Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (黔东南苗族侗族自治州)

1. Introduction

Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (Miao: Qeef Dongb Naif Dol Hmub Dol Gud Zid Zid Zeb, Dong: Qeenc Dongs Nanc Nyenc Miiul Nyenc Gaeml Zil Zil Zous), abbreviated as Qiandongnan Prefecture, is an autonomous prefecture under the jurisdiction of Guizhou Province, People's Republic of China. It is located in the southeastern part of Guizhou Province, at the junction of Guizhou, Hunan, and Guangxi. The prefecture borders Qiannan Prefecture to the west, Zunyi City and Tongren City to the north, Huaihua City of Hunan Province to the east, and Liuzhou City and Hechi City of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to the south. Situated in the hilly region of the eastern Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, the Miao Mountains stretch across the prefecture, with Leigong Mountain in the southeast. The Qingshui River, Duliu River, and Chong'an River flow through the area. The total area of the prefecture is 30,282 square kilometers, accounting for 17.22% of the province's total area. In 2018, the resident population was 3.5383 million, with Miao and Dong ethnic groups accounting for 43.2% and 30.4% of the population, respectively. The capital of the autonomous prefecture is located in Kaili City.

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2. Historical Administrative Evolution

In 1950, the counties currently under the jurisdiction of the prefecture were divided between Zhenyuan and Dushan (renamed Duyun Prefecture in 1952) Prefectures. Zhenyuan Prefecture administered 12 counties: Lushan, Huangping, Yuqing, Shibing, Zhenyuan, Leishan, Taijiang, Jianhe, Jinping, Tianzhu, Sansui, and Cengong. Dushan Prefecture administered 5 counties: Liping, Congjiang, Rongjiang, Danzhai, and Majiang.

In April 1956, Zhenyuan Prefecture was abolished, and the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture was established (officially inaugurated on July 23). Except for Yuqing County, which was transferred to Zunyi Prefecture, the Qiandongnan Prefecture administered the counties originally under Zhenyuan Prefecture and incorporated five counties from Duyun Prefecture: Majiang, Danzhai, Liping, Congjiang, and Rongjiang, totaling 16 counties. The prefectural seat was located in Kaili County.

In December 1958, Danzhai, Majiang, Lushan, and Leishan counties were abolished and merged into Kaili County; Taijiang County was merged into Jianhe County; Congjiang County was merged into Rongjiang County; Shibing County was merged into Huangping County; Cengong and Sansui counties were merged into Zhenyuan County; and Tianzhu County was merged into Jinping County, resulting in a total of 7 counties.

In 1961 and 1962, nine counties were successively restored: Tianzhu, Congjiang, Leishan, Majiang, Shibing, Sansui, Cengong, Taijiang, and Danzhai, bringing the total number of counties under jurisdiction to 16.

In August 1983, Kaili County was abolished and replaced by the county-level Kaili City.

In 2014, Qiandongnan Prefecture planned to abolish and merge Zhenyuan, Cengong, and Sansui counties to establish Zhenyuan City and relocate the administrative seat to Qingxi Town.

3. Geography

Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture is located in the southeastern part of Guizhou Province, spanning from 107°17′20" to 109°35'24" east longitude and 25°19'20" to 27°31'40" north latitude. It borders Huaihua Prefecture of Hunan Province to the east, Liuzhou Prefecture of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to the south, Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture to the west, and Zunyi and Tongren Prefectures to the north. The prefecture is 220 kilometers wide from east to west and 240 kilometers long from north to south, with a total area of 30,337 square kilometers. The prefectural government is located in Kaili, which is approximately 160 kilometers west of the provincial capital, Guiyang.

3.1. Topography

The autonomous prefecture lies in the transitional zone from the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau to the hilly basins of Hunan and Guangxi. The terrain is characterized by crisscrossing mountains, continuous ridges, widespread ravines, and a remarkably complex and diverse landscape. The overall topography slopes from higher elevations in the west to lower elevations in the east. The highest point is Huangyang Mountain, the main peak of Leigong Mountain, with an altitude of 2,178.8 meters. The lowest point is at the exit of Shuikou River in Jinglang Village, Diping Township, Liping County, where the river leaves the province, with an altitude of 137 meters.

3.2. Hydrology

Qiandongnan is situated in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and Pearl River, falling within the scope of the Yangtze River Basin and the Pearl River Shelter Forest Protection Area. The region has a well-developed and dense river network, with over 2,900 rivers and an average annual runoff of 19.2 billion cubic meters. The main rivers—the Qingshui River, Wuyang River, and Duliujiang River—branch out across the area like a tree. The rivers belong to two major water systems: the Qingshui River and Wuyang River, north of the Miao Mountains, belong to the Yuan River system of the Yangtze River Basin, while the Duliujiang River, south of the Miao Mountains, belongs to the Liujiang River system of the Pearl River Basin. The area within the Yangtze River Basin covers 21,535 square kilometers, and the area within the Pearl River Basin covers 8,802 square kilometers.

3.3. Minerals

Qiandongnan possesses abundant mineral resources. A total of 58 mineral types (including sub-types) have been discovered within the prefecture, including coal, iron, gold, mercury, zinc, lead, antimony, copper, phosphorus, limestone, barite, dolomite, and clay. This accounts for 42.34% of the 137 known mineral types in the province. Among these, the reserves of barite rank first in the country for similar mineral resources, while the reserves of quartz sandstone for glassmaking and antimony rank among the top three in the province for their respective resource types.

3.4. Climate

The autonomous prefecture has a subtropical humid monsoon climate, characterized by mild winters without severe cold, cool summers without intense heat, distinct seasons, abundant rainfall, and significant vertical climate variation. The annual average temperature ranges from 14.6°C to 18.5°C, annual precipitation ranges from 1,010.4 mm to 1,367.5 mm, the annual frost-free period lasts 273 to 327 days, and the relative humidity is between 78% and 83%.

Meteorological Data for Kaili City (1981–2010)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|------|------|------|------| | Record high °C (°F) | 24.0 (75.2) | 30.4 (86.7) | 33.6 (92.5) | 34.7 (94.5) | 35.2 (95.4) | 35.1 (95.2) | 37.5 (99.5) | 37.8 (100.0) | 35.9 (96.6) | 33.3 (91.9) | 30.0 (86.0) | 24.8 (76.6) | 37.8 (100.0) | | Average high °C (°F) | 8.4 (47.1) | 10.8 (51.4) | 15.5 (59.9) | 21.5 (70.7) | 25.5 (77.9) | 28.0 (82.4) | 30.4 (86.7) | 30.5 (86.9) | 27.3 (81.1) | 21.4 (70.5) | 16.8 (62.2) | 11.0 (51.8) | 20.6 (69.1) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) | 6.8 (44.2) | 10.8 (51.4) | 16.4 (61.5) | 20.5 (68.9) | 23.5 (74.3) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25.0 (77.0) | 21.8 (71.2) | 16.8 (62.2) | 12.1 (53.8) | 7.1 (44.8) | 15.9 (60.7) | | Average low °C (°F) | 2.4 (36.3) | 4.3 (39.7) | 7.8 (46.0) | 13.0 (55.4) | 16.9 (62.4) | 20.2 (68.4) | 22.3 (72.1) | 21.3 (70.3) | 18.1 (64.6) | 13.8 (56.8) | 9.0 (48.2) | 4.2 (39.6) | 12.8 (55.0) | | Record low °C (°F) | -5.5 (22.1) | -4.6 (23.7) | -2.1 (28.2) | 3.0 (37.4) | 6.1 (43.0) | 11.7 (53.1) | 13.5 (56.3) | 15.0 (59.0) | 9.8 (49.6) | 3.9 (39.0) | -2.4 (27.7) | -5.3 (22.5) | -5.5 (22.1) | | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 35.2 (1.39) | 37.3 (1.47) | 60.6 (2.39) | 110.4 (4.35) | 176.2 (6.94) | 209.1 (8.23) | 184.7 (7.27) | 121.5 (4.78) | 79.3 (3.12) | 85.8 (3.38) | 51.8 (2.04) | 27.1 (1.07) | 1,179 (46.43) | | Average precipitation days (≥0.1 mm) | 14.9 | 14.4 | 15.9 | 17.6 | 17.6 | 16.5 | 14.0 | 13.9 | 11.2 | 13.6 | 10.3 | 10.2 | 170.1 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 80 | 79 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 80 | 76 | 77 | 77 | 80 | 78 | 76 | 78 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Qiandongnan Prefecture currently administers 1 county-level city and 15 counties.

• County-level City: Kaili City
• Counties: Huangping County, Shibing County, Sansui County, Zhenyuan County, Cengong County, Tianzhu County, Jinping County, Jianhe County, Taijiang County, Liping County, Rongjiang County, Congjiang County, Leishan County, Majiang County, Danzhai County

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Of which: Ethnic Townships | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 522600 | Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Qiándōngnán Miáozú Dòngzú Zìzhìzhōu | 30,282.34 | 3,758,622 | Kaili City | 556000 | 20 | 129 | 60 | 15 | | 522601 | Kaili City | Kǎilǐ Shì | 1,304.42 | 709,057 | Dashi Subdistrict | 556000 | 7 | 11 | | | | 522622 | Huangping County | Huángpíng Xiàn | 1,670.06 | 244,125 | Xinzhou Town | 556100 | | 8 | 3 | | | 522623 | Shibing County | Shībǐng Xiàn | 1,531.83 | 125,518 | Chengguan Town | 556200 | | 5 | 3 | | | 522624 | Sansui County | Sānsuì Xiàn | 1,029.62 | 162,798 | Wenbi Subdistrict | 556500 | | 7 | 2 | | | 522625 | Zhenyuan County | Zhènyuǎn Xiàn | 1,889.83 | 189,715 | Wuyang Town | 557700 | | 8 | 4 | 1 | | 522626 | Cengong County | Céngǒng Xiàn | 1,490.02 | 168,441 | Wushui Subdistrict | 557800 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 1 | | 522627 | Tianzhu County | Tiānzhù Xiàn | 2,177.54 | 273,588 | Fengcheng Subdistrict | 556600 | 3 | 11 | 2 | | | 522628 | Jinping County | Jǐnpíng Xiàn | 1,619.14 | 155,182 | Sanjiang Town | 556700 | | 7 | 8 | | | 522629 | Jianhe County | Jiànhé Xiàn | 2,180.28 | 188,507 | Yang'asha Subdistrict | 556400 | 1 | 11 | 1 | | | 522630 | Taijiang County | Táijiāng Xiàn | 1,078.40 | 122,861 | Taigong Subdistrict | 556300 | 2 | 4 | 3 | | | 522631 | Liping County | Lípíng Xiàn | 4,421.91 | 412,813 | Defeng Subdistrict | 557300 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 2 | | 522632 | Rongjiang County | Róngjiāng Xiàn | 3,296.18 | 297,572 | Guzhou Town | 557200 | | 9 | 10 | 6 | | 522633 | Congjiang County | Cóngjiāng Xiàn | 3,224.76 | 313,887 | Bingmei Subdistrict | 557400 | | 12 | 7 | 3 | | 522634 | Leishan County | Léishān Xiàn | 1,204.35 | 124,835 | Danjiang Town | 557100 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | | 522635 | Majiang County | Májiāng Xiàn | 1,221.97 | 131,081 | Xingshan Subdistrict | 557600 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | | 522636 | Danzhai County | Dānzhài Xiàn | 942.02 | 138,642 | Longquan Town | 557500 | | 4 | 2 | |

5. Economy

Among the 15 counties, 14 are national-level poverty-stricken counties, with Zhenyuan County being the exception.

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6. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the permanent resident population of the entire prefecture was 3,758,622. Compared with the 3,481,891 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was an increase of 276,731 people over the ten-year period, a growth of 7.95%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.77%. Among them, the male population was 1,938,627, accounting for 51.58% of the total population; the female population was 1,819,995, accounting for 48.42% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (with females as 100) was 106.52. The population aged 0–14 was 921,683, accounting for 24.52% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 2,194,430, accounting for 58.38% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 642,509, accounting for 17.09% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 492,289, accounting for 13.1% of the total population. The population residing in urban areas was 1,712,003, accounting for 45.55% of the total population; the population residing in rural areas was 2,046,619, accounting for 54.45% of the total population.

6.1. Ethnic Groups

The main ethnic minorities include the Miao, Dong, Shui, Bouyei, Tujia, She, Zhuang, Mulam, Yao, among others. Among these, the Miao population is the largest, followed by the Dong. Within the permanent resident population of the entire prefecture, the Han population was 786,823, accounting for 20.93%; the combined population of all ethnic minorities was 2,971,799, accounting for 79.07%. Among them, the Miao population was 1,582,595, accounting for 42.11%, and the Dong population was 1,091,281, accounting for 29.03%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han population increased by 30,236 people, a growth of 4%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.8 percentage points; the combined population of all ethnic minorities increased by 246,495 people, a growth of 9.04%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.8 percentage points. Among them, the Miao population increased by 135,338 people, a growth of 9.35%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.54 percentage points; the Dong population increased by 80,929 people, a growth of 8.01%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.02 percentage points.

Ethnic Composition of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (November 2020)

| Ethnic Group | Miao | Dong | Han | Shui | Bouyei | Tujia | She | Undetermined Ethnicity | Zhuang | Mulam | Other Ethnic Groups | |------------------|-----------|-----------|----------|--------|--------|--------|----------|------------------------|--------|----------|------------------------| | Population | 1,582,595 | 1,091,281 | 786,823 | 58,403 | 42,134 | 42,094 | 33,319 | 26,753 | 25,496 | 23,312 | 46,412 | | Percentage of Total Population (%) | 42.11 | 29.03 | 20.93 | 1.55 | 1.12 | 1.12 | 0.89 | 0.71 | 0.68 | 0.62 | 1.23 | | Percentage of Minority Population (%) | 53.25 | 36.72 | - | 1.97 | 1.42 | 1.42 | 1.12 | 0.90 | 0.86 | 0.78 | 1.56 |

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Kaili City

Kaili City

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