Ruoqiang County
Encyclopedia
Ruoqiang is a county of the Xinjiang
Uyghur Autonomous Region in Western China
and is under the administration of the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture. It contains an area of 198318 square kilometres (76,571 sq mi), making it the largest county-level division in China.
As of 2005, the county had a population of 31,877, with 18,957 (59.5%) of them having Han
ethnicity, while Uyghurs numbered 11,761 (36.9%).
The county seat is in Ruoqiang Town. This is the location which less-detailed maps will label as "Ruoqiang". It is at an altitude of 848 metres (2,782.2 ft).
was located in what is today Ruoqiang County.
The Charkhlik Revolt
took place here in 1935 when Uyghurs revolted against the Hui
-dominated Tunganistan, which was controlled by the 36th Division (National Revolutionary Army)
. The Uyghurs were defeated.
The county was established in 1902 but it was written as "婼羌" (Ruòqiāng) until 1959, when the present written form of "若羌" was adopted. The Uyghur name of the county, "Çakilik", is transliterated in Chinese as "卡克里克" (Qiǎkèlǐkè).
mountain range. North of this strip of irrigated agriculture and settlement is the Taklamakan Desert, south, the Altyn-Tagh
and Kunlun
Mountains.
The famous Lop Lake, these days usually dry, is located in the northeastern part of the county - the section officially known as the Luobu Po Town (罗布泊镇), i.e., Lop Lake Town.
The southern part of the county (administratively, Qimantag Township (祁曼塔格乡), is mountainous. The high plateau between the Altyn-Tagh and the main Kunlun
range (which includes the famous Ulugh Muztagh
) is known as the Kumkol Basin: an endorheic
basin, where several saline lakes are found.
The three main lakes in the Kumkol Basin are Lake Aqqikkol (also known as Achak-kum; 阿其克库勒湖; 37°05′N，88°25′E, 4,250 m elevation), Lake Ayakkum ; 37°30′N，89°30′E; elevation 3,876 m)., and Lake Jingyu (36°21′N 89°24′E, 260 km2 area, 4708 m elevation). These lakes are among the few noticeable bodies of water in this extremely arid area; the area around them is officially protected as the Altun Shan Nature Reserve.
(Köppen
BWk), with a mean total of only 29 millimetres (1.14 in) of precipitation per annum. Winters are cold, with highs in January averaging below freezing, though temperatures rapidly rebound in February. Summers are very hot, with highs generally above 35 °C (95 °F). Monthly daily averages range from −7.4 °C in January to 27.5 °C (81.5 °F) in July; the annual mean is 11.7 °C (53.1 °F). The desert climate means that differences between day and night are generally large and sunshine is abundant year-round, totalling 3100 hours.
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
Uyghur Autonomous Region in Western China
Western China
Western China , refers to the western part of China. In the definition of the Chinese government, Western China covers six provinces: Gansu, Guizhou, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Yunnan; one municipality: Chongqing; and three autonomous regions: Ningxia, Tibet, and Xinjiang.-Administrative...
and is under the administration of the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture. It contains an area of 198318 square kilometres (76,571 sq mi), making it the largest county-level division in China.
As of 2005, the county had a population of 31,877, with 18,957 (59.5%) of them having Han
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
ethnicity, while Uyghurs numbered 11,761 (36.9%).
The county seat is in Ruoqiang Town. This is the location which less-detailed maps will label as "Ruoqiang". It is at an altitude of 848 metres (2,782.2 ft).
History
The Kingdom of CharklikKingdom of Charklik
Charklik or Charkhlik, the Uighur name, official now called by its modern Chinese name Ruoqiang, was an ancient kingdom located in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.- History :...
was located in what is today Ruoqiang County.
The Charkhlik Revolt
Charkhlik Revolt
The Charkhlik Revolt was an Uighur uprising in 1935 against the Chinese Muslim dominated Tunganistan, which was administered by the 36th Division . The Chinese Muslim troops quickly and brutally defeated the Uighur revolt. Over 100 uighurs were executed. The revolt leader's family were transformed...
took place here in 1935 when Uyghurs revolted against the Hui
Hui people
The Hui people are an ethnic group in China, defined as Chinese speaking people descended from foreign Muslims. They are typically distinguished by their practice of Islam, however some also practice other religions, and many are direct descendants of Silk Road travelers.In modern People's...
-dominated Tunganistan, which was controlled by the 36th Division (National Revolutionary Army)
36th Division (National Revolutionary Army)
The 36th Division was a cavalry division in the National Revolutionary Army. It was created in 1932 by the Kuomintang for General Ma Zhongying, who was also its first commander. It was made almost entirely out of Hui Muslim troops, all of its officers were Hui, with a few thousand Uighurs forced...
. The Uyghurs were defeated.
The county was established in 1902 but it was written as "婼羌" (Ruòqiāng) until 1959, when the present written form of "若羌" was adopted. The Uyghur name of the county, "Çakilik", is transliterated in Chinese as "卡克里克" (Qiǎkèlǐkè).
Geography
The populated areas of the county are located mostly along the northern foothills of the Altyn-TaghAltyn-Tagh
Altyn-Tagh, Astyn-Tagh, Altun Mountains, Altun Shan or Aerjin Shan Tagh proper is a part of the range south of Lop Nor), is a mountain range in northwestern China that separates the eastern Tarim Basin from the Tibetan Plateau...
mountain range. North of this strip of irrigated agriculture and settlement is the Taklamakan Desert, south, the Altyn-Tagh
Altyn-Tagh
Altyn-Tagh, Astyn-Tagh, Altun Mountains, Altun Shan or Aerjin Shan Tagh proper is a part of the range south of Lop Nor), is a mountain range in northwestern China that separates the eastern Tarim Basin from the Tibetan Plateau...
and Kunlun
Kunlun
Kunlun may refer to:*Kunlun fault, a geological fault on the northern side of the Tibetan Plateau*Kunlun Mountains, a long mountain chain in Asia*Kunlun Nu, a wuxia romance written by Pei Xing*Kunlun Pass, in Guangxi, China...
Mountains.
The famous Lop Lake, these days usually dry, is located in the northeastern part of the county - the section officially known as the Luobu Po Town (罗布泊镇), i.e., Lop Lake Town.
The southern part of the county (administratively, Qimantag Township (祁曼塔格乡), is mountainous. The high plateau between the Altyn-Tagh and the main Kunlun
Kunlun
Kunlun may refer to:*Kunlun fault, a geological fault on the northern side of the Tibetan Plateau*Kunlun Mountains, a long mountain chain in Asia*Kunlun Nu, a wuxia romance written by Pei Xing*Kunlun Pass, in Guangxi, China...
range (which includes the famous Ulugh Muztagh
Ulugh Muztagh
Ulugh Muztagh or Ulugh Muztag and Muztag Feng , is an extremely remote mountain group on the northern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Located on the border between the Tibetan Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, it is part of the main range of the Kunlun Mountains of East-Central...
) is known as the Kumkol Basin: an endorheic
Endorheic
An endorheic basin is a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans...
basin, where several saline lakes are found.
The three main lakes in the Kumkol Basin are Lake Aqqikkol (also known as Achak-kum; 阿其克库勒湖; 37°05′N，88°25′E, 4,250 m elevation), Lake Ayakkum ; 37°30′N，89°30′E; elevation 3,876 m)., and Lake Jingyu (36°21′N 89°24′E, 260 km2 area, 4708 m elevation). These lakes are among the few noticeable bodies of water in this extremely arid area; the area around them is officially protected as the Altun Shan Nature Reserve.
Climate
Ruoqiang has a desert climateDesert climate
A desert climate , also known as an arid climate, is a climate that does not meet the criteria to be classified as a polar climate, and in which precipitation is too low to sustain any vegetation at all, or at most a very scanty scrub.An area that features this climate usually experiences less than...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BWk), with a mean total of only 29 millimetres (1.14 in) of precipitation per annum. Winters are cold, with highs in January averaging below freezing, though temperatures rapidly rebound in February. Summers are very hot, with highs generally above 35 °C (95 °F). Monthly daily averages range from −7.4 °C in January to 27.5 °C (81.5 °F) in July; the annual mean is 11.7 °C (53.1 °F). The desert climate means that differences between day and night are generally large and sunshine is abundant year-round, totalling 3100 hours.
External links
- A Tourism Guide to "Charklik / Ruoqiang - Ancient Kingdom and Outpost Gateway"http://www.centralasiatraveler.com/cn/xj/cr/charklik-ruoqiang.html