Provinces
27-623: Samzhubzê District (also spelled Sangzhuzi District , Samdruptse District ) is a district in the Tibet Autonomous Region of the China , and the administrative center of the prefecture-level city of Shigatse ( Tibetan Pinyin : Xigazê). Prior to 2014 it was known as the county-level city of Shigatse . It was the ancient capital of Ü-Tsang province and is the second largest city in Tibet with an estimated population of 117,000 in 2013. Samzhubzê
54-557: A humid continental climate ( Köppen Dwb ), with frosty, very dry winters and warm, wet summers. Temperatures are relatively moderate for the Tibetan Plateau , as the annual mean temperature is 6.48 °C (43.7 °F). Barely any precipitation falls from November to March, when the diurnal temperature variation can frequently exceed 20 °C (36 °F). Nearly two-thirds of the annual rainfall occurs in July and August alone. Sunshine
81-475: A sub-provincial city are sub-prefecture-level; and districts of a prefecture-level city are county-level . The term was also formerly used to refer to obsolete county-controlled districts (also known as district public office ). However, if the word district is encountered in the context of ancient Chinese history , then it is a translation for xian , another type of administrative division in China. Before
108-458: A district. After the 1990s, county-controlled districts began to be phased out, and their role was taken over by larger towns or townships created by merging smaller ones. At the end of 2014, there was just one county-controlled district left in China: (See Administrative divisions of China for how these two types of districts fit into the general administrative hierarchy of mainland China.) If
135-566: A huge thangka is displayed. The imposing castle, Samdrubtse Dzong or "Shigatse Dzong", was probably built in the 15th century. It looked something like a smaller version of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, and had turret-like fortifications at the ends and a central Red Palace. It used to be the seat of the kings of Ü-Tsang and the capital of the province of Ü-Tsang or Tsang. The castle was totally dismantled, rock by rock, by hundreds of Tibetans at
162-505: A layman. They were entrusted with both civil and military powers and are equal in all respects, though subordinate to the generals and the Chinese Amban in military matters. However, there were only one or two Ambans representing the Qing (Manchu) Chinese emperor residing in Lhasa, directing a little garrison , and their power installed since 1728, progressively declined to end-up as observer at
189-595: A population over 50,000. In June 1955, the State Council issued the "Decision on the Establishment of Cities and Towns", which clarified the criteria for the establishment of towns. By the end of 1978, there were only 2,173 townships in the country. After the abolition of the people's commune system , the establishment of townships was given importance. On 29 November 1984, the State Council announced new standards for
216-446: Is a sub-county in China. A branch of a county government, a district public office (Chinese: 区公所 ; pinyin: Qū gōngsuǒ ) is the administrative office in a district; it is not a local government . A county-controlled district was once an important subdivision of a county all over China from the 1950s to 1990s. It was common for there to be about five to ten districts in a county, then about three to five towns and townships in
243-403: Is abundant year-round, totaling 3248 hours annually. Samzhubzê is rich in medicinal herbs, with more than 300 varieties of commonly used medicinal plants, such as Cordyceps , Bayberry , Tianma , Snowdrop , Rhodiola Rosea , Rhubarb , etc. Shigatse administers two subdistricts and ten townships . Samzhubzê contains the huge Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded in 1447 by Gendun Drup ,
270-516: Is located at the confluence of the Yarlung Tsangpo River and the Nyang River (Nyang Chu or Nyanchue), about 250 km (160 mi) southwest of Lhasa and 90 km (56 mi) northwest of Gyantse , at an altitude of 3,840 metres (12,600 ft). In the 17th century, the city and the dzong was called Samdrubtsé (one of the transliterations of the current name). It was the capital of
297-457: The Tsang . In the 19th century, the "Tashi" or Panchen Lama had temporal power over Tashilhunpo Monastery and three small districts, though not over the town of Shigatse itself, which was administered by two Dzongpön (Prefects) appointed from Lhasa . The Tibetan territory was divided into 53 prefecture districts called Dzongs . There were two Dzongpöns for every Dzong —a lama (Tse-dung) and
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#1732851028456324-1230: The xian of China.) Township (People%27s Republic of China) Provinces Autonomous regions Sub-provincial autonomous prefectures Autonomous prefectures Leagues (Aimag) (abolishing) Prefectures Provincial-controlled cities Provincial-controlled counties Autonomous counties County-level cities Districts Ethnic districts Banners (Hoxu) Autonomous banners Shennongjia Forestry District Liuzhi Special District Wolong Special Administrative Region Workers and peasants districts Ethnic townships Towns Subdistricts Subdistrict bureaux Sum Ethnic sum County-controlled districts County-controlled district bureaux (obsolete) Management committees Town-level city Areas Villages · Gaqa · Ranches Village Committees Communities Capital cities New areas Autonomous administrative divisions National Central Cities History: before 1912 , 1912–49 , 1949–present Townships ( simplified Chinese : 乡 ; traditional Chinese : 鄉 ; pinyin : xiāng ), formally township-level divisions (Chinese: 乡级行政区 ; pinyin: Xiāng Jí Xíngzhèngqū ), are
351-633: The 1980s, cities in China were administrative divisions containing mostly urban, built-up areas, with very little farmland, except for the immediate suburbs in order to ensure a large supply of food or raw materials. As a result, districts were also mostly urban or suburban in nature. After the 1980s, prefectures began to be replaced with prefecture-level cities . From then on, "cities" in mainland China became just like any other administrative division, containing urban areas, towns, villages, and farmland. These cities are subdivided into districts, counties , autonomous counties , and county-level cities . At
378-574: The First Dalai Lama . It is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas . Until the Chinese arrived in the 1950s, the "Tashi" or Panchen Lama had temporal power over three small districts, though not over Samzhubzê itself, which was administered by a dzongpön (general) appointed from Lhasa. In the 2nd week of the 5th lunar month (around June/July), Tashilhunpo Monastery is the scene of a 3-day festival and
405-563: The PRC. Much like other levels of government in mainland China, the township's governance is divided between the Communist Party Township Secretary, and the " county magistrate " (Chinese: 乡长 ; pinyin: xiāngzhǎng ). The township party secretary, along with the township's party committee, determines policy. The magistrate is in charge of administering the daily affairs of government and executing policies as determined by
432-522: The basic level (fourth-level administrative units) of political divisions in the People's Republic of China . They are similar to municipalities and communes in other countries and in turn may contain village committees and villages. In 1995 there were 29,648 townships and 17,570 towns (a total of 47,218 township-level divisions) in China which included the territories held by the Republic of China and claimed by
459-444: The context of China , is used to refer to several unrelated political divisions in both ancient and modern China. In the modern context, district ( 区 ), formally city-governed district , city-controlled district , or municipal district ( 市辖区 ), are subdivisions of a municipality or a prefecture-level city . The rank of a district derives from the rank of its city. Districts of a municipality are prefecture-level ; districts of
486-750: The establishment of townships. A similar to township unit in the system of administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China is a region with self-jurisdiction which functions at a PRC township-level administrative division. Divisions of this sort can include development zones, science and technology parks, university cities , companies , farms , fishing ground , ranches , orchards , national parks , etc., even prisons . The township-level administrative division (the lowest level division) includes townships, towns , subdistricts , ethnic townships , and sums . Some county-level administrative districts that govern towns and villages will also be defined as
513-408: The eve of their expulsion in 1912 by the 13th Dalai Lama . In 1952, shortly after the annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China , Shigatse had a population of perhaps 12,000 people, making it the second largest town in Tibet. In 1959, Shigatse was made the administrative center of an eponymous special district ( 专区 ) of Tibet. In 1970 the special district was upgraded to a prefecture and
540-1280: The exterior was to be wainscotted with natural stones. The dzong , which in the 17th century served as a model for the construction of the Potala Palace, is set to become a museum for Tibetan culture . Nearby attractions include: District (China) Autonomous regions Sub-provincial autonomous prefectures Autonomous prefectures Leagues (Aimag) (abolishing) Prefectures Provincial-controlled cities Provincial-controlled counties Autonomous counties County-level cities Districts Ethnic districts Banners (Hoxu) Autonomous banners Shennongjia Forestry District Liuzhi Special District Wolong Special Administrative Region Workers and peasants districts Ethnic townships Towns Subdistricts Subdistrict bureaux Sum Ethnic sum County-controlled districts County-controlled district bureaux (obsolete) Management committees Town-level city Areas Villages · Gaqa · Ranches Village Committees Communities Capital cities New areas Autonomous administrative divisions National Central Cities History: before 1912 , 1912–49 , 1949–present The term district , in
567-409: The founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, there was a lack of uniform regulations for establishing towns, and there were too many towns formed. By the end of 1954, there were 5,400 towns throughout the country, including 920 with a population of less than 2,000, 2,302 with a population of 2,000-5,000, 1,373 with a population of 5,000-10,000, 784 with a population of 10,000-50,000, and 21 with
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#1732851028456594-547: The instigation of the Chinese in 1961. Between 2005 and 2007, the building was reconstructed, financed by donations from Shanghai. Such "Preservation and Reparation Project of Sangzhutse Fortress of Shigatse City" was completed in May 2007 and was designed by the Construction Design Institute of Shanghai Tongji University . Old photographs served as a basis for the reconstruction, which was executed in concrete. Afterwards,
621-465: The party committee. A township official is the lowest-level ranked official in the civil service hierarchy; in practice, however, the township party secretary and magistrate can amass high levels of personal power. A township government is formally responsible for local economic development, planning, maintenance of local roads, family planning, sanitation & health, sports, and "other responsibilities as determined by higher level governments". After
648-1129: The same time, counties and county-level cities began to be replaced with districts, especially after 1990. From then onwards, districts were no longer strictly urban entities—some districts today are just like counties, with large towns and townships under them governing rural areas. A regular district under a municipality or prefecture-level city . A type of city districts that are specially created for ethnic minorities . Currently there are five such "ethnic districts": three in Henan , one in Heilongjiang , and one in Inner Mongolia . One county-level special district, located in Guizhou . One special sub-prefectural-level forestry district, located in Hubei . A county-controlled district , sometimes translated as county-governed district ; county district ; or sub-county (Chinese: 县辖区，区 ; pinyin: Xiànxiáqū, Qū )
675-451: The town designated a county . In 1986 the county became a county-level city , and when the prefecture was again upgraded to a prefecture-level city in 2014, the county-level city was redesignated a district and given the new name of Samzhubzê. On 26 June 2014 Rikaze region upgraded to prefecture-level Rikaze city, the original county-level Rikaze city renamed Samzhubzê District. Samzhubzê lies on flat terrain surrounded by high mountains, and
702-477: The urban area is located just south of the Yarlung Zangbo River . The city lies at an elevation of around 3,840 metres (12,600 ft), and within its administrative area there are five peaks higher than 5,500 metres (18,000 ft). The city's administrative area ranges in latitude from 29° 07' to 29° 09' N and in longitude from 88° 03' to 89° 08' E. Samzhubzê has a monsoon -influenced, alpine version of
729-422: The word "district" is encountered in the context of ancient Chinese history , then the word is a translation for xian , another type of administrative division in China. Xian has been translated using several English terms. In the context of ancient history, "district" and "prefecture" are commonly used, while "county" is used for more contemporary contexts. (See Counties of China for more information on
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