Huangyuan County, also known as “Tongkor County“, is located in northeast of Qinghai Province. It is under jurisdiction of Xining City, and it is located in west of Xining City.
Location
The cunty seat is Chengguan Town, 52 kilometers away from provincial capital Xining. Its total area is 1,509 square kilometers. Mainly Han nationality, as well as Hui, Tibetan, Mongolian, and Tu nationalities. There are splendid natural eco-tourism resources and cultural tourism resources, such as Sun-Moon Mountain historic sites, Zhazang Temple and Tangbo Ancient Road.
Best time to travel
From July to October
Local climate
Semi-arid climate of continental plateau
Most popular sites
Sun-Moon Mountain was named Chiling in early Tang Dynasty. Located in southwest of Huangyuan County, in southeast of Qinghai Lake, it is not only junction of Huangyuan County and Gonghe County, but also boundary between Qinghai agricultural and pastoral areas. It is 3,520 meters above sea level.
Ancient city of Dangar, is named after popular Tibetan Buddhism monastery Tongkor Gompa. In 1648 AD, Tongkor Gompa was moved from Tibet to a place about a hundred meters east of Dangar city, with a history of more than 600 years, it is an important economic and cultural hub and military center in western China, as well as an ancient historical and cultural city. Dangar ancient city has a rigorous architectural structure, secluded streets and lanes intertwined with longitude and weft, unique structure of residential courtyards.
Geography and climate
Huangyuan County is located at junction of eastern agricultural area and western pastoral area of Qinghai Province. Ningge Railway, 109 National Highway, and Qingxin Highway pass through it. It is 41 kilometers wide from east to west and 62 kilometers long from north to south, with a total area of 1509 square kilometers. Its altitude is between 2470-4898 meters.
Annual average temperature is 3.0℃, and frost-free period is 27-71 days. Long hours of sunshine, strong solar radiation, large daily temperature difference, windy spring, cool summer, dry winter.
The hottest July average temperature is 13.9℃, and the coldest January average temperature is -10.5℃. Average annual precipitation is 409 mm, mostly in July, August, and September
Population and ethnic group
By the end of 2019, total population of Huangyuan County is 136,898. There are 13 ethnic groups including Han, Tibetan, Hui and Mongolian, among which Han nationality accounts for 88% of total population, Tibetan nationality accounts for 9%, and the rest include Tu, Salar, Dongxiang, Manchu, Kazakh, Russian, Yao, and Korean Ethnic minorities
Brief History
During Xia, Shang, Western Zhou, Chun and Qiu Periods, Huangyuan area was called “land of Xirong family”.
At beginning of Qin Dynasty, Huangyuan belonged to Longxi County
In 60 BC, Huangyuan area was under jurisdiction of Linqiang County
During Western Jin Dynasty (265-420 AD), Qianliang, Houliang, and Nanliang separatist regimes were established successively to control current Huangyuan area
In 734 AD, Huangyuan area was under jurisdiction of Tubo kingdom, and to become an important site of “Tea-Horse Trading Market”. A stele was erected in Sun-Moon Mountain to divide border between Tang dynasty and Tubo kingdom.
During Southern Song Dynasty and Xixia period, Huangyuan was once controlled by Jin kingdomg and Xixia regime
In 1227 AD – 1253 AD, Huangyuan area was under jurisdiction of Yuan Dynasty.
In Ming Dynasty, Huangyuan area was under jurisdiction of Xining
In 1727 AD, city of Dangar (Huangyuan County) was built,
In 18th year of Republic of China (1929), Qinghai province was established, Huangyuan area was under its jurisdiction
In 1978, Haidong Region was established, and to govern Huangyuan County.
In 1999, Huangyuan county was officially placed under jurisdiction of Xining
