Topographically Guizhou Province is a part of the Yun-Gui Plateau. The entire terrain slopes at a steep angle from the center toward the north, east and south, with an average elevation of over 1000 metersabovesealevel.
About90% of the Province is mountainous and muchofitisforested.In the limestone areasoftheProvince, the land surface is madeup so called karsts (KarstRock)characterized by sharperodededges,precipitous slopes, protuberant mountains, caverns ,smallerandlargerwaterfallsand subterranean streams, and steep gorges.
The surface area occupied by the Province is roughly 17.0000 km2.
Shan
ChinaReport.comat
Guizhou Province of China
Highlights, Monuments and Scenic sites of Guizhou Province
Capital of Guizhou Province - Guiyang
Surface Area / Size - Area: 176,100 km2 (68,000 sq miles)
Population - 39 Million & rising (37.48 Million in 2004)
A Full and complete Map of China (PRC) identifying all Language Areas big and small in all Provinces and Autonomous Regions of China.
Map includes Turkic Languages (Uygur, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Salar & Uzbek), Mongolian Language and Sub-Divisions (Mongol, Tu, Daur and Dongxian), Tungusic Peoples (Oroqen, Evenki and Xibe) and Languages, Korean, Tajik (Tadzhik), Mon-Khmer (Kawa + Puman (or Pulang)), Hui, Uygur (Uighur), Tibeto-Bhurman Languages, Tai and Miao, Yao and She' Language Area's and Borders. Main Area's and sub-divisions of Han Languages (Northern Mandarin, Eastern Mandarin, South-Western Mandarin and Cantonese) further included. This color-coded ethno-linguistic Map (of 1967 AD) identifies at a glance most ethnic minority regions in China
Map China Ethno-Linguistic / Language Distribution China
Main Rivers and Waterways of Guizhou Province :
Main Cities & Population Centres of Guizhou Province :
Economy of Guizhou Province :
Climate in Guizhou Province :
The province of Guizhou is one of the regions with developed tourist industry in China. Recently the construction of many new roads and highways, as well as the opening of new railroad connections have further dramatically improved upon this. Many hotels in range budget to multiple stars can be found just abouts anywhere in the Province.
The first and foremost famous scenic areas in Guizhou Province is the nationally and internationally renowned Huangguoshu Waterfall, which has become synonymous with the Province itself and is often caried as its main symbol. The Huangshuo waterfalls scenic sites actually includes some 12 waterfalls, the tallest of which is a 74 meters deep drop, a variety of stunning sceneries, mysterious and exciting underground caves and rivers, as well as a
Guizhou enjoys a subtropical highland humid monsoon climate, which in lay-men's terms means the climate is mostly tempered with no excess heat in the moist and warm summers and with generally mild winter seasons. Despite its mountainous nature it never snows in Guizhou Province. Rain is however plentiful.
The annual average temperature is 10-20 Degrees Celcius. Rainfall is plentiful, with an annual mean precipitation of 900-1500 mm.
Guizhou is among the Chinese Provinces with the large numbers of minority groups and peoples. Of all 56 Minority groups in The Peoples Republic, 49 are represented within Guizhou Province. 17 of these Ethnic groups or races are considered to be indigenous to the Province itself. Among the groups indigenous to Guizhou are the Han, Miao, Dong, Buyi or Boya, the Ge(lao), the Yao, and last: the Shui.
Today, the Majority Ethnic Group in Guizhou are the Han, who make up around 62% of the Population. The second largest ethnic group and the first minority in Guizhou Province are the Miao People, who make up around 12 % of the Population. Other groups are many and varied. These are the Buyi with 8%, the Dong People with 5%, the Tujia - 4%, the Yi People - 2%, the Gelao who make up only 2 percent of the total population and last, the Shui, making up around 1% of the Population. Surprisingly though, the population of the Gelao people in Guizhou shot up an incredible 714% in just eight years
Due to inter-marriages between the various minority groups present there is also a small but significant group of inter-mixed people who do not belong to any of the races specifically. This is an unclassified group who make up another 2% of the population.
The March the 3rd Harvest Festival is a festival of the Boya People. It was originally only a very modest festival in which newly grown and harvested corn was offered to the 'God of the Harvest (Agriculture)' by tossing it upon the barren ground as a symbol of thanks but also as a tribute for a next season of abundance. In more modern times the Boya People celebrate the harvest festival by means of a grand gathering with much singing, folk costumes and ethnic prowess.
The March 3rd Festival is celebrated according to the Lunar Calendar and is
Main Pillars of the economy today are mining, metallurgy, electrical power, petrochemical industry, food production and tobacco (cigarettes).
A 110 kinds of minerals are found within Guizhou Province among which mercury, phosphorus, barite, aluminum and manganese are the most abundant.
The many mountains of Guizhou further provide for a rich Forestry and industry. With this Guizhou Province ranks as one of China's most important timber plantation and production zones. Other products of the forest are raw lacquer, tung oil, gall nut and various mushrooms and funguses.
The Main Rivers in Guizhou are the Wu River and the Beipan River. There are many smaller rivers in the Province, among which the Duliu River, Furong River, Hongdu River, Kedu River, Liuchong River, Qingshui and Chishui Rivers, The Mung River, Yachi River. Nanpan River forms part of the South-western Border with Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Lakes are inGuizhouareHongfenghu (redmaplelake)
Guiyang (貴陽市) - the Capital City, Bijie (畢節地区), Zhunyi (遵義市), Tongren (銅仁地区), Liupanshui (六盘水市), Anshun (安順市), and Xingyi (兴义). Further noteworthy cities are Duyun (都匀) - wich is the administrative Capital of Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, and Kaili (凯里市) - the administrative Capital of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture.
Guizhou Province is alsoknownastheProvinceofGui(貴)orQian(黔). It is a Province primarily known for its appealing land-scapes and its large variety of ethnic minority groups.
Among the Historic Monuments within Guizhou Province are the Confucian Temple in Anshun,theearliermentionedTemplesofMountFanjinBuddhistholymountain and the muchmoremodernLong March Monument commemorating the Zunyi Meeting and Mao Zedong's final rise to prominence within the Communist Party of China. As much advertised, under the Leadership of Mao Zedong the initial defeat of the Long March, which had reduced the forces to a mere 10+% of the original strength, was turned into Victory thereafter, no doubt much owing to the brilliance of Mao as a fighter, revolutionary, propagandist and shrewd politician.
Already in the earliest years of The Peoples Republic of China, Guizhou Province became one of the remote destinations where the Nation would ship its political dissidents.
Transportation & Travel Connections in Guizhou Province :
RAILROADS IN GUIZHOU:
Traditionally the most important railroad in Guizhou Province
ROADS & HIGHWAYS IN GUIZHOU:
Traditionally the Main Road connections within Guizhou Province run North to South and from East to West crossing the center of the Province at the Capital City of Guiyang.
Reviewing road connections clockwise around, the main road leading from the Northern Border down to Guiyang City is National Road G210. Today a multi-lane highway the road passes down from the City of Chongching across the Provincial border through the Town of Tongzi to Zunyi, and from there via Huichuan, Zunyi City and Xifeng Town to end at Guiyang. The G210, modernized is also known as the Chongzun Expressway.
The Next Main Highway in Guizhou Province is the Guixin Expressway, a multi-lane highway which is in fact an extension of the G210 Highway coming into Guiyang from the North. Named Guixin Expressway when leading Eastward out of Guiyang, the G210 eventually connects to the G320 National Road, or Kalma Expressway at the Town of Majiang. From there G320 connects Eastward to Kaili, the administrative Capital of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture. Finally, East of Kaili, at the village (zhen) of Sankeshu the G320 Kalma Expressway turns into the Yukai Expressway which takes traffic past Taijiang and Sansui into neighboring Hunan Province.
The Third Main Highway leading to Guiyang comes from the South. This is again the G210 National Road. However, after leading out of Guiyang eastward to pass along Longdongbao International Airport and meeting G320 near Majiang, the road continues due southward to lead nearly straight to the border with Guanxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Beyond the regional borders, which are reached at the village of Mawei (Zhen), connections become troublesome. Currently, the modernised highway G210 ends at Mawei and the border, after which it leads down to Nandan in Guanxi in the form of G210, a much narrower 2 laned provincial road. The road is planned to be extended however.
The 4th main road connection in Guizhou is the highway G320 leading from Guiyang through Zenning Bouyei and Miao Autonomous Township to Anshun, and in the Future beyond. Modernizations of the Highway are in progress beyond Anshun connecting further through Guanling Bouyei and Miao Autonomous Township to Qinglong, Pu'An, Panxian and finally Fuxian at the border with Yunnan Province.
The 5th and last main connection leads roughly North-West out of Guiyang to lead past Xiuwen (S107) or around it (main G321) to Qianxi and then to Dafang and Bijie, the latter a large City in Guizhou Province on the border with Sichuan Province. At Bijie is another National Level Airport from where one can connect to anywhere in China.
This fifth road has not yet been fully upgraded and still consist of two narrow lanes. It passes through several ethnic communities of the Bouyei, Yi and Miao Peoples. Follow G321 to Dafang just East of Bijie. From there the main road continues as G326 Guibi Highway to Bijie. The road to the actual provincial border is yet another thing !
Read more in: 'Transport in Guizhou Province'.
AIRPORTS IN GUIZHOU:
The main and only airport in Guizhou Province is Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport. A secondary airport, Anshun Huangguoshu Airport was opened in 2004 making travel to and from Guizhou Province much more convenient. This brandnew facility lies at a distance of only 6.4 km (4 miles) from the city center of Anshun.
For destinations in Northern Guizhou, the International Airport at Chongqing (City) is a good alternative.
As a second alternative for North-West Guizhou Province there is the National Airport at Yibin, someways aross the western border in Sichuan Province. This is however a last resort. Connections from Yibin are more complex than from the three main airports in the Region.
In addition there are two more modern and newly constructed National Level airfields in Guizhou. These are Zunyi (City) National Airport and Xingyi City National Airport. For most travelers, especially international travelers, these are less relevant.
The list is closed by two smaller airfields available inside Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture Prefecture: Liping Airport and another one at Tongren, which is known as Fenghuang Airport.
several villages of the Boya (Buyi) and Miao ethnic peoples. Apart from this the (National) Park is world-renowned for its surviving virgin forest which are the home to abundant wildlifeand ancient plant species which first grew in the Jurrasic Era (199 to 145.5 million years ago) and only survive in the remote corners of this mountainous region of Guizhou.
The Huangshuo Waterfall can be found at some 140 kilometers south-west of the provincial Capital of Guiyang.
Apart from the Huangshuo Falls there are many larger and smaller falls within the Province.
Other scenic sites include the Wuyang River, Hongfeng Hu (redmaplelake) just west of the Capital Guiyang.
The erosions of the Karst Rocks by water have, overtime led to many underground Tunnels and Caves which are another famous feature of the Province. The most famous of these are theZhijin Caves (alsoknownasDajiCaves)which contain underground rivers that pass for 13 kilometers underneath and through the karst rock plateux of the region. At present there are no less than 47 caves and halls, divided into 12 seperate area's, which are all open to the public. Seeing all of the caves takes quite some traveling and hiking around but it is certainly worthwhile. Electric trolleys and buses, as well as handicapped facilties are available where possible.
The Festival of April the 8th is a festival celebrated by many ethnic groups in Guizhou Province among whom, the Miao People, the Boya People and the Tujia. The most spectacular way to celebrate this day is found among the Miao People of Guiyang and area, who for the occassion hold a mass gathering at the Fountain Square in the center of Guiyang City. According to legend, the festival commemorates fallen Miao Warrior heroes who are supposed to have been buried in grounds near the square centuries ago. From the earlier Miao festival has grown a mass gathering of ethnic groups which now also include the Tujia, Boya, Dong, Gelao, Shui, the Zhuang and others. Ethnic costumes abound, there is song and dance, acrobatics and martial arts, all accompanied by the traditional instruments of the ethnic peoples. These are mainly flutes and horns, some of which can be as long as 7 meters.
The yearly mass gathering has grown to serve a primary function in the celebration of the ethnic riches of Guizhou Province, and many Han attend. For the young people of the mountain tribes April 8th of the Lunar Calendar is marked as the most exciting day for courtship and flirting. Everyone comes dressed at their best and one cannot help but have a good time with all the good intentions and courtship flying in the air.
Get to Guiyang at the correct time and engage in celebrations.
always celebrated on the same location. This is Xinpu Town of the Wudang District of Guiyang City Prefecture. Participants are the Boya People of Guiyang and neighboring counties.
The Boya celebrate another festival on June the 6Th, at which Time many Boya People gather along the banks of the Huaxi River. There they celebrate their festival consisting of Boat Races and ethnic singing.
Other famous caves are the nearby Baixa (8 immortals) Cave, Longgong (Dragon Palace) Cave and other lesser known underground sites of the Karst Rocks, and the Zhangjiang River. Among the thousands of mountains within the Province the Wuling Mountains, Mount Wumeng, Mount Daloushan and Mount Miaoling are the most legendary.
The Wuling Mountains (武陵山脉) are a mountain range located in Central China, running from Chongqing City in a south-eastern direction to East Guizhou and beyond to West Hunan Province.
Among things the Wuling Mountains provide a home to many ethnic groups, such as Tujia, Hani , Miao, Dong, and Bai.
The highest peak of the Wuling Mountains is Mount Fanjing (Fanjing Shan), which is located in Guizhou province and has an altitude of 2493 meters.
In ancient times -Since the reign of the Ming Emperor Wanli- Mount Fanjing has enjoyed a minor status as a sacred Buddhist mountain, presumably due to the presence of the unique Guizhou (or Grey) snub-nosed monkey.
This monkey species is only and uniquely found in the Mount Fanjian region of Guizhou Province for which reason a National Level 1 Wildlife Preservation Park was established in 1978. Today the park covers a total area of 567 square kilometers and is one of the most splendid destinations within the region. Apart from being home to the snub-nose monkey the Mount Fanjing National Nature Reserve is also renowned as a conservation area for unique plants and wildlife species.
The main scenic spots inside the Park area include two peaks know as the Small Golden Crown and the Large Golden Crown. The Small Golden Crown is an 80-meter-tall boulder from which visitors enjoy watching the die-ing sun as it throws its last lights upon the second Peak, turning it into the Large Golden Crown. The larger peak was split into two from the top to the bottom at two meters from the top. Legend has it that Sakyamuni and maitreya vied for possession of the peak. Neither would give it up and so they took the golden sword and cleaved the peak in two.
Sensationally, opposite from the two Golden Peaks two temples were built on two othermountaintops, andconnected by a flying bridge. The temples are Chengen and Zhengguo Temple and the bridge is known as the Beauty Bridge.
In the middle of the beauty bridge stands an unusual Monument known as the Fist-Shaped Rock or the Mushroom Rock. This rock is considered the symbol of Mount Fanjing Park. It is eight meters high and resembles a square pillar. The top is bigger than its bottom. Behind the rock are shale outcroppings that are reminiscent of a storage for 10,000 holy books, hence its name. Among the shale outcroppings is a sightseeing terrace, standing out from the shale outcroppings.
In addition to the unforgettable sight of the two temples there is a Music-Listening Hall, the Stele Forest, and Cooling Pavilion. Near the entrance to the reserve accommodations are available at the Fanjing and Sleeping Dragon villas, as well as post and telecommunications facilities.
Mount Fanjing and the Reserve are located at the juncture of Jiankou, Yinjiang and Songtao counties in the eastern part of Guizhou Province. The Mountain itself is some 23 kilometers from Jiangkou County.
Others scenic sites are Mount Qianling Park in Guiyang, one of the biggest inner city parks in China. Apart from a stunning natural scenery it also boast a variety of historical monuments. Among them ancient inscriptions left by famous Caligraphers and a nunnery building which in the past was used as a guilded prison for well-known political dissidents. Today it is an interesting museum dedicated to the history of this beautiful scenic spot.
Another one of Guizhou's historic sites is theJiaxiuTower.
and Yelang Hu.Hongfenghuliesonly32kilometers west of Guiyangandisa'StateLevelResort'.Inthemiddleofitssprawlingwildernessof240squarekilometersliesthe 57.2 square kilometer large lake which is famous not only for the red maple trees that grow around it but equally for its multitude of small islands. In total there are some 190 smaller and larger islands in the Lake, some of which have their own lakes and minority villages. Minority villages of the Miao, Dong and Boya, which can be visited, surround the lake making it rank among the finer destinations in the Nation. In recent years the lake has been outright popular with Chinese City Citizens.
The Art of Wax printing is especially well-preserved in Anshun, Pottery is the speciality trade in Pintang, Lacquerware in Bijie and Meijiang tea and Maofeng tea are all well received by the tourists.
The province boasts plenty of famous local and traditional products of which the traditional Guizhou Maotai Wine is nationally famous and an important pillar of the economy. Maotai wine is notarealwinebutastiffbrewofextremelyhighalcoholcontent. Regardless,atonetimeonlyafewyearspastitwasconsidered to be amongtheleadingalcoholicdrinks in China, and with the rise ofprosperity in the cities this product is finding an unprecedented succes and audience.Maotai'wine'canbefoundinjustaboutanystoreinChinaandisstillpopularwithalargepubliceventhoughtruewinesoffinertasteandmuchloweralcoholcontendhavecorneredtheirownmarket.
Today Maotai is produced in the town with the same name (Maotai), which is part of the city of Renhuai (仁怀市) near of the prefecture-level city of Zunyi.
Among enthusiasts for the is believed that the town of Maotai possesses a unique climate and vegetation that contributes to the taste of this therefor unique drink. Apart from this the drink is unique do to its components and the extra-ordinarily complex procedure of its production. Among things the grains are fermented no less than 8 times, liquids are distilled at high temperature and the distillants are kept preserved within cellars for a full 3 years before further use. The resulting end product has a 53% percent alcohol content and a caracteristic spicy flavor.
According to historians the tradition of brewing Maotai is millenia old and it is believed that the first breweries were established in the region some 2100 years ago. A forerunner of the Maotai Wine, the so called Guojiang is said to have made its fame during the (Western) Han Dynasty when its powerful Emperor Han Wudi took a liking to it. Much later during the Qing Dynasty (1644 AD - 1911 AD) Maotai became the first Chinese liquor to be produced in large-scale production with at the time a recorded average annual output of 170 tons.
Long favored in China, Maotai is considered to be the King of drinks, for one reason because it is supposed to not leave a hang-over the next morning if the drinker survives for that long. Official banquets and merry occassions usually cannot do without Maotai. Much talked about in diplomatic circles itt is the only alcoholic beverage presented as an official gift by Chinese embassies in foreign countries and regions.
Its flavor is classified as "sauce-fragranced" (酱香, jiangxiang) because it offers an exceptionally pure, mild, and mellow soy sauce-like fragrance that lingers after it is consumed because the 'wine' is distilled from fermented sorghum. Todays product, which is uniquely produced at Maotai in Guizhou comes in different versions ranging in alcohol content from the standard 53% by volume down to 35%.
The third pillar of the economy is the Tourism Industry. Although certainly not among the richest and most prosperous Provinces and Regions of China Guizhou is can boast to have a very well developed Tourism Industry earning it the nickname of 'Oriental Zwitserland'.
The tourism industry in Guizhou Province is mainly based on its abundance of natural beauties and resources as well as the large number of ethnic communities of various backgrounds within the Province. In Guizhou, the minorities retain much of their original cultural features and sense of community making them one of the wonders of the territory that visitors just do no want to miss.
The famous ethnic festivals of March the 3rd and April the 8th are becoming internationally famous events drawing travelers from nations the world over.
Those who had been labelled counter-revolutionary elements - former members of the establishment, rich families, Business owners, land owners, landlords and rich peasants, and white elements - meaning Guomindang were rounded up en masse, and after torture and interrogation either disposed of, or when lucky - sent to an ultra-remote location with primitive conditions to do forced labor which was supposedly to reform their thoughts, or opinions. In any case, whether or not the prisoner reformed, at least they would be forced to dedicate the remainder of their lives to the benifits of the ✧proletariat✧ aka the Chinese State. Thus, Guizhou quickly saw the rise of several camps making use of the welcome free labor, the try and develop the land and the Province. Political prisoners tilled the land, were expected to be selfsufficient, but also particpated in road construction, development of irrigation systems, including the dangerous work of tunneling and more.
Most who were sent to the labor camps in the early 1950s did not see their release until the 1970s, most usually after Mao Zedongs death. They were the first in and the last out. During their lenghty captivity, they were joined by numerous others, often those who had accused them and were co-responsible for their jail-time later found themselves likewise condemned and shipped off.
Find DrBen and ChinaReport on Facebook with the latest from www.drben.net.
