Min Mountains
Encyclopedia
Min Mountains or Minshan are a mountain range in central China. It runs in the general north-south direction through northern Sichuan
(the eastern part of the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
and adjacent areas of Mianyang
Prefecture-level city
) and southernmost borderlands of Gansu
. The highest elevation is Mt Xuebaoding ("Snow Treasure Peak"), 5588 m.
The Min mountain range separates the basins of two major rivers of Sichuan: the Min River (to the west) and the Jialing River
(to the east). Both rivers flow in the general southern direction, and are tributaries of the Yangtze.
The characteristic ecosystem of the Min Mountains and the Qionglai Mountains
(which are located further west, separated from the Min Mountains by the Min River valley) has been described by the World Wildlife Fund as the Qionglai-Minshan conifer forests.
Important tourism and nature conservation objects in the Min Mountains include the Jiuzhaigou Valley Nature Reserve (in Jiuzhaigou County
) and the Huanglong Scenice and Historic Interest Area (in Songpan County); both are listed on the UNESCO
World Heritage Site
s list.
The Lazikou Pass
, a site of strategical importance during the Long March
, passes through the Min Mountains and connects northewestern Sichuan with southern Gansu.
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
(the eastern part of the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
The Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture in Sichuan, whose capital is Barkam town . It has an area of 83,201 km²....
and adjacent areas of Mianyang
Mianyang
Mianyang is the second largest prefecture-level city of Sichuan province in Southwest China. Its administrative area includes the city proper of Mianyang, with 985,586 inhabitants in the built up area , the county-level city of Jiangyou, and six counties, covering an area of over and a population...
Prefecture-level city
Prefecture-level city
A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...
) and southernmost borderlands of Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
. The highest elevation is Mt Xuebaoding ("Snow Treasure Peak"), 5588 m.
The Min mountain range separates the basins of two major rivers of Sichuan: the Min River (to the west) and the Jialing River
Jialing River
The Jialing River is a tributary of the Yangtze River with its source in Gansu province. It gets its name from its crossing the Jialing Vale in Feng County of Shaanxi. It was once known as Langshui or Yushui .-Overview:...
(to the east). Both rivers flow in the general southern direction, and are tributaries of the Yangtze.
The characteristic ecosystem of the Min Mountains and the Qionglai Mountains
Qionglai Mountains
Qionglai Mountains is a mountain range in the Sichuan Province of China. It runs in the general north-south direction, and is located mostly within the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, in the north-central part of the province....
(which are located further west, separated from the Min Mountains by the Min River valley) has been described by the World Wildlife Fund as the Qionglai-Minshan conifer forests.
Important tourism and nature conservation objects in the Min Mountains include the Jiuzhaigou Valley Nature Reserve (in Jiuzhaigou County
Jiuzhaigou County
Jiuzhaigou County is a county of Sichuan Province, China. It is under the administration of the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. Formerly called Nanping County , it was renamed in 1998 to reflect the fact that the Jiuzhaigou Valley is located within its administration.The county...
) and the Huanglong Scenice and Historic Interest Area (in Songpan County); both are listed on the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
s list.
The Lazikou Pass
Lazikou Pass
The Lazikou Pass is a narrow mountain pass in the Min Mountain Range, Têwo County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southern Gansu, China. The pass forms a gateway between northwestern Sichuan and southern Gansu...
, a site of strategical importance during the Long March
Long March
The Long March was a massive military retreat undertaken by the Red Army of the Communist Party of China, the forerunner of the People's Liberation Army, to evade the pursuit of the Kuomintang army. There was not one Long March, but a series of marches, as various Communist armies in the south...
, passes through the Min Mountains and connects northewestern Sichuan with southern Gansu.