- Chinese (Pinyin):
- Daxue Shan or
- (Wade-Giles romanization):
- Ta-hsüeh Shan (“Great Snow Mountains”)
- Also called:
- Szechwanese Alps or Sino-Tibetan Chain
Daxue Mountains
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What are the Daxue Mountains?
The Daxue Mountains are a large mountain range in western Sichuan province, southwestern China. Formed around the eastern flank of the Plateau of Tibet, they consist of north-south ridges drained by Yangtze River tributaries.
With peaks rising above 20,000 feet (6,100 metres), the mountains are almost Himalayan in scale. Mount Gongga (Minya Konka) is the highest peak at 24,790 feet (7,556 metres). Much of the highest land is snow-covered, and Mount Gongga has a complex of glaciers. Forests cover the eastern flank, with mixed forests below 8,200 feet (2,500 metres) and fir and spruce forests up to 13,000 feet (4,000 metres). The area to the west is mostly inhabited by Tibetans, while the east is home to both Tibetans and Chinese (Han).
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Where are the Daxue Mountains located in China?
The Daxue Mountains are located in western Sichuan province, southwestern China. They are a series of north-south ridges drained by tributaries of the Yangtze River. The Yalong River runs to the west of the mountains, and the Dadu River is to the east. The mountains are almost Himalayan in scale, with many peaks rising above 20,000 feet (6,100 meters). Mount Gongga (Minya Konka), the highest peak, reaches 24,790 feet (7,556 meters). Much of the highest land is snow-covered, and Mount Gongga has a complex of glaciers.
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What are some major peaks found in the Daxue Mountains?
The Daxue Mountains are a series of north-south ridges in western Sichuan province, China, with many peaks rising above 20,000 feet (6,100 meters). The highest peak in the province is Mount Gongga (Minya Konka), which reaches 24,790 feet (7,556 meters) and has a complex of glaciers. It is the highest mountain that is entirely in China. The southern part of the Daxue range is also known as the Mula Mountains, which reach elevations well above 20,000 feet and are permanently snow-covered.
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What is the climate like in the Daxue Mountains region?
The climate in the Daxue Mountains varies significantly due to elevation and terrain. Lower eastern flanks, up to 8,200 feet (2,500 meters), are thickly forested with birch, hemlock, poplar, and aspen. Fir and spruce forests grow up to 13,000 feet (4,000 meters). The drier northern areas feature grasslands or mixed pine and oak forests. Alpine pasture and grassland are above 13,000 feet. Much of the highest land is snow-covered, with the snow line between 15,000 and 18,000 feet (4,600 and 5,500 meters). Cultivation occurs in alluvial fans of wider river valleys, with wheat and corn grown up to 9,200 feet (2,800 meters), and oats, barley, potatoes, and beans grown at higher elevations.
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Why are the Daxue Mountains important for China's geography and culture?
The Daxue Mountains in western Sichuan province are important geographically as a series of north-south ridges, formed by the uplift of metamorphic rocks, schists, and quartzites, that are drained by Yangtze River tributaries. They form a part of the vast belt of folding that continues southward into Southeast Asia.
The area to the west of the mountains is inhabited mostly by Tibetans; to the east are found both Tibetans and Chinese (Han). The vegetation and climatic regime varies greatly because of the influences of elevation and terrain.
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Daxue Mountains, great mountain range in western Sichuan province, southwestern China. These enormously high and rugged mountains were formed around the eastern flank of the ancient stable block of the Plateau of Tibet; their formation occurred during successive foldings that took place in the final phase of the mountain-building process (orogeny) of the Jurassic Period (roughly 200 to 145 million years ago), as well as during the Cretaceous Period (145 to 65 million years ago) and during the Himalayan orogenies that have subsequently occurred. Throughout the complex system, metamorphic rocks, schists, quartzites, and metamorphic limestones are the predominant rock formations, with massive intrusions of granite. The range forms a part of the vast belt of folding that continues southward into Southeast Asia. The area was further uplifted in Quaternary times (i.e., the past 2.6 million years).
The Daxue Mountains are not a single range but a series of north-south ridges drained by a series of tributaries of the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) that flow north to south. The most important of the rivers are the Yalong to the west of the mountains and the Dadu to the east. The mountains are almost Himalayan in scale, with many peaks rising above 20,000 feet (6,100 metres). The highest peak of all, Mount Gongga (Minya Konka), reaches 24,790 feet (7,556 metres). Much of the highest land is covered with snow, and Mount Gongga has a complex of glaciers. The snow line is between 15,000 and 18,000 feet (4,600 and 5,500 metres). The mountains are still thickly forested on the eastern flank, with mixed forests of birch, hemlock, poplar, and aspen below about 8,200 feet (2,500 metres). From there to about 13,000 feet (4,000 metres) are fir and spruce forests. In the drier northern area, grasslands or mixed forests of pine and oak are common. Above 13,000 feet, the tree cover gives way to alpine pasture and grassland. The vegetation and the climatic regime, however, vary greatly over comparatively small areas because of the influences of elevation and terrain. The area has only scattered patches of cultivated land, mostly occurring in the alluvial fans of the wider river valleys. Wheat and corn (maize) can be grown up to about 9,200 feet (2,800 metres); above that elevation, hardy oats, barley, potatoes, and beans are the chief crops.
The area to the west of the mountains is inhabited mostly by Tibetans; to the east are found both Tibetans and Chinese (Han). There is sometimes confusion about the names given to the various ranges. Usually the range on the Sichuan border between the Dadu and Yalong rivers is called the Daxue Mountains, while the range beyond, between the Yalong and Jinsha rivers, is known as the Shaluli Mountains. The southern part of this range, however, which reaches elevations well above 20,000 feet and is permanently snow-covered, is also known as the Mula Mountains.
