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Hengduan
The Hengduan Mountains constitute a
series of ranges that descend east from the Tibetan
plateau to form the highlands of Sichuan (Four Rivers)
and Yunnan (South of the Clouds) (see Plate 10). Although
the area is physiographically linked to Central Asia,
its environment and economy are more akin to those of
the sub-tropical highlands of South-East Asia. The Hengduan
Mountain Ranges represent a truly rugged terrain, but
there is no complexity to their configuration. Basically,
they are north-south aligned parallel ranges, alternating
with deep gorges that block east-west travel, hence
the name Hengduan which means `cut across' in Chinese
(Chung 1978, p42).
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© Madhukar
Rana |
| 10. In the Stone Forest, Yunnan Province |
They are also sometimes referred to
as Transverse Mountains and as River Gorge Country.
The first range, Gaoligong, between the Irrawady and
Salween rivers runs along the Myanmar-China boundary.
The second range, the Taniantaweng with Moirigkawa Garbo
(6,809m), lies between the Salween and Mekong. The third,
Ningjing-Yun Ling, separates the gorges of Mekong and
Yangtze (Jinsha Jiang). East of the Yangtze, the ranges
of the Shaluli and Daxue on either side of the Jiang
River are fairly extensive. Altitudes vary from 2,000-2,500m
in the south to 7,000m in the north. The highest peak,
the Gongaa Shan/Minya Konka (7,556m), is in the Daxue
Range. This range marks the transitional zone between
the dry Tibetan plateau and the wet Sichuan basin. Limits
of various ecological belts are 3,000m higher on the
west side due to the mass-elevation effect of the Tibetan
plateau (Thomas 1999). Large areas of primary deciduous
and coniferous forest have been cleared through commercial
logging. The Shaluli Shan is marked by the spectacular
Xia-qiao-tou (Tiger Leap Gorge) of the Yangtze around
Yulongxue Shan/Jade Dragon Mountain (5,569m). The Hengduan
area with its wide altitudinal range and heavy monsoon
rain has very rich and varied flora and fauna. Extensive
areas are under dense forest, varying in type by elevation
and aspect and including as many as 550 species of medicinal
plants. Timber logging has become an important economic
activity. Cultivation is generally practised below 3,000m.
The rotation cycle for swidden agriculture for maize
and dry rice ranges from three to 12 years (Harris and
Ma 1997). In the past, opium poppy cultivation was widespread.
The area is home to numerous ethnic minorities with
distinct languages and customs (Box 2). Some of the
better known are the Bai, Dai, Jingpo, Lisu, Miao, Naxi,
Lhoba and Yi. Of these, the Naxi have an ancient tradition
of script-writing in pictograph form known as Dongba.
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