Population: 3,140,000

Area: 16,804 square kilometers (6,488 square miles)

Nationalities: Han, Buyi, Miao

Administrative Division: 7 counties (Xingren, Pu'an, Qinglong, Zhenfeng, Wangmo, Ceheng, Anlong); 1 county-level city (Xingyi)

Seat of the city government: No.22, Shajing Street, Xingyi City

Useful Telephone Numbers:
Tourist Complaints: 0859-3116518
Weather Forecast: 121
Zip Code Inquiry: 184

Bank of China Xingyi Branch: No.1, Hehuatang Lane, Xingyi City

China Post Qianxinan Branch: No.10, Panjiang Road, Xingyi City

Location: Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture is located in the southeast of Guizhou Province, in neighborhood of Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The capital of the prefecture is seating in Xingyi City, which is over 300 kilometers (186 miles) from Guiyang and Kunming.

History: According to history records, this area was inhabited by several ethnic groups in southwestern China or governed by kingdoms they established in remote ages. The Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC) put it under the administration of Xiang Shire, and it returned to the Yelang State, an ancient ethnic regime in old Guizhou. It is partly belonged to the central government and Yelang in the following hundreds of years. After that, overlapping reigns on this area were changed between the central Chinese government and kingdoms set up by local ethnic groups.

Physical Features: Qianxinan stands in the slop area in southeast of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. Its overall terrain slops downward from northwest to south east. Most part of the prefecture belonged to karst plateau, and Karst terrain occupies over seventy percent of its territory. Hilly area is in the second place, occupying a coverage of twenty percent.

Climatic Features: The prefecture enjoys a subtropical monsoon climate. Weather in this area is temperate and humid all the year round. Xingyi City is reputed as the 'Lesser Spring City'. As to the whole prefecture, the annual average temperature of January falls between 4.4 and 9.7 degree centigrade (40-49.5 degree Fahrenheit), and that of July remains between 21 and 26 degrees centigrade (69.8-78.8 degrees Fahrenheit). The rainy season usually lasts from May to September.

When to Go: in spring, summer and autumn

Local Highlights: Ethnic minorities occupy over forty percent of the prefecture's total population. Among these multitude of ethnic groups, Bouyei and Miao are the largest. Strong flavor of the ethnic minorities should be the most charming factor of Qianxinan.
Miao Folk-Custom Festival (around the eighth day of the eighth lunar month in Xingren County)
Buyi Folk-Custom Festival (around the sixth day of the sixth lunar month in Zhenfeng County)

Special Local Products: ornamental stone, garment accessories of Buyi ethnic minority

Scenic Spots:
Maling River Canyon: Maling River runs through the Maling River Canyon which is said to be the scar (an earth crack) on the ground. It is the 100 kilometers (62 miles) long and 200-400 meters (656-1312 feet) deep crack created the most spectacular landscape of the scenic area. Waterfall groups, hanging rocks and cliffs are the highlights in the valley. June to August is the flood season of the Maling River, and it is the best time for drifting.
Ten Thousand Peaks Forest (Wanfenglin), the most typical and perfect karst terrain in China, is made up of thousands of single peaks. There are undercurrents and rivers, villages and fields on or around these peaks. It is an important part of the national geological park in Xingyi City.
Wanfeng Lake, is formed by the construction of Tianshengqiao Hydropower Station on the Nanpan River. It has over eighty islands and peninsulas in total, and set off the Ten Thousand Peaks Forest (Wanfenglin) perfectly with each other.

Tourist Tips:
1. Xingyi Airport is situated 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of Xingyi city proper and only 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) from the Malinghe Valley. Flights to Guiyang and Shenzhen are available at present.

2. There are two main bus stations in Xingyi City. The east station is located in Hunan Street, and the west station (the new station) lies in Pingdong Dadao. Buses from Xingyi to Guiyang leaves frequently, but the journey is long. It usually costs five hours.