# Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture

Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture (Northern Yi: /nɛ˨˩ʂa˧/) is an autonomous prefecture occupying much of the southern extremity of Sichuan province, People's Republic of China. Its seat is Xichang. Liangshan covers an area of 60,261 km$^2$ (23,267 sq mi) and has over 4.8 million inhabitants as of 2020. It has the largest population of ethnic Yi (or Nosu) among China's prefectures. Liangshan contains a number of isolated villages high up on its cliffs, often known as "cliff villages".
Xichang has the Xichang Qingshan Airport and the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The prefecture also features a substantial network of railways for both passengers and freight.

## Governance
### Liangshan Prefecture Public Security Bureau

The Liangshan Prefecture Public Security Bureau (Chinese: 凉山州公安局) is the primary law enforcement agency of Liangshan. It contains an economic crime investigation unit, a patrol unit, an immigration unit, a cyber-crime unit, a traffic police unit, a SWAT unit and a forestry unit. As of 14 December 2023, 19 of the 30 people on the Liangshan Prefecture Public Security Bureau's most wanted list had been arrested.

#### Line of duty deaths

In December 7 2023, an officer of the traffic police unit was killed in a traffic accident while directing traffic on China National Highway 348 [zh] in Zhaojue County.

### Liangshan Prefecture Fire and Rescue Brigade

The Liangshan Prefecture Fire and Rescue Brigade (凉山州消防救援支队) is in charge of firefighting and disaster relief within the prefecture. In 2025, the agency had a budget of 37 million Renminbi and operated 56 firefighting vehicles.

### People's Armed Police Liangshan Detachment

The People's Armed Police Liangshan Detachment (凉山武警支队) is in charge of paramilitary law enforcement and disaster relief duties. It contains a special operations unit for counter-terrorism operations.

#### History

In October 20, 2014, the People's Armed Police Liangshan Detachment's Meigu County rescued 4 people during a rockslide.
In 2015, the People's Armed Police Liangshan Detachment rescued 8 people during a traffic accident.
In 2017, the People's Armed Police Liangshan Detachment rescued 4 people during fires.
In April 2, 2020, the People's Armed Police Liangshan Detachment deployed 300 soldiers to assist in fighting wildfires.
The People's Armed Police Liangshan Detachment deployed 165 soldiers during the June 26 2020 Mianning Floods [zh] to assist with disaster relief efforts.

#### Equipment

* QBZ-95 - Used by special operations unit
* QSZ-92 - Used by special operations unit
* Crossbow

## Terrain and climate

The Anning River, which runs into the Jinsha River (Yangtze River headwaters), is the main river in the area.
Owing to its low latitude and high elevation, Liangshan has a mild climate. Under the Köppen system, the prefecture belongs to the humid subtropical zone (Köppen Cwa). Winters feature mild days and cool nights, while summers are very warm and humid. Monthly daily mean temperatures range from 9.6 °C (49.3 °F) in January to 22.3 °C (72.1 °F) in July. Unlike much of the province, which lies in the Sichuan Basin, humidity levels in winter are rather low, but like the rest of the province, rainfall is concentrated in the months of June through September, and the prefecture is virtually rainless in winter.

### Cliff villages

Due to the mountainous terrain, many villages that lie among the mountain cliffs of Liangshan Yi are isolated from the rest of Sichuan. They are called cliff villages as they tend to be isolated and lie at vertical heights of about 800 m (2,600 ft). Access to these cliff villages tends to be through vines of trees along the cliffs and steep ladders made of ropes. In 2016, the state run The Beijing News reported one such village called Atulie'er where children climbed up a rope ladder for two hours to reach their home from school, often leading to falls and deaths. In light of this, the local government constructed a special steel ladder (dubbed "Stairway to heaven") in November 2016 for people to climb up and down in a safer manner.

## Subdivisions

Liangshan directly controls two county-level cities, 14 counties, and 1 autonomous county.
Map :
| Xichang (city) Yanyuan County Dechang County Huili (city) Huidong County Ningnan County Puge County Butuo County Jinyang County Zhaojue County Xide County Mianning County Yuexi County Ganluo County Meigu County Leibo County Muli County ||||||||
| Name | Hanzi | Hanyu Pinyin | Yi | Yi Pinyin | Population (2010 Census) | Area (km$^2$) | Density (/km$^2$) |
| Xichang City | 西昌市 | Xīchāng Shì | ꀒꎂꏃ | Op Rro Shyp | 712,434 | 2,655 | 268.33 |
| Yanyuan County | 盐源县 | Yányuán Xiàn | ꋂꂿꑤ | Ce Mo Xiep | 350,176 | 8,388 | 41.74 |
| Dechang County | 德昌县 | Déchāng Xiàn | ꄓꍣꑤ | Dep Cha Xiep | 214,405 | 2,284 | 93.87 |
| Huili City | 会理市 | Huìlǐ Shì | ꑌꄷꏃ | Nyi Ddix Shyp | 430,066 | 4,527 | 95.00 |
| Huidong County | 会东县 | Huìdōng Xiàn | ꉼꄏꑤ | Hop Do Xiep | 362,944 | 3,227 | 112.47 |
| Ningnan County | 宁南县 | Níngnán Xiàn | ꆀꆆꑤ | Nip Nap Xiep | 170,673 | 1,667 | 102.38 |
| Puge County | 普格县 | Pǔgé Xiàn | ꁌꐭꑤ | Pu Jjyt Xiep | 155,740 | 1,905 | 81.75 |
| Butuo County | 布拖县 | Bùtuō Xiàn | ꀭꄮꑤ | Bux Te Xiep | 160,151 | 1,685 | 95.04 |
| Jinyang County | 金阳县 | Jīnyáng Xiàn | ꏁꇉꑤ | Shyx lo Xiep | 165,121 | 1,587 | 104.04 |
| Zhaojue County | 昭觉县 | Zhāojué Xiàn | ꏪꐦꑤ | Juo Jjop Xiep | 251,836 | 2,699 | 93.30 |
| Xide County | 喜德县 | Xǐdé Xiàn | ꑝꅇꑤ | Xit Ddop Xiep | 165,906 | 2,206 | 75.20 |
| Mianning County | 冕宁县 | Miǎnníng Xiàn | ꍿꆈꑤ | Rruo Nuo Xiep | 351,245 | 4,423 | 79.41 |
| Yuexi County | 越西县 | Yuèxī Xiàn | ꃺꄧꑤ | Vyt Tuo Xiep | 269,896 | 2,257 | 119.58 |
| Ganluo County | 甘洛县 | Gānluò Xiàn | ꇤꇉꑤ | Ga Lo Xiep | 195,100 | 2,156 | 90.49 |
| Meigu County | 美姑县 | Měigū Xiàn | ꂿꈬꑤ | Mo Ggu Xiep | 221,505 | 2,573 | 86.08 |
| Leibo County | 雷波县 | Léibō Xiàn | ꃀꁧꑤ | Mop Bbo Xiep | 223,885 | 2,932 | 76.35 |
| Muli Tibetan Autonomous County | 木里藏族自治县 | Mùlǐ Zàngzú Zìzhìxiàn | ꃆꆹꀒꋤꊨꏦꏱꅉꑤ | Mup Li Op Zzup Zyt Jie Jux Dde Xiep | 131,726 | 13,252 | 9.94 |

## Ethnic groups in Liangshan, 2010 census

| Nationality | Population | Percentage |
| Yi | 2,226,755 | 49.13% |
| Han | 2,155,357 | 47.55% |
| Tibetan | 60,679 (2000) | 1.49% (2000) |
| Mosuo and Mongol | 27,277 (2000) | 0.67% (2000) |
| Hui | 18,385 (2000) | 0.45% (2000) |
| Miao | 11,912 (2000) | 0.29% |
| Lisu | 9,121 (2000) | 0.22% (2000) |
| Buyei | 5,459 (2000) | 0.13% (2000) |
| Nakhi | 5,199 (2000) | 0.13% (2000) |
| Others | 8,751 | 0.22% |

## National Priority Protected Sites

Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture contains 4 National Priority Protected Sites
* Dayangdui Site [zh], added in 2006 as part of the 6th Batch of National Priority Protected Sites [zh]
* Liangshan Dashi tombs [zh], added in 2006 as part of the 6th Batch of National Priority Protected Sites [zh]
** Wangsuo Dashi Tomb [zh]
** Wuhe Dashi tombs [zh]
* Boshen Wahei Stone Carvings [zh], added in 2006 as part of the 6th Batch of National Priority Protected Sites [zh]
* Tea Horse Road, added in 2013 as part of the 7th Batch of National Priority Protected Sites [zh]
** Ganluo Qingxi Gorge ancient road [zh]
** Dingshan Bridge and Lingguan Inscriptions in Yuexi
** Dengxiangying Ancient Post [zh]
** Yalong River Trails in Mianning
** Songping Pass