Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州)

1. Introduction

Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (Old Lisu script: ꓠꓳ-ꓟꓵ ꓡꓲ-ꓢꓴ ꓫꓵꓽ ꓚꓲꓸ ꓛꓬꓽ ꓗꓪꓼ ꓫꓵꓽ ꓝꓳꓴ, Latin transliteration: Nolmut Lisu Shit Jilqait Guatshit Zhou), commonly abbreviated as Nujiang Prefecture, is an autonomous prefecture under the jurisdiction of Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China. Located in the northwest of Yunnan, it is named after the Nujiang River that flows through its entire territory. The prefecture borders the Nyingchi City of the Tibet Autonomous Region to the north, Diqing Prefecture and Lijiang City to the east, Dali Prefecture to the southeast, Baoshan City to the south, and shares a border with Myanmar to the west. Situated in the northern section of the Hengduan Mountains, within the canyon region of the Yunling, Nushan, and Gaoligong Mountains, the Nujiang, Lancang, and Dulong Rivers flow from north to south through the area. The prefecture has a long and narrow shape, covering a total area of 14,585 square kilometers with a population of 552,700. The capital of the autonomous prefecture is located in Liuku Town, Lushui City. Nujiang Prefecture is the only Lisu autonomous prefecture in China, with the Lisu ethnic group accounting for approximately 51% of the population. It is also home to multiple ethnic minorities such as the Bai, Nu, Pumi, and Dulong. Economically, constrained by geographical conditions, Nujiang once had a poverty incidence rate as high as 56%, placing it at a relatively underdeveloped level both nationally and within Yunnan Province. It is one of China's severely impoverished "Three Regions and Three Prefectures." Due to its location in the Hengduan Mountains, Nujiang Prefecture features the natural wonder of the "Three Parallel Rivers," which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in 2003.

2. Etymology

The name "Nujiang" of the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture originates from its geographical environment and historical background. According to historical records, the name "Nujiang" can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, due to its strategic location, the Nujiang region became an important military stronghold and economic center. The name "Nujiang" is composed of two characters: "Nu" and "Jiang," symbolizing a "raging river."

3. History

During the Western Han Dynasty, the Yizhou Commandery was established, and the present-day prefecture area belonged to it. In the 12th year of the Yongping era (69 AD) of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Yongchang Commandery was separated from the Yizhou Commandery. During the Xianhe era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the Xihe Commandery was established, which was abolished during the Liang Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties. In the early Tang Dynasty, the area belonged to the Yaozhou Military Governor's Office, and later it came under the control of Nanzhao. During the Nanzhao period, except for the present-day Lushui City, which belonged to the Yongchang Jiedushi, the rest of the area was under the Jianchuan Jiedushi. During the Dali Kingdom, the northern part belonged to the Shanju Commandery; the central part belonged to the Lanxi Commandery (administered from present-day Jinding Town, Lanping County) under the Moutong Prefecture; and the southern part belonged to the Shengxiang Commandery's Yunlong Dan.

In the Yuan Dynasty, the northern part was under the territory of Linxi County in the Lijiang Route; the central part saw the Lanxi Commandery changed to the Lanzhou Tuzhi Prefecture in the 12th year of the Zhiyuan era (1275 AD), belonging to the Lijiang Route; and the southern part belonged to the Yongchang Prefecture.

During the Ming Dynasty, the northern part of Gongshan was under the Kangpu and Yezhi Tuzhi Qianzong of Linxi County, belonging to the Lijiang Military-Civilian Prefecture; the central part, including Lanzhou (Lanping) Tuzhi Prefecture, Bijiang, and Fugong, all belonged to the Lijiang Military-Civilian Prefecture; the eastern part of the Nujiang River in the south established the Liuku and Laowo Tuzhi Qianzong under Yunlong Prefecture, while the western part of the Nujiang River established the Denggeng, Luzhang Tuzhi Qianzong, and Maozhao Tuzhi Bazong under Baoshan County of Yongchang Prefecture. In the Qing Dynasty, the northern part belonged to the Changputong District of Weixi Ting; the central part saw the Lanzhou Tuzhi Prefecture undergo the Gaitu Guiliu policy, establishing the Lanzhou Zhizhou under Lijiang Prefecture; the southern part, including Lushui's Liuku and Laowo Tuzhi Qianzong, belonged to Yunlong Prefecture, while Denggeng, Luzhang, and Maozhao Tuzhi Qianzong belonged to Baoshan County of Yongchang Prefecture.

After the Xinhai Revolution, in 1912, Yunnan's "Nu-Qiu Border Colonization Corps" entered the Nujiang area via different routes, establishing the Shangpa Colonization Office (administered from present-day Shangpa Town, Fugong County) and the Zhiziluo Colonization Office (administered from Zhiziluo in the Pihu Nu Ethnic Township, present-day Fugong County); Lanping County was separated from Lijiang County (administered from present-day Jinding Town, with the county name formed by taking one character each from the place names "Shanglan" and "Baidiping"). The "Nu-Qiu Colonization General Bureau" was established at Yingpan Street in Lanping County, directly exercising military and administrative jurisdiction over this border area. The areas of Denggeng, Luzhang, Maozhao originally under Baoshan County, along with Liuku and Daxingdi originally under Yunlong County, were merged to establish the Luzhang Administrative Office, which was changed to the Lushui Administrative Commissioner District the following year. In the fifth year of the Republic of China (1916), each colonization office was changed to an administrative district office, all belonging to the Tengyue Circuit. In the sixth year of the Republic of China (1917), the Changputong Administrative District (administered from Dala, present-day Dala in Bingzhongluo Township, Gongshan County) was separated from Weixi County. In 1929, the Tengyue Circuit was abolished, and each district and county was transferred to the First Border Colonization Supervisory District. In the 21st year of the Republic of China (1932), the Lushui Administrative District was changed to the Lushui Administrative Bureau, the Changputong Administrative District to the Gongshan Administrative Bureau, the Zhiziluo Administrative District to the Bijiang Administrative Bureau, and the Shangpa Administrative District to the Fugong Administrative Bureau. In the 31st year of the Republic of China (1942), each county and administrative bureau belonged to the Seventh Administrative Inspectorate District of Yunnan Province. In the 35th year of the Republic of China (1946), they were transferred to the Thirteenth Administrative Inspectorate District.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, in 1949, Fugong County and Bijiang County were established; the Gongshan Administrative Bureau was relocated to Cikai Town. In 1950, the Lushui Administrative Bureau belonged to the Baoshan Special District, while Lanping, Fugong, Bijiang counties, and the Gongshan Administrative Bureau belonged to the Lijiang Special District. In 1952, the Lushui Administrative Bureau was changed to Lushui County. In 1952, the Gongshan Administrative Bureau and Fugong and Bijiang counties were changed to the Lisu Ethnic Autonomous Region, belonging to the Lijiang Special District. On April 6, 1954, the establishment of the Nujiang Lisu Ethnic Autonomous Region was approved (simultaneously abolishing the three Lisu Ethnic Autonomous Regions of Gongshan, Fugong, and Bijiang, changing them to counties, and transferring them along with Lushui County to the Nujiang Lisu Ethnic Autonomous Region). The autonomous region government was stationed in Zhiziluo, Bijiang County (present-day Zhiziluo in the Pihu Nu Ethnic Township, Fugong County); it was officially established on August 23 of the same year, under the administration of the Lijiang Special District. In October 1956, Gongshan County was changed to the Gongshan Dulong and Nu Autonomous County. In January 1957, the autonomous region was changed to the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture; in the same year, Lanping County from the Lijiang Special District was transferred to Nujiang Prefecture. In June 1961, according to the "Sino-Burmese Treaty of Friendship and Non-Aggression" and the "Sino-Burmese Boundary Treaty," China recovered the Pianma area, establishing the Piangu Port Special Zone, directly under the Lijiang Special District. In September 1966, the Pianma area was transferred to Lushui County, establishing Pianma Township. In August 1973, Nujiang Prefecture was no longer administered by the Lijiang District and was instead placed under the leadership of Yunnan Province. In 1975, the prefectural government moved to Liuku Town, Lushui County. In September 1986, Bijiang County was abolished and merged into Lushui and Fugong counties. In November 1987, Lanping County was changed to the Lanping Bai and Pumi Autonomous County. In January 2004, the seat of Lushui County was moved from Luzhang Town to Liuku Town. In June 2016, Lushui County was abolished, and the county-level Lushui City was established.

4. Geography

Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture borders the Kachin State of Myanmar to the west, with a boundary line extending 450 kilometers. It is adjacent to Nyingchi City of the Tibet Autonomous Region to the north, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province to the east, and Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture to the south. Located in the canyon region of the Hengduan Mountains, the Nujiang River flows from north to south through the prefecture, which is how the prefecture got its name. It forms part of the spectacular Three Parallel Rivers, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.

Meteorological Data for Lushui City (1981–2010)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-------------------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|-------------|-------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|-------------| | Record high °C (°F) | 27.1 | 32.8 | 35.7 | 37.7 | 39 | 38.7 | 37 | 35.9 | 36.1 | 35.5 | 29.8 | 26.9 | 39 | | | (80.8) | (91.0) | (96.3) | (99.9) | (102.2) | (101.7) | (98.6) | (96.6) | (97.0) | (95.9) | (85.6) | (80.4) | (102.2) | | Average high °C (°F) | 21.1 | 22.8 | 25.6 | 27.6 | 29.7 | 29.9 | 29.3 | 29.8 | 29.0 | 26.8 | 23.9 | 21.4 | 26.4 | | | (70.0) | (73.0) | (78.1) | (81.7) | (85.5) | (85.8) | (84.7) | (85.6) | (84.2) | (80.2) | (75.0) | (70.5) | (79.5) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | 13.7 | 15.5 | 18.5 | 20.9 | 23.7 | 25.0 | 24.8 | 24.7 | 23.5 | 21.0 | 17.1 | 14.1 | 20.2 | | | (56.7) | (59.9) | (65.3) | (69.6) | (74.7) | (77.0) | (76.6) | (76.5) | (74.3) | (69.8) | (62.8) | (57.4) | (68.4) | | Average low °C (°F) | 8.0 | 9.8 | 13.2 | 16.0 | 19.2 | 21.6 | 21.8 | 21.5 | 20.2 | 17.3 | 12.4 | 8.9 | 15.8 | | | (46.4) | (49.6) | (55.8) | (60.8) | (66.6) | (70.9) | (71.2) | (70.7) | (68.4) | (63.1) | (54.3) | (48.0) | (60.5) | | Record low °C (°F) | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 9.5 | 13.3 | 16.1 | 16.3 | 17.3 | 12.7 | 10.7 | 6.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | | | (39.2) | (40.5) | (39.2) | (49.1) | (55.9) | (61.0) | (61.3) | (63.1) | (54.9) | (51.3) | (44.1) | (38.7) | (38.7) | | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 13.6 | 28.5 | 44.3 | 46.1 | 94.0 | 148.1 | 168.8 | 159.1 | 123.8 | 114.5 | 25.9 | 10.5 | 977.2 | | | (0.54) | (1.12) | (1.74) | (1.81) | (3.70) | (5.83) | (6.65) | (6.26) | (4.87) | (4.51) | (1.02) | (0.41) | (38.46) | | Average relative humidity (%) | 55 | 52 | 51 | 57 | 63 | 75 | 80 | 81 | 80 | 76 | 66 | 61 | 66 |

5. Administrative Divisions

Nujiang Prefecture administers 1 county-level city, 1 county, and 2 autonomous counties.

County-level City: Lushui City County: Fugong County Autonomous Counties: Gongshan Derung and Nu Autonomous County, Lanping Bai and Pumi Autonomous County

Administrative Division Map of Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|----------------------| | 533300 | Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture | Nùjiāng Lìsùzú Zìzhìzhōu | 14,585 | 552,694 | Lushui City | 673100 | 4 | 11 | 16 | 2 | | | ꓠꓳ-ꓟꓵ ꓡꓲ-ꓢꓴ ꓫꓵꓽ ꓚꓲꓸ ꓛꓬꓽ ꓗꓪꓼ ꓫꓵꓽ ꓝꓳꓴ | | | | | | | | | | | 533301 | Lushui City | Lúshuǐ Shì | 3,088 | 203,977 | Dalian Subdistrict | 673299 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | | | ꓡꓴꓽ-ꓢꓱ ꓫꓵꓹ | | | | | | | | | | | 533323 | Fugong County | Fúgòng Xiàn | 2,744 | 114,372 | Shangpa Town | 673400 | | 1 | 6 | 1 | | | ꓩꓴꓽ-ꓗꓳꓹ ꓫꓯꓹ | | | | | | | | | | | 533324 | Gongshan Derung and Nu Autonomous County | Gòngshān Dúlóngzú Nùzú Zìzhìxiàn | 4,382 | 38,471 | Cikai Town | 673500 | | 2 | 3 | | | | ꓗꓳꓹ-ꓢ ꓔꓴꓽ-ꓡꓳꓽ ꓫꓵꓽ ꓠꓳꓸ ꓫꓵꓽ ꓚꓲꓸ ꓛꓬꓽ ꓗꓪꓼ ꓫꓵꓽ ꓫꓯꓹ | | | | | | | | | | | 533325 | Lanping Bai and Pumi Autonomous County | Lánpíng Báizú Pǔmǐzú Zìzhìxiàn | 4,371 | 195,874 | Jinding Town | 671400 | 2 | 3 | 4 | | | | ꓡꓽ-ꓒꓲꓽ ꓡꓽ-ꓐꓶꓽ ꓫꓵꓽ ꓒꓴ-ꓟꓲ ꓫꓵꓽ ꓚꓲꓸ ꓛꓬꓽ ꓗꓪꓼ ꓫꓵꓽ ꓫꓯꓹ | | | | | | | | | |

6. Economy

In 2022, Qujing City's gross domestic product (GDP) reached 380.220 billion yuan, ranking second in the province, only after Kunming City. Calculated at comparable prices, it increased by 8.1% compared to the previous year. Specifically, the added value of the primary industry was 55.502 billion yuan, up by 5.0%; the added value of the secondary industry was 159.505 billion yuan, up by 10.9%; and the added value of the tertiary industry was 165.213 billion yuan, up by 6.9%. The industrial structure was 14.6:42:43.4 for the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries, respectively. The per capita GDP was 66,373 yuan. The per capita disposable income of urban and rural permanent residents was 43,612 yuan and 17,502 yuan, respectively. The average annual wage of employees was 100,843 yuan. The local general public budget revenue was 15.114 billion yuan, with a per capita amount of 2,638 yuan. The local general public budget expenditure was 50.752 billion yuan, with a per capita amount of 8,860 yuan.

7. Transportation

Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture currently has one operational private airport (Lanping Fenghua General Airport) and two planned airports (Gongshan General Airport and Nujiang (Liuku) Civil Airport).

Lanping Fenghua Airport is located in Tongdian Town, Lanping Bai and Pumi Autonomous County. Gongshan General Airport is planned to be built at Alulaka, Dimanuo Village, Pengdang Township, Gongshan Dulong and Nu Autonomous County. Liuku Civil Airport is situated on Shizi Mountain, southeast of Liuku Town, the seat of the Nujiang Prefecture government.

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9. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the permanent resident population of the prefecture was 552,694. Compared with the 534,337 people from the Sixth National Population Census, the total increase over the past ten years was 18,357 people, a growth of 3.44%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.34%. Among them, males accounted for 289,474 people, representing 52.38% of the total population; females accounted for 263,220 people, representing 47.62% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (with females as 100) was 109.97. The population aged 0–14 was 124,812 people, accounting for 22.58% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 360,823 people, accounting for 65.28% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 67,059 people, accounting for 12.13% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 46,382 people, accounting for 8.39% of the total population. The population residing in urban areas was 289,359 people, accounting for 52.35% of the total population; the population residing in rural areas was 263,335 people, accounting for 47.65% of the total population.

Ethnic Groups

Among the permanent resident population of the prefecture, the Han population was 59,056, accounting for 10.69%; the combined population of various ethnic minorities was 493,638, accounting for 89.31%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han population decreased by 6,939 people, a decline of 10.51%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 1.67 percentage points; the combined population of various ethnic minorities increased by 25,296 people, a growth of 5.4%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 1.67 percentage points. Among them, the Lisu population increased by 22,559 people, a growth of 8.76%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 2.48 percentage points; the Bai population decreased by 973 people, a decline of 0.7%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 1.04 percentage points; the Nu population increased by 1,484 people, a growth of 4.87%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.08 percentage points; the Pumi population increased by 99 people, a growth of 0.57%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.09 percentage points; the Derung population increased by 296 people, a growth of 5.15%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.02 percentage points.

The local lingua franca is the Lisu language and Southwestern Mandarin Chinese, while all indigenous ethnic groups use their own languages. The local prevalent belief is an indigenous folk religion that venerates animism, while the introduced Protestantism and Catholicism are also quite widespread.

Ethnic Composition of Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (2020 Seventh National Population Census)

| Ethnic Group | Lisu | Bai | Han | Nu | Pumi | Yi | Derung | Tibetan | Naxi | Dai | Other Ethnic Groups | |------------------|----------|---------|---------|--------|----------|--------|------------|-------------|----------|---------|-------------------------| | Population | 280,179 | 138,191 | 59,056 | 31,976 | 17,491 | 12,937 | 6,041 | 1,843 | 1,529 | 695 | 2,756 | | Percentage of Total Population (%) | 50.69 | 25 | 10.69 | 5.79 | 3.16 | 2.34 | 1.09 | 0.33 | 0.28 | 0.13 | 0.5 | | Percentage of Ethnic Minority Population (%) | 56.76 | 27.99 | – | 6.48 | 3.54 | 2.62 | 1.22 | 0.37 | 0.31 | 0.14 | 0.56 |

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10. Culture

National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit

Yushuiping Site

11. Sister Cities

Horsham, Australia

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Liuku Town, Lushui City

Lushui City

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