Dai County

{{hatnote|This article is about the present-day Dai County. For Dai County and Daixian under the Qin and Western Han dynasties, see Yu County, Hebei.}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}} {{stack begin}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Dai County |native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|zh-hans|代县}}}} |postal_code_type = Postal code |postal_code= |pushpin_label_position = bottom |pushpin_map = China Shanxi |pushpin_map_caption = Location of Daixian (i.e., Shangguan) in Shanxi Province |pushpin_mapsize = 250 |settlement_type = County |image_skyline = |image_map = ChinaXinzhouDai.png |map_caption = Location in Xinzhou |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = People's Republic of China |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_name1 = Shanxi |subdivision_type2 = Prefecture-level city |subdivision_name2 = Xinzhou |area_total_km2 = 1,729 |population_total = 178,870 |population_as_of = 2020 |population_density_km2 = auto |coordinates = {{coord|39|3|49|N|112|56|35|E|region:CN-14_type:adm3rd|display=inline,title}} |elevation_m = |timezone = China Standard |utc_offset = +8 |website = [http://dx.sxxz.gov.cn/ dx.sxxz.gov.cn] }} {{Infobox Chinese |title=Daixian |pic=File:代县边靖楼.jpg |piccap=The Bianjing Drum Tower in Daixian |t={{linktext|代縣}} |s={{linktext|代县}} |p=Dàixiàn |w=Tai Hsien Tai-hsien |l=Dai{{nbsp}}County }} {{Infobox Chinese |title=Former names |pic=File:Yanmenguan3.JPG |piccap=The Great Wall at Yanmen Pass |altname=Guangwu |t2={{linktext|廣武|邑}} |s2={{linktext|广武|邑}} |p2=Guǎngwǔyì |w2=Kuang-wu I |l2={{nowrap|Expansive-&-Martial Town}} {{nowrap|Greatly Warlike Town}} |altname3=Guangwu |t3={{linktext|廣武|縣}} |s3={{linktext|广武|县}} |p3=Guǎngwǔxiàn |w3=Kuang-wu Hsien Kuang-wu-hsien |l3={{nowrap|Expansive-&-Martial County}} {{nowrap|Greatly Warlike County}} |altname4=Yanmen |t4={{linktext|雁門|郡}} {{linktext|鴈門|郡}} |s4={{linktext|雁门|郡}} |p4=Yànménjùn |w4=Yen-mên Chün |l4={{nowrap|Wild Goose Gate Commandery}} |altname5=Sizhou |c5={{linktext|肆州}} |p5=Sìzhōu |w5=Ssu Chou Ssu-chou |l5= |altname6=Daizhou |c6={{linktext|代州}} |p6=Dàizhōu |w6=Tai Chou Tai-chou |l6=Dai{{nbsp}}Prefecture |psp6=Taichow }} {{stack end}} '''Dai County''', also known by its Chinese name '''Daixian''', is a county in Xinzhou, Shanxi Province, China. Its county seat at Shangguan is also known as Daixian. The county has an area of {{convert|1729|sqkm|sp=us|abbr=on}} and had a population of 178,870 at the time of the 2020 census. The county is the home of the AAAAA-rated Yanmen Pass Scenic Area along the Great Wall, as well as the Bianjing Drum Tower, the Ayuwang Pagoda, and the Zhao Gao Forest Park.

== Names == As is usual in Chinese, the name "Daixian" is used for both the county as a whole and for the county seat at Shangguan. Because the English word "county" only typically describes the area,<ref>{{citation |contribution=county, ''n.¹'' and ''adj.'' |contribution-url=http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/43102 |url=http://www.oed.com |title=Oxford English Dictionary |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford }}.</ref> it's more common to use a transcription of the Chinese form of the name when talking about its seat of government. ''Dàixiàn'' is the pinyin romanization of the Mandarin pronunciation of the Chinese placename written as {{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|代縣}}}}}} in traditional characters and as {{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|代县}}}}}} in the simplified characters now used in mainland China. The same name was formerly written as Tai County, ''Tai Hsien'', or ''Tai-hsien'' in the Wade-Giles system. The name was most recently bestowed in 1912,<ref name=history/> during the organization of the Republic of China.

The county took its name from its predecessor '''Daizhou''' or Dai Prefecture, which had existed since AD{{nbsp}}585.<ref name=daizhou/> This name was formerly written as ''Tai Chou'' or ''Tai-chou'' in Wade–Giles and as '''Taichow''' or Taichow{{nbsp}}Sha by the now abandoned Chinese postal romanization system.<ref name=staf>{{harvp|Stanford|1917|p=[https://archive.org/stream/cu31924023258241#page/n45/mode/2up 15]}}.</ref> Daizhou had taken its name from the recently abolished Dai Commandery,<ref name=tobu>{{harvp|Shanxi Tourism Bureau|2016|loc=s.v. "Dai County"}}.</ref> despite having never been part of it<ref name=daijun>{{harvp|Xiong|2009|loc=s.v. "[https://books.google.com/books?id=UD8Nvn7Ca18C&pg=PA106 Daijun]"}}.</ref> or the seat of the earlier "Dai" regions.{{sfnp|Johnston|2017|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=5wwmDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA171 171]}} Dai Commandery had been created by the Zhou state of Zhao to organize its northeastern conquests and was based in the former capital of the Beidi{{sfnp|Wu|2017|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=vYHuDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA33 33]}} Kingdom of Dai.<ref name=tobu/> That city's native name was transcribed using the character {{lang|zh|{{linktext|代}}}},<ref name=history>{{citation |contribution=代县历史沿革 |contribution-url=http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/sx/3701.html |title=''《行政区划网》'' |date=3 November 2016 |url=http://xzqh.org }}. {{in lang|zh}}</ref> now read ''dài'' in Mandarin but with an Old Chinese pronunciation that has been reconstructed as {{nowrap|/*lˤək-s/}}.{{sfnp|Baxter & al.|2014|loc="代"}} It became known as Daixian as well but was near present-day Yuzhou in Hebei.<ref name=dai>{{harvp|Xiong|2009|loc=s.v. "[https://books.google.com/books?id=UD8Nvn7Ca18C&pg=PA105 Dai]"}}.</ref>{{efn|During the medieval period, some historical writers erroneously conflated the two places, e.g., in the stories concerning Zhao's conquest of the Dai Kingdom, which they moved beside Mount Wutai in Dai Prefecture (now Shanxi's Wutai County).{{sfnp|Strassberg|1994|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=SrstoswsLzkC&pg=PA357 357]}}}} Its name was used for the rump kingdom of Zhao established by Prince Jia to oppose Qin in the 220s{{nbsp}}BC;<ref name=dai/> after the fall of Qin, there was a Dai among Xiang Yu's Eighteen Kingdoms and the Han Empire's princely appanages.<ref name=dai/> These included the commanderies of Yunzhong and Yanmen in northern Shanxi along with the old Dai homeland in northwestern Hebei,<ref name=dai/> spreading the name westward into Shanxi.

The earlier name for the county had been '''Guangwu''' ("Broad-&-Martial"), with its eponymous county seat located southwest of present-day Shangguan.<ref name=guangwu>{{harvp|Xiong|2009|loc=s.v. "[https://books.google.com/books?id=UD8Nvn7Ca18C&pg=PA189 Guangwu]"}}.</ref> It was also known as '''Yanmen''' (after the nearby pass) once the seat of Yanmen Commandery was moved to Guangwu from Yinguan (near present-day Shuozhou, Shanxi) under the Kingdom of Wei during China's Three Kingdoms period.<ref name=yanmen>{{harvp|Xiong|2009|loc=s.v. "[https://books.google.com/books?id=UD8Nvn7Ca18C&pg=PA615 Yanmen]"}}.</ref> These names followed the posts when they moved to Shangguan under the Northern Wei.<ref name=guangwu/> It ceased to be called Guangwu in 589 at the creation of Yanmen County;<ref name=yanmen/> it ceased to be called Yanmen after that county was abolished under the Yuan.{{cn|date=November 2022}} The town was also briefly known as '''Sizhou''' under the Northern Zhou and early Sui after Si Prefecture was relocated to Shangguan in 579 from its original seat northwest of Xinzhou.<ref name=sizhou>{{harvp|Xiong|2009|loc=s.v. "[https://books.google.com/books?id=UD8Nvn7Ca18C&pg=PA473 Sizhou]"}}.</ref><ref name=history/> Present day villages of New Guangwu and Old Guangwu along with the Guangwu section of the Great Wall are located in adjacent Shanyin County.<ref name="water">{{cite news |title=Civilisations Thrive on Water |url=https://www.pressreader.com/china/beijing-english/20170928/281530816221933 |work=Beijing |date=September 28, 2017}}</ref>

==Geography== Dai County's present territory covers {{convert|1729|sqkm|sp=us}}.<ref name=overview/> It lies in northeastern Shanxi Province between Taiyuan to the south and Datong to the north, with the Yanmen Pass forming a natural choke point which once controlled access to central Shanxi from the Eurasian Steppe. (The pass is still used by the G208, although the larger Erguang Expressway now passes to its west.)

The main river is the Hutuo. Its principal tributaries within the county are the E ({{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|峨|河}}}},}} ''É Hé''), the Zhongjie ({{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|中|解|河}}}},}} ''Zhōngjiě Hé''), the Yukou ({{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|峪|口|河}}}},}} ''Yùkǒu Hé''), the Guangou (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|關|溝|河}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|关|沟|河}}}},}} ''Guāngōu Hé''), and the Qili ({{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|七|里|河}}}},}} ''Qīlǐ Hé'').<ref name=overview/>

The highest points are the Heige Tajian ({{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|黑|圪|塔|尖}}}},}} ''Hēigē Tǎjiān''; {{convert|2548|m|disp=or|sp=us|abbr=on}}) and Mantou Mountain (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|饅頭|山}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|馒头|山}}}},}} ''Mántoushān''; {{convert|2426|m|disp=or|sp=us|abbr=on}}).<ref name=overview/> Parts of the chains belonging to Mount Heng to the north and Mount Wutai to the east also reach Dai County.<ref name=overview/>

==Climate==

{{Weather box|width=auto |metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Daixian, elevation {{convert|860|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010) |Jan high C = 0.5 |Feb high C = 4.8 |Mar high C = 11.6 |Apr high C = 19.6 |May high C = 25.6 |Jun high C = 28.9 |Jul high C = 29.1 |Aug high C = 27.6 |Sep high C = 23.4 |Oct high C = 17.1 |Nov high C = 8.4 |Dec high C = 1.6 |Jan mean C = -7.2 |Feb mean C = -3.1 |Mar mean C = 3.8 |Apr mean C = 11.7 |May mean C = 18.1 |Jun mean C = 21.9 |Jul mean C = 23.1 |Aug mean C = 21.3 |Sep mean C = 15.9 |Oct mean C = 9.2 |Nov mean C = 0.9 |Dec mean C = -5.7 |Jan low C = -13.3 |Feb low C = -9.2 |Mar low C = -2.9 |Apr low C = 4.0 |May low C = 10.2 |Jun low C = 15.0 |Jul low C = 17.7 |Aug low C = 16.0 |Sep low C = 9.8 |Oct low C = 2.9 |Nov low C = -4.6 |Dec low C = -11.2 |Jan record high C = 11.0 |Jan record low C = -26.7 |Feb record high C = 17.9 |Feb record low C = -22.5 |Mar record high C = 28.3 |Mar record low C = -18.0 |Apr record high C = 36.4 |Apr record low C = -7.6 |May record high C = 36.1 |May record low C = -2.5 |Jun record high C = 40.2 |Jun record low C = 5.0 |Jul record high C = 37.9 |Jul record low C = 8.7 |Aug record high C = 35.1 |Aug record low C = 6.5 |Sep record high C = 33.2 |Sep record low C = -1.1 |Oct record high C = 28.0 |Oct record low C = -9.9 |Nov record high C = 20.9 |Nov record low C = -25.6 |Dec record high C = 15.0 |Dec record low C = -26.4 |year high C = |year low C = |year high F = |year low F = |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 1.7 |Feb precipitation mm = 3.6 |Mar precipitation mm = 8.9 |Apr precipitation mm = 18.2 |May precipitation mm = 34.3 |Jun precipitation mm = 55.8 |Jul precipitation mm = 117.7 |Aug precipitation mm = 104.8 |Sep precipitation mm = 51.1 |Oct precipitation mm = 24.0 |Nov precipitation mm = 10.6 |Dec precipitation mm = 1.8 |Jan humidity = 46 |Feb humidity = 43 |Mar humidity = 41 |Apr humidity = 41 |May humidity = 43 |Jun humidity = 55 |Jul humidity = 71 |Aug humidity = 75 |Sep humidity = 71 |Oct humidity = 62 |Nov humidity = 56 |Dec humidity = 50 |unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm |Jan precipitation days = 1.4 |Feb precipitation days = 2.4 |Mar precipitation days = 3.6 |Apr precipitation days = 5.2 |May precipitation days = 7.2 |Jun precipitation days = 10.2 |Jul precipitation days = 12.3 |Aug precipitation days = 11.7 |Sep precipitation days = 9.1 |Oct precipitation days = 6.2 |Nov precipitation days = 3.4 |Dec precipitation days = 1.3 |year precipitation days = |Jan sun = 191.8 |Feb sun = 191.3 |Mar sun = 229.1 |Apr sun = 247.6 |May sun = 270.0 |Jun sun = 241.6 |Jul sun = 229.8 |Aug sun = 221.2 |Sep sun = 207.1 |Oct sun = 209.5 |Nov sun = 185.6 |Dec sun = 181.8 |year sun = | Jan percentsun = 63 | Feb percentsun = 63 | Mar percentsun = 61 | Apr percentsun = 62 | May percentsun = 61 | Jun percentsun = 54 | Jul percentsun = 51 | Aug percentsun = 53 | Sep percentsun = 56 | Oct percentsun = 61 | Nov percentsun = 62 | Dec percentsun = 62 | year percentsun = |Jan snow days = 2.4 |Feb snow days = 3.9 |Mar snow days = 3.2 |Apr snow days = 1.0 |May snow days = 0.1 |Jun snow days = 0 |Jul snow days = 0 |Aug snow days = 0 |Sep snow days = 0 |Oct snow days = 0.2 |Nov snow days = 2.7 |Dec snow days = 2.7 |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=26 August 2023}}</ref><ref> {{cite web|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 =26 August 2023}}</ref> }}

==History== ===Ancient China=== {{see also|Beidi|Yanmen Commandery}} Present-day Dai County lies to north of the historic heartland of ancient Chinese civilization in the Fen, Wei, and Yellow River valleys. The Chinese knew their northern neighbors as the Di or "Northern Barbarians". The "White Di" (''Baidi'') are recorded originating in north Shaanxi west of the Yellow River but had settled in the Hutuo Valley by the 6th century{{nbsp}}BC.<ref name=booyah>{{harvp|Wu|2017|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=vYHuDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA28 28–29]}}.</ref>

The Zhou state of Jin pushed sporadically northward through both invasions and bribery of the Di's ruling class<ref name=booyah/> until its disintegration at the end of the Spring and Autumn period. King Yong (posthumously known as the "Wuling" or "Martial-&-Numinous King") of the Jin successor state of Zhao adopted nomad-style clothing, equipment, and cavalry tactics in 307{{nbsp}}BC; in campaigns in 306 and 304{{nbsp}}BC overran the Loufan (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|樓煩}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|楼烦}}}},}} ''Lóufán'') and "forest nomads" ({{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|林|胡}}}},}} ''Línhú'') of the Hutuo Valley and the lands to the northwest of the Yanmen Pass, opening up to the Eurasian steppe. He organized these conquests together with Zhao-held Dai as the three commanderies of Yunzhong, Yanmen, and Dai. He protected them by erecting long earthen barricades along what is now considered the Outer Great Wall, as well as a fortress overlooking Yanmen Pass in present-day Dai County. The town of Guangwu, southwest of present-day Shangguan, was established under the Zhao as well.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

After Qin's conquest of Zhao in 228{{nbsp}}BC, its Prince Jia tried to reëstablish his family's kingdom in its northern commanderies; this "Kingdom of Dai" was quickly overrun by the Qin general Wang Ben in 222{{nbsp}}BC, just prior to the reunification of China.<ref name=history/>

===Imperial China=== [[File:Qin Dynasty.png|thumb|right|200px|Commanderies of the Qin Empire, with Dai in the north. The territory of present-day Dai County, however, was not located within it but the adjacent commanderies of Yanmen and Taiyuan.]] {{see also|Dai Prefecture}} Under the First Emperor's rule, an administrative overhaul abolished China's former states and provinces, making the relatively small commanderies the highest level of regional government. Zhao's former holdings in northern Shanxi west of Mount{{nbsp}}Heng formed Qin's Yanmen Commandery, with its seat at Shanwu in present-day Youyu County.<ref name=bcgm>{{harvp|Hua & al.|2017|loc=s.v. [https://books.google.com/books?id=jUxeDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA83 "Dai zhou"]}}.</ref> The frontier walls of the former states, including Zhao's, were merged into the first form of the Great Wall of China. Guangwu was promoted to the seat of its own county, overseeing the parts of present-day Dai County in the Hutuo Valley. This was part of the Taiyuan Commandery under the Qin{{efn|Guangwu was not listed with Taiyuan's other counties in Hou,{{sfnp|Hou|2009}} but appears in the Liye Slips discovered in 2002.}} and Western Han, when it was part of the province of Bingzhou.<ref name=history/> Under the Eastern Han and Wei, the area was part of Yanmen Commandery,<ref name=history/> whose seat was at Mayi (present-day Shuozhou).

[[File:阿育王塔.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Ayuwang Pagoda]] The county seat of Guangwu moved to what is now Shangguan under the Northern Wei.<ref name=guangwu/> An earthen wall 8 ''li'' in circumference was raised to protect the town.<ref name=chav>{{harvp|Chavannes|1912}}.</ref> It became the seat of Dai Prefecture in 585 during the Sui,<ref name=daizhou>{{harvp|Xiong|2009|loc=s.v. "[https://books.google.com/books?id=UD8Nvn7Ca18C&pg=PA106 Daizhou]"}}.</ref> eventually taking its name as Daizhou. The prefecture covered parts of the present-day counties of Dai, Fanshi, Wutai, and Yuanping.<ref name=daizhou/> The Ayuwang Pagoda was also first constructed under the Sui, but suffered repeated fires; the present Tibetan-style dagoba dates to the Yuan. The town was also known as Yanmen during this period, as it was the seat of the Yanmen Commandery.<ref name=daxiong/> On 11 September 615,<ref>大業十一年八月癸酉 [http://db1x.sinica.edu.tw/sinocal/ Academia Sinica] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522200011/http://db1x.sinica.edu.tw/sinocal/ |date=22 May 2010 }} {{in lang|zh}}</ref><ref name="Zizhi182">Sima Guang, ''Zizhi Tongjian'', Vol. 182. {{in lang|zh}}</ref> the Sui emperor Yang Guang (posthumously known as the Yang or Lazy Emperor) was besieged there by the Eastern Turkish (''Tujue'') leader Shibi Khan, who was angry about Chinese efforts to weaken and divide his realm. In his distress, Yang Guang promised promotions and rewards to the garrison and those who might rescue him. Credit became muddled, however, when the khan's Chinese wife Princess Yicheng responded to his pleas by sending a false report to her husband about an attack on the Turkish homeland. After the Turks withdrew, the emperor chose to renege on most of his promises; the event built animosity in the Chinese army ahead of the collapse of the Sui.<ref name=daxiong>{{harvp|Xiong|2006|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=-1PSb8wp-woC&pg=PA63 63–4]}}.</ref>

Dai Prefecture was reëstablished under the Tang,<ref name=daizhou/> who made it part of their Hedong Circuit. In the spring of 623, the Eastern Turkish Jiali Khan and the Chinese rebels Gao Kaidao and Yuan Junzhang ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|苑|君|璋}}}}, ''Yuan Jūnzhāng'') jointly besieged the Tang fortress there but were unable to take it. Chinese censuses recorded the district had 36,234 people living in 9,259 households in AD{{nbsp}}639 and 100,350 living in 21,280 households in 742.<ref name=daizhou/>

From 1369 until about 1375, under the early Ming, Dai Prefecture was briefly reorganized as a county.<ref name=history/> It was during this time that the present fortifications at Yanmen Pass were constructed, and the earthen walls at Shangguan were given a brick façade.<ref name=chav/> Dai Prefecture was administered under the Ming and early Qing as part of the circuits of Yanmen (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|雁門|道}}}}}} or {{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|鴈門|道}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|雁门|道}}}},}} ''Yànmén Dào'') or Yanping {{nowrap|({{lang|zh|{{linktext|雁|平|道}}}},}} ''Yànpíng Dào''), but it was directly administered by the provincial government after 1724 until near the end of the dynasty, when it was returned to Yanping Circuit.<ref name=history/> During the early 20th century, the Ming wall still surrounded the city, with four gates and a {{convert|20|ft|adj=on|sp=us|0}} deep moat.<ref name=chav/> Daizhou was the site of a Protestant mission<ref name=staf/> run by the Baptist Missionary Society.<ref>{{harvp|Kaiser|2016|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Y9rcDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA123 123]}}.</ref> The nascent Christian community was, however, devastated in 1900 by the Boxer Rebellion and subsequently by the memory of its powerlessness to defend itself.<ref>{{harvp|Kaiser|2016|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Y9rcDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA105 105]}}.</ref>

===Modern China=== Following the Xinhai Revolution, the Republic of China reorganized Dai Prefecture as a county in 1912.<ref name=history/> This was originally under Yanmen Circuit; in 1921, it was placed directly under Shanxi's provincial government.<ref name=history/> During the Second Sino-Japanese War (WWII), various locations in Dai County saw action during the 1937 Battle of Xinkou. This ended in a Japanese victory but guerrilla actions continued. Following the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, Dai County was placed under Xinzhou Prefecture.<ref name=history/> In 1958, it was merged with Fanshi County, but this arrangement was ended in 1961.<ref name=history/> In 2001, the county seat Chengguan (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|城關|鎮}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|城关|镇}}}},}} ''Chéngguānzhèn'') changed its name to Shangguan and some of Dai County's smaller townships were merged to form larger units. Shangtian and Baicaokou merged to form Yanmenguan; Bata joined Tanshang; Xijiao joined Nieying; Jiaokou joined Xingao; Fenshuiling joined Huyu; and Hujiatan joined Shangmofang.<ref name=history/>

==Administrative divisions== Since 2001, Dai County has been divided into six towns and five townships:<ref name=admin>{{citation |contribution=代县行政区划 |contribution-url=http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/sx/27912.html |title=''《行政区划网》'' |date=21 October 2016 |url=http://xzqh.org }}. {{in lang|zh}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan=5 style="background:#ffff99;" | Towns |- ! Name !! Simp. !! Trad. !! Pinyin !! Population 2010 |- | Shangguan || 上馆镇 || 上館鎮 || Shǎngguǎnzhèn || align=right | 65,960 |- | Yanmingbao || 阳明堡镇 || 陽明堡鎮 || Yángmíngbǎo Zhèn || align=right | 19,840 |- | Ekou || 峨口镇 || 峨口鎮 || Ékǒuzhèn || align=right | 27,443 |- | Nieying || 聂营镇 || 聶營鎮 || Nièyíngzhèn || align=right | 11,628 |- | Zaolin || 枣林镇 || 棗林鎮 || Zǎolínzhèn || align=right | 18,537 |- | Tanshang || 滩上镇 || 灘上鎮 || Tānshǎngzhèn || align=right | 5,811 |- ! colspan=5 style="background:#ffff99;" | Townships |- | Xingao || 新高乡 || 新高鄉 || Xīngāoxiāng || align=right | 21,437 |- | Yukou || 峪口乡 || 峪口鄉 || Yùkǒuxiāng || align=right | 17,997 |- | Shangmofang || 上磨坊乡 || 上磨坊鄉 || Shǎngmòfáng Xiāng || align=right | 12,347 |- | Huyu || 胡峪乡 || 胡峪鄉 || Húyùxiāng || align=right | 5,228 |- | Yanmenguan || 雁门关乡 || 雁門關鄉 鴈門關鄉 || Yànménguān Xiāng || align=right | 7,863 |- |}

These 11 township-level divisions are in turn divided into eight residential communities and 377 villages (2015).<ref name=history/> The county seat is at Shangguan, with the main offices located on its East Main Street (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|東|大街}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|东|大街}}}},}} ''Dōng Dàjiē'').<ref name=overview/>

==Demographics== During the 2010 census, there were 214,091 residents in the county.<ref name=history/>

==Tourism== [[File:代县文庙-5.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Daizhou Confucian Temple]] Yanmenguan Township is home to the Yanmen Pass Scenic Area, a mountain pass bearing a major fortress along the Great Wall that has been given a AAAAA rating by the China National Tourism Administration.{{sfn|TCG}} The area has been strategically important and fortified since the Warring States period, although the present works date to the 14th century during the early Ming.

Other tourist attractions in Dai County include the Ayuwang or Ashoka Pagoda, a dagoba dating to the Yuan; the Daizhou Confucian Temple (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|代州|文廟}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|代州|文庙}}}},}} ''Dàizhōu Wénmiào''); the Bianjing Drum Tower (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|邊|靖|樓}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|边|靖|楼}}}},}} ''Biānjìnglóu''); the Yang Ancestral Hall (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|楊|家|祠堂}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|杨|家|祠堂}}}},}} ''Yángjiā Cítáng''); the Zhao Gao National Forest Park (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|趙|杲|觀|國家|級|森林|公園}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|赵|杲|观|国家|级|森林|公园}}}},}} ''Zhào Gǎo Guān Guójiā-Jí Sēnlín Gōngyuán''); and the Dongduanjing Archeological Site (t{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|東|段|景|遺址}}}},}} s{{nbsp}}{{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|东|段|景|遗址}}}},}} ''Dōngduànjǐng Yízhǐ'').<ref name=overview>{{citation |contribution=代县概况地图 |contribution-url=http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/sx/3702.html |title=''《行政区划网》'' |date=21 October 2016 |url=http://xzqh.org }}. {{in lang|zh}}</ref>

==Transportation== thumb|right|200px|Dai County Railway Station Buses connecting the county seat Daixian to the East Passenger Station of the provincial capital Taiyuan run about every 30 minutes.{{sfn|TCG}} Daixian is also connected by daily buses running to Datong's Xinnan Passenger Station.{{sfn|TCG}}

==See also== * Realms of Dai during the Spring & Autumn, Warring States, and Sixteen Kingdoms periods of Chinese history * Prince of Dai, an appanage during the Han

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== ===Citations=== {{reflist|30em}}

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==External links== {{commons category}} * [http://dx.sxxz.gov.cn/ Official site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515123013/http://dx.sxxz.gov.cn/ |date=15 May 2019 }} {{in lang|zh}}

Category:County-level divisions of Shanxi Category:Xinzhou Category:National Famous Historical and Cultural City