Tongliang District () is a district of Chongqing Municipality, China.

Geography Tongliang District covers . Six tributaries of the Jialing River flow through Tongliang: the Fu River, Qiong River, Xiaoanxi, Pingtanhe, Jiuyuanhe, and Huaiyuanhe.

The name Tongliang was first recorded before 221 BCE, during the pre-Qin era and is derived from Tongliang Mountain, part of which now lies on the border with Hechuan District. Tongliang () refers to the colour and shape produced when sunlight reflects off the mountainside. Unlike other toponyms, Tongliang has continuously remained the place name for its namegiving settlement since its first usage.

History The Tongliang Culture site, unearthed at the Xiguo Reservoir in 1976, attests to human settlement since the Upper Paleolithic era, years before its discovery. It was inhabited by the Ba people.

Tongliang was part of Liangzhou during the Xia and Shang dynasties, then the Ba state in the Zhou dynasty. Tongliang was a fief during the Warring States period. During the Qin and Han dynasties, Tongliang was administered by Dianjiang County under the Ba Commandery before becoming part of Shijing County (the modern Hechuan District) in Hezhou during the Sui and Tang dynasties. During this time, Tongliang contained parts of other modern districts, such as Tongnan and Dazu.

Tongliang was officially established as a county in 703 under Empress Wu Zetian during the Wu Zhou dynasty. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang moved Tongliang County three times within his reign, first from Tongliang's original location in Daichangba to Wujinkeng (now in Hechuan) in 715, then to Dongliuxi in 728, and finally to a more permanent area, south of Hechuan, in 735, with Bachuan County being split off from Tongliang. Between the Song and Yuan dynasties, Tongliang's territory fluctuated through merged counties, some of which were subsequently restored and added to other counties which were then returned to Tongliang.

In 1280, Kublai Khan abolished Bachuan County and merge it back into Tongliang, which was moved north to the counties of Shizhao (Hechuan), Dazu, and Suining. Territory was again added and removed in the following decades. Tongliang joined the Ming Xia under Ming Yuzhen, who restored sections of Tongliang previously given to Chang Prefecture. In 1480, four areas of Tongliang, Xingxing, Anle, Anzheng, and Wan'an, were ceded to Anju County, which was made part of Chongqing Prefecture. In 1662, Tongliang and Anju were merged into Hezhou before becoming counties again in 1721, still under Chongqing. Parts of Anju remained under independent control from Tongliang due to separating water levels. In 1903, Tongliang claimed authority over the remaining areas of Anju.

In mid-1911, the Railway Protection Movement based a branch in Tongliang, followed by the Tongliang County Military Government on 25 November of the same year. When the previous administrative structures were abolished in 1913, Tongliang was made part of East Sichuan Circuit. In 1928, Tongliang became directly administered by Sichuan Province. Between 1949 and 1955, various townships, towns, and villages were redistributed between Tongliang, Yongchuan, Dazu, and Hechuan. In 1983, Tongliang County was put under jurisdiction of Chongqing, as part of Yongchuan District. On 14 March 1994, the districts within Tongliang were given county-level status and October 2006, subdistricts were formed out of four towns. On 2 May 2014 Tongliang was upgraded from a county into a district within Chongqing, officially appearing as such in listings on 6 June 2014.

Culture Tongliang is best known for its particular variety of dragon dance, consisting of two acts, Dragon Lantern Dance and the Decorative Lantern Dance. Its unique traditions are believed to have their origins in the Ba people's Bashe. Its popularity has come to represent the dragon dances of Chongqing as a whole and it has been performed domestically and internationally by Tongliang city's dance troop. On 20 May 2006, Tongliang Dragon Dance was designated an intangible cultural heritage by the State Council.

The Huangjuemen Colorful Garden, where the dance is typically performed within Chongqing, also has the reputation as a faithful love spot, encouraging visiting couples to make vows and tie red ribbons to the entrance gate as a symbolic gesture.

Tongliang Museum holds a "Mini Terracotta Army" excavated from the family tomb of Ming dynasty official Chen Jia, his parents, and his nephew. Unlike the Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang, the statues were individually hand-carved and not burned.

Anju, the oldest town in Tongliang, was established in 588 as Chishui County, renamed in 1480 and finally incorporated into Tongliang County in 1728. It is a AAAA Tourist Attraction for its ancient age, Ba–Shu culture, records of visiting poets, and history during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Administrative divisions As of 2025, Tongliang contains 5 subdistricts and 23 towns. Name Chinese (S) Hanyu Pinyin Population (2010) Area (km2) Bachuan Subdistrict 80,534 37.33 Dongcheng Subdistrict 78,721 Nancheng Subdistrict 49,265 60.34 Jiuxian Subdistrict 31,499 63.4 Pulü Subdistrict 22,719 42 Shiyu town 14,050 42 Tuqiao town 13,496 50.5 Erping town 7,806 26.4 Shuikou town 5,729 23 Anju town 21,000 57.4 Baiyang town 9,284 44 Pingtan town 30,816 91 Fuguo town 12,161 37 Weixin town 10,872 Gaolou town 6,364 26.5 Damiao town 16,277 41.4 Weilong town 14,690 46.5 Huaxing town 9,316 40 Yongjia town 22,377 64 Anxi town 6,075 29 Xihe town 12,567 40 Taiping town 17,909 48.2 Hufeng town 30,248 54.8 Shaoyun town 19,174 51.5 Lüfeng town 33,968 51.13 Xiaolin town 6,753 30.67 Shuangshan town 7,329 33.83 Qinglong town 9,087 28

Climate

2004 bombing On 18 November 2004, at about 15:50, a bombing at the Tang San teahouse during a low-stake card game event in Xima village, Bachuan, killed 15 people, including the perpetrator, and injured 28 others. The bomber, 41-year-old Yuan Daizhong () had fatally stabbed his wife Tan Bishu () earlier the same day at their home in Yueyang village, less than one kilometre from the teahouse. Yuan had called relatives to confess about the murder shortly before the bombing and stopped by his child's school to hand over his life savings (¥380). Yuan had substantial gambling debts and Tan, who was threatening divorce, had recently blocked her husband's access to their finances.重庆茶馆爆炸和15条生命 (December 2004); 三联生活周刊 p. 48

Education

Chongqing Tongliang NO.1 Experimental Primary School is among the best primary schools of Chongqing.

Chongqing Tongliang NO.2 Experimental Primary School is in this district.

Chongqing Bachuan International High School is a private school in the district, which is known as an expert of junior and high school education."School Profile" (Archive). Chongqing Bachuan International High School. Retrieved on September 30, 2015. "Address：Chongqing city Tongliang County East Street office Tashan Street No. 666" - Chinese version of the profile (Archive): ""

Chongqing Tongliang Bachuan Middle School.

Tongliang Zhong Xue is the best high school in Tongliang district. It has a long history and have cultivated a large amount of talents for the top Universities in China.

Notable people

Qiu Shaoyun (1926–1952), soldier of the Korean War and national martyr (1721–1740), Qing dynasty official, jinshi degree holder, and governor of Fujian (1527–1588), Ming dynasty official, jinshi degree holder, and governor of Jiliao circuit (1834–), Qing dynasty official, jinshi degree holder, and prefect for various prefectures , son of Wang Shu, Qing dynasty official, jinshi degree holder, and contributor to the Siku Quanshu (1788–1853), Qing dynasty official, jinshi degree holder, and shujishi (1507–1579), Ming dynasty official, jinshi degree holder, and governor of Hunan (1747–1806), Qing dynasty official, jinshi degree holder, and governor of Anhui Tian Xiwei (1997 - ), Chinese Actress

References

External links

Official website of Tongliang County Government