Shule County, also known as Yengisheher County or Yengixahar County, is a county of Kashgar Prefecture, in Xinjiang, China. It is located to the south of Kashgar. In ancient times, the Shule area was once the home to a Xiyu oasis civilisation, the Shule Kingdom.

Etymology

Shule originally referred to Kashgar's new city, built by Han Chinese settlers, located 6 miles (9.7 km) from the old one. Shule may have been an attempt by the Chinese to transcribe the Sanskrit name for Kashgar, Śrīkrīrāti (lit.'fortunate hospitality'). The county's Uyghur name literally means "Kashgar New City".

History

On May 31, 2012, Sidik Kurban was sentenced by Shule County Intermediate People's Court to fifteen years in jail and five years deprivation of political rights for 'inciting ethnic separatism' related to involvement in 'illegal religious activities'. For a decade, he had overseen home-based religious schools for eighty-six students.

Administrative divisions

The county includes 3 towns and 12 townships.

NameSimplified ChineseHanyu PinyinUyghur (UEY)Uyghur Latin (ULY)Administrative division code
Towns
Yengisheher Town (Shule Town)疏勒镇 (英协海尔镇)Shūlè Zhènيېڭىشەھەر بازىرىyëngisheher baziri653124100
Hanerik Town罕南力克镇Hǎnnánlìkè Zhènخانئېرىق بازىرىxan'ëriq baziri653124101
Yapchan Town牙甫泉镇Yáfǔquán Zhènياپچان بازىرىyapchan baziri653124102
Townships
Barin Township巴仁乡Bārén Xiāngبارىن يېزىسىbarin yëzisi653122200
Yanduma Township洋大曼乡Yángdàmàn Xiāngياندۇما يېزىسىyanduma yëzisi653122201
Yamanyar Township亚曼牙乡Yàmànyá Xiāngيامانيار يېزىسىyamanyar yëzisi653122202
Baghchi Township巴合齐乡Bāhéqí Xiāngباغچى يېزىسىbaghchi yëzisi653122203
Tazghun Township塔孜洪乡Tǎzīhóng Xiāngتازغۇن يېزىسىtazghun yëzisi653122204
Yengierik Township英尔力克乡Yīng'ěrlìkè Xiāngيېڭىئېرىق يېزىسىyëngi'ëriq yëzisi653122205
Kumusherik Township库木西力克乡Kùmùxīlìkè Xiāngقۇمۇشئېرىق يېزىسىqumush'ëriq yëzisi653122206
Tagharchi Township塔尕尔其乡Tǎgǎ'ěrqí Xiāngتاغارچى يېزىسىtagharchi yëzisi653122207
Ermudun Township艾尔木东乡Ài'ěrmùdōng Xiāngئەرمۇدۇن يېزىسىErmudun yëzisi653122208
Aral Township阿拉力乡Ālālì Xiāngئارال يېزىسىAral yëzisi653122209
Harap Township阿拉甫乡Ālāfǔ Xiāngھاراپ يېزىسىharap yëzisi653122210
Yengiawat Township英阿瓦提乡Yīng'āwǎtí Xiāngيېڭىئاۋات يېزىسىyëngi'awat yëzisi653122211

Economy

As of 1885[update], there was about 85,400 acres (555,448 mu) of cultivated land in Shule.

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2000284,853
2010312,455+0.93%

As of 2015, 350,301 of the 377,029 residents of the county were Uyghur, 25,709 were Han Chinese and 1,019 were from other ethnic groups.

As of 1999, 93% of the population of Shule County was Uyghur and 6.7% of the population was Han Chinese.

Transportation

Shule is served by China National Highway 315 and the Kashgar-Hotan Railway.

Notable persons

Historical maps

Maps including Shule:

  • Map including Shule (labeled as Yangishahr) (1917)
  • Map including Shule (labeled as SU-LO) from the International Map of the World (AMS, 1966)
  • From the Operational Navigation Chart; map including Shule (labeled as SHULE (SU-LE) (walled)) (DMA, 1980)
  • Map including Shule (Shu-le) (DMA, 1983)
  • Map including Shule (labeled as SHULE (SU-LE) (walled)) (DMA, 1984)

Notes