Jiulong County

Jiulong County is a county under jurisdiction of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It is the only way which must be passed on the ancient “Tea Horse Trading Route” to connect Sichuan, Yunnan, and Tibet

Jiulong County is called “Gyezil County” or “Gyezur County” in Tibetan with meaning of “octagonal”

Jiulong is Chinese Pinyin, “Jiu” means the digit “Nine”, “Long” means “Dragon”. Because when the governing agency of Jiulong was established, the nine villages in the area under jurisdiction were named after the word of “Long (dragon)”. Therefore, this county was named “Jiulong”

Location

Jiaer town of Jiulong County, the county seat, is 2925 meters above sea level, 234 kilometers away from prefecture capital Kangding City, 231 kilometers away from Lugu Railway Station, and 280 kilometers away from Xichang Airport

Jiulong County is connected to Kangding City in north, Shimian County and Mianning County in east and south, and Muli Tibetan Autonomous County in west and south.

It is the junction of the three ethnic communities in Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, and Ya’an City, and also an important passage between Garze Prefecture and southern Sichuan province and northern Yunnan province

Most popular sites

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Gongga Mountain, located at the boundary of Kangding City and Luding County, is main peak of Daxue Mountain of Hengduan Mountains. It is 7556 meters above sea level and is also the highest peak in Sichuan Province. Gongga Mountain is one of the most developed glaciers in China. There are hundreds of glaciers covering an area of 300 square kilometers.

Gongga Monastery, located at the foot of main peak of Gongga Mountain (7556 meters), was built in the middle of the 13^th century by the 1^st Gongga Renpoche, the disciple of the 2^nd Karmapa. It has a history of more than 600 years and is a holy place for the practice and retreat of living Buddhas of Gongga.

Fairy Lake Scenic Area is located in Wulaxi Township. The entrance is about 80 kilometers away from Jiulong county, with a total area of 204 square kilometers. The main scenic spots within the scenic area are Fairy Lake, Guanyin Cave, Lama Temple, Bodhisattva Pagoda, and Paleozoic plant area. Its unique biological resources, astronomical landscape, cultural landscape, water scenery and other unique features are wonderful for ecological tours.

Wa Hui Mountain Scenic Area is a provincial-level nature reserve. The area of ??the reserve is 635 square kilometers and with core area of 200 square kilometers. The scenery here is beautiful and with rich natural resources including Cordyceps, Rhubarb, Astragalus and Gastrodia…and many other valuable Chinese herbal medicines. There are dozens of species such as iron pine, long-leaved fir, and fresh-leaved fir. Over 20 species of scattered tree species, such as Yunnan yew, Chinese fir, Sanjiansong and Lienxiang, are rare species. At the same time, the national key protected animals include dozens of species such as giant panda, sambar, white-lipped deer, macaques, bears, horse-bears, green-tailed hawksbill, big breasted parrot, argali, etc.

Mengdong scenic area is nestled in the mountain valleys along the Yalong River, with a total area of 937 square kilometers and an elevation of 2550–5600 meters. The area is well-preserved with abundant rainfall and a pleasant climate. Since long time ago, it was the key-route of the ancient Tea Horse Road in Sichuan Province. There are the magical Gongga Mountain in the scenic area, the perals like high land lakes, magnificent lush forests, and rich wildlife. It is one of the important ecological tourist attractions in Jiulong County.

Xieka Nature Reserve is located about 130 kilometers east of Jiulong County. The average elevation of mountain peaks in the scenic area is more than 4,500 meters above sea level. The population here is sparse, without any pollution damage. There are snow mountains, glaciers, grasslands and alpine lakes in the scenic area.It is rich in biological resources including various Chinese herbal medicines such as Cordyceps, Rhubarb, Radix Astragali, Radix Scutellariae, Gastrodia elata, Snow Lotus, Gentian; It is an ideal place for tourism adventures, mountaineering, and vacations, and is also a place where photography enthusiasts are longing for.

Wushuihai scenic spot is located in the northern part of Jiulong County with an area of 400 square kilometers. The snow-capped Daxue Mountain in the southwest tranverse from South to north, with the terrain high in the north and low in the south, with an average temperature of 4.9°C, the lowest altitude of 1,440 meters, and the highest altitude of 6,010 meters. There are 40 scenic spots that have been developed. Here are the peaks of the mountains, canyon stone forest, high altitude lakes, virgin forests, grasslands, meadows, wildlife, beautiful legends, and a place of pure air. The main attractions in the scenic spot are Snow Mountain Peak, Buddha Peak, Elder Peak, Twelve Sisters Peak, Turtle and Buddha Master, Zhenhai Stone, Cow Nostril, Hunter Cave, Wushui Modern Glacier, Tiansheng Bridge, Colorful Lake, Wushuihai,

Yalong River Grand Canyon The Yalong River, also known as the Xiao Jinsha River, is the largest tributary of the Yangtze River and it is 110 kilometers long across the Jiulong County. The Yalong River Grand Canyon is affected by the Indian monsoon. The winter and spring droughts and the summer and autumn rains are concentrated, forming a typical subtropical climate in the river valley. Along the Jiujiang Road, it preserves the original natural scenery. On both sides of the Grand Canyon, the peaks of the snow captured mountains, and the forest is vast. The river has formed up the rare waterfall groups

Hunting Lake is located in Jiulong County with altitude of 4,300 meters above sea level and 35 kilometers away from the county. The scenic spot is composed of wild forests, plateau lakes, alpine meadows and many other wild animals, plants and mountains and rocks. The scenic spots mainly include the Pearl Beach Waterfall. Monther&Son River and Hunting Lake.

Geography and climate

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Jiulong County is located on the southeast edge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the southeast of Garze Prefecture, the northeast edge of Hengduan Mountains, and the southwest of Gongga Mountain. The whole territory is 112 kilometers from south to north and 102 kilometers from east to west, with a total area of 6,770 square kilometers.

Jiulong County is high in north and low in south. The high mountains in north have an elevation of more than 3,600 meters, and up to 6,010 meters; the valleys and lowlands are generally around 2,000 meters; the lowest point in south is only 1,440 meters, with an elevation difference of 4570 meters.

The landform of Jiulong County belongs to transition zone between Panxi Plain and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The main mountain in the territory is Daxue Mountain, also “Minyak Rabgang range”. The main ridge is the watershed of the two major water of Dadu River and Yalong River and the total length within the county is 59 kilometers.

Jiulong County has a mild climate with large temperature differences between day and night. Summer is cool and humid; rainfall is concentrated from June to September.

Average temperature in January is 1.1℃, average temperature in July is 15.1℃, and annual average temperature is 8.93℃.

Mu-ya People

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In Kangding, Daofu, Jiulong, Yajiang and other areas around Gongga Mountain, a small number of people use a Muya language. They were called “Muya people.” According to statistics, there are about 10,000 Muya people, among of which about more than 1,000 Muya people live in the Tang Gu village of Jiulng county.

Is the Muya people a primitive inhabitant or the West Xia imprisoned people after Xixia’s demise? Still no conclusion by far. According to domestic and foreign data including from Barry’s (The Britain) investigation of the Yalong River basin’s “Mi-Yao” (Muya language also known as Mi-Yao language) in 1882, it is initially believed that the Muya people is offspring of the local people and the Western Xia remnants who came after the extinction of Xixia. The original inhabitants here was likely to be the original residents of the Tang Dynasty – Mi-Yao people. Due to the development, the original Muya language was gradually replaced by the Mandarin-Tibet dialect, and the original Mi-Yao people gradually became Tibetans.

Due to the water, soil and blood, Muya people have white skin, high nose, round eyes, smart, handsome, diligent, and enjoy drinking. They use Dege Tibetan when go out, and use the “Muya Language” at home, they are good at Singing and dancing. Normally, Muya male do not work in the field, but to do some housework or go out for temporary work. Muya female is in charge of all work in the field

With the influence of Tibetan culture, the Muya people’s customs and beliefs such as marriage and funeral customs are similar to Tibetans. Muya people have Sky burial, Water burial and Burial, and believe in Tibetan Buddhism. In terms of decoration, it is the same as Tibetans for men. And for women, there are different from Female Tibetans. Tibetan ornaments are generally placed on the head, while the Mu Ya people are placed on the neck or on the waist. Although the Muya people keep long braid, but do not hang down, to instead that twisting on the head and coveing it with a black or blue cloth stacked into a tile-shaped. Sometimes the head is slightly embellished with a small, delicate headwear, but not too much. The decoration on the belt resembles as the bullet and wearing a waist knife. Some also wore Wide skirts and cloaks that made of yak hair with black white collar, in which is woven into auspicious patterns with red wool thread

A form of the Muya people’s house is similar to the house of the Qiang People and Jia-Rong Tibetan. The house is about three stories, the first floor is for the livestock, the 2nd floor is for inhabitants, the third floor is for drying and storage. In the 2nd floor, where people live, there are Chanting room, tea houses, bedroom, open rooms and toilets. They rarely live in the mountains. Usually houses are built on the ground.

Population and ethnicity

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Jiulong County is dominated by Tibetans, Hans, and Yi nationalities. Other ethnic groups also include Hui, Miao, Bai, Yao, Qiang, and Tujia people…etc,

As of 2019, the total population of Jiulong County is 64,515, of which Tibetans account for 30.28% of total population of the county; Yi people account for 43.88% of total population; Han people account for 25.57% of total population; other ethnic minorities account for 0.26% of the total population.

Recommended hotels in Jiulong

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How to get to Jiulong

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Jiulong county is located in the inner area of Garze Tibetan Prefecture, the only way to get there is by overland travel; the closest airport is Kangding airport, which tremendously shorten the distance from the inner land;

Distance from Jiulong to

• Xinduqiao : 170 kilometers, about 4.5 hours’ drive
• Kangding : 230 kilometers, about 5.5 hours’ drive
• Dawu county : 315 kilometers, about 7.5 hours’ drive
• Danba : 320 kilometers, about 7.5 hours’ drive
• Chengdu : 560 kilometers, about 9.5 hours’ drive
• Litang : 385 kilometers, about 9 hours’ drive

Brief History

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In the 1^st year of Yuan Feng of Western Han Dynasty (110 BC), a county level administration area was established in today’s Jiulong area

At the beginning of Qing Dynasty(1616 AD – 1912 AD), Jiulong County was officially set up and being put under the autonomy of the local chieftain.

During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty, Jiulong county was abolished and being vested to Kangding County.

In 15^th year the Republic of China (1926), Jiulong County was restored

In 1939, it belonged to the 1^st administrative supervision area of Xikang Province

In 1949, it belonged to the Tibetan Autonomous Region of Xikang Province

In 1955, Xikang Province was abolished and changed to Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province.

In 1950, Tibetan Autonomous Region of Xikang Province was established

In 1955, Tibetan Autonomous Region of Xikang Province was changed to Xikang Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in the same year, it was renamed as “Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture”, and “Jiulong County” was under its jurisdiction