Overview of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture — Geographical Environment (Part 1)
Chapter 1: Geographical Environment. Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (hereinafter referred to as Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture) is located in the northwest of Hunan Province, at the junction of eastern and western China. With a long history, precipitous mountains and rivers, abundant resources, outstanding people, and simple folk customs, it increasingly attracts the world's attention. Section 1: Natural Environment. I. Geographical Location. Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture is located in western Hunan Province...
This article has been compiled from historical materials in the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com · City Overview section). Some administrative divisions, population, socioeconomic data, and policy information may be outdated and are for reference only; for the latest situation, please refer to official releases by the local government and scenic areas.
Chapter One: Geographical Environment
Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (hereinafter referred to as Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture) is located in the northwest of Hunan Province, at the junction of eastern and western China. With a long history, precipitous mountains and rivers, abundant products, outstanding people, and simple folk customs, it increasingly attracts the attention of the world.
Section One: Natural Environment
I. Geographical Location
Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture is located in the northwest of Hunan Province, in the border area of Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing, and Guizhou. It currently administers Jishou City and seven counties: Luxi, Fenghuang, Guzhang, Huayuan, Baojing, Yongshun, and Longshan. To the northeast, Longshan and Yongshun counties border Sangzhi County and Yongding District of Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province. To the southeast, Guzhang, Luxi, and Fenghuang counties are adjacent to Yuanling, Chenxi, and Mayang Miao Autonomous County of Huaihua City, Hunan Province. To the southwest, Huayuan County connects with Songtao Miao Autonomous County of Tongren Prefecture, Guizhou Province. To the northwest, Baojing and Longshan counties border Xiushan Tujia and Miao Autonomous County of Chongqing Municipality and Laifeng County and Xuan'en County of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hubei Province. The geographical coordinates are 27°44.5'–29°38' N and 109°10'–110°22.5' E. It is located at a transportation hub of southwestern China, with convenient water and land transportation.
II. Geology and Landforms
The exposed geological strata range from the Mesoproterozoic Lengjiaxi Group to the Cenozoic Quaternary. Except for the missing Carboniferous system, most stratigraphic sequences are complete, with clear stratification markers, complex sedimentary types, significant lateral changes, and prominent transitional characteristics. Rock types are dominated by carbonate rocks, followed by clastic rocks and low-grade metamorphic rocks, with igneous rocks occasionally seen. Erosion, dissolution, and denudation are intense, and fault structures are relatively developed, resulting in severe mountain dissection, large relief differences, well-developed karst, dense and crisscrossing stream valleys, fragmented farmland, great soil variability, and complex engineering geology.
Landforms: The prefecture is located at the junction of the northeastern side of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the southwestern end of the western Hubei mountains, belonging to the eastern edge of China's second step, which gradually descends from west to east. The Wuling Mountains run diagonally across the entire territory from southwest to northeast. The terrain is high in the northwest and low in the southeast, and can be divided into a northwestern mid-mountain plateau landform area, a central low-mountain plateau landform area, and a central and southeastern low-mountain hillock and plain landform area. The highest point is Dalingshan in Longshan County, at 1,736 meters above sea level; the original lowest point is the riverbed at the outlet of Dalongxi in Shangbao Township, Luxi County, at 97.1 meters above sea level. After the completion and impoundment of the Wuqiangxi Power Station, the lowest submerged line is 108 meters; the average elevation is 800–1,200 meters. There are five planation surfaces at elevations of 1,600–1,500 meters, 1,300–1,200 meters, 1,100–1,000 meters, 900–800 meters, and 600–500 meters. The overall form is an arc-shaped mountainous landform dominated by mountain plateaus and mountains, with hills and small plains, protruding toward the northwest.
Landform classification: By landform morphology, it can be divided into mountains (including three types: mid-mountain, mid-low mountain, and low mountain), mountain plateaus, hills, hillocks, and plains. By landform genesis and the nature of dynamic processes, it can be divided into seven types: tectonic landforms, karst landforms, erosional landforms, denudational landforms, fluvial landforms, gravitational landforms, and glacial landforms. Mid-mountains are mainly distributed in the northwest and east of the prefecture; mid-low mountains and low mountains are mainly distributed in the central and southern parts; mountain plateaus are mainly distributed in Lare Mountain–Luochaojing in Fenghuang County, Jiwei in Huayuan County, and Bamianshan in Longshan County; hills are mainly distributed in the Pushi–Heshui area of Luxi County; hillocks are distributed near stream-valley plains and dissolution plains at different terrace levels; plains are divided into stream-valley plains and dissolution plains, with the larger ones including Pushi Plain in Luxi County, the suburban plain of Longshan County, the plain from Tuanjie to Sanjiaoyan and from Longtan to Paiwu in Huayuan County, and the plain from Huanghe to Ala in Fenghuang County.
Landform divisions: By landform genesis and the nature of dynamic processes, they can be divided into: the Northwestern Hunan folded erosional-dissolution mountainous landform area. Located west of the Yuan-Ma Basin, it includes the entire territories of Longshan, Yongshun, Baojing, Guzhang, and Huayuan, and most of Jishou and Fenghuang. It lies at the junction of the northeastern side of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the southwestern end of the western Hubei mountains, with elevations of 200–1,736 meters, narrow and deep gullies, and slopes of 30–50 degrees. The exposed rock strata are mainly Paleozoic to Mesozoic carbonate rocks and clastic rocks, followed by Proterozoic low-grade metamorphic rocks. After multiple tectonic movements such as the Wuling and Yanshan movements, the Cathaysian and Neocathaysian structural systems developed, presenting an arc-shaped landform protruding toward the northwest, belonging to the Wuling-Xuefeng arc-shaped structural category. This landform area has high and numerous mountains, a warm and humid climate, sufficient precipitation, intense erosion and dissolution, and severe soil erosion. The Yuan-Ma hill-valley landform sub-area. It belongs to the category of the Xiangxi fault-folded erosional-denudational mountainous landform region, located within the Yuan-Ma sunken basin between the Wuling Mountains and Xuefeng Mountains, and is the low-mountain and hill-valley portion of the main stream of the Yuan River. This basin is a composite synclinal valley. Its southwestern section trends north-northeast, turning northeast from Luxi County, forming an arc-shaped valley protruding toward the northwest. The two limbs of the syncline are broad, with dips of about 10 degrees. From the margin to the center, it can be divided into the peripheral mountain belt, the marginal hill belt, and the central Yuan River valley belt. This landform area has good light, heat, water, and soil conditions, suitable for agricultural production. However, the mountains are fragmented, gullies are dense, erosion and denudation are intense, and geological disasters such as landslides and collapses are prone to occur. III. Mountains and Rivers
Mountains: The Wuling Mountains, running from southwest to northeast, traverse Longshan, Baojing, Guzhang, Yongshun, and other counties in the prefecture. Their branches extend throughout the territory, forming the majestic Wuling mountain system with spectacular peaks. The main branches within the territory are divided into three: the northern branch is Baiyun Mountain in Baojing and Bamian Mountain in Longshan, connecting with Badagong Mountain in Sangzhi and Huping Mountain in Shimen, winding along the Hunan, Sichuan, and Hubei border; the central branch is Damijie in Yongshun, closely connected with Chaotianguan and Zhangjiajie in Zhangjiajie City; the southern branch is the main range of Lare Mountain in Fenghuang, Yangfeng Mountain in Yongshun, and Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie. The remaining branches of all three all disappear into the Dongting Lake Plain. The higher peaks include: Dalingshan, in northern Longshan County, trending slightly northeast-southwest, 38 kilometers long, with the main peak at 1,736 meters above sea level, the highest peak in the prefecture; Luotajie, in central Longshan County, composed of two parallel mountains trending northeast-southwest, 35 kilometers long and 5 kilometers wide, with the highest peak at 1,409 meters above sea level; Bamianshan, in southwestern Longshan County, trending north-south, 40 kilometers long, with the widest point at 5 kilometers, and the highest peak at 1,414 meters above sea level; Yangfeng Mountain, in eastern Yongshun County, trending northeast-southwest, with an area of 33 square kilometers and the highest peak at 1,438.9 meters above sea level, the highest point in the county; Yonglongjie, on the border of Yongshun and Longshan counties, trending north-south, 28 kilometers long, with the highest peak at 1,048.7 meters above sea level; Baiyun Mountain, in northwestern Baojing County, trending east-west, 7 kilometers long and 4.5 kilometers wide, with the highest peak at 1,320.5 meters above sea level, the highest point in the county; Lüdong Mountain, in southern Baojing County and the northwestern border of Jishou City, trending northeast-southwest, with an area of 35 square kilometers and the highest peak at 1,227 meters above sea level; Gaowangjie, in northeastern Guzhang County, trending northeast-southwest, 7 kilometers long and 5 kilometers wide, with the highest peak at 1,146.2 meters above sea level, the highest point in the county; Lianhua Mountain, in southwestern Huayuan County, trending northeast-southwest, with an area of 24 square kilometers and the highest peak at 1,197 meters above sea level, the highest point in the county; Liantai Mountain, in western Jishou City, with the highest peak at 964.6 meters above sea level, the highest point in the city; Bagong Mountain, on the border of Fenghuang and Luxi counties, with an area of 15 square kilometers and the highest peak at 1,059 meters above sea level; Lare Mountain, on the border of Fenghuang and Huayuan counties, trending northeast-southwest, an alpine platform landform.
There are more than 1,000 large and small streams and rivers. There are 444 streams and rivers with a main course length greater than 5 kilometers and a drainage area of more than 10 square kilometers, with a density of 40 square kilometers per river. The water system mainly belongs to the Yuan River system. The main rivers are the Yuan River and its tributaries, the You River and the Wu River.
The Yuan River originates from Jiguanling in Yunwu Mountain, Duyun County, Guizhou Province, and enters Dongting Lake at Deshan, Changde City. Its main course enters the prefecture from Pushi Town, Luxi County, flows through Pushi Town, Baisha Town, and Wuxi Town where it joins the Wu River, then flows downstream to Dalongxi and exits the prefecture. The length within the prefecture is 45.5 kilometers, and the drainage area within the prefecture is 1,158 square kilometers. Yuan River navigation is relatively convenient, and water resources are abundant. The Wuqiangxi Power Station is built downstream in Yuanling County, Huaihua City.
The You River is the largest first-level tributary of the Yuan River. Its northern source originates from Youyuan Mountain in Xuan'en County, Hubei Province, winding southward along the Hubei, Hunan, and Chongqing border; its southern source originates from Shanyangxi in Songtao County, Guizhou Province. After the southern and northern sources merge at Shidi in Xiushan County, Chongqing Municipality, it runs west to east across Longshan, Baojing, Guzhang, and Yongshun counties in the prefecture, absorbing along the way the Xiche River, Huayuan River, Sixi River, Mengdong River, Shirong Stream, Baixi, Guzhang River, and others, and joins the Yuan River at Yuanling County. The main course of the You River within the prefecture is 222.5 kilometers long, with a drainage area of 9,098 square kilometers. The theoretical hydropower reserves are 1.28 million kilowatts, with 940,000 kilowatts developable. Power stations already built on the main course include Fengtan Power Station in Yuanling County, Huaihua City, and Wanmipo Power Station in Baojing County.
The Wu River is a first-level tributary of the Yuan River. It originates in the area of Laoren Mountain and Huoyan Cave in Huayuan County. After reaching Dalong Cave, it flows into Jishou and is called the Dong River; it joins the Wanrong River, and at Hexi it joins the Tuo River, only then being called the Wu River. It joins the Yuan River at Wuxi in Luxi County. The main course of the Wu River is 141 kilometers long, with a drainage area of 3,676 square kilometers. The theoretical hydropower reserves are 210,000 kilowatts, with 89,000 kilowatts developable.
In addition, the Shanmu River in Yongshun County and others belong to the Lishui River system; the Suma River in Fenghuang County and the Tahu Stream in Luxi County belong to the Chenshui-Mianjiang River system.
There are more than 900 relatively large karst caves and 187 underground rivers. The total groundwater volume is 3.15 billion cubic meters, accounting for 23.7% of the total water resources.
The prefecture is rich in water resources, with a calculated total water volume of 13.28 billion cubic meters, accounting for about 7% of Hunan Province's total water volume. The total theoretical hydropower reserves are 1.79 million kilowatts, of which 1.372 million kilowatts are developable. Water quality is relatively good, with moderate pH, medium mineralization, and low total ion content.
IV. Land and Soil
The prefecture's total land area is 15,462 square kilometers, accounting for 7% of Hunan Province's total area. Of this, mountainous area accounts for 81.5% of the prefecture's total area, hills 10.3%, hillocks 2.5%, plains 4.1%, and water surface 1.6%. Land below 300 meters elevation accounts for 8.9% of the total area, 300–500 meters accounts for 27.9%, 500–800 meters accounts for 41.7%, and above 800 meters accounts for 21.5%. By the end of 2005, the cultivated land area was 132.42 thousand hectares, the forest area was 653.2 thousand hectares, and the forest coverage rate was 61.5%.
According to the Second Soil Survey from 1978–1985, the prefecture (including Dayong and Sangzhi counties, the same below) has 7 types of soil parent rock, mainly limestone, at 1,072 thousand hectares, accounting for 50.2% of the total land area; followed by slate-shale, purple sandy shale, and sandstone; there are also
small areas of river alluvium, Quaternary red earth, and granite.
Soils are divided into 7 soil types: paddy soil, fluvo-aquic soil, red soil, yellow soil, yellow-brown soil, limestone soil, and purple soil, with 21 sub-types, 88 soil genera, and 261 soil species. The paddy soil sub-type is distributed in a stepped pattern, from hillsides to valleys, successively as submerged paddy soil—hydromorphic paddy soil—gleyed paddy soil—bog paddy soil. Dryland and mountain soils change with elevation: below 500 meters is yellow-red soil, 500–1,000 meters is yellow soil, and above 1,000 meters is mountain yellow-brown soil. Rice fields and dryland with a cultivated layer greater than 15 centimeters account for 67.4% and 68.3% of their respective total areas, which is favorable for crop growth. Mountain soil with a thickness greater than 40 centimeters accounts for 78.2%, which is favorable for the growth of trees, fruits, medicinal herbs, and pasture grass.
Among paddy field, dry land, and mountain soils, loam of good texture accounts for 60.84%, 60.43%, and 56.91% of their respective total areas; sandy loam and clay loam of relatively good texture account for 37.96%, 34.87%, and 38.28% respectively. Soil pH is predominantly acidic, accounting for 54.57%, 47.74%, and 71.94% of their respective total areas, while neutral soils account for 27.01%, 36.76%, and 22.09% respectively; both acidic and neutral soils are conducive to plant growth. In terms of soil organic matter, paddy fields are mostly medium-fertility fields with a content of 2%–2.99%, accounting for 44.41%; dry land and mountain soils are mostly lean soils with a content of less than 2%, accounting for 45.47% and 40.46% respectively. Total nitrogen in paddy fields is basically abundant to moderate, with very few deficient; total nitrogen in dry land and mountain soils is deficient, accounting for 1/5 and nearly 1/3 respectively. Available phosphorus (phosphorus pentoxide) is deficient, while available potassium (potassium oxide) is moderate.
V. Climatic Characteristics
Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture has a mid-subtropical monsoon humid climate. In the summer half-year it is controlled by the summer monsoon, with abundant precipitation and a warm, humid climate; in the winter half-year it is controlled by the winter monsoon, with less precipitation and a cold, dry climate. It features both the same season for water and heat, warm and humid with ample rain, and warm winters and cool summers with four distinct seasons and moderate total precipitation. Light, heat, and water are basically in the same season; their coordination is fairly good in the early period but often becomes unbalanced later, with diverse types and an obvious main climate.
Temperature is affected by regional factors. According to statistics, from 1961 to 1990 the average annual temperature in farming areas below 500 meters in elevation was 15.8–16.9°C; in other areas it was high in the east and low in the west, and high in the south and low in the north. From 1996 to 2000, the average annual temperature was between 16.2 and 17.0°C. In 2004 the average temperature was 16.5–17.5°C, 0–0.5–0.8°C higher than usual. The extreme minimum temperature was -4.7°C, and the extreme maximum temperature was 37.8°C. The coldest month is January, with an average temperature above 4.4°C; the hottest month is July, with an average temperature of about 27.3°C.
The average annual solar radiation energy is 3,724–4,091 megajoules/m². Sunshine hours show a normal but somewhat low trend, and are greater in the south than in the north and greater in the east than in the west. The statistical average from 1961 to 1990 was 1,219–1,406 hours; from 1996 to 2000 it was 919.7–1,405.2 hours; in 2004 it was 983–1,395 hours. Luxi has the most, with a multi-year average sunshine duration of 1,406 hours; Longshan has the least, averaging 1,219 hours. The frost-free period is notably long, between 250 and 294 days, and in the main farming areas it is between 271 and 294 days.
Average precipitation is 1,290–1,600 millimeters, mainly concentrated in the spring and summer rainy seasons.
Wind direction is affected by atmospheric circulation. In winter there are mostly northerly winds, and in summer mostly southeasterly winds; sometimes, influenced by warm currents from the Indian Ocean, southwesterly winds appear. The average annual wind speed is 0.9–1.8 m/s, and the maximum wind speed is 10 m/s, occurring in Longshan, Guzhang, and Fenghuang. The higher the elevation, the greater the wind speed.
The prefecture has diverse climate types with obvious main characteristics. In the vertical direction, as elevation rises, temperature decreases and rainfall increases: for every 100 meters of ascent, the average annual temperature decreases by 0.55–0.6°C, rainfall increases by 30–50 millimeters, sunshine decreases, the frost-free period shortens by 5 days, and the growing period of thermophilic crops shortens by 6.5 days. In the horizontal direction, south-facing slopes or open terrain have strong sunlight, high temperatures, and dry air, while north-facing slopes or canyon ravines are the opposite.