Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (黔南布依族苗族自治州)

1. Introduction

Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (Buyei: Qianfnanf Bux Qyaix Bux Yeeuz Ziqziqzouy, Miao: Qeef Naif Dol Yat Dol Hmub Zid Zid Zeb), abbreviated as Qiannan Prefecture, is an autonomous prefecture under the jurisdiction of Guizhou Province, People's Republic of China, located in the southern part of Guizhou Province. The prefecture borders Qiandongnan Prefecture to the east, Zunyi City to the north, Guiyang City to the northwest, Anshun City to the west, and Hechi City of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to the south. It is situated in the Miao Mountains on the southeastern part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, with the Wu River, Hongshui River, Qingshui River, and Duliujiang River flowing through its territory. The total area of the prefecture is 26,195 square kilometers, with a population of 3.2444 million. The proportions of Han, Buyei, and Miao ethnic groups are approximately 45%, 31%, and 13% respectively. The capital of the autonomous prefecture is located in Duyun City.

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2. Historical Establishment and Evolution

The Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture was established on August 8, 1956, with its capital located in Duyun County. It initially administered 14 counties: Duyun, Dushan, Libo, Pingtang (originally Pingzhou), and Sandu from the former Duyun Special District; Wangmo, Ceheng, Anlong, and Zhenfeng from the former Xingyi Special District; Luodian, Changshun, and Huishui from the former Guiding Special District; and Ziyun and Zhenning from the former Anshun Special District. In January 1957, the Sandu Shui Autonomous County was established. In 1958, Duyun County was abolished and replaced by the county-level Duyun City, while Huishui County was transferred to Guiyang City, and Anlong and Zhenning counties were transferred to the Anshun Special District. Weng'an and Guiding counties, originally part of the Anshun Special District, were incorporated into Qiannan Prefecture. Libo County was merged into Dushan County, Pingtang County was divided between Dushan and Luodian counties, Ziyun County was split between Wangmo and Changshun counties, Zhenfeng County was merged into Xingren County, and Ceheng County was merged into Anlong County. At this time, the prefecture administered 1 city, 6 counties, and 1 autonomous county. In 1961, five counties—Libo, Pingtang, Ziyun, Longli, and Fuquan—were restored. In 1962, Duyun City was abolished, and Duyun County was reinstated. In 1963, Huishui County (originally under Guiyang City) and Zhenfeng, Ceheng, and Anlong counties (originally under the Anshun Special District) were transferred to Qiannan Prefecture. In 1965, Anlong, Zhenfeng, Ceheng, and Wangmo counties were transferred to the Xingyi Special District, while Ziyun County was transferred to the Anshun Special District. In 1966, the county-level Duyun City was reestablished. In 1996, Fuquan County was abolished and replaced by the county-level Fuquan City.

3. Geography

Qiannan Prefecture is located on the transitional slope zone from the southeastern part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau to the Guangxi hills. The terrain is higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast. The average altitude is 997 meters, with an average annual temperature ranging from 13.6°C to 19.6°C. The average annual precipitation is 1100–1400 mm. It features mild winters without severe cold, cool summers without intense heat, and concurrent rainfall and heat, belonging to a typical warm and humid subtropical monsoon climate.

3.1. Topography

Qiannan Prefecture lies on the transitional slope zone from the Guizhou Plateau to the Guangxi hills. The terrain is higher in the north and lower in the south. Doupeng Mountain, located between Guiding and Duyun, has an altitude of 1,961 meters, which is the highest point in the prefecture. The exit point of the Hongshui River in Luodian County, at an altitude of 242 meters, is the lowest point in the prefecture, resulting in an elevation difference of 1,719 meters.

3.2. Hydrology

Qiannan Prefecture features high mountains and correspondingly high water sources, with many areas serving as the headwaters of rivers belonging to the Yangtze River and Pearl River systems. The prefecture's river systems belong to both the Yangtze River Basin and the Pearl River Basin.

3.3. Climate

The autonomous prefecture is situated in the East Asian monsoon region. Its southern edge is approximately 360 kilometers in a straight line from the sea (Fangchenggang, Guangxi), making it the area in Guizhou Province closest to the sea. For most of the year, it is influenced by warm, moist air currents from the ocean. As a result, the entire prefecture is often shrouded in clouds and fog, with frequent overcast and rainy conditions.

The prefecture's average annual temperature ranges from 13.6°C to 19.6°C, gradually increasing from north to south and from west to east. There are two low-temperature centers within the prefecture: one is Weng'an, which has a higher elevation and a more northerly location, with an average annual temperature of 13.6°C; the other is Dushan, which has a relatively high altitude (1,000 meters) and a terrain open to the north and south, with an average annual temperature of 15°C. The high-temperature areas are the southern river valley lowlands of Luodian at 19.6°C, eastern Sandu at 18°C, and southeastern Libo at 18.3°C. The north-south difference in average annual temperature (6°C) is greater than the east-west difference (2.9°C).

Qiannan Prefecture is one of the high-precipitation areas in Guizhou Province, with annual rainfall mostly exceeding 1,200 mm.

Meteorological Data for Duyun City (1981–2010)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Record high °C (°F) | 23.7 (74.7) | 29.1 (84.4) | 33.5 (92.3) | 34.5 (94.1) | 33.8 (92.8) | 34.8 (94.6) | 36.1 (97.0) | 35.9 (96.6) | 35.6 (96.1) | 32.5 (90.5) | 29.2 (84.6) | 26.1 (79.0) | 36.1 (97.0) | | Average high °C (°F) | 9.4 (48.9) | 11.4 (52.5) | 16.1 (61.0) | 22.1 (71.8) | 25.6 (78.1) | 27.8 (82.0) | 29.7 (85.5) | 30.1 (86.2) | 27.2 (81.0) | 21.9 (71.4) | 17.6 (63.7) | 12.6 (54.7) | 21.0 (69.7) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.9 (42.6) | 7.5 (45.5) | 11.4 (52.5) | 17.0 (62.6) | 20.7 (69.3) | 23.4 (74.1) | 25.1 (77.2) | 24.8 (76.6) | 22.0 (71.6) | 17.3 (63.1) | 13.0 (55.4) | 8.0 (46.4) | 16.3 (61.4) | | Average low °C (°F) | 3.4 (38.1) | 5.0 (41.0) | 8.5 (47.3) | 13.6 (56.5) | 17.2 (63.0) | 20.3 (68.5) | 22.0 (71.6) | 21.3 (70.3) | 18.4 (65.1) | 14.3 (57.7) | 9.9 (49.8) | 4.9 (40.8) | 13.2 (55.8) | | Record low °C (°F) | -3.5 (25.7) | -4.0 (24.8) | -2.2 (28.0) | 3.4 (38.1) | 6.1 (43.0) | 13.5 (56.3) | 13.3 (55.9) | 16.0 (60.8) | 10.6 (51.1) | 4.8 (40.6) | -1.6 (29.1) | -4.5 (23.9) | -4.5 (23.9) | | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 36.0 (1.42) | 42.3 (1.67) | 56.8 (2.24) | 116.9 (4.60) | 192.9 (7.59) | 275.7 (10.85) | 245.4 (9.66) | 159.8 (6.29) | 99.6 (3.92) | 94.9 (3.74) | 60.2 (2.37) | 25.4 (1.00) | 1,405.9 (55.35) | | Average relative humidity (%) | 80 | 80 | 79 | 78 | 78 | 81 | 79 | 78 | 77 | 79 | 78 | 75 | 79 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Qiannan Prefecture currently administers 2 county-level cities, 9 counties, and 1 autonomous county.

• County-level cities: Duyun City, Fuquan City
• Counties: Libo County, Guiding County, Weng'an County, Dushan County, Pingtang County, Luodian County, Changshun County, Longli County, Huishui County
• Autonomous county: Sandu Shui Autonomous County

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Seat of Government | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | of which: Ethnic Townships | |----------|------------------------|------------------------------|----------------|-----------------------|------------|----------|------------|------|----|----| | 522700 | Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture | Qiánnán Bùyīzú Miáozú Zìzhìzhōu | 26,194.98 | 3,494,385 | Duyun City | 558000 | 22 | 79 | 8 | 4 | | 522701 | Duyun City | Dūyún Shì | 2,285.30 | 529,688 | Guanghui Subdistrict | 558000 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | | 522702 | Fuquan City | Fúquán Shì | 1,692.37 | 297,899 | Jinshan Subdistrict | 550500 | 2 | 5 | 1 | | | 522722 | Libo County | Lìbō Xiàn | 2,415.45 | 154,896 | Yuping Subdistrict | 558400 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | | 522723 | Guiding County | Guìdìng Xiàn | 1,627.38 | 250,146 | Jinnan Subdistrict | 551300 | 2 | 6 | | | | 522725 | Weng'an County | Wèng’ān Xiàn | 1,962.74 | 395,536 | Yongyang Subdistrict | 550400 | 2 | 10 | 1 | | | 522726 | Dushan County | Dúshān Xiàn | 2,477.01 | 264,266 | Jingcheng Subdistrict | 558200 | 1 | 8 | | | | 522727 | Pingtang County | Píngtáng Xiàn | 2,805.48 | 234,417 | Jinpen Subdistrict | 558300 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | | 522728 | Luodian County | Luódiàn Xiàn | 3,013.05 | 257,551 | Huxing Subdistrict | 550100 | 1 | 8 | 1 | | | 522729 | Changshun County | Chángshùn Xiàn | 1,548.55 | 201,540 | Changzhai Subdistrict | 550700 | 1 | 5 | 1 | | | 522730 | Longli County | Lónglǐ Xiàn | 1,519.68 | 236,221 | Guanshan Subdistrict | 551200 | 1 | 5 | | | | 522731 | Huishui County | Huìshuǐ Xiàn | 2,471.79 | 395,878 | Lianjiang Subdistrict | 550600 | 3 | 8 | | | | 522732 | Sandu Shui Autonomous County | Sāndū Shuǐzú Zìzhìxiàn | 2,376.20 | 276,347 | Sanhe Subdistrict | 558100 | 2 | 6 | | |

5. Economy

In 2016, the gross regional product (GDP) of the entire prefecture reached 102.34 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 12.5%. The added value of the primary industry was 18.336 billion yuan, up by 6.4%; the added value of the secondary industry was 35.947 billion yuan, up by 12.7%; and the added value of the tertiary industry was 48.056 billion yuan, up by 14.6%. The per capita GDP was 314,712 yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of 12.0%.

6. Transportation

6.1. Bridges

• Qingshui River Bridge
• Pingtang Bridge

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7. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the permanent resident population of the prefecture was 3,494,385. Compared with the 3,232,714 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was an increase of 261,671 people over the past ten years, a growth of 8.09%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.78%. Among them, the male population was 1,785,735, accounting for 51.1% of the total population; the female population was 1,708,650, accounting for 48.9% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (with females as 100) was 104.51. The population aged 0–14 was 801,487, accounting for 22.94% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 2,107,174, accounting for 60.3% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 585,724, accounting for 16.76% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 438,787, accounting for 12.56% of the total population. The urban population was 1,800,536, accounting for 51.53% of the total population; the rural population was 1,693,849, accounting for 48.47% of the total population.

7.1. Ethnic Groups

Among the permanent resident population of the prefecture, the Han population was 1,579,412, accounting for 45.2%; the total population of various ethnic minorities was 1,914,973, accounting for 54.8%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han population increased by 129,877 people, a growth of 8.96%, and its proportion in the total population increased by 0.36 percentage points; the total population of ethnic minorities increased by 131,794 people, a growth of 7.39%, and its proportion in the total population decreased by 0.36 percentage points. Among them, the Bouyei population increased by 30,492 people, a growth of 3.02%, and its proportion in the total population decreased by 1.47 percentage points; the Miao population increased by 46,031 people, a growth of 11.22%, and its proportion in the total population increased by 0.37 percentage points; the Sui population increased by 6,228 people, a growth of 2.31%, and its proportion in the total population decreased by 0.45 percentage points.

Ethnic Composition of Qiannan Bouyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (November 2020)

| Ethnic Group | Han | Bouyei | Miao | Sui | Maonan | Dong | Tujia | Yi | Zhuang | Yao | Other Ethnic Groups | |------------------|-------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|-------------------------| | Population | 1,579,412 | 1,039,736 | 456,268 | 276,093 | 27,886 | 23,696 | 18,640 | 14,148 | 11,401 | 10,630 | 36,475 | | Percentage of Total Population (%) | 45.20 | 29.75 | 13.06 | 7.90 | 0.80 | 0.68 | 0.53 | 0.40 | 0.33 | 0.30 | 1.04 | | Percentage of Ethnic Minority Population (%) | - | 54.30 | 23.83 | 14.42 | 1.46 | 1.24 | 0.97 | 0.74 | 0.60 | 0.56 | 1.90 |

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Duyun City

Duyun City

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Sweetgum tree

Rosa roxburghii