History of Weixi County in Diqing

Ancient Period

  • Pre-Qin to Northern and Southern Dynasties: As early as the Neolithic Age, there were human activities along the Jinsha River and Lancang River in the county. The Lisu people were part of the Di-Qiang group during the Warring States Period, known as “Sou” and “Pu” during the Qin and Han dynasties. In the Western Han Dynasty, it belonged to Yizhou Commandery, in the Eastern Han Dynasty to Yongchang Commandery, in the Western Jin Dynasty to Ningzhou Yunnan Commandery, from the Eastern Jin to the Southern Dynasties Liang to Ningzhou, and in the Northern Dynasties Zhou to Nanningzhou.

Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties Period

  • Sui and Tang Dynasties: In the early Tang Dynasty, most of the county was part of the Tubo Iron Bridge Military Governor’s territory. In the tenth year of the Zhenyuan era of Emperor Dezong of Tang (794 AD), Weixi was transferred to the Nanzhao Iron Bridge Military Governor’s territory. During the Qianfu years of Emperor Xizong of Tang (874 to 879 AD), Weixi belonged to the Jianchuan Military Governor’s territory. In the second year of the Tianfu era of the Later Jin in the Five Dynasties (937 AD), Weixi was transferred to the Dali Kingdom.

Song and Yuan Period

  • Song and Yuan Dynasties: In the second year of the Baoyou era of Emperor Lizong of Song (1253 AD), Kublai Khan led a large army to conquer Yunnan, and Weixi was established as a tea-han Zhang Guanmin official. In the eighth year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty (1271 AD), the Tea-han Zhang Xuanwei Office was established, and the county was under its jurisdiction. In the fourteenth year of the Zhiyuan era (1277 AD), the “Luo Pujian” was established as Linxi County, under the jurisdiction of Juqin State, and still under the jurisdiction of the Tea-han Zhang Xuanwei Office.

Ming and Qing Period

  • Ming Dynasty: In the fourteenth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1381 AD), Lijiang Prefecture was established, leading four states and one county, including Linxi County. In the second year of the Zhengtong era of Emperor Yingzong of Ming (1437 AD), the local Tibetan regime occupied Linxi County. Starting from the fourth year of the Chenghua era (1468 AD), the Mu family, the local governor of Lijiang, began to fight with the Tibetans for Linxi.
  • Qing Dynasty: In the fifteenth year of the Shunzhi era (1658 AD), the Qing court ordered Dorini, Zhaobutai, and Wu Sangui to lead troops to Yunnan. In the eleventh year of the Kangxi era (1672 AD), Wu Sangui ceded the “Larpu and other places within the Jinsha River” to the Mongolian and Tibetan areas. In the third year of the Yongzheng era (1725 AD), Yunnan and Sichuan provinces were ordered to demarcate the border. In the fifth year of the Yongzheng era (1727 AD), Weixi Office was established. In the twenty-first year of the Qianlong era (1756 AD), Weixi was transferred to the jurisdiction of Lijiang Prefecture.

Republic of China Period

  • Republic of China: In the second year of the Republic of China (1913 AD), Weixi Office was divided into Weixi County and Adun Administrative Commissioner. Weixi was a second-class county under the jurisdiction of Western Yunnan Circuit. In the eighteenth year of the Republic of China (1929 AD), Weixi was transferred to the jurisdiction of the First Border Administration Office. After the thirty-first year of the Republic of China (1942 AD), Weixi was under the jurisdiction of the Seventh Commissioner’s Office. In the thirty-sixth year of the Republic of China (1947 AD), Weixi was under the jurisdiction of the Thirteenth Administrative Inspectorate. On May 12, 1949, the Communist Party of China’s Weixi organization led the people’s militia to launch an armed uprising, overthrowing the Kuomintang-led Weixi county government and establishing a temporary people’s government.

People’s Republic of China Period

  • People’s Republic of China: On October 1, 1949, the People’s Government of Weixi County was established, under the jurisdiction of the Northwestern Yunnan People’s Commissioner’s Office. After 1950, it was changed to Lijiang Special District, and Weixi was under the leadership of the Lijiang Commissioner’s Office. On September 13, 1957, Weixi, Zhongdian, and Deqin jointly established the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. On June 11, 1985, the State Council approved the abolition of Weixi County and the establishment of Weixi Lisu Autonomous County. The people’s government of the autonomous county was officially established on October 13 of the same year, still under the jurisdiction of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.