west, featuring overlapping peaks and steep terrain. The northern slopes consist of low hills and mountains with widespread gorges, while the southern slopes are gentler. Mountain peaks generally reach around 6,000 meters, with the highest exceeding 7,000 meters. Due to the arid climate, the desert zone generally extends up to 3,300 meters, reaching 5,000 meters in some areas. The snowlines on the northern and southern slopes are above 6,000 meters and 5,500 meters, respectively.

Within the Hotan region, there are 36 rivers of various sizes, including the Andir River, Niya River, Keriya River, Qira River, Yurungkash River, Karakash River, Sanju River, Pishan River, Galwan River, Tiannan River, Changlong River, Salijilganxi River, and Chipchap River, with an annual runoff of 7.4 billion cubic meters. The seasonal contrast of these rivers is extreme: flooding in summer, severe drought in autumn and winter, and acute water shortage in spring, with the water volume from April to May accounting for only 7% of the annual total. Most rivers in Hotan are inland rivers. They can generally be divided into five inland drainage areas: Pishan, Hotan-Moyu-Lop, Qira-Yutian-Minfeng, and the Qiangtang Plateau lake region. Additionally, there is the Chipchap River outflow area of the Indian Ocean basin (with an annual outflow of 293 million cubic meters). In the plains, there are 36 rivers of various sizes, 30 of which are used for irrigation and drinking water for people and livestock.

The Hotan region is located in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent, shielded by the Pamir Plateau and Tianshan Mountains to the west and north, making it difficult for cold air from Siberia to enter. The Kunlun Mountains and Karakoram Mountains to the south block warm, moist airflows from the Indian Ocean, resulting in a warm temperate extreme arid desert climate. The four seasons are distinct: summers are hot, winters are cold but not severely so, spring sees rapid but unstable temperature increases often accompanied by late cold spells and frequent sandstorms, and autumn experiences rapid cooling. Annual precipitation is scarce, sunlight is abundant, heat is plentiful, the frost-free period is long, and the daily temperature range is large. Spring has frequent sandstorms and floating dust; summer is hot and dry. The average annual precipitation is 35 mm, and the annual evaporation is 2,480 mm. Sand and dust winds are common throughout the seasons, with over 220 days of dusty weather per year, including about 60 days of dense floating dust (sandstorms). The number of floating dust days in Hotan increases by an average of 2.5 days per year. There are no Class I or II air quality days annually, 28 days of Class III or IV air quality, and about 300 days of Class V air quality. The monthly average dust deposition is 124 tons per square kilometer. The entire region can roughly be divided into three climatic types: the southern mountainous area, the oasis plain area, and the northern desert area.

Average Meteorological Data for Hotan City, 1981–2010

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-------------------------------------------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------| | Average high °C (°F) | 1.3 | 6.9 | 15.8 | 23.5 | 27.8 | 31.1 | 32.6 | 31.7 | 27.4 | 20.6 | 11.6 | 3.1 | 19.5 | | | (34.3) | (44.4) | (60.4) | (74.3) | (82.0) | (88.0) | (90.7) | (89.1) | (81.3) | (69.1) | (52.9) | (37.6) | (67.1) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | −3.9 | 1.3 | 9.6 | 16.8 | 21.1 | 24.3 | 25.8 | 24.9 | 20.4 | 13.2 | 5.1 | −2.2 | 13.0 | | | (25.0) | (34.3) | (49.3) | (62.2) | (70.0) | (75.7) | (78.4) | (76.8) | (68.7) | (55.8) | (41.2) | (28.0) | (55.4) | | Average low °C (°F) | −8.2 | −3.4 | 4.0 | 10.7 | 15.2 | 18.5 | 20.0 | 19.3 | 14.5 | 7.0 | 0.0 | −6.3 | 7.6 | | | (17.2) | (25.9) | (39.2) | (51.3) | (59.4) | (65.3) | (68.0) | (66.7) | (58.1) | (44.6) | (32.0) | (20.7) | (45.7) | | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 7.2 | 8.9 | 7.2 | 4.6 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 44.1 | | | (0.07) | (0.07) | (0.10) | (0.11) | (0.28) | (0.35) | (0.28) | (0.18) | (0.14) | (0.06) | (0.02) | (0.06) | (1.72) | | Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 17.3 |3 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 54 | 44 | 32 | 29 | 34 | 38 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 41 | 43 | 54 | 42 | | Monthly mean sunshine hours | 167.8 | 163.9 | 185.8 | 208.3 | 234.5 | 253.2 | 242.5 | 231.2 | 240 | 260.5 | 221.1 | 178.2 | 2,587 | | Percentage of possible sunshine | 55 | 54 | 50 | 53 | 54 | 58 | 54 | 55 | 65 | 75 | 72 | 60 | 58 |

Data source: China Meteorological Administration (precipitation days and sunshine data from 1971–2000)

4. Administrative Divisions

Hotan Prefecture administers 1 county-level city and 7 counties.

County-level City: Hotan City Counties: Hotan County, Moyu County, Pishan County, Lop County, Qira County, Yutian County, Minfeng County

Administrative Divisions Map of Hotan Prefecture

| Division Code | Division Name | Hanyu Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|---------------------------|-------------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|----------------------| | 653200 | Hotan Prefecture | Hétián Dìqū | 248,059.54 | 2,441,231 | Hotan City | 848000 | 4 | 24 | 67 | 2 | | | خوتەن ۋىلايىتى | Hoten Wilayiti | | | | | | | | | | 653201 | Hotan City | Hétián Shì | 466.44 | 501,028 | Nurbag Subdistrict | 848000 | 4 | 3 | 5 | | | | خوتەن شەھىرى | Hoten Shehiri | | | | | | | | | | 653221 | Hotan County | Hétián Xiàn | 41,079.94 | 342,603 | Hotan County Economic New Area | 848000 | | 2 | 10 | | | | خوتەن ناھىيىسى | Hoten Nahiyisi | | | | | | | | | | 653222 | Moyu County | Mòyù Xiàn | 25,607.72 | 571,648 | Karakax Town | 848100 | | 5 | 11 | | | | قاراقاش ناھىيىسى | Qaraqash Nahiyisi | | | | | | | | | | 653223 | Pishan County | Píshān Xiàn | 39,463.40 | 281,573 | Guma Town | 845100 | | 6 | 10 | 2 | | | گۇما ناھىيىسى | Guma Nahiyisi | | | | | | | | | | 653224 | Lop County | Luòpǔ Xiàn | 14,113.61 | 286,900 | Lop Town | 848200 | | 3 | 6 | | | | لوپ ناھىيىسى | Lop Nahiyisi | | | | | | | | | | 653225 | Qira County | Cèlè Xiàn | 31,591.63 | 157,792 | Qira Town | 848300 | | 2 | 6 | | | | چىرا ناھىيىسى | Chira Nahiyisi | | | | | | | | | | 653226 | Yutian County | Yútián Xiàn | 39,032.90 | 257,038 | Mugala Town | 848400 | | 2 | 13 | | | | كېرىيە ناھىيىسى | Kériye Nahiyisi | | | | | | | | | | 653227 | Minfeng County | Mínfēng Xiàn | 56,702.90 | 42,649 | Niya Town | 848500 | | 1 | 6 | | | | نىيە ناھىيىسى | Niye Nahiyisi | | | | | | | | |

5. Economy

Hotan Prefecture is located in southern Xinjiang, covering an area of approximately 247,800 square kilometers. It is a major agricultural hub in China. The region’s economy is predominantly driven by agriculture, with abundant agricultural resources such as cotton, animal husbandry, and fruit cultivation. In recent years, Hotan Prefecture has maintained economic growth. In 2022, its GDP reached 49.055 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of 4.4%. The tertiary sector accounted for the largest share, reaching 61.5%.

Despite rapid economic development, Hotan Prefecture still faces challenges such as limited resources and land scarcity. The per capita arable land area is only 1.12 mu, and the utilization rate of water resources is as high as 98%, far exceeding the internationally recognized reasonable standard. To address these issues, Hotan Prefecture is promoting industrial restructuring, shifting from the primary sector to the secondary and tertiary sectors. It is also strengthening agricultural technological innovation and brand building to enhance the quality and added value of agricultural products.

6. Transportation

National Highway 219 passes through the area. National Highway 315 passes through the area.

7. Education

The Hotan Prefecture, located in the southern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is an important educational area with abundant educational resources and diverse educational institutions. The region has various types of schools, including general high schools, secondary vocational schools, primary schools, kindergartens, and higher education institutions, covering a complete education system from preschool to higher education.

The Hotan Prefecture Education College, established in 1971, is a long-standing and large-scale educational institution in the region, providing high-quality teaching services. Additionally, Hotan Prefecture is home to several well-known middle schools, such as Hotan City No. 1 Middle School and No. 3 Middle School, which are renowned for their beautiful campus environments and strong faculty.

In terms of vocational education, the Hotan Prefecture Secondary Vocational and Technical School and the Hotan Vocational and Technical College offer a variety of professional courses to cultivate high-quality technical and skilled talents. Meanwhile, the Hotan Prefecture Experimental Middle School, as a boarding school for both Han and ethnic minority students, emphasizes bilingual teaching and provides a favorable learning environment for students.

In recent years, Hotan Prefecture has continuously promoted balanced educational development, improved education quality, and strived to achieve educational equity through measures such as strengthening infrastructure construction, optimizing resource allocation, and advancing educational informatization. Furthermore, the region places great emphasis on enhancing the quality of teachers by improving their teaching standards through training and policy support.

8. Population

According to the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the region's permanent resident population was 2,014,362. Compared with the Fifth National Population Census, the population increased by 333,052 over the ten-year period, a growth of 19.81%. The average annual growth rate was 1.82%. Among them, the male population was 1,028,276, accounting for 51.05%; the female population was 986,086, accounting for 48.95%. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 104.28. The population aged 0–14 was 528,320, accounting for 26.23%; the population aged 15–64 was 1,398,333, accounting for 69.42%; and the population aged 65 and above was 87,709, accounting for 4.35%.

According to the 2020 Seventh National Population Census, the permanent resident population of Hotan Prefecture was 2,441,231, accounting for 9.69% of the total population of the autonomous region. In comparison, it accounted for 9.23% of the autonomous region's population in 2010. Compared with the 2,014,362 people from the Sixth National Population Census, the population increased by 426,869 over the ten-year period, a growth of 21.19%, with an average annual growth rate of 1.94%. Among them, the male population was 1,228,399, accounting for 50.32% of the total population; the female population was 1,212,832, accounting for 49.68% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 101.28. The population aged 0–14 was 843,907, accounting for 34.57% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 1,418,242, accounting for 58.1% of the total population; and the population aged 60 and above was 179,082, accounting for 7.34% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 117,273, accounting for 4.8% of the total population. The urban population was 659,879, accounting for 27.03% of the total population; the rural population was 1,781,352, accounting for 72.97% of the total population.

8.1. Ethnic Groups

Among the permanent resident population, the Han population was 72,279, accounting for 3.59% of the total population, while the population of various ethnic minorities was 1,942,083, accounting for 96.41% of the total population. Uyghurs accounted for 96.3%, Han for 3.5%, and other ethnic groups for 0.2%. There are 22 ethnic groups, including Uyghur, Han, Hui, Tajik, and Kyrgyz.

Ethnic Composition of Hotan Prefecture (November 2010)

| Ethnic Group | Uyghur | Han | Hui | Tajik | Kyrgyz | Tibetan | Kazakh | Tujia | Mongolian | Yi | Other Ethnic Groups | |------------|----------|--------|------|----------|------------|------|----------|--------|--------|------|----------| | Population | 1,938,316| 72,279 | 1,189| 972 | 868 | 97 | 85 | 70 | 65 | 58 | 363 | | Percentage of Total Population (%) | 96.22 | 3.59 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | | Percentage of Minority Population (%) | 99.81 | --- | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 |

9. Religion

The Hotan region, located in the southern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is an area with a long history and rich religious culture. Historically, Hotan was one of the first stops for Buddhism's entry into China. Buddhism was introduced to Yutian (Hotan) in the 1st century BC and became one of the significant religions in the region. Additionally, Hotan is also an important site for the spread of Islam. Since the 11th century, Islam gradually rose to prominence and became the dominant religion in the area.

The religious diversity of the Hotan region is reflected in the coexistence and blending of multiple religions. Besides Buddhism and Islam, historically, there have also been Shamanism, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Nestorianism, and Taoism. These religions together have shaped Hotan's unique cultural atmosphere.

Currently, religious activities in the Hotan region are predominantly centered around Islam, with local residents widely practicing the faith and adhering to its religious rituals. At the same time, Buddhist culture has a deep historical legacy in Hotan, with many Buddhist sites and artifacts continuing to attract scholars and tourists to this day.

10. Culture

The Hotan region, located in the southern part of China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, boasts a long history and profound cultural heritage. It once served as a vital hub along the ancient Silk Road, witnessing the exchange and integration of Chinese and Western civilizations. Hotan is renowned for its abundant Hotan jade, earning it the title "City of Jade." Its exquisite jade carving craftsmanship attracts numerous domestic and international tourists.

The Hotan region is home to multiple ethnic groups, with the Uygur people as the majority, alongside Han, Hui, and other ethnicities, forming a unique multicultural society. The area is rich in folk customs, including traditional embroidery, handicraft production, and distinctive local festivals and wedding traditions.

Hotan also preserves a wealth of intangible cultural heritage, such as Atlas silk and mulberry bark paper. These traditional crafts showcase the wisdom and creativity of the local people. Additionally, Hotan's natural landscapes are magnificent, with geographical features like the Kunlun Mountains and the Taklamakan Desert endowing the region with unique natural scenery.

The Hotan region is not only an important historical and cultural city in China but also a model of multicultural integration. Its rich cultural heritage and natural landscapes make it a significant destination for tourism and research.

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Hotan City

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