Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture

Xiangxi Prefecture 湘西州
Autonomous Prefecture
湘西土家族苗族自治州 Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture
Panorama of Furong, a Tujia ancient town in Yongshun County
Xiangxi Prefecture Location of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in Hunan
Coordinates: 28°19′N 109°44′E / 28.317°N 109.733°E / 28.317; 109.733
Country	People's Republic of China
Province	Hunan
Area
• Total	15,486 km2 (5,979 sq mi)
Population (2004)
• Total	3,650,000
Time zone	China Standard (UTC+8)

Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (Chinese: 湘西土家族苗族自治州; pinyin: Xiāngxī Tǔjiāzú Miáozú Zìzhìzhōu) is an autonomous prefecture of the People's Republic of China. It is located in western Hunan province. It consists of 1 city, Jishou, and 7 counties: Baojing, Fenghuang, Guzhang, Huayuan, Longshan, Luxi, Yongshun. The capital is Jishou. Twenty-five nationalities gather here, of the total 2,480,000 population, 66.6 per cent are ethnic minorities, including 860,000 Tujia and 790,000 Miao.

Xiangxi has a long history. The land was sparsely inhabited during the Shang Dynasty, through the Warring States period up to the era of the Sui dynasty and Tang Dynasty. It fell under the influence of the Chu state during the Warring tates era. Later, it became part of the Western and Eastern han dyansty. After the collapse of the Han dynasty, it became under the control of the Shu Dynasty during the Three Kingdoms Period of China. Then the area became a subject of the Jin Dynasty. When the Yuan Dynasty was established, the region became a part of the Hubei province. Soon later, Hubei and Hunan province became one single province called Huchang (湖广). The Ming dynasty reestablished the Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture and attached it to Hunan province.