Bayanhot

{{Short description|Town in Mongolia}}

{{Infobox settlement

| native_name = 巴彦浩特镇

| native_name_lang = zh

| settlement_type = Town

| translit_lang1 = Mongolian

| translit_lang1_info =

| image_skyline = Bayanhot_bus_station.jpg

| image_caption = Bayanhot bus station

| area_total_km2 = 5433.8

| area_urban_km2 = 32

| area_urban_footnotes = {{cite web | url=http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/nm/34715.html | title=阿拉善左旗巴彦浩特镇_区划地名网（行政区划网） }}

| elevation_m = 1450

| elevation_footnotes = {{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2iLbAAAAMAAJ&q=Bayanhot+yinchuan | isbn=978-90-220-1063-1 | title=Forage Resources of China | date=1992 | publisher=Pudoc }}

| population_total = 94445

| population_as_of = 2010

| translit_lang1_info1 = {{lang|mn|ᠪᠠᠶᠠᠨᠬᠣᠲᠠ ᠪᠠᠯᠭᠠᠰᠤ}}

| translit_lang1_type1 = Mongolian

}}

Bayanhot is a town in Alxa Left Banner, it is the capital and largest town of Alxa League. Its name originates from Mongolian meaning 'rich town'.{{Cite book |last=Planet |first=Lonely |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x5lODwAAQBAJ&dq=Bayanhot&pg=PT2404 |title=Chine 12ed |date=2018-03-08 |publisher=edi8 |isbn=978-2-8161-6679-8 |language=fr}} It was formerly known as Dingyuanying ({{zh|labels=no|c=定远营镇}}) or Wang Ye Fu.{{cite journal |last1=Wulsin |first1=Frederick R. |date=February 1926 |title=The Road to Wang Ye Fu |journal=National Geographic Magazine |volume=49 |issue=2 |page=197}} In 2010 the population was 94,445.{{Cite web |title=巴彦浩特镇 (阿拉善左旗, 阿拉善盟 (内蒙古自治区), 中國) - 人口统计，图表，地图，位置，天气和网络信息 |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/zh/china/townships/alxa/%C4%81l%C4%81sh%C3%A0n_zu%C5%8Fq%C3%AD/152921110__b%C4%81y%C3%A0nh%C3%A0ot%C3%A8_zh%C3%A8n/ |access-date=2024-08-09 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}

The town is bordered by the Helan Mountains in the east and by the Tengger Desert in the west.{{Cite web |title=阿拉善左旗人民政府网 苏木镇概况 巴彦浩特镇 |url=https://www.alszq.gov.cn/art/2024/1/4/art_2167_253356.html |access-date=2024-08-09 |website=www.alszq.gov.cn}}

The town was established in 1730 as Dingyuanying and renamed to Bayanhot in 1952. It has historically been supplied from nearby Yinchuan,{{Cite book |last=Shabad |first=Theodore |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tFJxAAAAMAAJ&q=Bayanhot |title=China's Changing Map: National and Regional Development, 1949-71 |date=1972 |publisher=Praeger |language=en}} and still retains good transport links with the capital of Ningxia.

The Alxa Baraghun Hiid, a large Mongol Buddhist monastery was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution but rebuilt in 2001. The Yanfu Buddhist temple has survived as one of the old Mongol town landmarks.{{Cite book |last=Dillon |first=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a35fDwAAQBAJ&dq=mongol+muslims+alxa+league&pg=PT167 |title=Lesser Dragons: Minority Peoples of China |date=2018-05-15 |publisher=Reaktion Books |isbn=978-1-78023-952-1 |language=en}}