Yinjiang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County 印江土家族苗族自治县

Setting and landscape

The ground falls from the mountain in the east to the west, where the lowest point, 377.7 m, is at Longmen Mountain (龙门山) on the border with Sinan (思南) and Dejiang (德江) counties. Karst landforms cover 47 per cent of the land. The Yinjiang River (印江河), the largest of eight rivers with catchments over 100 square km, runs through the county town. Summers are mild, with July averaging 27.3°C, and autumn and winter are fairly dry.

History

The county traces its start to Siwang County (思王县), set up in 620 under the Tang at what is now Langxi town (朗溪镇). In 1494, after Miao people seized the official seal of the local chieftain, the Ming abolished his chieftaincy and created Yinjiang County with an appointed magistrate. Tongren's municipal discipline inspection commission counts it as the first county under Sinan prefecture (思南府) to make this switch from hereditary chiefs. The State Council approved the change to an autonomous county in December 1986, and it was formally established on 20 November 1987.

Yinjiang is known for calligraphy: the China Calligraphers Association named it a "home of Chinese calligraphy" on 7 November 2011. The same commission dates its beginnings to the early Ming and credits the rise of local examination candidates with spreading it; Zhou Mian (周冕) of Yinjiang took third place among Guizhou's five successful candidates in the first provincial exam held jointly with Yunnan under the Yongle emperor.

What to see

Tourism is built around Fanjingshan. The county has a western-route cableway up the mountain (梵净山西线索道), the Fanjingshan azalea scenic area (梵净山杜鹃花海景区), the Tuanlong ethnic culture village (团龙民族文化村) and the Yongyi Longevity Valley (永义长寿谷). At Muhuang (木黄), where the county is developing the Muhuang red tourism scenic area (木黄红色旅游景区), it has restored the former political department of the Red Third Army and the Red Sixth Army Group (红三军和红六军团政治部旧址).

Food and local products

Local dishes include Muhuang rice tofu (木黄米豆腐), mung bean noodles (绿豆粉) and sweet potato noodles (红薯粉), and the county also sells Tujia beef jerky. Fanjingshan Cuifeng tea (梵净山翠峰茶) and the Yinjiang red pomelo (印江红香柚) are among the local products sold to visitors, and Yinjiang also calls itself a "home of famous Chinese tea". Crafts include purple-robe jade (紫袍玉), red paper umbrellas (红纸伞) and Tujia printing and dyeing (土家印染).

Getting oriented

The Hangzhou–Ruili Expressway passes the county town, and provincial roads S303 and S304 cross the county, which the county describes as the transport hub of Tongren's five western counties.

Highlights

• Old Golden Summit of Fanjingshan 老金顶: The county's highest point, at 2,494 m.
• Muhuang red tourism scenic area 木黄红色旅游景区: Scenic area at Muhuang, where the county has restored the former political department of the Red Third Army and Red Sixth Army Group.
• Muhuang rice tofu 木黄米豆腐: Listed among the county's speciality dishes.
• Fanjingshan Cuifeng tea 梵净山翠峰茶: Local tea sold to visitors; the county calls itself a home of famous Chinese tea.