Huaping County 华坪县

Setting and landscape

The county government classes the climate as the southern-subtropical dry-hot valley climate of the Jinsha River, with marked differences by altitude. The mean annual temperature is 19.8 °C, and 83 percent of the 1,082.2 mm of yearly rain falls between June and September, and Huaping has long been known as Yunnan's "rainstorm nest" (暴雨窝子). Its rivers drain to the Jinsha, the main ones being the Xinzhuang (新庄河) and Wumu (乌木河). The large Guanyinyan hydropower station (观音岩电站) has a capacity of 3,000 MW, and its reservoir has a pier and six landing points. Protected species listed by the county include the Panzhihua cycad (攀枝花苏铁), tree ferns, rhesus macaques and golden eagles.

History and people

Huaping became a county in 1909, the first year of the Xuantong reign of the Qing, and its name joins the first character of Huarongzhuang (华荣庄) with the last of Jiuyaping (旧衙坪), two earlier administrative posts. It has belonged to Lijiang city since 2002. The county lists 26 ethnic groups, of whom the Lisu and Yi are the largest minorities. Chinese Wikipedia notes that local Lisu are divided into Flowery Lisu, known for colourful dress, and Black Lisu, and that the Shuitian Yi (水田彝族) brew a distinctive lees wine (腊渣酒).

What to see

The county has two national 3A scenic areas, Liyu River (鲤鱼河景区) and Guozishan (果子山景区), among seven scenic areas in total. Its one provincial protected monument is the courtyard house of the Huaping County Nationalities Primary School (华坪县民族小学四合院); city-level monuments include the Lagu River rock carvings (腊姑河石刻), the Suolong Bridge (锁龙桥) and the monument to the Huaping people's revolutionary uprising. Provincial intangible heritage items are the Lisu datiao dance (傈僳族打跳) and the making of Huaping youdi rou (华坪油底肉).

Food and local products

Mango growing is the county's lead industry, and Huaping holds the national title of a special agricultural products advantage zone (中国特色农产品优势区). Citrus, watermelon, tea, silkworms, konjac and medicinal herbs are also grown. The county also has a provincial heritage workshop for bamboo weaving (华坪竹编技艺工坊).

Getting oriented

The county seat is in Zhongxin town (中心镇). The county government puts it 45 km from the centre of Panzhihua (攀枝花) in Sichuan to the east, 158 km from Lijiang city and 360 km from Kunming (昆明). The G4216 expressway and national road G353 pass through; there is no airport or railway in the county.

Highlights

• Liyu River Scenic Area 鲤鱼河景区: One of the county's two national 3A scenic areas.
• Guozishan Scenic Area 果子山景区: The county's other national 3A scenic area.
• Lagu River rock carvings 腊姑河石刻: City-level protected monument.
• Huaping youdi rou 华坪油底肉: Provincial intangible heritage for its making technique.
• Huaping mangoes 华坪芒果: The county's lead industry, with a national advantage-zone title.