Qianjiang (黔江) is a southeastern district of Chongqing Municipality of the People's Republic of China. The Miao and Tujia constitute 50.03% of the Qianjiang population, the other half being mostly Han (49.94%). It is nicknamed "The Throat of and Sichuan and Hunnan" (川鄂咽喉) because of it sits on the intersection of Sichuan-Hubei and Sichuan-Hunan Roads (川鄂、川湘公路).

  • Area: 2397 kmē
  • Population: 490,000 (2003)
  • District seat: Chengxi Sub-district
  • District chief: Zhang Zongqing (张宗清)
  • Geographic coordinates: 108°28′-108°46′ East, 29°04′-29°42′ North

There used to be a large region called Qianjiang Prefecture containing this smaller Qianjiang as well (see #History below).

Table of contents
1 History
2 Subdivisions
3 External links

History

Qianjiang District used to be a county under a now-abolished prefecture (later development area) by the same name.

At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, Qianjiang was administratively part of the Fuling District. In 585 (during the Sui Dynasty), Shicheng District (石城县) was established as part of Yong Prefecture (庸州), with the district seat at today's Ba Village of Baxiang County (坝乡县坝村). In 607, Yong Prefecture was replaced by Badong Commandry (巴东郡). In 618 (the Tang Dynasty), Shicheng became part of Qina Prefecture (黔州), with district seat at Wuci Town (无慈城) and, in 630, Lienche Town.

In 742, Shicheng was renamed Qianjiang and was part of An Commandry (安郡). From 960 to 1368 (Song and Yuan), Qianjiang at this time was "half-barbarian" (半没于夷) and dominated by the local rich bourgeois of the Gongs, Hus, Qins, and Xiangs (龚、胡、秦、向) according Qianjiang County Records (黔江县志) of the Qing Dynasty.

In 1285 (late Yuan), Qianjiang was part of Ming Yuzhen's Daxia Empire. In 1372, it was part of Pengshui District. In 1378, 1216 soldiers were dispatched here to guard the place.

In early Qing, Qianjiang District was under Chongqing Subprefecture.

In 1912, Qianjiang County was under Liuxiang Fangqu (刘湘防区). In 1935, it was under of the Eighth Administrative Region (第八行政督察区) of Sichuan Province, also known as Youyang Special District (酉阳专区). The county seat was at Sanduo Town (三多镇).

On November 12, 1949, Qianjiang came under communist control, and the People's Government was established on November 25, as part of Chuandong Administrative Special District (川东行政专区). The county seat changed to Lianche Town. On January 23, 1950, it was under Youyang Special District, which also administered Youyang and Xiushan Counties. In September 1952, Youyang was merged into Fuling Special District.

In November 14 1983, the State Council approved to changed the county status to a Tujia and Miao autonomous county: Qianjiang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County (黔江土家苗族自治县). The assembly was established November 13 of the following year.

On May 18, 1988, the State Council halved Fuling, making Qianjiang County, as well as four other counties (5 autonomous counties of Fuling's 10 counties), into a new prefecture: Qianjiang Prefecture. The other four counties were:

  • Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County (石柱土家族自治县)
  • Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County (彭水苗族土家族自治县)
  • Xiyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County (酉阳土家苗族自治县)
  • Xiushan Tujia and Miao Autonomous County (秀山土家苗族自治县)

The prefecture officially began in November. At this time the area was 16,900 kmē with a population of 2,700,000.

Qianjiang County, along with Qianjiang District, was incorporated into Chongqing Municipality in 1997. On March 17, 1997 (implemented on December 20), the prefecture status was changed to a development area (开发区), which governs Shizhu, Xiushan, Qianjiang County, Pengshui and Youyang on behalf of Chongqing. On May 22, 1998 (implemented June 2000), Qianjiang Development Area and Qianjiang Autonomous County were abolished. Qianjiang Autonomous County became Qianjing District (the subject of this article), directly administered by Chonqging. Shizhu, Xiushan, Pengshui and Youyang remain autonomous counties, and are governed by Chonqging directly as well.

Subdivisions

As of 2001, the district contains 3 sub-districts, 12 townships, 15 towns, and 489 village committees. (See Political divisions of China#Levels)

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Sub-districts:

  • Chengdong (城东)
  • Chengnan (城南)
  • Chengxi (城西)

Townships:
  • Zhongtang (中塘)
  • Shaba (沙坝)
  • Shaling (杉岭)
  • Baishi (白石)
  • Pengdong (蓬东)
  • Shuishi (水市)
  • Wuli (五里)
  • Jindong (金洞)
  • Xinhua (新华)
  • Shuitian (水田)
  • Taiji (太极)
  • Baitu (白土)

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Towns:

  • Fengjiaba (冯家坝), formerly Majiaba (马家坝)
  • Zhuoshui (濯水)
  • Malai (马喇)
  • Erhe (两河)
  • Xiaonanhai (小南海)
  • Zhoubai (舟白)
  • Shihui (石会)
  • Heixi (黑溪)
  • Huangxi (黄溪)
  • Lishui (黎水)
  • Zhengyang (正阳)
  • Lin'e (邻鄂)
  • Shijia (石家)
  • Echi (鹅池)
  • Jinxi (金溪)

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When still a county (pre-2000), Qianjiang had 5 towns, 45 townships, 8 neighborhood committees, and 517 village committees. Many townships were abolished, the only abolished town was Lianhe (联合), the old county seat now separated into sub-districts.

External links