Litang
Encyclopedia
Litang is a county in the southwest of Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
, western Sichuan
Province of Southwest China
.
In 2001 it had a population of 47,500. Several famous Buddhist
figures were born here, including the Kelzang Gyatso, the 7th Dalai Lama, Tsultrim Gyatso, the 10th Dalai Lama, four of the Pabalas, and it has strong connections with the epic hero Gesar of Ling, as well as the 5th Jamyang Xaiba of Labrang.
During the 1950s, the region around Litang was one of the main areas of Tibetan armed resistance to the presence of the PRC's People's Liberation Army
(PLA). A resistance group called "Four Rivers, Six Ranges
" was active in the area. In 1956 the monastery in Litang was bombed by the PLA.
Litang Town
(the seat of the county) itself is located at an altitude of 4,014 metres. It is on open grassland and surrounded by snow-capped mountains and is about 400 meters higher than Lhasa, making it one of the highest towns in the world.
In August, 2007, a horse-racing festival at Litang was the scene of an impromptu anti-government political speech by Runggye Adak
, which was followed by protests calling for his release. A crackdown officially described as "patriotic education campaign" followed in autumn of 2007, including several politically motivated arrests and attempts to force local Tibetans to denounce the Dalai Lama.
(Köppen
Dwc), with long, cold, dry winters, and short, cool, rainy summers. The monthly daily mean temperature in January, the coldest month, is −5.8 °C, while the same figure for July, the warmest month, is only 10.6 °C (51.1 °F); the year averages out at 3.25 °C (37.9 °F). Most of the annual precipitation is delivered from June to September.
Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture in Sichuan whose capital is Kangding . It is sometimes spelled as "Kardze" by non-government sources....
, western Sichuan
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...
Province of Southwest China
Southwest China
Southwest China is a region of the People's Republic of China defined by governmental bureaus that includes the municipality of Chongqing, the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou, and the Tibet Autonomous Region.-Provinces:-Municipalities:...
.
In 2001 it had a population of 47,500. Several famous Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
figures were born here, including the Kelzang Gyatso, the 7th Dalai Lama, Tsultrim Gyatso, the 10th Dalai Lama, four of the Pabalas, and it has strong connections with the epic hero Gesar of Ling, as well as the 5th Jamyang Xaiba of Labrang.
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
(PLA). A resistance group called "Four Rivers, Six Ranges
Chushi Gangdruk
Chushi Gangdruk was an organization of Tibetan guerrilla fighters who attempted to overthrow the rule of the People's...
" was active in the area. In 1956 the monastery in Litang was bombed by the PLA.
Litang Town
Litang Town
Litang Town is the administrative centre of Litang County in the southwest of the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province of China....
(the seat of the county) itself is located at an altitude of 4,014 metres. It is on open grassland and surrounded by snow-capped mountains and is about 400 meters higher than Lhasa, making it one of the highest towns in the world.
In August, 2007, a horse-racing festival at Litang was the scene of an impromptu anti-government political speech by Runggye Adak
Runggye Adak
Runggye Adak is a Tibetan man who was arrested and charged with state subversion against the People's Republic of China after making a series of public political statements at a festival in eastern Tibet, on August 1, 2007.Runggye Adak, said to be a respected local figure and the father of eleven,...
, which was followed by protests calling for his release. A crackdown officially described as "patriotic education campaign" followed in autumn of 2007, including several politically motivated arrests and attempts to force local Tibetans to denounce the Dalai Lama.
Administrative divisions
Litang County adminised one town with urban, 23 townships in rural：- Urban Town：Litang TownLitang TownLitang Town is the administrative centre of Litang County in the southwest of the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province of China....
(理塘镇) - Townships：Junba Township (君坝乡), Hayi Township (哈依乡), Juewu Township (觉吾乡), Moba Township (莫坝乡), Yahuo Township (亚火乡), Rongba Township (绒坝乡), Gake Township (呷柯乡), Benge Township (奔戈乡), Cunge Township (村戈乡), Heni Township (禾尼乡), Qudeng Township (曲登乡), Lamaya Township (喇嘛垭乡), Zhangna Township (章纳乡), Shangmula Township (上木拉乡), Xiamula Township (下木拉乡), Zhongmula Township (中木拉乡), Zhuosang Township (濯桑乡), Jiawa Township (甲洼乡), Cangba Township (藏坝乡), Gemu Township (格木乡), Labo Township (拉波乡), Maiwa Township (麦洼乡), Dezuo Township (德巫乡)
Climate
With an elevation of nearly 4000 metres (13,123.4 ft), Litang has an alpine subarctic climateSubarctic climate
The subarctic climate is a climate characterized by long, usually very cold winters, and short, cool to mild summers. It is found on large landmasses, away from the moderating effects of an ocean, generally at latitudes from 50° to 70°N poleward of the humid continental climates...
(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...
Dwc), with long, cold, dry winters, and short, cool, rainy summers. The monthly daily mean temperature in January, the coldest month, is −5.8 °C, while the same figure for July, the warmest month, is only 10.6 °C (51.1 °F); the year averages out at 3.25 °C (37.9 °F). Most of the annual precipitation is delivered from June to September.
Further reading
- Tsering Shakya: The Dragon in the Land of Snows. A History of Modern Tibet Since 1947, London 1999, ISBN 0-14-019615-3