Sichuan is a province in China with the capital in Chengdu. She is one of the largest regions of the country. It has no access to the sea, but is surrounded by mountains. At least five provincial properties are World Heritage sites. Where is Sichuan located? How does its population live? What cultural and geographical features does it have?
Sichuan, China
The province is located in the central part of the country, closer to the southwest. It is surrounded by six provinces: Guizhou, Qinghai, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Gansu and the Tibet Autonomous Region. Through the entire Sichuan, the large Yangtze River flows - the most full-flowing in all of Eurasia. In the south, the river forms the border between Sichuan and Tibet.
The province was formed in 1955, but its history began more than three thousand years ago. In the Middle Ages in its place was the region of Chuansya. It was divided into four separate regions, which became part of the modern province. This story is preserved in the very name of Sichuan, which is an abbreviation of the phrase "four areas of Chuangxia."
Sichuan in China is the fifth largest. It covers an area of 491, 146 square kilometers. Administratively, the region is divided into 17 urban and 3 autonomous districts, as well as one city of sub-provincial significance. The main city of Sichuan is Chengdu, located in the central part of the region.
Relief
Sichuan province has a wavy relief. Its territory is covered by highlands, between which are located hills and valleys. From west to east, the height of the area decreases. The center and east of the province is occupied by the Sichuan Basin - a vast hollow (170, 000 km 2), surrounded by mountains up to 4 km high. The hollow is also uneven, there are hills inside it. The soil in the region often has a purple hue; in the basin area, they are reddish and composed of sandstones.
The central part of the basin is crossed by the Longquanshan Mountains. From their western slopes begins the largest plain in the province of Chengdu, with an area of more than 6, 000 km 2. The second major plain is located in southwest Sichuan.
The north and west of the province are covered by the Sichun Alps or the Sino-Tibet mountains, which frame the edges of the basin. Here is a zone of seismic activity, and cataclysms periodically occur. The last earthquake Sichuan (China) survived in 2017, before that the tremors occurred in 2013 and 2008.
The largest peak in the province is located on the Dasyu Range. This is Gungashan Mountain, reaching 7556 km in height. It is surrounded by another 150 peaks 5-6 kilometers high. They are famous for their pyramidal peaks with four faces, as well as perennial glaciers up to 300 meters thick.
Climate
Due to the heterogeneous landscape, the climate in Sichuan is very different. It is mainly subtropical. In the southern and eastern parts of the area is influenced by monsoons, which bring heavy rain on it. Winters are very warm, dry and cloudy, and summers are hot, humid and short. The average annual temperature is about 15-19 degrees. Despite this, the number of sunny days is almost the same as in Norway or London, In mountainous areas, the climate is cooler, but sunny - up to 2500 hours a year. The average annual temperature in the mountains is from 5 to 15 degrees, in the valleys up to 20 degrees. Summer is warm or cool, and winters are quite cold.
In the mountains, high-altitude zonality is clearly visible. The climate varies from monsoon continental to subarctic. In the districts of Gardze and Zoig, the temperature in winter reaches -30 degrees.
Nature
The mountain ranges of Sichuan are not continuous. They are interrupted by deep gorges and river valleys. In addition to the Yangtze, about 1, 400 rivers flow in the region. The province has about a thousand lakes, some of which are alpine. There are many swamps in the northwestern region.
The landscape and climatic conditions of the area made the province one of the richest in China in terms of biological and plant resources. About 7 million hectares of the territory are covered with dense forests. The highlands are covered with coniferous forests and oak groves. With the rise, the landscapes gradually turn into a treeless tundra.
Closed from the cold winds, the Sichuan Basin is the most favorable place in the province. Its warm and humid climate allows farming all year round. It grows citrus fruits, tobacco, fruits, wheat. Rice plantations are located on the terraced slopes.
Due to the development of the economy, forests in the basin were destroyed. They remained only in low mountains along the edges of the basin. There are castanopsis, oaks, fir, as well as metasequoia, which was considered an extinct species.
Giant pandas, tangerines, South Chinese tigers, deer, the Tibetan pheasant, Sichuan Turoch and other species live in Sichuan. Among rare and exotic animals there are onagra, musk deer, similar to deer with long fangs, wild yaks, Chomolungma marmots.
Economy
Since ancient times, Sichuan in China has been considered a "province of plenty." This is one of the most important agricultural regions of the country. In addition to growing various crops, silkworm cocoons are collected here, pigs are bred. The province produces about 20% of China's wine products.
Industry also plays an important role in Sichuan's economy. The province has developed metallurgy, light and food industries, the production of textiles, building materials, aerospace and automotive industries.
The presence of mountains provided the province with ore, mineral and fuel minerals, namely, the largest deposits of cobalt, vanadium, titanium, lithium, rock salt, polymetals, etc. in China. The country's largest natural gas deposits are located in the Sichuan depression. It also leads in the mining and production of gold.
Numerous elevation changes in the areas where large rivers lie give Sichuan a powerful potential in the development of hydropower. Among the provinces that produce electricity using the power of water, it comes first.
Population
By the number of inhabitants, the province ranks fourth in the country. It is inhabited by approximately 80 million people. The center of Sichuan and its largest city is Chengdu. It is home to 15 million people. In the Middle Ages, the city was famous for the production of satin and brocade.
The main population of Sichuan are Han people (the main ethnic group in China). In addition to them, Nasi, Tibetans, Lolo, Qiang and other ethnic groups live in the province. Tibetans and Qiang live compactly within the Ngava-Tibet-Qiang, Liangshan-Yiyi and Gardze-Tibet districts.
The dominant religions of the region are Taoism and Buddhism. Along with them, in the province, Chenism or the Chinese folk religion is widespread. One of its aspects is the cult of ancestors, the veneration of nature, the veneration of Heaven as a powerful force affecting the rulers and inhabitants of China. Christians represent less than one percent of the population. Muslims and iguangdao worshipers are also in the minority.
Sichuan Attractions
The highest mountains, winding rivers, dense forests create unforgettable natural landscapes. Add to this the rich cultural heritage, and get one of the most interesting provinces in China. Sichuan was inhabited by people three thousand years ago. This is evidenced by the remains of the ancient city of Jinsha, found by archaeologists in the city of Chengdu. Now all the discovered gold masks and jewelry, objects from bronze, jade and ivory are stored in the city museum.
The natural beauty is best admired in national parks. The picturesque landscapes are possessed by the parks of Kanava, Iaziagen, Hailougou, Jiuzhaigou. Many of them are located in the mountains with crystal clear lakes and incredible glaciers. The most important mountains, not only for residents of the province, but for the entire Chinese culture are Emeishan and Qinchenshan. The first is considered the center of Buddhism, the second is the birthplace of Taoism.
The province has a delicious and original cuisine, many more mountains, monasteries and interesting cities. The main objects that tourists in Sichuan will never miss are:
- Buddha statue in Leshan;
- Mount Emeishan;
- Jiuzhaigou National Park;
- Dujianyan irrigation system;
- Qinchenshan Mountain;
- Wan Nian Monastery;
- giant panda reserves;
- Mengdingshan Tea Mountain;
- China's rainiest city, Ya'an.
Jiuzhaigou Park
The park is also called the “Valley of Nine Villages”. It really has Tibetan villages whose population does not exceed 1000 people. The park impresses with numerous lakes and cascading waterfalls.
In Jiuzhaigou there is a primeval forest - a piece of the landscape that has been preserved since prehistoric times, a Buddhist monastery, high cliffs and broad-leaved forests, bamboo thickets and gorges. Its lakes have different colors - from green to turquoise, and the water in them is so transparent that the bottom is visible even in reservoirs with great depth.
Qinchengshan mountain
One of the most iconic places in China is Qinchenshan Mountain. It was here that Taoism turned from an abstract philosophical doctrine into a religious cult. According to legend, the Taoist patriarch Zhang Daolin descended from this mountain to heaven, along with his family. In reality, Zhang built the first temple complex on its slopes, which became the beginning of a new denomination.
Qingchenshan is a World Heritage Site. Once in her temples lived five hundred monks. Their numbers declined with the advent of the communist regime in China, but now the activities of the monastery and monks have resumed again.
Giant Panda Reserves
The complex is located in the mountains of Qunlai and Jiajin. It consists of seven reserves and nine parks, where gigantic pandas are closely watched by scientists, and along with tourists. The main reason for their creation was a decrease in the number of animals in nature.
In reserves, pandas provide all the necessary conditions to make them feel comfortable and safe. They are fed and treated, and only successful breeding is expected of them. Growing up bears are released into independent life in the territory of national parks. In addition to them, in the reserves you can find a snow leopard and a smoky leopard. They are also considered vulnerable species and need close monitoring.
