Tengchong
Tengchong is a county-level city of Baoshan City, western Yunnan province, People's Republic of China. It is well known for its volcanic activity. The city is named after the town of Tengchong which serves as its political center, previously known as Tengyue in Chinese. English language sources of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries use names such as Teng-Chung, Tingyueh, Teng Yueh, Momein and Momien.
It borders with Myanmar in the northwest for. By road, it is west of the provincial capital, Kunming, and westward from Baoshan's urban area.
Tengchong marks the southwestern terminus of the Heihe–Tengchong Line, an imaginary line significant in geography that divides the area of China into two parts with contrasting population densities.
History
Early history
Tengchong is one of the earliest developed regions in Southwest China. During the Western Han dynasty, it belonged to Yizhou Commandery. In the Sui and Tang dynasties, a contemporary prefecture governed by a local chieftain was set up. In the Yuan dynasty, Tengyue Prefecture was instituted. In the following dynasties, different administrative offices were set up. In 1913, Tengchong was made a county. Historically, it occupied an important position on the Southwestern Silk Route. The Sichuan cloth and bamboo sticks available at the markets in Bactria were brought there from the ancient Bonan Route through Tengchong. From the Ming dynasty onwards, large numbers of Tengchong people went abroad to trade and seek a livelihood. The city grew wealthy from trade with Myanmar and South East Asia due to its proximity to Mandalay across the Burmese border.The British
In 1868, during a visit to Tengchong, British Army Major Sladen procured a woodblock printed edition of the Chinese history of the town, which was to be brought back to England and deposited at the British Museum. In the West the town is best known as the site of the murder of British diplomat Augustus Margary on February21, 1875, an event which led to the Chefoo Convention. It was also the base of the China Inland Mission missionary James Fraser during the majority of his time working with the Lisu people. At one point British forces in British-occupied Burma established a trading post in the town with hopes of generating wealth through trade with China. In the early 20th century, a thriving cross-border trade between British-controlled Burma and China was centered around Tengchong. In 1921, construction work began on the British consulate in Tengchong, with completion 10 years later.World War II
During World War II, the area around Tengchong was the scene of fierce battles between the Japanese who invaded from occupied Burma and combined Chinese forces of the Nationalists and communists, aided by American fighter squadrons. After the Chinese government relocated to Sichuan after the fall of Nanjing, there were grave concerns that if Yunnan fell, Japanese access to Sichuan would become relatively easy, forcing a new and cumbersome relocation, so large forces were deployed to stop the Japanese army.Geography
The area of Tengchong is.Situated at the southwestern end of the Hengduan Mountains, Tengchong topographically assumes the form of a horseshoe with the opening facing the south. The easternmost sources of the Irrawaddy River issue from the high mountains at the summit of Mount Danaozi of Gaoligong Mountain, above sea level and the lowest point, above sea level, is in the Suqingjiang valley. The elevation of the city seat is.
The crustal movement in the city is active and earthquakes are frequent. The volcanoes on Dayingshan, Shitoushan, the Greater Heikongshan, the Lesser Heikong Mountains erupted repeatedly. The city seat is surrounded by a group of young volcanoes.
As is the case for most of Yunnan, Tengchong has many different ethnicities living in and around the town. Han, Dai and Lisu are dominant but also Tibetans, Bai, Aini and people with Burmese ancestry are plentiful.
Climate
As with much of the province, Tengchong experiences a mild subtropical highland climate. Winters are mild and very dry and sunny, although average lows in January are barely above the freezing mark; January, the coolest month, has a 24-hour average temperature of. Spring begins early and remains relatively dry and sunny until May, when there is a dramatic uptick in frequency and amount of rainfall that lasts until late September. Summers are warm, rainy and generally overcast, with August, the warmest month, averaging. Autumn sees an abrupt reduction in rainfall and return to sunniness. The annual mean temperature is, while precipitation averages, around two-thirds of which occurs from June to September. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 19% in July to 78% in December, the city receives 2,248 hours of bright sunshine annually; in summer the city is one of the least sunny locations nationally.Administrative divisions
Tengchong county-level city administers 11 towns and seven townships. The most notable town under Tengchong's jurisdiction is Heshun, a historical town 4 km west from Tengchong's city centre.;11 towns
- Tengyue
- Gudong
- Diantan
- Houqiao
- Heshun
- Jietou
- Qushi
- Mingguang
- Zhonghe
- Mangbang
- Hehua
- Mazhan
- Beihai
- Qingshui
- Wuhe
- Xinhua
- Puchuan
- Tuantian
Economy
In agriculture, Tengchong produces grain and oil crops, tobacco, tea leaves, sugarcane, etc. The production of tobacco has a history of more than 400 years. Tengchong tobacco, cultivated on the volcanic mountain slopes is of excellent quality and therefore used as a blend. The Chuanlong tea leaves and large-sized tea leaves sell particularly well.
Tengchong is known for its jade culture and for its geothermal springs and the Lisu ethnic group. The city has actually grown into the biggest processing and trade center of jadeite in Southeast Asia. While you can find some craftsmen processing jadeite at the huge jadeite market, to get a taste of the local culture, visit the Hehua Township near the city, where there are craftsmen processing jadeite at the huge jadeite market. Du Maosheng is the chairman of the Tengchong Jewelry and Jade Association.
In recent years, Tengchong has become a centre of imported Burmese amber, which is largely smuggled over the border from Myanmar. It is estimated that around 100 tonnes passed through to Tengchong in 2015, with an estimated value between five and seven billion yuan. Burmese amber was estimated to make up 30% of Tenchong's gemstone market, and was declared one of the cities eight main industries by the local government. The highest valued amber colour is deep red, referred to as 血珀. Tengchong's Jade and Amber Bazaar takes place every fifth day and attracts many dealers, Burmese traders, tourists and locals.
Natural resources
The city abounds in geothermal energy. There are over 80 steaming fountain hot streams and boiling fountains. Ten of them spout hot water of 90 C and upward. Natural resources are plentiful. There are over 2,000 higher plants. Among the economic and timber forests, there are forests of oil tea, catalpa, common China-fir, Armandi pine, walnut. The percentage of forest cover reaches 34.6% of the city. Ornamental and medicinal plants exist in great quantities. The blossoms of the rhododendrons on Gaoligongshan Mountain are exceptionally large. The Gaoligong Nature Reserve, renowned as a natural botanical garden, has over 1,400 species of higher plants, many rare and precious animals and medicinal plants. The area is the origin of R. giganteum forest at Tagg and Yunnan camellia.Mineral resources include iron, tin, lead, zinc, wolfram, uranium, diatomite, rock crystal, Wollastonite, lignite, and others.
The city also possess hydroelectric plants including Sujiahekou Hydropower Station.