Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County
| Youyang County 酉阳县 | |
|---|---|
| Autonomous County | |
酉阳土家族苗族自治县 | |
 Location of Youyang County in Chongqing | |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Municipality | Chongqing |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5,173 km2 (1,997 sq mi) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 840,000 |
| • Density | 160/km2 (420/sq mi) |
| Time zone | China Standard (UTC+8) |
Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, or Youyang County for short(simplified Chinese: 酉阳土家族苗族自治县; traditional Chinese: 酉陽土家族苗族自治縣; pinyin: YǒuYáng Tǔjiāzú Miáozú Zìzhìxiàn) is located in southeastern Chongqing Municipality, China.
- Area: 5,173 km²
- Population: 840,000 (2012)
Introduction
Youyang, also called Youzhou in ancient time, is located east of Wu River and west of Youshuihe. It is the largest county of Chongqing, having a 5,173 km² area and an 840,000 (2012) population. It is an ethnic enclave for about 16 minority nationalities, and is known as the "Cradle of Tujia people" for its rich Tujia culture. It is famous for being the hometown of proletarian revolutionary Zhao Shiyan.
Climate
| Climate data for Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County (1971–2000) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 7.5 (45.5) |
8.8 (47.8) |
13.0 (55.4) |
19.7 (67.5) |
23.9 (75) |
26.9 (80.4) |
30.0 (86) |
30.2 (86.4) |
25.6 (78.1) |
20.3 (68.5) |
15.1 (59.2) |
10.3 (50.5) |
19.3 (66.7) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 1.5 (34.7) |
2.8 (37) |
6.3 (43.3) |
11.5 (52.7) |
15.6 (60.1) |
19.2 (66.6) |
21.5 (70.7) |
21.1 (70) |
17.5 (63.5) |
12.8 (55) |
8.0 (46.4) |
3.4 (38.1) |
11.8 (53.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 29.1 (1.146) |
31.6 (1.244) |
56.7 (2.232) |
128.5 (5.059) |
195.1 (7.681) |
242.3 (9.539) |
178.1 (7.012) |
145.0 (5.709) |
122.5 (4.823) |
109.5 (4.311) |
67.9 (2.673) |
25.4 (1) |
1,331.7 (52.429) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 12.0 | 12.2 | 15.9 | 16.9 | 18.1 | 17.1 | 15.4 | 14.4 | 13.0 | 15.1 | 11.6 | 9.7 | 171.4 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 77 | 77 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 81 | 82 | 79 | 76 | 79.8 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 42.5 | 37.4 | 47.6 | 83.3 | 102.7 | 101.4 | 155.9 | 171.7 | 112.3 | 88.7 | 68.7 | 64.4 | 1,076.6 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 13 | 12 | 13 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 37 | 42 | 31 | 25 | 21 | 20 | 24.3 |
| Source: China Meteorological Administration | |||||||||||||
Resources
Youyang has a broad space for development, which contains about 1.5939 million mu (1,062.6 km²) of Arable land, 4.46 million mu (2,973.3 km²) of forestry land,and 2.92 million mu (1,946.6 km²) of grass land; it also has much labor force which is 40-50% cheaper than that of coastal areas; it is one of the counties having the most water resource of China; it has more than 20 kinds of mineral resources; Youyang is also a "Sanmu (三木，three kinds of Chinese medicine: 杜仲、厚朴、黄柏)" medicine production base, and it has about 1,200 kinds of Chinese herbal medicine materials, other than that, it is the most productive area of Artemisia annua.
Culture
Baishou Dance is the most symbolic tradition of Tujia pelple. It's a sacred dance generally featured by waving hands. It was used to worship totem, ancestors of chiefain, and now serves as a regular entertainment for all Youyang pelple. Former NPC(National People's Congress) chairman and member of the Standing Committee of the political Bureau(Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China), Li Peng, danced Baishou Dance at Taohuayuan Square with his Youyang folks during his visit in 2001, Dec.
Tourism
Youyang Taohuayuan
Youyang Taohuayuan is located at the north corner of Youyang town, and it is a 5A scenery spot, which is the highest rank of scenery spots in china. "Taohuayuan" is a place at first described in The Peach Blossom Spring written by Tao Yuanming, a famous writer of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420). It is notable that there are more than one "Taohuayuan" spots in china, and the one in Youyang is a nationwide recognised "Taohuayuan".[1]
Gongtan ancient town
Gongtan is located at the intersection of Wu River and Apeng River, and it is a 4A scenery spot. It has a history of more than 1,700 years. More than 200 courtyards and stilted building from Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty remain well in Gongtan.
Wu River Gallery
Wu River Gallery is the 60 km long, naturally formed river bank of Wu River in Chongqing Youyang, and it is a 4A scenery spot. It is famous for the strangely shaped mountains along the gallery.
See also
Senery of Youyang Gongtan ancient town
Senery of Tujia stilted buildings
References
Coordinates: 28°53′19″N 108°45′50″E / 28.8886°N 108.764°E