Qihe Town in Gucheng District, Lijiang

Qihе Town （七河镇）is located to the south of Lijiang Ancient District, bordering Jinjiang Bai Ethnic Township to the southeast, Heqing County of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture to the south, Taian Township and Huangshan Town of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County to the west, Jinshan Bai Ethnic Township and Jin’an Town to the north, and is separated from Yongshеng County by the Jinsha River to the northeast. The town government is located 17 kilometers from the district government, covering a total area of 366.3 square kilometers. As of the end of 2019, the registered population of Qihе Town was 22,465.

Historical Evolution

During the Qing Dynasty, it was known as Qihе Li, and in the Republican era, it was called Linan Township. Qihе Township was established in 1988 and was upgraded to a town in April 2012.

Natural Environment

Climate

The town experiences a subtropical monsoon climate, characterized by warm winters and cool summers, with spring-like weather throughout the year. The average annual temperature is 14.6°C, with an average annual precipitation of 950 mm and an average annual sunshine duration of 2,600 hours.

Soil

The soil types include brown soil, loose and fertile red soil, and paddy soil.

Vegetation

The vegetation primarily consists of Yunnan pine, mixed forests, and shrubbery.

Natural Disasters

The main natural disasters include droughts, windstorms, hailstorms, mudslides, and earthquakes. Hailstorms occur every rainy season, with the most severe hailstorm in 2011 affecting 1,275.7 mu of farmland, completely destroying 180.7 mu, and causing an economic loss of 668,000 yuan.

Economic Development

In 2019, the rural economic income of Qihе Town reached 432 million yuan, an increase of 8% year-on-year. The per capita annual income of farmers was 19,870.92 yuan, also an 8% increase. There are 6 industrial enterprises, all of which are above a certain scale, and 18 comprehensive stores or supermarkets with a business area of over 50 square meters.

Historical and Cultural Background

Origin of the Name

The name “Qihе” (七河) originated from seven families with the surname He who settled and formed a village, initially called “Qihe” (七和), which later evolved into “Qihе” (七河).

Cultural Protection Units

There is one national key cultural protection unit and four municipal and district-level cultural protection units.

Scenic Spots

Jinlong Bridge (金龙桥)

Also known as Zili Bridge (梓里桥), located in Yangjian Village (羊见村) of Qihе Town, it is the only surviving chain bridge on the Yangtze River. It is the earliest, longest, widest, and most chain-rich ancient chain bridge in China. It was listed as a national key cultural protection unit in the sixth batch in 2006.

Guanyin Gorge Scenic Area (观音峡景区)

Located in Xiguan Village (西关村) of Qihе Town, covering an area of 20,000 square meters, it is a national 4A-level scenic area that integrates various natural and cultural landscapes.

Jinlong Village (金龙村)

This village combines rose germplasm resources, “rose sea landscape,” ethnic cultural displays, and leisure tourism, making it a modern tourism service base with comprehensive facilities and intensive elements.