Xiangkhouang Province
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Xiangkhouang (
Lao:
ຊຽງຂວາງ, meaning "Horizontal City") is a province of
Laos, located in the
Xiangkhouang Plateau, north-east of the country.
[1] Originally known as Muang Phouan, the present capital of the province is
Phonsavan. The population of the province as of March 2005 census is 229,521.
[2]
Xiangkhouang Province covers an area of 15,880 square kilometres
(6,130 sq mi) and has largely a mountainous topography. The province
borders
Luang Prabang Province to the northwest,
Houaphan Province to the northeast,
Vietnam to the east,
Bolikhamsai Province to the southeast, and
Vientiane Province
to the southwest. Apart from floodplains, the largest area of level
land in the country is located in the province's Xiangkhouang Plateau.
This area is characterized by rolling hills and grassland whose altitude
averages 4,250 feet (1,300 m). The country's highest peak,
Phou Bia (9,252 feet (2,820 m)), rises at the southern side of the plateau. Nam Et-Phou Louey is a
National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA) in the province which covers a total area of 5,959 km2, and overlaps into
Houaphan and
Luang Prabang provinces.
Xiangkhouang Province is one of the main
maize producing areas of Laos. It was heavily bombed during the
Vietnam War era. The
Plain of Jars site has been proposed for listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Monument.
[3]
History
Plain of Jars, girls of Houang
While the origin of the
Plain of Jars' people is unknown, the recorded history of Xieng Khouang is interlinked with the
Tai Phuan. As an ancient civilization, its prehistory is linked to the enigmatic
megalithic
stone jars of the Plain of Jars (with prehistoric material recorded to
the period of even 2000 BC, with Iron Age period of 500 BC and 500–800
AD period dominating the archaeological finds) representing burial
grounds of ritualistic practices with extended history spread from
Angkor period to the
Hindu and
Buddhist
religious impacts. The Tai Phuan or Phuan people are a Buddhist Tai-Lao
ethnic group that migrated to Laos from southern China and by the 13th
century had formed the independent principality
Muang Phuan at the
Plain of Jars
with Xieng Khouang (the contemporary Muang Khoun) as the capital. They
prospered from the overland trade in metals and forest products with
India and China. In the mid-14th century, Muang Phuan was incorporated
into the
Lan Xang Kingdom under King
Fa Ngum.
[4][5]
The Xieng Khouang Plateau has been surmised, based on archaeological
finds of Bronze and Iron Age of the period between 500 BC and 500 AD, as
the center of trade representing a large area of upland
Southeast Asia covering Vietnam,
Samrong Sen in
Cambodia, and the
Khorat Plateau in northeast
Thailand,
Danang City in Laos, and the
North Cachar Hills of
northeastern India.
[5]
According to the Pongsawadan Meuang Puan or the Muang Puan Chronicles, the
Tai Puan,
a Buddhist Tai-Lao ethnic group, are said to be the first people who
migrated in the 13th century from China and settled in this province;
they had established trade in metals and forest produce and consequently
were prosperous. During the mid 14th century they were subsumed into
the Lan Xang Kingdom. The
Siamese wars in the 18th and 19th centuries resulted in the Tai Puans' loss of freedom.
[5]
In subsequent years the Haw invaders from China ravaged the province
and also Luang Prabang by looting. the Franco-Siamese treaties of In the
1890s came under French colonial rule under
Treaty of French Indochina, which extended to a short period beyond World War II. During the
Second Indochina War of the 1960s and 70s there was more suffering to the people of the province due to the
Laotian Civil War
between the Royalist and the Pathet Lao until the 1975 when the Pathet
Lao took power. Xiangkhouang was the province most bombed by the USAF
airplanes in support of the Royalist forces. As a result of this
extended war, Muong Khoun, the original capital of the province suffered
much damage due to bombing by the USAF and resulted in shifting of the
capital to Phonsavanh. During this war, most of the temples built in the
period from the 16th and 19th century were destroyed except for the
Vat Pia Vat temple.
[5] The royalist were led by General
Vang Pao, who was born in the province, during the war in the 1960s.
[7]
Geography
Xiangkhouang Province covers an area of 15,880 square kilometres (6,130 sq mi) and has largely a mountainous topography.
[8] The province borders
Luang Prabang Province to the northwest,
Houaphan Province to the northeast,
Vietnam to the east,
Bolikhamsai Province to the southeast, and
Vientiane Province to the southwest. The capital is Phonsavan. Xiangkhouang and Vientiane Provinces are part of the
Nam Ngum watershed.
Apart from floodplains, the largest area of level land in the country
is located in the province's Xiangkhouang Plateau. This area is
characterized by rolling hills and grassland whose altitude averages
4,250 feet (1,300 m). The country's highest peak,
Phou Bia (9,252 feet (2,820 m)), rises at the southern side of the plateau, while the Plain of Jars is in the plateau's center.
The province is 400 km northeast of
Vientiane.
Phu Bia at 2700 m elevation is the highest peak in the province, and
also the highest in Laos. The capital city is at an elevation of about
1,000 m.s.l with Kham district situated in a low-laying basin at an
elevation of about 600 m.s.l.
[3]
Protected areas
Nam Et-Phou Louey is the
National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA) which covers a total area of 5,959 km2 extends within the Xiangkhouang Province apart from the
Houaphan,
Luang Prabang provinces.
[11]
The park consists mainly of mountains and hills, with altitude ranging
between 336 and 2257 metres above sea level. The area is the source of
many rivers. It is named after the Nam Et River and Phou Louey Mountain
("Forever Mountain").
[12]
The area has a high level of
biodiversity, and a number of endangered species including
tiger,
leopard,
clouded leopard,
Asian golden cat,
marbled cat,
civet,
gaur,
Sambar deer,
white-cheeked gibbon,
sun bear,
black bear,
Asian elephant,
dhole,
hornbill and three species of
otter.
[12]
Administrative divisions
The province is made up of the following eight districts which cover a
total land area of 15,880 square kilometres (6,130 sq mi).
[3] The district Thatom was reassigned from the special zone Xaisomboun when it was dissolved in January 2006.
Economy
A spoon seller in Ban Napia
Xiangkhouang Province is one of the main
maize producing areas of Laos.
[13] The main centre for trade and tourism is
Phonsavan. In the village of
Ban Napia near Phonsavan, villagers re-use
UXO
scrap metal to make spoons to be sold as souvenirs. The war scrap metal
is checked for safety beforehand by UXO Lao. This community based
project provides valuable income for the villagers. As of 2012, 3 minor
accidents involving the UXO metal had been reported.
[14]
Landmarks
There are many notable landmarks in the province. The tourism
department of Laos has listed 63 sites of which 32 are natural sites, 18
are cultural sites, and are 13 historical sites.
[3] Of these some of the important sites are the following.
[15]
The most prominent and popular sites are
Plain of Jars
which consist of urns of large stone of height varying from 1–3 metres
(3 ft 3 in–9 ft 10 in). They are found throughout the province at many
locations throughout the provinces in bunches of 300 jars at each
location. Archaeological studies have been carried out at many sites,
which indicate that these were funerary sites of Bronze and Iron Age
(2,000 to 2,500 years old) period megaliths. The nearest location of
these urns from Phonsavanh is the Jar Site 1, with an area of 25 ha. The
largest jar found here is of size 2.5m x 2.5m, while the rest are half
this size. One jar has decorations on it.
[15][16]
Relics of Wat Piawat Temple
Muang Khoun is the 14th century ancient Phuan Kingdom capital. It is
accessed southeast of Phonsavanh. Destroyed in the Indochina War, ruins
of a stone wall with brick archways, relics of France's colonial rule, a
large size Buddha, pillars and short wall sections of Wat Piawat temple
(built in 1564) are visible. Once buried in the forest, the
450-year-old That
Foun Stupa is visible near the road outside Phonsavanh.
[15]
In the ethnic Phuan village, located to the south of Phonsavanh, Ban
Napi mounds war scraps are seen buried in tableware. During the 1980s,
creative thinking eight families resulted in putting together aluminum
bits of damaged aircraft in mounds of melted lack, wood and ash. Such
war debris is found scattered between Lang Waterfall and Jar Site 3.
[15]
A secret tunnel was constructed below the hills of the Phu Kheng Jar
Quarry Site during the Indochina War (1964–1973). The tunnel is
approached by climbing about 1,000 steps. Along this route many bomb
craters and broken or incomplete jars are found. The views of the
Phoukoud valley at the end of the route are very scenic, and the entry
to tunnel is not readily seen. The tunnel is 70 metres (230 ft) in
length and 1.6 metres (5 ft 3 in) high. Reinforced concrete bunkers with
night camps are also seen along this route.
[15]
UXOs (unexploded ordnance) found in very large numbers in the province
are in the process of getting cleared under aegis of the UK-based Mines
Advisory Group (MAG). The Visitor Information Centre established by
(MAG) in Phonsavanh provides information on the history of bombing
campaign particularly of the cluster bombs and the destruction they
caused during the war are explained through sketches and a documentary
film. It is said that the bombing of the province was a record of a kind
as "the most densely bombed area per capita on earth".
[15]
See also
References
"Base Map:Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR". UNOSAT. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
"Provinces of Laos". Statoids.com. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
"Xieng Khouang Overview". Official website of Laos Tourism Organization. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
Provincial Tourism Department Xieng Khouang, A Guide to Xieng Khouang
"Xieng Khouang History". Official website of Laos Tourism Organization. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
Cranmer, Jeff; Martin, Steven; Coxon, Kirby (1 November 2002). Laos. Rough Guides. pp. 199–. ISBN 978-1-85828-905-2. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
"Xiengkhouang Province". Lao Tourism Organization. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
Jan Kamler (30 November 2012). "The Ecology of Dholes in a Zoned Reserve in Laos".
"Nam Et – Phou Louey National Protected Area". Nam Et – Phou Louey National Protected Area / Wildlife Conservation Society. 1 December 2012. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012.
Lao People's Democratic Republic: Second Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (EPub). International Monetary Fund. 21 October 2008. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-4527-9182-1. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
"War Spoon Village Ban Napia". Tabeaglahs.wordpress.com. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
"Five highlights in Xieng Khouang Province". Official website of Laos Tourism Organization. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
Bibliography
External links
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