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Autonomous region of southern China
For other uses, see Guangxi (disambiguation).

Autonomous region in China
Guangxi
广西
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Chinese transcription(s)
 • PinyinGuǎngxī zhuàngzú zìzhìqū
 • JyutpingGwong2 sai1 Zong3 zuk6 Zi6 zi6 keoi1
 • Abbreviation (Guì; Gwai3)
Zhuang transcription(s)
 • Standard ZhuangGvangjsih Bouxcuengh Swcigih
 • AbbreviationGvei
Location of Guangxi within China
Location of Guangxi within China
CountryChina
Named for
  • 广 guǎng – 'wide'
  • 西 – 'west'
  • lit.'western expanse'
Capital (and largest city)Nanning
Divisions14 prefectures, 109 counties, 1396 townships
Government
 • TypeAutonomous region
 • BodyGuangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional People's Congress
 • CCP SecretaryLiu Ning
 • Congress ChairmanLiu Ning
 • Government ChairmanLan Tianli
 • CPPCC ChairmanSun Dawei
Area
 • Total237,600 km (91,700 sq mi)
 • Rank9th
Highest elevation2,141 m (7,024 ft)
Population
 • Total50,126,804
 • Rank11th
 • Density210/km (550/sq mi)
  • Rank20th
Demographics
 • Ethnic composition
 • Languages and dialectsZhuang, Yue languages (mainly Cantonese), Southwestern Mandarin, Pinghua
ISO 3166 codeCN-GX
GDP (2023)CN¥ 2,720 billion (19th)
US$ 386 billion
GDP per capitaCN¥ 54,005 (29th)
US$ 7,664
GDP per growthIncrease 4.1%
HDI (2019)Increase 0.728
high · 25th
Website(in Chinese) Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Guangxi
Guangxi in simplified (top) and traditional (bottom) characters
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese广西
Traditional Chinese廣西
Hanyu PinyinGuǎngxī
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGuǎngxī
Bopomofoㄍㄨㄤˇ ㄒㄧ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhGoangshi
Wade–GilesKuang-hsi
Yale RomanizationGwǎngsyī
IPA
Wu
RomanizationKuaonsi
Hakka
RomanizationKóng-sî
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationGwóngsāi
JyutpingGwong2 sai1
IPA[kʷɔ̌ːŋ.sɐ́i]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJKńg-sai
Teochew Peng'imKuáng-sai
Eastern Min
Fuzhou BUCGuōng-să̤
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Simplified Chinese广西壮族自治区
Traditional Chinese廣西壯族自治區
Hanyu PinyinGuǎngxī zhuàngzú zìzhìqū
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGuǎngxī zhuàngzú zìzhìqū
Bopomofoㄍㄨㄤˇ ㄒㄧ ㄓㄨㄤˋ ㄗㄨˊ ㄗˋ ㄓˋ ㄑㄩ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhGoangshi Juanqtzwu Tzyhjyhchiu
Wade–GilesKuang-hsi Chuang-tsu Tzŭ-chih-chʻü
Yale RomanizationGwǎngsyī Jwàngdzú Dz̀jr̀chyū
IPA
Wu
RomanizationKuaonsi tsaonzoh zyzychiu
Hakka
RomanizationKóng-sî Tsong-tshu̍k Tshṳ-tshṳ-khî
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationGwóngsāi Jongjuhk Jihjihkēui
JyutpingGwong2 sai1 Zong3 zuk6 Zi6 zi6 keoi1
IPA
Southern Min
Hokkien POJKńg-sai Chàng-cho̍k Chū-tī-khu
Teochew Peng'imKuáng-sai Tsàng-tsôk Tsĕu-tī-khu
Eastern Min
Fuzhou BUCGuōng-să̤ Cáung-cŭk Cê̤ṳ-dê-kṳ̆
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabetQuảng Tây
Chữ Hán廣西
Chữ Nôm區自治民族壯廣西
Zhuang name
ZhuangGvangjsih
1957 orthographyGvaŋзsiƅ
Sawndip广西佈僮自治区

Guangxi, officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in South China and bordering Vietnam (Hà Giang, Cao Bằng, Lạng Sơn, and Quảng Ninh Provinces) and the Gulf of Tonkin. Formerly a province, Guangxi became an autonomous region in 1958. Its current capital is Nanning.

Guangxi's location, in mountainous terrain in the far south of China, has placed it on the frontier of Chinese civilization throughout much of Chinese history. The current name "Guang" means "expanse" and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in 226 AD. It was given provincial level status during the Yuan dynasty, but even into the 20th century, "it was considered an open," wild territory. The abbreviation of the region is "" (Hanyu pinyin: Guì; Zhuang: Gvei), which comes from the name of the city of Guilin, the provincial capital during both the Ming dynasty and the Qing dynasty.

Guangxi contains the largest population of China's ethnic minorities after Yunnan, in particular, the Zhuang people, who make up 34% of the population. Various regional languages and dialects such as Pinghua, Zhuang, Kam, Cantonese, Hakka, and Min are spoken alongside Mandarin Chinese.

Name

"Guǎng" (simplified Chinese: 广; traditional Chinese: ) means 'expanse' or 'vast', and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. Guangxi and neighboring Guangdong literally mean 'expanse west' and 'expanse east'. Together, Guangxi and Guangdong are called Liangguang (Liangkwang; traditional Chinese: 兩廣; simplified Chinese: 两广; pinyin: liǎng guǎng; Cantonese Yale: léuhng gwóng; lit. 'Two Expanses', Vietnamese: Lưỡng Quảng). During the Song dynasty, the Two Guangs were formally separated as Guǎngnán Xīlù (廣南西路; 广南西路; 'vast south west region') and Guǎngnán Dōnglù (廣南東路; 广南东路; 'vast south east region'), which became abbreviated as Guǎngxī Lù (廣西路; 广西路) and Guǎngdōng Lù (廣東路; 广东路).

History

Originally inhabited by a mixture of tribal groups known to the Chinese as the Baiyue ("Hundred Yue", Vietnamese: Bách Việt), the region first became part of China during the Qin dynasty. In 214 BC, the Han Chinese general Zhao Tuo (Vietnamese: Triệu Đà) claimed most of southern China for Qin Shi Huang before the emperor's death. The ensuing civil war permitted Zhao to establish a separate kingdom at Panyu known as Nanyue ("Southern Yue"). Alternatively submissive to and independent of Han dynasty control, Southern Yue expanded colonization and sinicization under its policy of "Harmonizing and Gathering the Hundred Yue" (和集百越) until its collapse in 111 BC during the southward expansion of the Han dynasty.

The name "Guangxi" can be traced to the "Expansive" or "Wide" province (廣州) of the Eastern Wu, which controlled southeastern China during the Three Kingdoms period. Guilin formed one of its commanderies.

Under the Tang dynasty, the Zhuang moved to support Piluoge's kingdom of Nanzhao in Yunnan, which successfully repulsed imperial armies in 751 and 754. Guangxi was then divided into an area of Zhuang ascendancy west of Nanning and an area of Han ascendancy east of Nanning.

After the collapse of the Southern Zhao, Liu Yan established the Southern Han (Nanhan) in Xingwangfu (modern Guangdong). Although this state gained minimal control over Guangxi, it was plagued by instability and annexed by the Song dynasty in 971. The name "Guangxi" itself can be traced to the Song, who administered the area as the Guangnanxi ("West Southern Expanse") Circuit. Harassed by both Song and the Jiaozhi in modern Vietnam, the Zhuang leader Nong Zhigao led a revolt in 1052 for which he is still remembered by the Zhuang people. His independent kingdom was short-lived, however, and the tattooed Song general Di Qing returned Guangxi to China.

The Yuan dynasty established control over Yunnan during its conquest of the Dali Kingdom in 1253 and eliminated the Southern Song following the Battle of Yamen in 1279. Rather than ruling Lingnan as a subject territory or military district, the Mongolians then established Guangxi ("Western Expanse") as a proper province. The area nonetheless continued to be unruly, leading the Ming dynasty to employ the different local groups against one another. At the Battle of Big Rattan Gorge between the Zhuang and the Yao in 1465, 20,000 deaths were reported.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, parts of Guangxi were ruled by the powerful Cen () clan. The Cen were of Zhuang ethnicity and were recognized as tusi or local rulers by the Chinese emperors.

The Qing dynasty left the region alone until the imposition of direct rule in 1726, but the 19th century was one of constant unrest. A Yao revolt in 1831 was followed by the Jintian Uprising, the beginning of the Taiping Rebellion, in January 1851 and the Da Cheng Rebellion in April 1854. The execution of St. Auguste Chapdelaine by local officials in Guangxi provoked the Second Opium War in 1858 and the legalization of foreign interference in the interior. Although Louis Brière de l'Isle was unable to invade its depot at Longzhou, the Guangxi Army saw a great deal of action in the 1884 Sino-French War. Largely ineffective within Vietnam, it was still able to repulse the French from China itself at the Battle of Zhennan Pass (modern Friendship Pass) on 23 March 1885.

Following the Wuchang Uprising, Guangxi seceded from the Qing Empire on 6 November 1911. The Qing governor, Shen Bingdan, initially remained in place. But was subsequently removed by a mutiny commanded by General Lu Rongting. General Lu's Old Guangxi clique overran Hunan and Guangdong as well and helped lead the National Protection War against Yuan Shikai's attempt to re-establish an imperial government. Zhuang's loyalty made his Self-Government Army cohesive but reluctant to move far beyond its own provinces. Subsequent feuding with Sun Yat-sen led to defeat in the 1920 and 1921 Guangdong–Guangxi War. After a brief occupation by Chen Jiongming's Cantonese forces, Guangxi fell into disunity and profound banditry for several years until Li Zongren's Guangxi Pacification Army established the New Guangxi clique dominated by Li, Huang Shaohong, and Bai Chongxi.

Successful action in Hunan against Wu Peifu led to the Zhuang GPA becoming known as the "Flying Army" and the "Army of Steel". After the death of Sun Yat-sen, Li also repulsed Tang Jiyao's revolt and joined the Northern Expedition establishing control over other warlords by the Republic of China. His was one of the few Kuomintang units free from serious Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence and was therefore employed by Chiang Kai-shek for the Shanghai massacre of 1927. Within the People's Republic of China, Guangxi is also noted for the Baise Uprising, a failed CCP revolt led by Chen Zhaoli and Deng Xiaoping in 1929.

In 1937, the Guangxi Women's Battalion was founded as a response to Soong Mei-ling's appeal for women to support the Sino-Japanese War. Reports on the size of the battalion vary from 130 students, to 500, to 800.

Being in the far south, Guangxi did not fall during the Chinese Civil War, but joined the People's Republic in December 1949, two months after its founding.

In 1952, a small section of Guangdong's coastline (Qinzhou, Lianzhou (now Hepu County), Fangchenggang and Beihai) was given to Guangxi, giving it access to the sea. This was reversed in 1955. And then restored in 1965.

The Guangxi Massacre, during the Cultural Revolution, involved the killing of 100,000 to 150,000 in the region in 1967 and 1968.

While some development of heavy industry occurred in the 1960s and 1970s, the region remained largely a scenic tourist destination. Even the economic growth of the 1990s seemed to leave Guangxi behind. However, in recent years, there has been a growing amount of industrialization and increasing concentration on cash crops. Per capita GDP has risen as industries in Guangdong transfer production to comparatively lower-wage areas in Guangxi.

Geography

Map of southern China

Located in the southern part of the country, Guangxi is bordered by Yunnan to the west, Guizhou to the north, Hunan to the northeast, and Guangdong to the east and southeast. It is also bordered by Vietnam in the southwest and the Gulf of Tonkin in the south. Its proximity to Guangdong is reflected in its name, with "Guang" (simplified Chinese: 广; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Guǎng) being used in both names.

Large portions of Guangxi are hilly and mountainous. The northwest portion of Guangxi includes part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, the Jiuwan Mountains and the Fenghuang Mountains both run through the north, the Nanling Mountains form the region's north-east border, and the Yuecheng and Haiyang Mountains both branch from the Nanling Mountains. Also in the north are the Duyao Mountains. The Duyang Mountains run through the west of Guangxi. Near the center of the region are the Da Yao and Da Ming Mountains. On the southeastern border are the Yunkai Mountains. Guangxi's highest point is Kitten Mountain, in the Yuecheng Mountains, at 2,141 metres (7,024 ft).

Karst landforms, characterized by steep mountains and large caverns, are common in Guangxi, accounting for 37.8 percent of its total land area.

Guangxi is also home to several river systems, which flow into several different bodies of water: the Qin River and the Nanliu River both flow into the Gulf of Tonkin, several tributary rivers flow into the larger Xiang River in neighbouring Hunan province, and the Xi River system flows southeast through the autonomous region into the South China Sea.

Xi River system schematic
(italics indicates rivers outside Guangxi)
He River (贺江) Xi River
Li River Gui River (桂江)
Beipan River Hongshui River Qian River Xun River
Nanpan River
Rong River Liu River
Long River
You River Yong River Yu River
Zuo River

Along the border with Vietnam there is the Ban Gioc–Detian waterfall (pinyin: Dé Tiān Pùbù), which separates the two countries.

About one-quarter of Guangxi's area is forested.

Human geography

Major cities in Guangxi include Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, and Beihai. Notable towns include Longmen [zh], Sanjiang, and Yangshuo. The Xi River system provides waterways which connect to the Pearl River Delta. Important seaports along Guangxi's short coastline on the Gulf of Tonkin include Beihai, Qinzhou, and Fangchenggang. To connect Xi River system and coastal Guangxi, Chinese government started to construct Pinglu Canal.

Climate

Guangxi has a subtropical climate. Summers are generally long, hot, and humid, lasting from April to October. Winters are mild, and snow is rare. The autonomous region's average annual temperature ranges from 17.5 °C (63.5 °F) to 23.5 °C (74.3 °F), with January temperatures typically ranging from 4 °C (39 °F) to 16 °C (61 °F), and July temperatures typically ranging from 27 °C (81 °F) to 32 °C (90 °F).

Due to frequent rain-bearing monsoon winds, average annual precipitation is quite high in Guangxi, ranging from 1,080 millimetres (43 in) in drier zones to 1,730 millimetres (68 in) in wetter zones. The region also experiences monsoons, blowing from south-southwest from late April to the beginning of October. Most of the precipitation occurs between May and August. Microbursts can also occasionally occur in the extreme south of the region, from July to September. This is caused by typhoons blowing from the South China Sea.

Image gallery

Administrative divisions

Guangxi is divided into fourteen prefecture-level divisions: all prefecture-level cities:

Administrative divisions of Guangxi
Division code Division Area in km Population 2020 Seat Divisions
Districts Counties Aut. counties CL cities
450000 Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 236,700.00 50,126,804 Nanning city 41 48 12 10
450100 Nanning city 22,099.31 8,741,584 Qingxiu District 7 4 1
450200 Liuzhou city 18,596.64 4,157,934 Liubei District 5 3 2
450300 Guilin city 27,667.28 4,931,137 Lingui District 6 8 2 1
450400 Wuzhou city 12,572.44 2,820,977 Changzhou District 3 3 1
450500 Beihai city 3,988.67 1,853,227 Haicheng District 3 1
450600 Fangchenggang city 6,181.19 1,046,068 Gangkou District 2 1 1
450700 Qinzhou city 10,820.85 3,302,238 Qinnan District 2 2
450800 Guigang city 10,605.44 4,316,262 Gangbei District 3 1 1
450900 Yulin city 12,828.11 5,796,766 Yuzhou District 2 4 1
451000 Baise city 36,203.85 3,571,505 Youjiang District 2 7 1 2
451100 Hezhou city 11,771.54 2,007,858 Babu District 2 2 1
451200 Hechi city 33,487.65 3,417,945 Yizhou District 2 4 5
451300 Laibin city 13,391.59 2,074,611 Xingbin District 1 3 1 1
451400 Chongzuo city 17,345.47 2,088,692 Jiangzhou District 1 5 1
Administrative divisions in Zhuang, Chinese, and varieties of romanizations
English Zhuang Chinese Pinyin
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Gvangjish Bouxcuengh Swcigih 广西壮族自治区 Guǎngxī zhuàngzú Zìzhìqū
Nanning city Namzningz Si 南宁市 Nánníng Shì
Liuzhou city Liujcouh Si 柳州市 Liǔzhōu Shì
Guilin city Gveilinz Si 桂林市 Guìlín Shì
Wuzhou city Ngouzcouh Si 梧州市 Wúzhōu Shì
Beihai city Bwzhaij Si 北海市 Běihǎi Shì
Fangchenggang city Fangzcwngzgangj Si 防城港市 Fángchénggǎng Shì
Qinzhou city Ginhcouh Si 钦州市 Qīnzhōu Shì
Guigang city Gveigangj Si 贵港市 Guìgǎng Shì
Yulin city Yoglinz Si 玉林市 Yùlín Shì
Baise city Bwzswz Si 百色市 Bǎisè Shì
Hezhou city Hocouh Si 贺州市 Hèzhōu Shì
Hechi city Hozciz Si 河池市 Héchí Shì
Laibin city Laizbinh Si 来宾市 Láibīn Shì
Chongzuo city Cungzcoj Si 崇左市 Chóngzuǒ Shì

These 14 prefecture-level cities are in turn subdivided into 111 county-level divisions (41 districts, 10 county-level cities, 48 counties, and 12 autonomous counties). At the year-end of 2021, the total population is 48.85 million.

Urban areas

Population by urban areas of prefecture & county cities
# Cities 2020 Urban area 2010 Urban area 2020 City proper
1 Nanning 4,939,523 2,660,833 8,741,584
2 Liuzhou 2,204,841 1,410,712 4,157,934
3 Guilin 1,361,244 844,290 4,931,137
4 Guigang 921,440 658,887 4,316,262
5 Yulin 877,561 547,924 5,796,766
6 Qinzhou 771,052 489,139 3,302,238
7 Beihai 673,483 463,388 1,853,227
8 Wuzhou 665,910 424,734 2,820,977
9 Guiping 652,210 508,212 see Guigang
10 Beiliu 573,761 652,853 see Yulin
11 Hezhou 560,686 379,889 2,007,858
12 Laibin 531,511 315,875 2,074,611
13 Baise 513,983 185,497 3,571,505
14 Hechi 504,030 197,858 3,417,945
15 Fangchenggang 416,752 278,955 1,046,068
16 Cenxi 397,639 337,052 see Wuzhou
17 Pingguo 277,500 see Baise
18 Chongzuo 265,077 113,539 2,088,692
19 Dongxing 155,538 92,267 see Fangchenggang
20 Jingxi 150,456 see Baise
21 Lipu 146,753 see Guilin
22 Heshan 48,873 66,118 see Laibin
Yizhou see Hechi 155,365 see Hechi
  1. ^ /ɡwɑːŋˈʃ/, gwahng-SHEE; ; alternately romanized as Kwangsi or Kwanghsi; Chinese: 广西; Zhuang: Gvangjsih
  2. ^ New district established after 2010 census: Wuming (Wuming County). The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.
  3. ^ New district established after 2010 census: Liujiang (Liujiang County). The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.
  4. ^ New district established after 2010 census: Lingui (Lingui County). The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.
  5. ^ New district established after 2010 census: Longxu by splitting from parts of Cangwu County. The new district areas from Cangwu County not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.
  6. ^ New district established after 2010 census: Pinggui by splitting from parts of Zhongshan County and parts of Babu. The new district areas from Zhongshan County not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.
  7. ^ New district established after 2010 census: Tianyang (Tianyang County). The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.
  8. ^ New district established after 2010 census: Yizhou (Yizhou CLC). The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.
  9. ^ Pingguo County is currently known as Pingguo CLC after 2010 census.
  10. ^ Jingxi County is currently known as Jingxi CLC after 2010 census.
  11. ^ Lipu County is currently known as Lipu CLC after 2010 census.

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1912 7,879,000—    
1928 13,648,000+73.2%
1936–37 13,385,000−1.9%
1947 14,636,000+9.3%
1954 19,560,822+33.6%
1964 20,845,017+6.6%
1982 36,420,960+74.7%
1990 42,245,765+16.0%
2000 43,854,538+3.8%
2010 46,026,629+5.0%
2020 50,126,804+8.9%

Ethnic groups

The Han Chinese are the largest ethnic group in Guangxi. Han Chinese populations in Guangxi largely live along the autonomous region's southern coast and eastern portions. Of these, the main subgroups are those that speak Yue and Southwestern Mandarin varieties of Chinese. Qinzhou and Goulou Yue are spoken in the southern and eastern regions, respectively. Pinghua is spoken in Nanning and Guilin. There are Hakka-speaking regions in Luchuan County, Bobai County and in some areas bordering Vietnam.

Guangxi has over 16 million Zhuangs, the largest minority ethnicity in China. Over 90 percent of Zhuang in China live in Guangxi, especially in the central and western regions. High concentrations of Zhuang people can be found in Nanning, Liuzhou, Chongzuo, Baise, Hechi, and Laibin. The highest concentration of ethnic Zhuang people is found in the county-level city of Jingxi, with a 2021 publication by the People's Government of Guangxi stating that Jingxi's population is 99.7% Zhuang.

The autonomous region also has sizable populations of indigenous Yao, Miao, Kam, Mulam, Maonan, Hui, Gin, Yi, Sui and Gelao peoples. Other ethnic minorities in Guangxi include the Manchu, Mongol, Korean, Tibetan, Hlai, and Tujia people.

Ethnic makeup of the Guanxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (2020 Seventh National Census)
Ethnicity Han Chinese Zhuang Yao Miao Dong Mulao Maonan Hui Bouyei Gin Other nationalities
Population 31,318,824 15,721,956 1,683,038 578,122 362,580 180,185 73,199 35,347 31,303 29,326 112,924
Percentage (%) 62.48 31.36 3.36 1.15 0.72 0.36 0.15 0.07 0.06 0.06 0.23
Proportion of minority population (%) 83.59 8.95 3.07 1.93 0.96 0.39 0.19 0.17 0.16 0.60

Religion

Religion in Guangxi

  Christianity (0.26%)
  Other religions or not religious people (59.26%)

The predominant religions in Guangxi among the Han Chinese are Chinese folk religions, Taoist traditions and Chinese Buddhism. The large Zhuang population mostly practices the Zhuang folk religion centered around the worship of their ancestral god Buluotuo (布洛陀). According to surveys conducted in 2007 and 2009, 40.48% of the population believes and is involved in ancestor veneration, while 0.26% of the population identifies as Christian.

The reports did not give figures for other types of religion; 59.26% of the population may be either irreligious or involved in worship of nature deities, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, folk religious sects. The Yao, another numerous ethnic group inhabiting the province, mostly practices a form of indigenised and conservative Taoism.

Wenmiao (Temple of the God of Culture, Confucius) in Gongcheng.
Shrine of Zhou Wei in Gongcheng.
Wumiao (Temple of the God of War, Guandi) in Gongcheng.

Today, there are 21 mosques in Guangxi This may include:

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