A league ( ayimaγ Aimag; historically, čiγulγan Qûûlgan; ) is a prefecture-level administrative unit of the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia in the People's Republic of China.
Leagues are the prefectures of Inner Mongolia. The name comes from a Mongolian administrative unit used during the Qing dynasty in Mongolia. Mongolian banners (county-level regions) were organized into conventional assemblies at the league level. During the Republic of China era, the leagues had a status equivalent to provinces. Leagues contain banners, equivalent to counties.
After the establishment of the provincial level Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in 1947, leagues of Inner Mongolia became equal to prefectures in other provinces and autonomous regions. The administrative commission () of the league is the administrative branch office dispatched by the People's Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The leader of the league's government, titled as league leader (), is appointed by People's Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. So are deputy leaders of leagues. Instead of local level of People's Congress, league's working commissions of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region are detached and supervise the league's governments, but can not elect or dismiss league's government officials."The standing committee of the people’s congress of a province and autonomous region may set up administrative offices in the prefectures under its jurisdiction. " from Item 2, Article 53, Organic Law of the Local People’s Congresses and Local People’s Governments of the People’s Republic of China (2004 Revision) In such a way, the league's working committee of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region's committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference is instead of league's committee of CPPCC.
Leagues have existed since the Qing dynasty as a level of government. The head of a league was chosen from jasagh or sula of the banners belonging to it. The original six leagues were Jirem, Ju Ud, Jost, Xilingol, Ulanqab, and Ih Ju. More were added in the subsequent centuries.
Today, leagues belong to the prefecture level of the Chinese administrative hierarchy. Of the 9 leagues that existed in the late 1970s, 6 have now been reorganized into prefecture-level cities. There are only 3 leagues remaining in Inner Mongolia: Xilingol, Alxa, and Hinggan.
Leagues (1949–present) Current Name Mongolian Transcription and IPA(Chakhar Mongolian) SimplifiedChinese Pinyin Capital NotesHinggan Hinggan 兴安Xīng'ānUlanhotEstablished: 26 July 1980Xilingol Xiliin Gôl锡林郭勒XīlínguōlèXilinhotPresent day: Xilingol and Hinggan (1954)Alxa Alxaa阿拉善ĀlāshànBayanhot Town, Alxa Left BannerUntil 1954 it was known as Alxa Öölüd Banners and Ejin Torghuud Banner
Defunct Name Mongolian Transcription and IPA(Chakhar Mongolian) SimplifiedChinese Pinyin Capital NotesBayannur Bayan Nûûr 巴彦淖尔Bāyànnào'ěrLinhe(Linhe District) Dissolution: 1 December 2003Present day: Bayannur (prefecture-level city)Jirem Jirem哲里木ZhélǐmùBayisingtu(Horqin District) Dissolution: 13 January 1999Present day: Tongliao (prefecture-level city)Ju Ud Jûû Ûd昭乌达ZhāowūdáUlanhad(Hongshan District) Dissolution: 10 October 1983Present day: Chifeng (prefecture-level city)Jost Jôstiin卓索图ZhuósuǒtúChaoyang(Shuangta District) Dissolution: 10 October 1911Present day: Fuxin, Chaoyang, and part of Chifeng (prefecture-level city)Chahar Qahar察哈尔Cháhā'ěrBaochang Dissolution: 1 October 1958merged into Xilingol and UlanqabUlanqab Ulaanqab乌兰察布WūlánchábùJining(Jining District) Dissolution: 1 December 2003Present day: Ulanqab (prefecture-level city), Baotou (1954), & Bayannur (1954)Ih Ju Ih Jûû伊克昭YīkèzhāoDongsheng(Dongsheng District) Dissolution: 26 February 2001Present day: Ordos (prefecture-level city)Heilongjiang (present day northern part of Inner Mongolia) 呼伦贝尔纳文慕仁 / 呼纳HūnàHailar(Hailar District) Dissolution: 1 April 1953 merge into Inner Mongolia Eastern Administrative ZoneHulunbuir Holon Bûir 呼伦贝尔Hūlúnbèi'ěrHailar(Hailar District) Dissolution: 11 April 1949Merged into Hulunbuir-NunmoronRe-established: 21 May 1954Dissolution: 10 October 2001 (present day greater Hulunbuir)Nun Moron Nûûn Moron 纳文慕仁NàwénmùrénZhalantun Dissolution: 11 April 1949merge into Hulunbuir–Nunmoron
Original leagues of the Qing
The 6 leagues under Inner Mongolia
Name Mongolian Transcription and IPA(Chakhar Mongolian) SimplifiedChinese Pinyin Tribes & Banners Jirem Jirem哲里木Zhélǐmù4 tribes10 bannersJost Jôstiin卓索图Zhuósuǒtú2 tribes5 bannersJu UdJu'ud Jûû Ûd昭乌达Zhāowūdá8 tribes11 bannersXilingol Xiliin Gôl锡林郭勒Xīlínguōlè5 tribes10 bannersUlanqab Ulaanqab乌兰察布Wūlánchábù4 tribes6 bannersIh JuIhju Ih Jûû伊克昭Yīkèzhāo1 tribe7 banners
Changes Year(s) Leagues 1636–1928 (Qûûlgan) Jirem, Ju Ud, Jost, Xilingol, Ulanqab, and Ih Ju 1928–1938 (Qûûlgan and Province) Jirem, Ju Ud, Jost, Xilingol, Chahar Province (Qahar), Ulanqab, and Ih Ju 1938–1945 (ROC) Jirem, Ih Ju 1938–1945 (Mengjiang) Ju Ud, Xilingol, Chahar (Qahar), Ulanqab, Bayantala (Bayantal) 1945–1948 (Aimag) Nun Moron, Jirem, Ju Ud, Jost, Xilingol, Qahar, Ulanqab, and Ih Ju 1948–1949 (Aimag) Hulunbuir, Nun Moron, Jirem, Ju Ud, Jost, Xilingol, Qahar, Ulanqab, and Ih Ju 1949 (Aimag) Hulunbuir, Nun Moron, Jirem, Ju Ud, Jost, Xilingol, Qahar, Ulanqab, and Ih Ju 1949–1953 (Aimag) Hulunbuir–Nun Moron, Hinggan, Jirem, Ju Ud, Xilingol, Qahar1953 (Aimag) Ju Ud, Xilingol, Qahar1953–1956 (Aimag) Hulunbuir, Jirem, Ju Ud, Xilingol, Qahar, Ulanqab, Ih Ju1956–1958 (Aimag) Hulunbuir, Jirem, Ju Ud, Xilingol, Qahar, Ulanqab, Ih Ju, Bayannur1958–1969 (Aimag) Hulunbuir, Jirem, Ju Ud, Xilingol, Ulanqab, Ih Ju, Bayannur1969–1979 (Inner Mongolia) Xilingol, Ulanqab, Ih Ju, Bayannur1969–1979 (Heilongjiang) Hulunbuir1969–1979 (Jilin) Jirem1979–1980 (Aimag) Hulunbuir, Jirem, Ju Ud, Xilingol, Ulanqab, Ih Ju, Bayannur, Alxa1980–1983 (Aimag) Hulunbuir, Hinggan, Jirem, Ju Ud, Xilingol, Ulanqab, Ih Ju, Bayannur, Alxa1983–1999 (Aimag) Hulunbuir, Hinggan, Jirem, Xilingol, Ulanqab, Ih Ju, Bayannur, Alxa1999–2001 (Aimag) Hulunbuir, Hinggan, Xilingol, Ulanqab, Ih Ju, Bayannur, Alxa2001–2003 (Aimag) Hinggan, Xilingol, Ulanqab, Bayannur, Alxa2003–present (Aimag) Hinggan, Xilingol, Alxa
References
See also Administrative divisions of Mongolia during Qing Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China Prefecture of China List of prefecture-level divisions of China Banner (Inner Mongolia) Eight Banner system List of administrative divisions of Inner Mongolia Aimag