Mile
弥勒市
From top, left to right:
Mile City government, Qinglai Park, Yuhuang Park, road crossing of Shangqing Road and Zhongshan Road
Location of Mile City in Honghe Prefecture within Yunnan province
Location of Mile City in Honghe Prefecture within Yunnan province
Mile is located in Yunnan
Mile
Mile
Location of the city center in Yunnan
Coordinates: 24°24′15″N 103°26′34″E / 24.40417°N 103.44278°E / 24.40417; 103.44278
CountryPeople's Republic of China
ProvinceYunnan
PrefectureHonghe
Area
 • County-level city4,004 km2 (1,546 sq mi)
Highest elevation
2,315 m (7,595 ft)
Lowest elevation
862 m (2,828 ft)
Population
 (2021)
 • County-level city570,100
 • Density140/km2 (370/sq mi)
 • Rural
(2005)[1]
433,500
Postal code
652300
Area code0873
Websitewww.hhml.gov.cn

Mile (Chinese: 弥勒市; pinyin: Mílè Shì; ; Hani language: Miqleiq Siif; Yi: ꂱꇍꏃ) is a county-level city located in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China.[2] It is named after the Maitreya Buddha, for which there was a temple located on a nearby mountain,[3] making it the only city in China named after a Buddha.[4] It is a center for sugar and tobacco production in Yunnan.[1]

History

Mile has been known since at least 116 BC in written history. In 1290 it was established as a prefecture and in 1770 as a county.[1]

It is the birthplace of Ming dynasty politician Yang Shengwu (杨绳武), Qing dynasty merchant Wang Chi (zh:王炽) and Republic era general Zhang Chong and mathematician Xiong Qinglai.[5]

In 2014, Mile County was upgraded as a county level city.[4]

Administrative divisions

At present, Mile City has 10 towns and 2 townships.[6]

10 towns
2 townships

Demographics

Mile has a population of 570,100 as of 2021, including 44.9% ethnic minorities.[5]

Ethnic groups

The Mile County Gazetteer 弥勒县志 (1987:689-699) reports the following Yi subgroups.

  • Axi 阿细 (Xishan Yi)[7]
  • Azhe 阿哲: in Wushan 五山, Xunjian 巡检, and Jianbian 江边 districts
  • Awu 阿乌: 8,710 persons as of 1984
  • Black Yi 黑彝: in Wushan 五山, Xishan 西山, and Dongshan 东山 districts
    • Large Black Yi 大黑彝 subgroup (autonym: Nasubo 纳苏波)
    • Small Black Yi 小黑彝 subgroup
  • Sani 撒尼 (autonym: Sanibo 撒尼波)
  • White Yi 白彝
    • Nasubo 纳苏波 subgroup: in Dongshan 东山 and Xinshao 新哨 districts
    • White Yi 白彝 subgroup: in Xier District 西二区
  • Gebo 葛波 (exonym: Guzu 古族)

The local Yi people have a ceremony to worship their fire god once a year.[8]

Climate

Climate data for Mile City, elevation 1,416 m (4,646 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 27.0
(80.6)
29.6
(85.3)
32.2
(90.0)
35.0
(95.0)
35.8
(96.4)
34.1
(93.4)
33.5
(92.3)
32.4
(90.3)
33.2
(91.8)
30.5
(86.9)
28.5
(83.3)
26.0
(78.8)
35.8
(96.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 18.1
(64.6)
20.9
(69.6)
25.0
(77.0)
27.9
(82.2)
28.5
(83.3)
27.9
(82.2)
27.4
(81.3)
27.5
(81.5)
26.5
(79.7)
23.7
(74.7)
21.1
(70.0)
17.7
(63.9)
24.3
(75.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 10.3
(50.5)
12.5
(54.5)
16.4
(61.5)
20.0
(68.0)
22.2
(72.0)
22.9
(73.2)
22.6
(72.7)
22.2
(72.0)
20.9
(69.6)
18.2
(64.8)
14.2
(57.6)
10.7
(51.3)
17.8
(64.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 4.7
(40.5)
6.0
(42.8)
9.5
(49.1)
13.3
(55.9)
17.1
(62.8)
19.3
(66.7)
19.3
(66.7)
18.7
(65.7)
17.2
(63.0)
14.6
(58.3)
9.4
(48.9)
5.8
(42.4)
12.9
(55.2)
Record low °C (°F) −2.9
(26.8)
−2.8
(27.0)
−3.9
(25.0)
4.4
(39.9)
4.8
(40.6)
12.7
(54.9)
13.8
(56.8)
12.4
(54.3)
8.7
(47.7)
4.7
(40.5)
−1.9
(28.6)
−4.6
(23.7)
−4.6
(23.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 26.2
(1.03)
15.4
(0.61)
22.2
(0.87)
34.3
(1.35)
95.3
(3.75)
173.2
(6.82)
187.4
(7.38)
137.3
(5.41)
92.2
(3.63)
73.6
(2.90)
32.3
(1.27)
16.0
(0.63)
905.4
(35.65)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 5.4 4.7 5.2 7.2 12.2 15.5 18.7 17.7 13.1 12.2 5.8 4.5 122.2
Average snowy days 0.7 0.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.1 1.1
Average relative humidity (%) 73 65 60 59 65 76 81 81 78 78 76 76 72
Mean monthly sunshine hours 166.8 178.1 207.7 214.0 196.5 141.2 131.2 146.9 131.7 126.5 160.8 148.5 1,949.9
Percent possible sunshine 50 56 56 56 48 35 32 37 36 36 49 45 45
Source: China Meteorological Administration[9][10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "弥勒县概况".
  2. ^ 弥勒县志 (in Chinese). 云南人民出版社. 1987.
  3. ^ 网易 (2021-01-25). "我国唯一以佛命名的城市-云南弥勒(图)". www.163.com. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  4. ^ a b 严建著 (2018-07-01). 一路走来 (in Chinese). Beijing Book Co. Inc. ISBN 978-7-5482-3344-2.
  5. ^ a b "弥勒市情简介". 2021-07-05.
  6. ^ "国家统计局" (in Chinese). National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  7. ^ 杜玉亭著 (2015-06-01). 杜玉亭学术文选 (in Chinese). Beijing Book Co. Inc. ISBN 978-7-5482-1850-0.
  8. ^ 邢毅编著 (2015-04-01). 云南民族建筑 (in Chinese). Beijing Book Co. Inc. ISBN 978-7-5482-2227-9.
  9. ^ 中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  10. ^ 中国气象数据网 (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 20 September 2023.