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Litang County

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History

In 1272, the Yuan Dynasty set up Litang Zhou, later set up Ben Buer Yi Si Gang to recruit envoys, and in 1288 set up the Qianliang Office. In the Ming Dynasty, Litang Xuanfu Division was set up, and later it was Zhawudong Sima Qianhu Office; in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, it was the territory of Gushi Khan. In 1709, the Qing Dynasty set up a deputy camp officer, belonging to the Qinghai Daiqingheshuoqi Department. In 1719, the Qing army passed through Litang, and all the chieftains submitted their household registration to pay grain, and Litang was placed under Sichuan Province. It was made into an autonomous Tusi chiefdom. In 1729, Litang was established as the deputy Xuanfu Division, which belongs to the Arrow Furnace Hall. in 1792, the grain affairs committee was established. In 1876, the land was reformed, and Lihua County was established, and in 1906, Hue County was established. In 1908, the Lihua Hall was set up to govern Daaba (Daocheng), Dingxiang (township), Shunhua (Litang) and other counties. In 1911, it was upgraded to Baohuafu. In 1913, the government of the Republic of China established Lihua County, which was subordinate to the Chuanbian Special Administrative Region. In 1925, it was changed to Xikang Road, Xikang Province. On December 14, 1951, it was renamed Litang County.

The Lithang Monastery, known formally as Ganden Thubchen Choekhorling, was originally a temple built for the worship of Bon. In A.D. 1580 it was converted to Gelug Buddhism by the 3rd Dalai Lama. In the centuries since, Litang Monastery has been damaged and rebuilt several times.

In 1956 Chinese communists wanted to accelerate the collectivization of property and confiscate privately owned firearms but were met with local opposition. Thousands of armed Tibetans attacked and killed several Chinese during an attempt to take over the town. After Chinese reinforcements arrived, the Tibetan forces sought refuge inside the monastery along with civilians. A siege battle ensued, but even as casualties ran high on both sides, negotiations failed to resolve the conflict despite a show of force by Chinese bomber aircraft. Tibetan fighters tried to escape during the night before a full-scale Chinese assault the next morning. Losses were reported to be in the hundreds to the thousands. Many survivors later joined the Tibetan guerilla force Chushi Gandruk.

In August, 2007, the Litang Horse Festival was the scene of an impromptu anti-government political speech by Runggye Adak, which was followed by protests calling for his release. A crackdown officially described as "patriotic education campaign" followed in autumn of 2007, including several politically motivated arrests and attempts to force local Tibetans to denounce the 14th Dalai Lama.

In 2013, one major temple of the Lithang Monastery burned to the ground in an accidental fire.

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