Qinghai (;
alternately romanized as Tsinghai, Ch'inghai), also known Kokonor, is a landlocked
province
A province is almost always an administrative division
Administrative division, administrative unitArticle 3(1). , country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, first-level subdivision, as well as many similar terms, are g ...
in
of the
People's Republic of China
China (), officially the People's Republic of China (PRC; ), is a country in East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia
Asia () is Earth's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the Eastern Hemisphere ...

. It is one of the largest
provinces of China
The provincial level administrative divisions () are the highest-level administrative divisions of China
Due to China's large Demographics of China, population and geographical area, the administrative divisions of China have consiste ...
by area, and is
ranked
A ranking is a relationship between a set of items such that, for any two items, the first is either "ranked higher than", "ranked lower than" or "ranked equal to" the second.
In order theory, mathematics, this is known as a Strict weak ordering# ...
fourth largest in area and has the third smallest population. Its capital and largest city is
Xining
Xining (; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively known as Sining, is the Capital (political), capital of Qinghai province in western China and the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau. As of the 2020 census, it had 2,467,965 inhabitants (2, ...

.
Qinghai borders
Gansu
Gansu (, ; alternately romanized as Kansu) is a landlocked province
A province is almost always an administrative division
Administrative division, administrative unitArticle 3(1). , country subdivision, administrative region, subnatio ...

on the northeast,
Xinjiang
Xinjiang (),, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; alternately romanized as Sinkiang officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and formerly romanized as Sinkiang, is a landlocked autonomous region
An autonomous ...

on the northwest,
Sichuan
Sichuan (; , ; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan) is a landlocked province
A province is almost always an administrative division
Administrative division, administrative unitArticle 3(1). , country subdivision, admini ...

on the southeast and the
Tibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) or Xizang Autonomous Region, often shortened to Tibet or Xizang, is a province
A province is almost always an administrative division
Administrative division, administrative unitArticle 3(1). , count ...
on the southwest. Qinghai province was established in 1928 during the period of the
Republic of China
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. It shares Maritime boundary, maritime borders with the China, People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the sout ...
, and until 1949 was ruled by
Chinese Muslim warlords known as the
Ma clique
The Ma clique or Ma family warlords is a collective name for a group of Hui
The Hui people ( zh, c=, p=Huízú, w=Hui2-tsu2, Xiao'erjing
Xiao'erjing or Xiao'erjin or Xiaor jin or in its shortened form, Xiaojing, literally meaning "chi ...
. The
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, world's most populous country, with a populat ...
name "Qinghai" is after
Qinghai Lake
Qinghai Lake or Ch'inghai Lake, also known by other names
Other most often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Books
* The Other (Tryon novel), ''The Other'' (Tryon n ...

, the largest lake in China. The lake is known as Tso ngon in Tibetan, and as Kokonor Lake in English, derived from the Mongol
Oirat name for Qinghai Lake. Both Tso ngon and Kokonor are names found in historic documents to describe the region.
[ Gangchen Khishong, 2001. ''Tibet and Manchu: An Assesment of Tibet-Manchu Relations in Five Phases of Development''. Dharmasala: Narthang Press, p.1-70.]
Located mostly on the
Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau (, also known as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or the Qing–Zang Plateau () or as the Himalayan Plateau in India, is a vast elevated plateau
In geology
Geology (from the Ancient Greek γῆ, ''gē'' ("earth") and - ...
, the province has long been inhabited by a number of peoples including the
Tibetan
Tibetan may mean:
* of, from, or related to Tibet
* Tibetan people, an ethnic group
* Tibetan language:
** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard
** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dialec ...
s,
Mongols
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , ''Mongolchuud'', ; russian: Монголы, ) are an East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group indigenous peoples, native to the Inner Mongolia, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China, Mongolia an ...

,
Han
Han may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Han Chinese
The Han Chinese,
. Huayuqiao.org. Retrieved on ...
(concentrated in the provincial capital of Xining and nearby Haidong),
Hui
The Hui people ( zh, c=, p=Huízú, w=Hui2-tsu2, Xiao'erjing
Xiao'erjing or Xiao'erjin or Xiaor jin or in its shortened form, Xiaojing, literally meaning "children's script" or "minor script" (cf. "original script" referring to the origina ...
,
Monguors, and
Salars. According to 2021 census reports, Tibetans constitute a fifth of the population of Qinghai and the Hui compose roughly a sixth of the population. There are over 37 recognized ethnic groups among Qinghai's population of 5.6 million, with
national minorities
A minority group, by its original definition, refers to a group of people whose practices, race, religion, ethnicity, or other characteristics are lesser in numbers than the main groups of those classifications. However, in present-day sociology, ...
making up a total of 45.5% of the population.
The area of Qinghai was controlled by Manchu-led Qing China around 1724, after their defeat of
Khoshut
The Khoshut (Mongolian
Mongolian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Mongolia, a country in Asia
* Mongolian people, or Mongols
* Mongolia (1911–24), the government of Mongolia, 1911–1919 and 1921–1924
* Mongolian language
* ...
Mongols, which controlled most of the area that is now Qinghai. After the internal
overthrow of the Qing dynasty in 1912, Qinghai came under Chinese Muslim warlord
Ma Qi
Ma Qi (, Xiao'erjing: ; 23 September 1869 – 5 August 1931) was a Chinese Muslim General in early 20th-century China.
Early life
A Hui people, Hui, Ma was born on 23 September 1869 in Daohe, now part of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Linxia, ...

's control until the
Northern Expedition
The Northern Expedition was a military campaign launched by the National Revolutionary Army (NRA) of the Kuomintang (KMT), also known as the "Chinese Nationalist Party", against the Beiyang government and other regional warlords in 1926. The p ...
by the
Republic of China
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. It shares Maritime boundary, maritime borders with the China, People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the sout ...
consolidated central control in 1928. In the same year, the province of Qinghai was established by the
Nationalist Government, with Xining as its capital.
History
During the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a prehistoric Periodization, period that was characterized by the use of bronze, in some areas proto-writing, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second principal period of the Three-age sys ...
, Qinghai was home to the
Qiang people
The Qiang people ( Qiangic: ''Rrmea''; ) are an ethnic group in China. They form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognised by the People's Republic of China
China (), officially the People's Republic of China (PRC; ), is a co ...
who traditionally made a living in
agriculture
Agriculture is the science, art and practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary
Image:Family watching television 1958.jpg, Exercise trends, Increases in sedentary behaviors su ...

and
husbandry
Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture
Agriculture is the science, art and practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary
Image:Family watching television 1958.jpg, Ex ...
, the
Kayue culture. The eastern part of the area of Qinghai was under the control of the
Han dynasty#REDIRECT Han dynasty
The Han dynasty () was the second Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 220 AD), established by the rebel leader Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. Preceded by the short-lived Qin dynas ...

about 2,000 years ago. It was a battleground during the
Tang and subsequent Chinese dynasties when they fought against successive
Tibetan tribes.
In the middle of 3rd century CE, nomadic people related to the
Mongol
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , ''Mongolchuud'', ; russian: Монголы, ) are an East Asian
East Asia is the eastern region
In geography
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia'', literally "earth description") ...

ic
Xianbei
The Xianbei (; ) were a Proto-Mongolic
Proto-Mongolic is the hypothetical ancestor language of the modern Mongolic languages. It is very close to the Middle Mongol language, the language spoken at the time of Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empir ...
migrated to pasture lands around the
Qinghai Lake
Qinghai Lake or Ch'inghai Lake, also known by other names
Other most often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Books
* The Other (Tryon novel), ''The Other'' (Tryon n ...

(Koko Nur) and established the
Tuyuhun Kingdom
Tuyuhun (; Eastern Han Chinese, LHC: *''tʰɑʔ-jok-guənʔ''; Wade-Giles: ''T'u-yühun''), also known as Azha (Standard Tibetan, Tibetan: ''‘A-zha''), was a dynastic kingdom established by the Nomads, nomadic peoples related to the Xianbei in t ...
.
In the 7th century, the Tuyuhun Kingdom was attacked by both the
Tibetan Empire
The Tibetan Empire (, ; ) was an empire centered on the Tibetan Plateau, formed as a result of imperial expansion under the Yarlung dynasty heralded by its 33rd king, Songsten Gampo in the 7th century. The empire further expanded under the 38th ...

and the Tang dynasty as both sought control over the
Silk Road
The Silk Road () was and is a network of trade routes connecting the Eastern world, East and Western culture, West, from the 2nd century BCE to the 18th century CE. It was central to the economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions ...

trade routes. Tibetan King
Songsten Gampo was victorious, and settled the area around Tso ngon (Lake Go, or Kokonor Lake). Military conflicts had severely weakened the Tuhuyun kingdom and it was incorporated into the Tibetan Empire. The Tibetan Empire continued expanding beyond Tso ngon during
Trisong Detsen
Trisong Detsen () was the son of Me Agtsom, the 38th List of emperors of Tibet, emperor of Tibet. He ruled from AD 755 until 797 or 804. Trisong Detsen was the second of the Three Dharma Kings of Tibet, playing a pivotal role in the introduction of ...

's and
Ralpachen's reigns, and the empire controlled vast areas north and east of Tso ngon until 848, which included
Xian
Xi'an ( , ; ; Chinese: ), sometimes romanized as Sian, is the capital
Capital most commonly refers to:
* Capital letter
Letter case (or just case) is the distinction between the letters that are in larger uppercase or capitals ( ...

.
After the disintegration of the Tibetan Empire, small local factions emerged, some under the titular authority of China. The
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song
Emperor Taizu of Song (21 March 927 – 14 November 976), personal name Zhao Kua ...
defeated the Tibetan Kokonor Kingdom in the 1070s. During the Mongol
Yuan dynasty
The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a successor state
Successor is someone who, or something which succeeds or comes after (see success and succession)
Film and TV
* ''The Succ ...
's
administrative rule of Tibet, the region comprised the headwaters of the Ma chu (Machu River,
Yellow River
The Yellow River (Chinese: , Jin: uə xɔ Mandarin
Mandarin may refer to:
* Mandarin (bureaucrat), a bureaucrat of Imperial China (the original meaning of the word)
** by extension, any senior government bureaucrat
A bureaucrat is ...
) and the Yalong (
Yangtze
The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains
The Tanggula ( Chinese: ...
) rivers and was known as
Amdo
Amdo ( Help:IPA/Tibetan, am˥˥.to˥˥ ) is one of the three traditional regions of Tibet, the others being U-Tsang in the west, Kham in the east. Ngari (including former Guge kingdom) in the north-west was incorporated into Ü-Tsang. Amdo ...

, but apportioned to different administrative divisions than Tibet proper.
Most of Qinghai was once also a short time under the control of early
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was the Dynasties in Chinese history, ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last imperial dynas ...

, but later gradually lost to the
Khoshut Khanate
The Khoshut Khanate was an Oirats, Oirat khanate based in the Tibetan Plateau from 1642 to 1717.
Name
It is also referred to as Heshuote Khanate (和碩特汗國), State of Khoshut, or Quoshote Khanate. In Cyrillic it is spelled Хошууд ...

founded by the
Oirats
Oirats ( mn, Ойрад, ''Oirad'', or , Oird; ; xal-RU, Өөрд; in the past, also Eleuths) are the westernmost group of the Mongols
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , ''Mongolchuud'', ; russian: Монголы, ) are an East ...
. The
Xunhua Salar Autonomous County
Xunhua Salar Autonomous County ( zh, s=循化撒拉族自治县, p=Xúnhuà Sǎlázú Zìzhìxiàn; slr, Göxdeñiz Velayat Yisır Salır Özbaşdak Yurt) is an autonomous Salar county
A county is a geographical region of a country used fo ...
is where most
Salar people
The Salar people ( zh, c=撒拉族, p=Sālāzú) are a Turkic languages, Turkic-speaking Ethnic minorities in China, ethnic minority of China who largely speak the Salar language, an Oghuz languages, Oghuz language.
The Salar people numbered 1 ...
live in Qinghai. The Salars migrated to Qinghai from
Samarkand
fa, سمرقند
, native_name_lang =
, settlement_type = City
, image_skyline =
, image_alt =
, image_caption = Clockwise from the top: The Reg ...

in 1370.
The chief of the four upper clans around this time was Han Pao-yuan and Ming granted him office of centurion, it was at this time the people of his four clans took Han as their surname. The other chief Han Shan-pa of the four lower Salar clans got the same office from Ming, and his clans were the ones who took Ma as their surname.
From 1640 to 1724, a big part of the area that is now Qinghai was under
Khoshut
The Khoshut (Mongolian
Mongolian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Mongolia, a country in Asia
* Mongolian people, or Mongols
* Mongolia (1911–24), the government of Mongolia, 1911–1919 and 1921–1924
* Mongolian language
* ...
Mongol control, but in 1724 it was conquered by the armies of the
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty, officially the Great Qing (), was the last dynasty
A dynasty (, ) is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press
Oxford University Pr ...
.
Xining
Xining (; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively known as Sining, is the Capital (political), capital of Qinghai province in western China and the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau. As of the 2020 census, it had 2,467,965 inhabitants (2, ...

, the capital of modern Qinghai province, began to function as the administrative center, although the city itself was then part of
Gansu
Gansu (, ; alternately romanized as Kansu) is a landlocked province
A province is almost always an administrative division
Administrative division, administrative unitArticle 3(1). , country subdivision, administrative region, subnatio ...

province within the "Tibetan frontier district". In 1724, 13-Article for the Effective Governing of Qinghai (Chinese:青海善后事宜十三条) was proposed by
Nian Gengyao and adopted by the Central Government to gain full control of Qinghai.
During the rule of the Qing dynasty, the governor was a viceroy of the Qing Emperor, but the local ethnic groups enjoyed much autonomy. Many chiefs retained their traditional authority, participating in local administrations. The
Dungan revolt (1862–77)Dungan revolt may refer to:
* Dungan revolt (1862–77), rebellion of various Muslim ethnic groups in Shaanxi and Gansu, China
* Dungan revolt (1895–96), rebellion of various Muslim ethnic groups in Qinghai and Gansu, China
{{disambiguation ...
devastated the
Hui
The Hui people ( zh, c=, p=Huízú, w=Hui2-tsu2, Xiao'erjing
Xiao'erjing or Xiao'erjin or Xiaor jin or in its shortened form, Xiaojing, literally meaning "children's script" or "minor script" (cf. "original script" referring to the origina ...
Muslim population of
Shaanxi
Shaanxi (; , ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately Shensi) is a landlocked Provinces of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, ...

, shifting the Hui center of population to
Gansu
Gansu (, ; alternately romanized as Kansu) is a landlocked province
A province is almost always an administrative division
Administrative division, administrative unitArticle 3(1). , country subdivision, administrative region, subnatio ...

and Qinghai.
Another
Dungan revolt broke out in Qinghai in 1895 when various Muslim ethnic groups in Qinghai and Gansu rebelled against the Qing. Following the
overthrow of the Qing dynasty in 1911, the region came under Chinese Muslim warlord
Ma Qi
Ma Qi (, Xiao'erjing: ; 23 September 1869 – 5 August 1931) was a Chinese Muslim General in early 20th-century China.
Early life
A Hui people, Hui, Ma was born on 23 September 1869 in Daohe, now part of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Linxia, ...

control until the
Northern Expedition
The Northern Expedition was a military campaign launched by the National Revolutionary Army (NRA) of the Kuomintang (KMT), also known as the "Chinese Nationalist Party", against the Beiyang government and other regional warlords in 1926. The p ...
by the
Republic of China
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. It shares Maritime boundary, maritime borders with the China, People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the sout ...
consolidated central control in 1928.
In July–August 1912, General
Ma Fuxiang
Ma Fuxiang (, Xiao'erjing: , French romanization: Ma-Fou-hiang or Ma Fou-siang; 4 February 1876 – 19 August 1932) was a Chinese military and political leader spanning the Qing dynasty, Qing Dynasty through the early Republic of China (1912– ...

was "Acting Chief Executive Officer of Kokonur" (de facto Governor of the region that later became Qinghai). In 1928, Qinghai province was created. The Muslim warlord and General
Ma Qi
Ma Qi (, Xiao'erjing: ; 23 September 1869 – 5 August 1931) was a Chinese Muslim General in early 20th-century China.
Early life
A Hui people, Hui, Ma was born on 23 September 1869 in Daohe, now part of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Linxia, ...

became military governor of Qinghai, followed by his brother
Ma Lin (warlord)
Ma Lin ( Xiao'erjing: , ; 1873 – 26 January 1945) was the governor of Qinghai 1931–38 and the brother of Ma Qi. A Muslim born in 1873, Linxia County, Gansu
Gansu (; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Kansu) is a land ...
and then Ma Qi's son
Ma Bufang
Ma Bufang (1903 – 31 July 1975) (, Xiao'erjing: ) was a Chinese Islamism, Islamist who was a prominent Muslim Ma clique warlord in China during the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China era, ruling the province of Qinghai. His rank ...

. In 1932
Tibet invaded Qinghai, attempting to capture southern parts of Qinghai province, following contention in
Yushu, Qinghai, over a monastery in 1932. The army of Ma Bufang defeated the Tibetan armies. Governor of Qinghai
Ma Bufang
Ma Bufang (1903 – 31 July 1975) (, Xiao'erjing: ) was a Chinese Islamism, Islamist who was a prominent Muslim Ma clique warlord in China during the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China era, ruling the province of Qinghai. His rank ...

was described as a
socialist
Socialism is a political
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions
In psychology, decision-making (also spelled decision making and decisionmaking) is regarded as the Cognition, cognitive pr ...
by American journalist
John Roderick and friendly compared to the other Ma Clique warlords. Ma Bufang was reported to be good humoured and jovial in contrast to the brutal reign of
Ma Hongkui
Ma Hongkui (,
Xiao'erjing: ; March 14, 1892 – January 14, 1970) was a prominent warlord in China during the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China era, ruling the province of Ningxia. His rank was lieutenant general. His court ...

. Most of eastern China was ravaged by the
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific War, Pac ...
and the
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war in China fought between the Kuomintang (KMT)-led Nationalist government, government of the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China (ROC) and forces of the Communist Party of China (CPC) lastin ...
, by contrast, Qinghai was relatively untouched.
Ma Bufang increased the prominence of the Hui and
Salar people
The Salar people ( zh, c=撒拉族, p=Sālāzú) are a Turkic languages, Turkic-speaking Ethnic minorities in China, ethnic minority of China who largely speak the Salar language, an Oghuz languages, Oghuz language.
The Salar people numbered 1 ...
in Qinghai's politics by heavily recruiting to his army from the counties in which those ethnic groups predominated.
General Ma started a state run and controlled industrialization project, directly creating educational, medical, agricultural, and sanitation projects, run or assisted by the state. The state provided money for food and uniforms in all schools, state run or private. Roads and a theater were constructed. The state controlled all the press, no freedom was allowed for independent journalists.
As the
1949 Chinese revolution approached Qinghai, Ma Bufang abandoned his post and flew to
Hong Kong
Hong Kong (; , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (HKSAR), is a city
A city is a large human settlement.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Pe ...

, traveling abroad but never returning to China. On January 1, 1950, the Qinghai Province People's Government was declared, owing its allegiance to the new
People's Republic of China
China (), officially the People's Republic of China (PRC; ), is a country in East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia
Asia () is Earth's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the Eastern Hemisphere ...

. Aside from some minor adjustments to suit the geography, the PRC maintained the province's territorial integrity. Resistance to Communist rule continued in the form of the Huis'
Kuomintang Islamic insurgency (1950–58), spreading past traditionally Hui areas to the ethnic-Tibetan south.
Although the Hui composed 15.6% of Qinghai's population in 1949, making the province the second-largest concentration of Hui after
Ningxia
Ningxia (, ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Ninghsia), officially the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (NHAR), is a landlocked Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region in the Northwest China, northwest of the China, Pe ...

, the state denied the Hui ethnic autonomous townships and counties that their numbers warranted under Chinese law until the 1980s.
File:Khoshut Khanate.png, The Khoshut Khanate
The Khoshut Khanate was an Oirats, Oirat khanate based in the Tibetan Plateau from 1642 to 1717.
Name
It is also referred to as Heshuote Khanate (和碩特汗國), State of Khoshut, or Quoshote Khanate. In Cyrillic it is spelled Хошууд ...

(1642–1717) based in the Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau (, also known as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or the Qing–Zang Plateau () or as the Himalayan Plateau in India, is a vast elevated plateau
In geology
Geology (from the Ancient Greek γῆ, ''gē'' ("earth") and - ...
File:Chiang Kai-shek on right Ma Buqing on left Ma Bufang second from left.png, Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek (31 October 1887 – 5 April 1975), also known as Chiang Chung-cheng and romanized
Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of language
A language is a structured syst ...

, leader of Nationalist China (right), meets with the Muslim generals Ma Bufang
Ma Bufang (1903 – 31 July 1975) (, Xiao'erjing: ) was a Chinese Islamism, Islamist who was a prominent Muslim Ma clique warlord in China during the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China era, ruling the province of Qinghai. His rank ...

(second from left), and Ma Buqing
Ma Buqing (1901–1977) (, Xiao'erjing
Xiao'erjing or Xiao'erjin or Xiaor jin or in its shortened form, Xiaojing, literally meaning "children's script" or "minor script" (cf. "original script" referring to the original Perso-Arabic script; ...

(first from left) in Xining
Xining (; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively known as Sining, is the Capital (political), capital of Qinghai province in western China and the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau. As of the 2020 census, it had 2,467,965 inhabitants (2, ...

, Qinghai, in August 1942
Geography
Qinghai is located on the northeastern part of the
Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau (, also known as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or the Qing–Zang Plateau () or as the Himalayan Plateau in India, is a vast elevated plateau
In geology
Geology (from the Ancient Greek γῆ, ''gē'' ("earth") and - ...
. The
Yellow River
The Yellow River (Chinese: , Jin: uə xɔ Mandarin
Mandarin may refer to:
* Mandarin (bureaucrat), a bureaucrat of Imperial China (the original meaning of the word)
** by extension, any senior government bureaucrat
A bureaucrat is ...
originates in the southern part of the province, while the
Yangtze
The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains
The Tanggula ( Chinese: ...
and
Mekong
The Mekong or Mekong River is a trans-boundary river
A transboundary river is a river that crosses at least one political border, either a border within a nation or an international boundary. Bangladesh has the highest number of these river ...

have their sources in the southwestern part. Qinghai is separated by the
into pastoral and agricultural zones in the west and east.
The average elevation of Qinghai is over above sea level. Mountain ranges include the
Tanggula Mountains
The Tanggula ( Chinese: , p ''Tánggǔlāshān'', or , p ''Tánggǔlāshānmài''), Tangla, Tanglha, or Dangla Mountains ( Tibetan: , w ''Gdang La'', z ''Dang La'') are a mountain range in the central part of the ...
and
Kunlun Mountains
The Kunlun Mountains ( zh, s=昆仑山, t=崑崙山, p=Kūnlún Shān, ; ug, كۇئېنلۇن تاغ تىزمىسى) constitute one of the longest mountain chain
A mountain chain is a row of high mountain summit
A summit is a point on a su ...

, with the highest point being
Bukadaban Feng
Bukadaban Feng or Buka Daban Feng (), Syn Qing Feng () or Bokalik Tagh (), is a remote peak on the border between Ruoqiang County
Ruoqiang County () as the official romanized name, also transliterated from Uyghur as Qakilik County (; ), is a cou ...
at . Due to the high altitude, Qinghai has quite cold winters (harsh in the highest elevations), mild summers, and a large
diurnal temperature variation
In meteorology
Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences which includes atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric physics, with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progr ...
. Its mean annual temperature is approximately , with January temperatures ranging from and July temperatures ranging from . It is also prone to heavy winds as well as
from February to April. Significant rainfall occurs mainly in summer, while precipitation is very low in winter and spring, and is generally low enough to keep much of the province
semi-arid
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is the climate
Climate is the long-term pattern of weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere
An atmosphere (from the greek words ἀτμός ''(atmos)'', meaning ' ...
or
arid
A region is arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or preventing the growth and development
Development or developing may refer to:
Arts
*Development hell, when a project is stuck in d ...

.
By area, Qinghai is the largest province in the People's Republic of China (excluding the
autonomous regions
An autonomous administrative division (also referred to as an autonomous area, entity, unit, region, subdivision, or territory) is a subnational administrative division
Administrative division, administrative unitArticle 3(1). , country sub ...
).
Qinghai Lake
Qinghai Lake or Ch'inghai Lake, also known by other names
Other most often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Books
* The Other (Tryon novel), ''The Other'' (Tryon n ...

is the largest salt water lake in China, and the second largest in the world. The
Qaidam basin
The Qaidam, Tsaidam, or Chaidamu Basin is a hyperarid basin that occupies a large part of Haixi Prefecture in Qinghai Province, China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the List of cou ...
lies in the northwest part of the province. About a third of this resource rich basin is desert. The basin has an altitude between 3000 and 3500 meters.
The
Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve
The Sanjiangyuan (), is an area of the Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau (), also known in China as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or the Qing–Zang Plateau () or as the Himalayan Plateau in India, is a vast elevated plateau in South Asia, Cen ...
, is located in Qinghai and contains the headwaters of the
Yellow River
The Yellow River (Chinese: , Jin: uə xɔ Mandarin
Mandarin may refer to:
* Mandarin (bureaucrat), a bureaucrat of Imperial China (the original meaning of the word)
** by extension, any senior government bureaucrat
A bureaucrat is ...
,
Yangtze River
The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains
The Tanggula ( Chinese: ...
, and
Mekong River
The Mekong or Mekong River is a trans-boundary river
A transboundary river is a river that crosses at least one political border, either a border within a nation or an international boundary. Bangladesh has the highest number of these rive ...

. The reserve was established to protect the headwaters of these three rivers and consists of 18 subareas, each containing three zones which are managed with differing degrees of strictness.
File:Nianbaoyuze Geopark 2015.jpeg, Nyenpo Yurtse, Jigzhi County
Jigzhi County or Chik Dril (; ) is a county of Qinghai Province, China, bordering Sichuan
Sichuan (, Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ; Postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan) is a landlocke ...
, Qinghai
File:青海日月山 - panoramio - Tiger@西北 (3).jpg, in Qinghai
Politics
Administrative divisions
Because the Han form Qinghai's ethnic majority
and because none of its many ethnic minorities have clear dominance over the rest, the province is not administered as an autonomous region. Instead, the province has many ethnic autonomous areas at the district and county levels.
Qinghai is administratively divided into eight
prefecture-level divisions: two
prefecture-level cities
A road sign shows distance to the "Huangshi urban area" () rather than simply " Yangxin County from the neighboring Xianning), but still from the Huangshi main urban area.
A prefectural-level municipality (), prefectural-level city or prefectu ...
and six
autonomous prefecture
Autonomous prefectures () are one type of autonomous administrative divisions of China, existing at the Administrative divisions of China#Prefectural level (2nd), prefectural level, with either list of ethnic groups in China and Taiwan, ethnic m ...
s:
The eight
prefecture-level divisions of Qinghai are subdivided into 44
county-level divisions (6
districts
A district is a type of administrative division
Administrative division, administrative unitArticle 3(1). , country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, first-level subdivision, as well as many similar terms, are generic ...
, 4
county-level cities
A county-level municipality (), county-level city or county city, formerly known as prefecture-controlled city (1949–1970: ; 1970–1983: ), is a county-level administrative division of the People's Republic of China
China ...
, 27
counties
A county is a geographical region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
and 7
autonomous counties).
Urban areas
Population
Demographics
Ethnicity
There are over 37 recognized ethnic groups among Qinghai's population of 5.2 million, with
national minorities
A minority group, by its original definition, refers to a group of people whose practices, race, religion, ethnicity, or other characteristics are lesser in numbers than the main groups of those classifications. However, in present-day sociology, ...
making up 45.5% of the population. The demographic mix is similar to
Gansu
Gansu (, ; alternately romanized as Kansu) is a landlocked province
A province is almost always an administrative division
Administrative division, administrative unitArticle 3(1). , country subdivision, administrative region, subnatio ...

province, with
Han
Han may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Han Chinese
The Han Chinese,
. Huayuqiao.org. Retrieved on ...
(54.5%),
Tibetan
Tibetan may mean:
* of, from, or related to Tibet
* Tibetan people, an ethnic group
* Tibetan language:
** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard
** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dialec ...
(20.7%),
Hui
The Hui people ( zh, c=, p=Huízú, w=Hui2-tsu2, Xiao'erjing
Xiao'erjing or Xiao'erjin or Xiaor jin or in its shortened form, Xiaojing, literally meaning "children's script" or "minor script" (cf. "original script" referring to the origina ...
(16%),
Tu (Monguor) (4%),
Mongol
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , ''Mongolchuud'', ; russian: Монголы, ) are an East Asian
East Asia is the eastern region
In geography
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia'', literally "earth description") ...
, and
Salar being the most populous groups.
Han Chinese
The Han Chinese (), or the Han people (), is an East Asian
East Asia is the east
East is one of the four cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions, or cardinal points, are the directions north
North is one of the four ...
predominate in the cities of
Xining
Xining (; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively known as Sining, is the Capital (political), capital of Qinghai province in western China and the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau. As of the 2020 census, it had 2,467,965 inhabitants (2, ...

,
Haidong
Haidong (; Wylie transliteration, Wylie: Haitung) is a prefecture-level city of Qinghai province in Western China. Its name literally means "east of the Qinghai Lake, (Qinghai) Lake." On 8 February 2013 Haidong was upgraded from a prefecture () i ...

,
Delingha
Delingha (; ), or Delhi (SASM/GNC/SRC romanization of Mongolian: ''Delhi hot''), is the seat of the Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (; mn, File:Qayisi-yin mongɣol-un -12..PNG; bo, ...

and
Golmud
Golmud, also known by various other romanizations, is a county-level city
A county-level municipality (), county-level city or county city, formerly known as prefecture-controlled city (1949–1970: ; 1970–1983: ), is a coun ...

, and elsewhere in the northeast. The Hui are concentrated in Xining, Haidong,
Minhe County,
Hualong County, and
Datong County. The
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{{R from ambiguous term
...
predominate in