Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County

{{Infobox settlement | name = Beichuan County | native_name = {{lower|0.1em|北川县}} | native_name_lang = zh-Hans | official_name = {{nobold|{{lang|zh-hans|北川羌族自治县}}}} <br /> Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County | parts_type = {{nowrap|Towns & Townships}} | postal_code = 622750 | postal_code_type = Postal code | pushpin_map = China Sichuan | pushpin_label = Beichuan | pushpin_map_caption = Location of the county seat in Sichuan | pushpin_mapsize = 250 | seat = Yongchang | seat_type = County seat | settlement_type = Autonomous County | image_skyline = Beichuan, Mianyang, Sichuan, China - panoramio (11).jpg | image_map = Location of Beichuan within Sichuan (China).png | map_caption = Location of Beichuan County (lower left of the picture with colour of violet) within Mianyang City (yellow) and Sichuan | mapsize = 250px | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = China | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Sichuan | subdivision_type2 = Prefecture-level city | subdivision_name2 = Mianyang | area_code = 0816 | area_total_km2 = 3112 | population_as_of = 2020 | population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |url = http://tjj.my.gov.cn/tjgb/26607741.html |title = 绵阳市第七次全国人口普查公报（第一号）——全市人口情况 |publisher = Government of Mianyang |language = zh |date = 2021-05-28 |access-date = 2023-09-05 |archive-date = 2021-10-06 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211006201658/http://tjj.my.gov.cn/tjgb/26607741.html |url-status = dead }}</ref> | population_blank1 = | population_blank1_title = | population_density_km2 = auto | population_total = 174132 | coor_pinpoint = Beichuan County government | coordinates = {{coord|31.6172|N|104.4682|E|type:adm3rd_region:CN-51_source:Gaode|format=dms|display=it}} | elevation_m = 598 | timezone = China Standard | utc_offset = +8 | website = {{URL|http://www.beichuan.gov.cn}} }}

'''Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County''' ({{zh|s=北川羌族自治县 |t=北川羌族自治縣 |p=Běichuān Qiāngzú Zìzhì Xiàn}}; Qiang: Juda Rrmea nyujugvexueaji xae) is a county under the jurisdiction of Mianyang City in northern Sichuan province, China. It is located in an ethnically diverse mountainous region of Sichuan. Its Chinese name literally means "North" (bei) "River" (chuan). Its new county seat is located at Yongchang after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

==Geography== Beichuan County has an area of {{convert|3084|km2|}}.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.beichuan.gov.cn/content.jsp?id=8a868a3458d7338601590b52b65d6b9d&classid=213fb66438324a259bd0b75df02794d9 |script-title=zh:北川羌族自治县自然地理|website=beichuan.gov.cn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617115745/http://www.beichuan.gov.cn/content.jsp?id=8a868a3458d7338601590b52b65d6b9d&classid=213fb66438324a259bd0b75df02794d9|archive-date=2018-06-17|url-status=dead|access-date=2018-06-17}}</ref> The county varies in elevation from 540 to 4,769 meters in height.<ref name=":0" />

The county's major rivers, which include the {{Interlanguage link|Tongkou River|lt=|zh|通口河|WD=}}, the {{Interlanguage link|Anchang River|lt=|zh|安昌河|WD=}}, and the Pingtong River ({{zh|labels=no|s=平通河|t=|p=Píngtōng Hé}}) belong to the larger Fu River watershed.<ref name=":0" />

==History and culture== The first administrative county of Beichuan was set up in 564 A.D. during the Northern Zhou dynasty.<ref name="history" /> The Tang dynasty first created another county, '''Shiquan''' ({{zh|s=石泉|t=石泉|p=Shíquán}}) inside the original Beichuan county in 634 A.D., then in 651 A.D. merged Beichuan county into Shiquan.<ref name="history" /> The Republic of China changed the county name back to Beichuan in 1914 because there had been a ''Shiquan county'' in Shaanxi province before 564 A.D.<ref name="history">{{Cite web|url=http://www.beichuan.gov.cn/content.jsp?id=8a868a34628e2a3f0163d80a84f34a13&classid=bda5dfcb093d42b8bad85db45ffd82d2 |trans-title=Administrative history of Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County |script-title=zh:北川羌族自治县历史沿革 |publisher=Government of Beichuan| language = zh-hans|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820163650/http://beichuan.my.gov.cn/bcx/1658169087802474496/20080617/305292.html|archive-date=20 August 2008 |url-status=live|access-date=2018-06-17}} </ref>

In 1988, China granted Beichuan county the status of Qiang autonomy.<ref name="history" /> The Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County was formally created on July 6, 2003.<ref name="history" />

===Claim to Yu the Great=== Beichuan was the first county in Sichuan to make the claim as the birthplace of Yu the Great, founder of the Xia dynasty and traditionally regarded as the first hereditary sovereign in Chinese history.<ref name="Yu culture">{{Cite web | url=http://beichuan.my.gov.cn/bcx/1658169087802474496/20080617/305298.html | trans-title=Yu and Qiang culture | script-title=zh:禹羌文化 | publisher=Government of Beichuan | date=2008-06-17 | access-date=2008-10-01 | language=zh-hans | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201110150/http://beichuan.my.gov.cn/bcx/1658169087802474496/20080617/305298.html | archive-date=2008-12-01 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Although this claim is probably more commercial than historical, Beichuan was part of ''West Qiang'' ({{zh|s=西羌}}) that some ancient records accredited as Yu's birthplace, just like the other three locations in Sichuan, namely Wenchuan, Dujiangyan, and Shifang, that raised similar claims.<ref name="Yu claim">{{Cite news | url=http://www.scol.com.cn/NSICHUAN/scwt/20070625/200762572739.htm | trans-title=Discovery of ancient West Qiang pathway thickens the mystery surrounding "Birthplace of Yu the Great" | script-title=zh:发现西羌古道有关遗迹 "大禹故乡"迷雾更浓" | author=CHEN, Sisi | script-work=zh:四川日报 | trans-work=Sichuan Daily | date=2008-06-25 | access-date=2008-10-01 | language=zh-hans | archive-date=2013-01-02 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102045021/http://www.scol.com.cn/NSICHUAN/scwt/20070625/200762572739.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref> Many places in other parts of China have made similar claims.

===Great Sichuan Earthquake=== [[File:Ruin site of Beichuan County, Sichuan Province, China 06.jpg|thumb|left|The old Downtown of Beichuan County being destroyed during 2008 Sichuan Earthquake]] Also like the other three counties and towns in Sichuan holding claims to be the birthplace of Yu the Great, Beichuan is among the most severely hit of all disaster regions following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, including the Beichuan High School campus, where more than 1,000 students lost their lives after two main buildings collapsed.<ref> {{Cite web | url=http://bczx.changhong.com/ | trans-title=Eye witnesses of the earthquake disaster in Beichuan Middle School, Sichuan | script-title=zh:四川北川中学震灾纪实 | publisher=bczx.changhong.com | access-date=2008-10-01 | language = zh-hans | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908073522/http://bczx.changhong.com/ | archive-date=8 September 2008 | url-status=dead }} </ref> Beichuan's Party and government building also collapsed, and Yang Zesen, Beichuan's vice mayor then was among the victims. 80% of the county's buildings are said to have collapsed.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-china-earthquake,0,1326183.story |title=Death toll in China earthquake rises to 7,600 |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=2008-05-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516230325/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-china-earthquake%2C0%2C1326183.story |archive-date=2008-05-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The county town, which prior to the earthquake had a population of 20,000, is to be made into a memorial park, as the site has been deemed too vulnerable. The survivors of the quake have been relocated.<ref>[http://www.chinadaily.net/china/2008-05/23/content_6707116.htm Beichuan county town to be made a memorial]{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}, ''China Daily'', May 23, 2008.</ref>

The earthquake also caused a landslide on Mount Tangjia which dammed the Jian River and created the Tangjiashan Quake Lake. The lake was once in danger of causing the Tangjiashan Dam to collapse and catastrophically flood downstream communities, totalling over a million persons. On June 10, 2008, the lake spilled through an artificially constructed sluice channel and flooded the evacuated town. No casualties were caused.

Beichuan was at the center of one of two zones where seismic intensity were the highest at XI liedu during this earthquake and its aftershocks.<ref name="CEA intensity">{{Cite web | publisher=China Earthquake Administration | url=http://www.cea.gov.cn/manage/html/8a8587881632fa5c0116674a018300cf/_content/08_09/01/1220238314350.html |trans-title=Seismic intensity map of the M8.0 Wenchuan earthquake |script-title=zh:汶川8.0级地震烈度分布图 | date=2008-08-29 | access-date=2008-09-10 | language = zh-hans | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080908023646/http://www.cea.gov.cn/manage/html/8a8587881632fa5c0116674a018300cf/_content/08_09/01/1220238314350.html| archive-date= 8 September 2008 | url-status= live}} </ref> Since the earthquake, the central government has increased fortification intensity for seismic design for the old county town from VI to VIII.<ref name="GB 500011-2001, App A">{{Cite web | last1=Xu |first1=Zhengzhong (徐正忠) | last2=Wang |first2=Yayong (王亚勇) | display-authors=etal | url=http://www.morgain.com/Help/GB50011-2001/A.htm |trans-title=Code for seismic design of buildings (GB 500011-2001) (partially revised in 2008), Appendix A |script-title=zh:《建筑抗震设计规范》（GB 500011－2001） （2008 年局部修订） 附录 A 我国主要城镇抗震设防烈度、设计基本地震加速度和设计地震分组 | publisher=Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of PRC (MOHURD, 中华人民共和国住房和城乡建设部) | year=2001 | access-date=2008-09-29 | language = zh-hans | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081013120833/http://www.morgain.com/Help/GB50011-2001/A.htm| archive-date= 13 October 2008 | url-status= live}} Partially revised in 2008 </ref>

==Administrative divisions== Beichuan County has 9 towns, 9 townships, and 1 ethnic township.<ref>{{in lang|zh}} [http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/tjbz/tjyqhdmhcxhfdm/2018/51/07/510726.html National Bureau of Statistics – Beichuan County].</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-12-26 |script-title=zh:四川省人民政府关于同意绵阳市调整部分乡镇行政区划的批复（川府民政〔2019〕27号）|url=https://mzt.sc.gov.cn/scmzt/gsgg/2019/12/26/581d52db571e4662a9656929d1c58095.shtml|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706233103/https://mzt.sc.gov.cn/scmzt/gsgg/2019/12/26/581d52db571e4662a9656929d1c58095.shtml|archive-date=2020-07-06|access-date=2020-07-06|website=sc.gov.cn|language=zh}}</ref>{{Note|The former source indicates 9 towns, 12 townships, and 1 ethnic township as of 2018, while the latter shows a series of administrative changes which changed this in December 2019}} {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}

;Towns: **Yongchang ({{lang|zh-hans|永昌镇}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Yong'an, Beichuan County|lt=Yong'an|zh|永安镇 (北川县)|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|永安镇}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Qushan|lt=|zh|曲山镇|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|曲山镇}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Leigu|lt=|zh|擂鼓镇 (北川县)|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|擂鼓镇}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Tongquan|lt=|zh|通泉镇 (北川羌族自治县)|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|通泉镇}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Guixi, Beichuan County|lt=Guixi|zh|桂溪镇 (绵阳市)|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|桂溪镇}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Yuli, Beichuan County|lt=Yuli|zh|禹里镇|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|禹里镇}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Chenjiaba|lt=|zh|陈家坝镇 (北川羌族自治县)|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|陈家坝镇}}) **Xiaoba ({{lang|zh-hans|小坝镇}}) ;Ethnic Township: **{{Interlanguage link|Taolong Tibetan Ethnic Township|lt=|zh|桃龙藏族乡|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|桃龙藏族乡}}) {{col-2}}

;Townships: **{{Interlanguage link|Duguan Township|lt=|zh|都贯乡|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|都贯乡}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Xuanping Township|lt=|zh|漩坪乡|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|漩坪乡}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Baini Township|lt=|zh|白坭乡|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|白坭乡}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Piankou Township|lt=|zh|片口乡|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|片口乡}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Kaiping Township|lt=|zh|开坪乡|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|开坪乡}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Badi Township|lt=|zh|坝底乡|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|坝底乡}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Baishi Township|lt=|zh|白什乡|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|白什乡}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Qingpian Township|lt=|zh|青片乡|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|青片乡}}) **{{Interlanguage link|Macao Township|lt=|zh|马槽乡|WD=}} ({{lang|zh-hans|马槽乡}})

{{col-end}}

== Demographics == Beichuan County had a population of 235,304 in 2017, of which 61.5% are Han Chinese, 36.6% of which are Qiang people (a Sino-Tibetan people related to Tibetans), 1.5% are Tibetans, 0.2% are Hui, and the remaining 0.2% belong to various other ethnic groups.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-06-08 |script-title=zh:2017年北川羌族自治县民族人口年报|url=http://www.beichuan.gov.cn/zjbc/bcgl/rkymz/20140371.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706235614/http://www.beichuan.gov.cn/zjbc/bcgl/rkymz/20140371.html|archive-date=2020-07-06|access-date=2020-07-06|website=Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County Government|language=zh}}</ref>

==Education== The county is home to 34 standard schools, of which, 24 are primary schools, 9 junior high schools, and 1 compulsory school.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-09 |script-title=zh:北川羌族自治县教育和体育局 关于义务教育学校2020年秋季招生公告|url=http://www.beichuan.gov.cn/public/17151/24787341.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200707001840/http://www.beichuan.gov.cn/public/17151/24787341.html|archive-date=2020-07-07|access-date=2020-07-06|website=Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County Government|language=zh}}</ref>

Beichuan also houses the Beichuan Red Army Elementary School.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/3699554/patriotic-red-army-school-china/|title=See the Patriotic Red Army School Students in China|magazine=Time|date=2015-02-13|access-date=2017-02-21}}</ref>

==Climate==

{{Weather box | width = auto | metric first = y | single line = y | collapsed = Y | location = Beichuan, elevation {{convert|597|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1991–present) | Jan record high C = 18.9 | Feb record high C = 22.1 | Mar record high C = 32.0 | Apr record high C = 32.5 | May record high C = 35.0 | Jun record high C = 38.1 | Jul record high C = 37.2 | Aug record high C = 38.7 | Sep record high C = 34.0 | Oct record high C = 30.5 | Nov record high C = 25.3 | Dec record high C = 20.3 | Jan record low C = -6.1 | Feb record low C = -3.2 | Mar record low C = 0.0 | Apr record low C = 3.9 | May record low C = 9.4 | Jun record low C = 13.8 | Jul record low C = 17.5 | Aug record low C = 16.5 | Sep record low C = 11.4 | Oct record low C = 6.4 | Nov record low C = 0.3 | Dec record low C = -4.5 | Jan high C = 9.3 | Feb high C = 11.7 | Mar high C = 16.3 | Apr high C = 22.1 | May high C = 25.9 | Jun high C = 28.3 | Jul high C = 30.0 | Aug high C = 29.5 | Sep high C = 24.7 | Oct high C = 20.0 | Nov high C = 15.5 | Dec high C = 10.6 | Jan mean C = 5.5 | Feb mean C = 7.8 | Mar mean C = 12.0 | Apr mean C = 17.1 | May mean C = 20.8 | Jun mean C = 23.5 | Jul mean C = 25.3 | Aug mean C = 24.8 | Sep mean C = 20.8 | Oct mean C = 16.4 | Nov mean C = 11.8 | Dec mean C = 6.8 | Jan low C = 2.8 | Feb low C = 5.0 | Mar low C = 8.8 | Apr low C = 13.3 | May low C = 17.0 | Jun low C = 20.0 | Jul low C = 22.0 | Aug low C = 21.6 | Sep low C = 18.4 | Oct low C = 14.2 | Nov low C = 9.4 | Dec low C = 4.3 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 8.3 | Feb precipitation mm = 11.6 | Mar precipitation mm = 24.2 | Apr precipitation mm = 48.7 | May precipitation mm = 94.7 | Jun precipitation mm = 123.9 | Jul precipitation mm = 319.8 | Aug precipitation mm = 329.8 | Sep precipitation mm = 178.4 | Oct precipitation mm = 73.1 | Nov precipitation mm = 21.1 | Dec precipitation mm = 6.2 | Jan humidity = 75 | Feb humidity = 74 | Mar humidity = 71 | Apr humidity = 70 | May humidity = 69 | Jun humidity = 74 | Jul humidity = 78 | Aug humidity = 79 | Sep humidity = 84 | Oct humidity = 83 | Nov humidity = 81 | Dec humidity = 77 | unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm | Jan precipitation days = 7.1 | Feb precipitation days = 8.1 | Mar precipitation days = 11.3 | Apr precipitation days = 12.9 | May precipitation days = 14.8 | Jun precipitation days = 14.8 | Jul precipitation days = 16.5 | Aug precipitation days = 16.8 | Sep precipitation days = 17.8 | Oct precipitation days = 16.8 | Nov precipitation days = 9.4 | Dec precipitation days = 5.3 | year precipitation days = | Jan sun = 52.4 | Feb sun = 49.3 | Mar sun = 69.6 | Apr sun = 101.8 | May sun = 116.8 | Jun sun = 102.5 | Jul sun = 111.1 | Aug sun = 119.5 | Sep sun = 52.9 | Oct sun = 42.2 | Nov sun = 49.5 | Dec sun = 53.6 | year sun = | Jan percentsun = 16 | Feb percentsun = 16 | Mar percentsun = 19 | Apr percentsun = 26 | May percentsun = 27 | Jun percentsun = 24 | Jul percentsun = 26 | Aug percentsun = 29 | Sep percentsun = 14 | Oct percentsun = 12 | Nov percentsun = 16 | Dec percentsun = 17 | year percentsun = | Jan snow days = 1.8 | Feb snow days = 0.8 | Mar snow days = 0 | Apr snow days = 0 | May snow days = 0 | Jun snow days = 0 | Jul snow days = 0 | Aug snow days = 0 | Sep snow days = 0 | Oct snow days = 0 | Nov snow days = 0 | Dec snow days = 0.4 | year snow days = | source 1 = China Meteorological Administration<ref name="cma graphical">{{cite web |url=http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data |publisher=China Meteorological Administration |language = zh-hans |access-date=17 September 2023}}</ref><ref> {{cite web|title=Experience Template |url=https://experience.arcgis.com/template/e724038fda394e9d9b7921f10fd1aa55/page/%E7%BA%AF%E8%A1%A8%E6%A0%BC%E7%BB%9F%E8%AE%A1-(%E5%AF%B9%E6%AF%948110%E5%8F%98%E5%8C%96)/?org=UQmaps |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网|publisher=China Meteorological Administration |language = zh-hans | access-date =17 September 2023}}</ref> all-time extreme temperature<ref name = Mherrera>{{cite web |url= http://www.mherrera.org/temp.htm |title= Extreme Temperatures Around the World |access-date= 15 January 2026 }}</ref> all-time January high<ref>{{cite web|url=https://weibo.com/1920136013/Qn7gjDYFf |script-title=zh: 【气温破纪录】今天有127个国家气象站打破1月中旬纪录，比如合肥21.3℃、南京20.5℃、太原老站12.6℃，这其中还有43站打破1月最高气温纪录，比如成都温江19.5℃、江苏苏州（吴中）21.4℃。未来2天，在冷空气到来前，从四川盆地到长江中下游以及黄淮、华北等地，可能还会出现大量暖破纪录的情况。|publisher=weatherman_信欣 on Weibo |language = zh-hans | access-date = 15 January 2026 |title=Sina Visitor System }}</ref> | source = }}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Beichuan}} {{Wikivoyage|Beichuan}} {{Portal|China}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080724202201/http://beichuan.my.gov.cn/ Official website of Beichuan County] {{in lang|zh}}

{{County-level divisions of Sichuan}} {{Other ethnic minorities autonomy in the People's Republic of China}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County Category:County-level divisions of Sichuan Category:Autonomous counties of Sichuan Category:Qiang autonomous counties Category:Mianyang