Little Jiangnan of Dongxia

Little Jiangnan of Dongxia

Dongxia Township is located in the northeastern part of Huangyuan County, approximately 5 kilometers from the county seat. It covers a total area of 85.5 square kilometers and governs nine village committees: Shiyazhuang, Lanzhanba, Xinmin, Huaitiaogou, Huaitiaogoukou, Xianghe, Xiaboxiang, Nantoushan, and Daheigou.

There are 31 production cooperatives. Established as Dongxia Township in 1949 under the former system, in 1958 it merged with Chengguan Town to form Dongfeng Commune, then in 1961 Dongxia Commune was split off, in 1965 it was incorporated into Chengjiao Commune, split again as Dongxia Commune in 1972, and finally re-established as Dongxia Township in 1984.

The township is bordered by Beihuashi Mountain to the north and Zhaobishan Mountain to the south. These two mountains interlock in a rugged and steep formation, while the Huangshui River rushes through the valley below. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway, Qinghai-Tibet Highway, and Xihuang First-Class Highway all traverse the canyon cutting through the mountains, earning the region the nickname "Throat of Qinghai and Tibet." The mountain vegetation is lush, and Daheigou has been designated as a provincial-level forest park, home to birch and spruce trees, which is why it is referred to as "Little Jiangnan." The altitude ranges between 2400 and 3208 meters, with an average annual temperature of 4.3°C and average annual rainfall of 502 millimeters. Within Dongxia lies the famous Xishi Canyon, also known as Dongxia due to its location on the eastern side of the county.