Otog Banner ( Mongolian: ''Otoɣ qosiɣu''; ) is a banner of southwestern

Inner Mongolia Inner Mongolia, officially the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Its border includes most of the length of China's border with the country of Mongolia. Inner Mongolia also accounts for a ...

, People's Republic of China. It is under the administration of

Ordos City Ordos ( Mongolian: ''Ordos''; ), also known as Ih Ju, is one of the twelve major subdivisions of Inner Mongolia, China. It lies within the Ordos Plateau of the Yellow River. Although mainly rural, Ordos is administered as a prefecture-level ...

, and borders

Otog Front Banner Otog Front Banner (Mongolian script: ; ) is a banner of southwestern Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China, bordering Ningxia to the southwest and Shaanxi province to the southeast. It is under the administration of Ordos City Ordos ( Mon ...

to the southwest and

Uxin Banner Uxin Banner ( Mongolian: ''Üüsin qosiɣu''; Mongolian Cyrillic: Үүшин Хошуу; ) (or Wushen) is a banner in the southwest of Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China, bounded to the south by Shaanxi province. It borders the banners o ...

to the southeast.

History

Evidence of human habitation in present-day Otog Banner dates back to the

Neolithic era The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...

, when the area was inhabited by the Hetao people (). According to the banner's government, the area was ruled over by the

Shang Dynasty The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty founded by Tang of Shang (Cheng Tang) that ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and ...

during its existance. During this time, the area was inhabited by the , the

Guifang Guifang () was an ancient ethnonym for a northern people that fought against the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BCE). Chinese historical tradition identified the Guifang with the Rong, Di,Old Text Bamboo Annals"Wu Yi"quote: "三十五年，周王季伐� ...

, and other fang-countries, in addition to the and

Xunyu The Xunyu (; Old Chinese: ( ZS) *''qʰun-lug'', (Schuessler): *''hun-juk'') is the name of an ancient nomadic tribe which invaded China during legendary times. They are traditionally identified with the Guifang, the Xianyun and the Xiongnu. Identi ...

nomads. During the

Western Zhou The Western Zhou ( zh, c=, p=Xīzhōu; c. 1045 BC – 771 BC) was a royal dynasty of China and the first half of the Zhou dynasty. It began when King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty at the Battle of Muye and ended when the Quanrong n ...

period of the

Zhou dynasty The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by ...

, the area around Otog Banner was home to nomadic tribes such as

Xianyun The Xianyun (; Old Chinese: ( ZS) *''g.ramʔ-lunʔ''; (Schuessler) *''hɨamᴮ-juinᴮ'' < *''hŋamʔ-junʔ'') was an ancient nomadic tribe that invaded the

, who were part of the

Beidi The Di or Beidi (Northern Di) were various ethnic groups who lived north of the Chinese (''Huaxia'') realms during the Zhou dynasty. Although initially described as nomadic, they seem to have practiced a mixed pastoral, agricultural, and huntin ...

. During the Spring and Autumn period, the and other nomadic tribes lived on the southwestern edge of present-day Otog Banner. During the

Warring States period The Warring States period () was an era in ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded with the Qin wars of conquest ...

, the and the lived in the area. Following the Zhou dynasty, the area was inhabited by the

Xiongnu The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, the supreme leader after 20 ...

. In 215 BCE, the area was incorporated into the

Qin dynasty The Qin dynasty ( ; zh, c=秦朝, p=Qín cháo, w=), or Ch'in dynasty in Wade–Giles romanization ( zh, c=, p=, w=Ch'in ch'ao), was the first dynasty of Imperial China. Named for its heartland in Qin state (modern Gansu and Shaanxi), ...

as part of

Beidi Commandery Beidi Commandery ( zh, c=北地郡, l=Northern Land) was a commandery of the Qin and Han dynasties of China, located in what is now Ningxia. Its seat was Maling (馬領) during the Western Han period and Fuping (富平, near modern Wuzhong, Ning ...

. The area was reorganized in 127 BCE as part of

Shuofang Commandery Shuofang () was an ancient Chinese commandery, situated in the Hetao region in modern-day Inner Mongolia near Baotou. First founded by Emperor Wu of Han in the wake of the successful reconquest of the area from Xiongnu tribes, it was dissolved dur ...

, with present-day Otog Banner occupying its subdivisions of and . In 50 CE, the southern Xiongnu and other tribes occupied the area, and present-day Otog Banner fell under the jurisdiction of Xiongnu . During the Jin Dynasty and the

Sixteen Kingdoms period The Sixteen Kingdoms (), less commonly the Sixteen States, was a chaotic period in Chinese history from AD 304 to 439 when northern China fragmented into a series of short-lived dynastic states. The majority of these states were founded by ...

, the area belonged to both the Former Zhao and Later Zhao. During this time, the area was administered as . In 407 CE,

Helian Bobo Helian Bobo (; Middle Chinese Guangyun: ; 381–425), né Liu Bobo (劉勃勃), courtesy name Qujie (屈孑), formally Emperor Wulie of Xia (夏武烈帝), was the founding emperor of the Xiongnu-led Hu Xia dynasty of China. He is generally consi ...

established the Great Xia, which administered present-day Otog Banner. In 427 CE, the

Northern Wei dynasty Wei (), known in historiography as the Northern Wei (), Tuoba Wei (), Yuan Wei () and Later Wei (), was founded by the Tuoba (Tabgach) clan of the Xianbei. The first of the Northern dynasties, it ruled northern China from 386 to 535 during t ...

occupied the entirety of present-day

Ordos Ordos may refer to: Inner Mongolia * Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, China **Ordos Ejin Horo Airport * Ordos Loop of the Yellow River, a region of China **Ordos Plateau or "the Ordos", land enclosed by Ordos Loop *Ordos Desert, in Inner Mongolia *Ordos ...

, and administered the area of present-day Otog Banner as . From 605 CE to 607 CE, the area was administered under and . By the beginning of the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...

, the area was split between six Turkic

prefectures A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...

: , Li Prefecture (),

She Prefecture Shezhou or She Prefecture () was a '' zhou'' (prefecture) in imperial China centering on modern She County, Anhui, China. It existed (intermittently) between 589 and 1121, the latter being the year the Song dynasty terminated the major rebellion ...

(), Sai Prefecture (), , and . It was later reorganized as and . In the 738 CE, the Tang dynasty took control, and organized the area under the

You Prefecture You Prefecture or You Province, also known by its Chinese name Youzhou, was a prefecture ('' zhou'') in northern China during its imperial era. "You Province" was cited in some ancient sources as one of the nine or twelve original provinces o ...

, with present-day Otog Banner belonging to its subdivisions of Yan'en County (), Guiren County (), and Huaide County (). During the

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (), from 907 to 979, was an era of political upheaval and division in 10th-century Imperial China. Five dynastic states quickly succeeded one another in the Central Plain, and more than a dozen conc ...

which followed the Tang dynasty, the area belonged to Dingnan Jiedushi and . In 1038, the area of present-day Otog Banner became part of the

Western Xia The Western Xia or the Xi Xia (), officially the Great Xia (), also known as the Tangut Empire, and known as ''Mi-nyak''Stein (1972), pp. 70–71. to the Tanguts and Tibetans, was a Tangut-led Buddhist imperial dynasty of China tha ...

. In 1226, Genghis Khan personally conquered the Western Xia, and rested his troops in the western portion of present-day Otog Banner. The following year, when the Western Xia was destroyed, the area became part of the Mongol Empire. In the

Yuan Dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fift ...

, all but the western portion of the area belonged to , while the rest became the fiefdom of Chahan Nao'er (). In 1376, present-day Otog Banner was put under control of and , as part of the of the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last orthodox dynasty of China ruled by the Han peo ...

. In 1462, Mongols resettled in Ordos, and in 1500,

Dayan Khan Dayan Khan ( mn, Даян Хаан; Mongol script: ; ), born Batumöngke ( mn, Батмөнх; ), (1472–1517) was a khagan of the Northern Yuan dynasty, reigning from 1479 to 1517. During his rule, he reunited the Mongols under Chinggisid sup ...

restored the Wanhu organization, bringing the area under the control of Bars Bolud Jinong. The area would continue to be ruled by his descendants, including . The Ming dynasty retook control of the area in 1635, following Mongol surrender. The

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-spea ...

assumed control of the area in 1649, and re-organized the area of present-day Ordos under six different

banners A banner can be a flag or another piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or another message. A flag whose design is the same as the shield in a coat of arms (but usually in a square or rectangular shape) is called a banner of arms. Also ...

. The area near present-day Otog Banner was governed by the descendants of Baisanggu'er as part of the . The Ordos Right Wing Middle Banner survived into the Republic of China, although it underwent various administrative changes: in 1930, Woye County () was established within the banner, and the banner's

yamen A ''yamen'' (''ya-men''; ; Manchu: ''yamun'') was the administrative office or residence of a local bureaucrat or mandarin in imperial China. A ''yamen'' can also be any governmental office or body headed by a mandarin, at any level of gover ...

was abolished in 1936. The took over the area in 1941, amid the

Japanese invasion of China The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...

, but by 1942, the area was torn between three different governing systems. On August 23, 1949, the People's Liberation Army took control of present-day Otog Banner, and by September 7th, a provisional

Communist Party A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of ''The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. ...

government was established. Otog Banner was established in February 1950. In 1980,

was split from Otog Banner, and in 1997, part of Otog Banner was transferred to

Wuhai Wuhai (; mn, ''Üqai qota'', Mongolian cyrillic.Үхай хот) is a prefecture-level city and regional center in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, and is by area the smallest prefecture-level division of the region. It is located ...

Geography and climate

Otog Banner is located in the southwest of Inner Mongolia and the west of Ordos City's administration, with a latitude range of 38° 18' to 40° 11' N and a longitude range of 106° 41' to 108° 54', spanning north to south and west to east. Its total area is . Otog Banner has a

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal osci ...

-influenced, continental

cold desert climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''BWk''), with long, cold and very dry winters, and hot, slightly wetter summers. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from in January to in July, and the annual mean is . Only during the summer months does significant rainfall occur, and there is an average of of precipitation annually. There are 3,000 hours of sunshine and 122 frost-free days per year.

Administrative divisions

Otog Banner administers four

towns A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

and two sum. The four towns in Otog Banner are , Qipanjing, , and . The two sum in Otog Banner are and .

Economy

As of 2019, Otog Banner had a

gross domestic product Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjective nature this measure is oft ...

(GDP) of 36.036 billion renminbi (RMB), a 8.4% increase from the previous year. Otog Banner's economy is largely industrial: the banner's

primary sector The primary sector of the economy includes any Industry (economics), industry involved in the extraction and production of raw materials, such as farming, logging, fishing, forestry and mining. The primary sector tends to make up a larger portio ...

accounts for 2.60% of its GDP, the

secondary sector In macroeconomics, the secondary sector of the economy is an economic sector in the three-sector theory that describes the role of manufacturing. It encompasses industries that produce a finished, usable product or are involved in constructi ...

accounts for 73.10% of its GDP, and the

tertiary sector The tertiary sector of the economy, generally known as the service sector, is the third of the three economic sectors in the three-sector model (also known as the economic cycle). The others are the primary sector (raw materials) and the second ...

accounts for 24.30%. The

per capita ''Per capita'' is a Latin phrase literally meaning "by heads" or "for each head", and idiomatically used to mean "per person". The term is used in a wide variety of social sciences and statistical research contexts, including government statistic ...

disposable income Disposable income is total personal income minus current income taxes. In national accounts definitions, personal income minus personal current taxes equals disposable personal income. Subtracting personal outlays (which includes the major ...

for residents of Otog Banner is 37,973 RMB as of 2019, a 7.4% increase from the previous year.

Urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...

residents of Otog Banner average a disposable income of 48,994 RMB, which ranks 4th among the 101 county-level divisions of

which reported this data in 2019.

Rural In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are descri ...

residents average 20,244 RMB of disposable income, which ranks 24th among the 90 county-level divisions of Inner Mongolia which reported this data in 2019.

Education

As of 2019, Otog Banner has eight primary schools and six regular secondary schools.

Culture

As of 2019, Otog Banner has two

theaters Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

, and one stadium.

References

External links

Official site
{{authority control Banners of Inner Mongolia Ordos City