Heavenly Horses of Zhuosu

Heavenly Horses of Zhuosu

The Heavenly Horses of Zhuosu are a product with a geographical indication.

　　Zhuosu County in Xinjiang is located in the southwestern part of Ili, within the Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. It is one of the counties designated by the State Council for opening up to the outside world. At the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, the Akhal-Teke horse is known as the “Heavenly Horse.” In ancient China, renowned horses such as the “Heavenly Horse,” “Horse from the Western Extremity,” and “Rouge Horse” all came from the Western Regions. The “Rouge Horse” refers to the Yanqi horse, while the “Heavenly Horse” and “Horse from the Western Extremity” refer to the Wusun horse. Emperor Wu of Han once composed the “Song of the Western Extremity Heavenly Horse,” which reads: “The Heavenly Horse comes from the Western Extremity, traveling ten thousand li to reach the virtuous land…” This story has been celebrated through the ages.

　　Zhuosu is the most remote county in the Ili region and can also be considered the westernmost county in China. It borders Kazakhstan to the west and Kyrgyzstan to the southwest. The county is home to 21 ethnic groups, including Kazakh, Han, Mongolian, Uyghur, and Hui, among which the Kazakhs are the most populous. Surrounded by high mountains and featuring a basin (the Zhuosu Grassland) in the center, Zhuosu enjoys a unique climate with long winters, no real summer, and spring and autumn seasons merging into one. With an average annual temperature of only 2.9 degrees Celsius, it is hailed as the “Summer Resort” of Xinjiang. Zhuosu is known as the “Home of the Heavenly Horse” because during the Han Dynasty, it was part of the Wusun Kingdom. Emperor Wu of Han was once presented with Wusun horses, which he named “Heavenly Horses.” Later, someone offered the Akhal-Teke horses from Dayuan in the Western Regions, prompting him to rename the Wusun horses as “Horses from the Western Extremity” and the Akhal-Teke horses as “Heavenly Horses.” In 2003, Zhuosu County was officially named the “Hometown of China’s Heavenly Horses” by the Ministry of Agriculture. Both the “Heavenly Horse” and the “Horse from the Western Extremity” are ancestors of the Ili Kazakh horse.

　　Zhuosu County boasts breathtaking natural scenery, with vast grasslands where horses and sheep can be seen grazing amid swaying grass. The area has a rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and abundant tourism resources, and is known as the “Hometown of China’s Ili Horses,” “Hometown of China’s Brown Cattle,” and “Hometown of China’s Rapeseed.” Rivers, grasslands, forests, canyons, snow-capped peaks, glaciers, and wetlands form Zhuosu’s distinctive natural landscape. Key tourism zones include the border sightseeing area featuring cross-border tours between China and Kazakhstan, the Gedeng Monument, and the Boma Ancient City; the Wusun Cultural Experience Area consisting of the Tomb of Princess Xijun, Wusun ancient tombs, and cliff paintings along ancient roads; six major tourism development areas. There's also the Red Tourism Area composed of newly built earthquake-resistant residential villages, earthquake memorial monuments, the Border Farming and Garrison Bridge, and the Jiate Ancient City; after years of development and careful planning, Zhuosu has now established the Summer Canyon Ecotourism Scenic Area, featuring forests, alpine grasslands, canyon views, rare wildlife, glaciers, and majestic rocks; the Pristine Grassland Cultural Scenic Area including the Balkusu Grassland, Ili Horse Breeding Base, and grassland stone figures; the Outdoor Sports and Adventure Area centered around traversing the Summer Canyon; within Zhuosu, you can experience the changes of all four seasons in a single day. Its unique natural landscapes, numerous historical sites, rich folk customs, and beautiful grassland scenery deeply attract visitors from all over.

　　Geographical Scope

　　Zhuosu is situated in the southwestern part of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang, between latitudes 43°09′–43°15′N and longitudes 81°08′–81°30′E, at elevations ranging from 1,323 meters to 6,995 meters. It is a high-altitude mountain basin surrounded by ranges, bordered by Tekes County to the east, Baicheng County and Wensu County of Aksu Prefecture across the mountains to the south, Kazakhstan to the west, and Qapqal County to the north, covering a total land area of 11,200 square kilometers. The county administers 8 townships, 2 towns, and 3 farms, including Zhuosu Town, Kaxgar Town, Hongnaihai Township, Wuzongbulake Township, Akedala Township, Saerkubu Township, Xiate Township, Kalasu Township, Tianshan Township, Aksu Township, as well as 73 administrative villages and 11 teams from the Ili Prefecture Stud Farm, Ili Prefecture Zhuosu Horse Farm, and Forest Farm. Within this geographical area, the protected breed population numbers 94,300 horses, including 48,300 mares.