Tengchong

Tengchong County, a vital link on the ancient Southwestern Silk Route (Kunming -- Baoshan -- Tengchong -- Mangshi -- Ruili), is situated in the western part of Yunnan Province, Bordering on Burma in the northwest with a boundary line of 151 kilometres long. It is 750 kilometres away from the provincial seat Kunming and 160 kilometers westward from Baoshan. Its total area is 5,693 square kilometres and population was 490,000 people, consisting of more than 10 nationalities, such as the Hans, Dais, Lisus, Huis, Was and others.

History

Tengchong is one of the earliest developed regions. In the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 24), it belonged to Yizhoujun Prefecture. In the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) Dynasties, a contemporary prefecture governed by a local chieftain was set up. In the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Tengyue Prefecture was instituted. In the following dynasties, different administrative offices were set up. In 1913, Tengchong was made a county. In history, it occupied an important position on the Southwestern Silk Route. The Sichuan cloth and bamboo sticks available at the markets in Bactria (including Afghanistan and parts of India) were brought there from the ancient Bonan Route through Tengchong. From the Ming Dynasty on, large numbers of Tengchong people went abroad to trade and seek a livelihood. Up to now, overseas Tengchong people amount to about 3 thousand, inhabiting all the continents.

Geography

Situated at the southwestern end of the Hengduan (transversely faulted) Mountains, Tengchong topographically assumes the form of a horseshoe with the opening facing the south. The eastern most sources of the Irrawaddy issue from the high mountains in the north. The Longchuanjiang, Dayinjiang and Binlangjiang Rivers rise from among the fault mountainsides in the county. The highest point is the summit of Mount Danaozi of Gaoligongshan Mountain, 3,780.2 metres above sea level and the lowest point, 930 metres above sea level, is in the Suqingjiang valley. The elevation of the county seat is 1,640 metres.

The crustal movement in the county is active and earthquakes are frequent. The volcanoes on Dayingshan, Shitoushan, the Greater Heikongshan, the Lesser Heikongshan Mountains erupted repeatedly. The county seat is surrounded by a group of young volcanoes.

Resources

The county abounds in geothermal energy. There are over 80 steaming fountain hot streams and boiling fountains. Ten of them spout hot water of 90 C and upward. The county can, in a sense, be said to be a geothermal museum. The climate of Tengchong belongs to a subtropical, mountainous type. The annual temperature averages 14.7 C and the rainfall 1,425 mm. Generally speaking, the climate is agreeable. A proverb says, "There is neither sweltering summer nor severe winter in Tenchaong, but a raining day brings the temperature down."

Natural resources are plentiful. The are over 2,000 higher plants. Among the economic and timber forests, there are forests of oil tea, catalpa, common China-fir, Armandi pine, walnut, etc. The percentage of forest cover reaches 34.6. Ornamental and medicinal plants exist in great quantities. The blossoms of the rhododendrons on Gaoligongshan Mountain are exceptionally large. The Gaoligong Nature Reserve, renowned as a natural botanical garden, has over 1,400 species of higher plants, many rare and precious animals and medicinal plants. The area is the origin of R. giganteum forest at Tagg (a special rhododendron species) and Yunnan camellia.

Mineral resources include iron, tin, lead, zinc, wolfram, uranium, diatomite, rock crystal. Wollastonite, lignite, etc.

Economic Development

As a provenience of modern industry in Yunnan, Tengchong's industry and handicraft industry were fostered as early as the turn of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, nearly 400 years ago. Factories and workshops were set up first by importing equipment from abroad. Earlier products included textile goods, leather, soaps, battery, cigarettes, matches, etc. They found market in West Yunnan and Burma and Southeast Asian countries. Since the founding of the People's Republic, greater achievements have been made. A more or less complete industrial system has been formed, comprising 32 departments like power generating, metallurgy, machinery, paper making, textile industry, matches production, pharmacy, tanning, chemical industry, sugar refining, tea leaves refining, food processing, etc. The major products include refined tin, pig iron, crude lead, timber, plywood, cement, refractory, diatomite filtration promoter, sulphuric acid, caustic soda, hydrochlorite potassium chlorate, calcium phdrogen phosphate, paper, canesugar, refined tea leaves, preserved fruits, edible oil, matches, Chinese medicine, etc. Some of them show pretty strong competitive power in the markets inside or outside the province. The matches, Chinese medicine, refined tin, refined tea leaves and the "xuanzhi" (a high quality writing paper originally produced in Xuancheng) enjoy high reputation abroad. In agriculture, Tengchong produces grain and oil crops, tobacco, tea leaves, sugarcane, etc. The production of tobacco has a history of more than 400 years. Tengchong tobacco, cultivated on the volcanic mountain slopes is of excellent quality and therefore used as a blend. The Chuanlong tea leaves and large-sized tea leaves sell particularly well.

Attraction

Tengchong County is noted for its rich tourism resources, and is one of the national-level scenic resorts. Worth mentioning among the historical relics and scenic spots are clustered volcanoes at Tengchong, clustered hot springs, the Relic of Neolithic Culture, Laifeng Monastery, Longguangtai Pavliion, Yuanlong Pavilion, the Philosopher Ai Siqi's Home, the Heshun Library, Dieshuihe Waterfall and Taijiqiao Bridge, Wengchanggong Daoist Temple and Shuiyingsi Temple, Yunfeng Mountain, Martyr's Cemetery, the Hou Jing Bell, Shenweipao (the cannon with the martial prowess), etc.

The famous local products include jade articles, Chinese medicine, 'xuanzhi" paper, dried rice noodles, tea oil, small hats of split bamboo, preserved vegetables, articles of rattan work, etc.

Tengchong is 760 kilometers from Kunming. Bus and flight are both available to Tengchong.