Zhuanglang
Encyclopedia
Zhuanglang County is a county in Gansu Province, China
. It is a poor rural county, one of eight county-level divisions in Pingliang
in the east of Gansu Province. Zhuanglang County is bordered in the west by Jingning
, in the south by Qin'an and Zhangjiachuan Hui Autonomous County, in the west by Huating County
(all in Gansu Province) and in the north by Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Nearby major cities include Pingliang, Tianshui
, Guyuan
and Lanzhou
.
The county town of Zhuanglang is known as Shuiluo, and is a busy administrative, educational and trading centre in the centre of the county. Other market towns in the county include Nanhu
, Zhudian and Handian in the north, south-west and south-east respectively.
The people of Zhuanglang are predominantly farmers, producing wheat and potatoes on the terraced hills. The farmers of Zhuanglang were proclaimed in the 1980s for having terraced all available hillside, and a monument in the county town records the famous 'Zhuanglang Spirit' by which this was achieved.
In recent years education has been a priority for the local government, and with the help of World Bank
funding, schools in Zhuanglang have been well supported. Nearly all children now complete primary education, while there are 23 junior middle schools, and 3 senior middle schools which send students on to colleges and universities.
The cultural sites of Zhuanglang include:
The highest point of the county is Taomushan at 2857m above sea level.
Population (2005 est.)
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. It is a poor rural county, one of eight county-level divisions in Pingliang
Pingliang
Pingliang is a prefecture-level city in eastern Gansu Province in China. Pingliang is famous for a local mountain range that includes Kongtong Mountain, a site sacred to Taoism and mythical meeting place of the Yellow Emperor and Guangchengzi, an immortal....
in the east of Gansu Province. Zhuanglang County is bordered in the west by Jingning
Jingning
Jingning may refer to:*Jingning County, Gansu , of Pingliang Prefecture*Jingning She Autonomous County , of Lishui Prefecture, Zhejiang...
, in the south by Qin'an and Zhangjiachuan Hui Autonomous County, in the west by Huating County
Huating County
Huating County is an administrative district in Gansu, the People's Republic of China. It is one of 58 counties of Gansu. It is part of the Pingliang prefecture, with the city of the same name being the prefecture seat...
(all in Gansu Province) and in the north by Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Nearby major cities include Pingliang, Tianshui
Tianshui
Tianshui is the second largest city in Gansu province in northwest China. Its population is approximately 3,500,000.Tianshui lies along the route of the ancient Northern Silk Road at the Wei River, through which much of trade occurred between China and the west...
, Guyuan
Guyuan
Guyuan is a prefecture-level city in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. It occupies the southernmost section of the region.-Administrative divisions:-Geography and climate:...
and Lanzhou
Lanzhou
Lanzhou is the capital and largest city of Gansu Province in Northwest China. A prefecture-level city, it is a key regional transportation hub, allowing areas further west to maintain railroad connections to the eastern half of the country....
.
The county town of Zhuanglang is known as Shuiluo, and is a busy administrative, educational and trading centre in the centre of the county. Other market towns in the county include Nanhu
Nanhu
Nanhu may refer to the following in mainland China or Taiwan:*Nanhu Mountain , 3,740 m-high mountain in Taiwan*Nanhu District , in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, ChinaLakes *South Lake , Guangxi*South Lake , Hubei...
, Zhudian and Handian in the north, south-west and south-east respectively.
The people of Zhuanglang are predominantly farmers, producing wheat and potatoes on the terraced hills. The farmers of Zhuanglang were proclaimed in the 1980s for having terraced all available hillside, and a monument in the county town records the famous 'Zhuanglang Spirit' by which this was achieved.
In recent years education has been a priority for the local government, and with the help of World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
funding, schools in Zhuanglang have been well supported. Nearly all children now complete primary education, while there are 23 junior middle schools, and 3 senior middle schools which send students on to colleges and universities.
The cultural sites of Zhuanglang include:
- Yunyasi. The beautiful Yunya temple forms the centrepiece of a protected forest park in the far east of the county, around 40km from the county town.
- Zi Jin Temple. This temple was re-opened in 1986 after the Cultural RevolutionCultural RevolutionThe Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
and is in the centre of the county town. Close by is an earth fortress dating from the era of Mongol invasions through this region. - Chen Dong Temple. This more isolated Taoist temple is to be found in the north-east of the county.
The highest point of the county is Taomushan at 2857m above sea level.
Population (2005 est.)
- Total = 420,000
- Ethnic composition = 99% Han ChineseHan ChineseHan 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...
, 1 % Hui Muslim - Major Towns
- Shuiluo = 30,000
- Nanhu = 10,000
- Zhudian = 6,000
- Handian = 5,000