Hotan Prefecture

Hotan Prefecture is named for its seat, Hotan (or Khotan). The area was originally known as Godana in ancient Sanskrit cosmological texts.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-asian-studies/article/philippines-public-policy-and-national-economic-development-by-frank-golay-ithaca-cornell-university-press-1961-xviii-455-map-tables-index-bibliographic-essay/7851EE3274E488CDE43901E06D281B54|doi=10.2307/2049929|jstor=2049929|title=The Philippines. Public Policy and National Economic Development. By Frank Golay. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1961. Xviii, 455. Map, Tables, Index, Bibliographic Essay|journal=The Journal of Asian Studies|volume=22|issue=1|pages=114–116|last1=Higgins|first1=Benjamin|date=November 1962}} The Chinese transcribed the name as {{lang|zh-hant|于窴}}, pronounced Gudana in Middle Chinese (Yutian in modern Standard Chinese); the pronunciation eventually morphed into Khotan. In the 7th century, the Chinese Buddhist monk and scholar Xuanzang attempted to remedy this lexical change. Xuanzang, who was well-versed in Sanskrit, proposed that the traditional name was in fact Kustana ({{lang|sa|गौस्तन}}) and asserted it meant "breast of the earth". However, this was likely borrowed from the Tibetan name for the region, Gosthana, which means "land of cows". It is therefore most likely that the original name of Hotan was Sanskritic in origin, a consequence of ancient Indian settlement in the area.{{cite book |last1=Wang |first1=Bangwei |last2=Sen |first2= Tansen|title=India and China: Interactions through Buddhism and Diplomacy: A Collection of Essays by Professor Prabodh Chandra Bagchi |publisher=Anthem Press |date=2011 |page=186 |isbn=9780857288219 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=hrA1DgAAQBAJ&pg=PA186}}{{citation|last=Puri|first=Baij Nath|title=Buddhism in Central Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sluKZfTrr3oC&pg=PA52|year=1987|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0372-5|pages=52}}

The official Uyghur-Latin transliteration, and therefore English spelling, of the modern city's name is "Hotan" according to the Register of Chinese Geographic Places.(中国地名录, published in Beijing, SinoMaps Press {{lang|zh-hans|中国地图出版社}} 1997; {{ISBN|7-5031-1718-4}}; p. 312.) The Hanyu pinyin romanization Hetian has also been used on some maps.

The Hotan Prefecture region played a major part in the Dungan Revolt (1862–1877).

Tunganistan was an independent administered region in the southern part of Xinjiang from 1934 to 1937. The territory included the oases of the southern Tarim Basin; the centre of the region was Khotan.

On December 22, 1949, PLA forces reached Hotan. In 1950, the area was redesignated as Hotan District ({{lang|zh-hans|{{linktext|和闐|專區}}}}).{{cite web|url=https://www.xjht.gov.cn/article/show.php?itemid=5910|script-title=zh:历史沿革|language=zh-hans|date=19 January 2019|access-date=22 January 2020|publisher=Hotan Prefecture People's Government|quote={{lang|zh-hans|1949年12月22日中国人民解放军十五团抵达和阗 ，和阗解放。1950年改称和阗专区，1959年改和阗为和田，1971年改专区为地区，1979年建立和田行政公署。}}}}

In 1959, the Chinese character name of Hotan was changed from '{{lang|zh-hans|和阗}}' to the homophonous '{{lang|zh-hans|和田}}'.

In 1962, events of the Sino-Indian War occurred in parts of Aksai Chin administered as part of Hotan Prefecture.

In 1971, Hotan was changed from a district ({{lang|zh-hans|专区}}) to a prefecture ({{lang|zh-hans|地区}}).

Between June 1991 and March 1992, there were six attacks with firearms on Han Chinese residents in Hotan Prefecture.{{cite journal|title=Charting the Course of Uyghur Unrest|author=Justin V. Hastings|date=December 2011|journal=The China Quarterly|issue=208|page=901|jstor=41447781}} (Sourced to the Xinjiang Public Security Gazette ({{lang|zh-hans|新疆通志·公安志}}), pages 84)

According to a reporter for the Wen Wei Po in Ürümqi, between January and August 2005, authorities had disbanded six "illegal underground" religious schools in Hotan Prefecture and confiscated more than one hundred unauthorized religious books and periodicals as well as 972 audio and video tapes.{{cite web|url=https://www.wenweipo.com/news_print.phtml?news_id=CH0508310033|script-title=zh:[2005-08-31] 新疆破獲東突分裂組織|date=31 August 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051107172902/https://www.wenweipo.com/news_print.phtml?news_id=CH0508310033|archive-date=7 November 2005|website=Wen Wei Po|language=zh-hant|quote={{lang|zh-hant|據悉，今年以來，該地區已查獲地下非法教經點6個，查收非法宗教書刊100餘本、音像製品972盒和帶有違法的各類物品1,874件。}}|via=Internet Archive}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cecc.gov/publications/commission-analysis/uighur-separatists-arrested-in-xinjiangs-hetian-prefecture|title=Uighur Separatists Arrested in Xinjiang's Hetian Prefecture|website=Congressional-Executive Commission on China|date=7 September 2005|access-date=23 January 2020|quote=The article also reports that since January, Hetian authorities have disbanded six "illegal underground" religious schools and confiscated unauthorized religious books, periodicals, and audio and video tapes.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714143221/https://www.cecc.gov/publications/commission-analysis/uighur-separatists-arrested-in-xinjiangs-hetian-prefecture|archive-date=14 July 2019|url-status=live}}

In 2016, Kunyu was established within the boundaries of Hotan Prefecture.

In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China, 171 Uyghur workers from Hotan Prefecture were sent to Changsha, Hunan.{{cite web|url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/work-02272020160853.html|title=Xinjiang Authorities Sending Uyghurs to Work in China's Factories, Despite Coronavirus Risks|date=27 February 2020|access-date=2 February 2020|website=Radio Free Asia |author=Mamatjan Juma |author2=Alim Seytoff |author3=Joshua Lipes |translator=Mamatjan Juma |translator2=Alim Seytoff|quote=Recent reports by the official Xinjiang Daily and Chinanews.com said that from Feb. 22-23, "400 youths were transferred to the provinces of Hunan, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi." Of those, 114 from Awat (in Chinese, Awati) county, in the XUAR's Aksu (Akesu) prefecture, were sent to Jiangxi's Jiujiang city on Feb. 23, 100 from Aksu city were sent to Jiujiang on Feb. 22, and 171 from Hotan (Hetian) prefecture were sent to Changsha city in Hunan province, the reports said, without providing a date for the last transfer.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228083241/https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/work-02272020160853.html|archive-date=28 February 2020|url-status=live}}

The vast majority of the residents live around oases situated between the desolate Taklamakan Desert and Kunlun Mountains. To the north, the prefecture borders Aksu Prefecture, to the east Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, to the west Kashgar Prefecture, and to the south, Tibet and the areas disputed between China, India and Pakistan. Aksai Chin includes the southernmost point administered as part of Xinjiang. Most of the prefecture has a cold desert climate.

File:Oasis Covered By Poplar Folast Windbreak At Hotan Of The South Taklimakan Desert = 和田（ホータン）のポプラ防風林 36556483052 35ae0e8819 o.jpg

File:Khotan-melikawat-ruinas-d05.jpg]]

The Hotan Prefecture is divided into one county-level city and seven counties and surrounds Kunyu:{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/tjbz/tjyqhdmhcxhfdm/2018/65/6532.html |script-title=zh:2018年统计用区划代码和城乡划分代码：和田地区 |trans-title=2018 Statistical Area Numbers and Rural-Urban Area Numbers: Hotan Prefecture |language=zh-hans|publisher=National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China |date=2018 |access-date=23 January 2020 |quote={{lang|zh-Hans|统计用区划代码 名称 653201000000 和田市 653221000000 和田县 653222000000 墨玉县 653223000000 皮山县 653224000000 洛浦县 653225000000 策勒县 653226000000 于田县 653227000000 民丰县|}}}}{{cite web|url=https://www.xjht.gov.cn/article/show.php?itemid=5809|script-title=zh:行政区划|trans-title=Administrative Divisions|date=19 January 2018|access-date=23 January 2020|publisher=Hotan Prefecture People's Government |quote={{lang|zh-Hans|和田地区辖和田市、和田县、皮山县、墨玉县、洛浦县、策勒县、于田县、民丰县7县1市，91个乡镇，13个街道办事处，98个社区，1384个行政村，还有生产建设兵团十四师及所属奴尔牧场、47团场、皮山农场及224团场。历任中共和田地委书记22位，专员14位，现任地委书记杨发森、行署专员艾则孜•木沙。}}}}

File:Musicians at Hotan Sunday Market.jpg

{{Historical populations

|type=China

|percentages = pagr

|2000|1681310

|2010|2014362

|2015|2324287

|footnote =

|}}

As of 2015, 2,248,113 (96.7%) of the 2,324,287 residents of the prefecture were Uyghur, 71,233 were Han Chinese (3.1%) and 4,941 were from other ethnic groups.{{cite web |url= http://www.xjtj.gov.cn/sjcx/tjnj_3415/2016xjtjnj/rkjy/201707/t20170714_539450.html |script-title= zh:3-7 各地、州、市、县(市)分民族人口数 |language=zh-hans|publisher=Statistic Bureau of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region |access-date= 2017-09-03 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171011101904/http://www.xjtj.gov.cn/sjcx/tjnj_3415/2016xjtjnj/rkjy/201707/t20170714_539450.html |archive-date= 2017-10-11 |url-status=live }}

In 2014, according to a local government employee in the township of Langru in Hotan County, "Islamic beliefs are very strong" in the prefecture.

As of the 2000s, the population of Hotan Prefecture was more than 95% Uyghur.{{cite web|url=http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/xj/22446.html|script-title=zh:和田地区历史沿革|trans-title=Hotan Prefecture Historical Evolution|language=zh-hans|website=XZQH.org|date=1 December 2014|access-date=21 January 2020|quote={{lang|zh-hans|2000年第五次人口普查，和田地区常住总人口1681310人。{...}2000年末，和田地区常住总人口168.15万，其中非农业人口23.67万人，占总人口的14.08%；维吾尔族162.56万人，占总人口的96.67%。{...}2003年，和田地区总面积248945.29平方千米，{...}2010年第六次人口普查，和田地区常住总人口2014362人，}}}}{{cite web|url=http://xzqh.org/html/show/xj/22443.html|script-title=zh:1997年和田地区行政区划|language=zh-hans|date=17 February 2011|access-date=24 March 2020|website=XZQH.org|quote={{lang|zh-hans|维吾尔族占96.9％，汉族占2.9％。}}|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030150038/http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/xj/22443.html|archive-date=30 October 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/restrictions-12172014152720.html|title=Uyghurs Face Seizure of Land, Personal Property Under Tough New Rules|date=17 December 2014|access-date=18 January 2020|publisher=Radio Free Asia|author=Richard Finney, Jelil Kashgari and Erkin Tarim|translator=Eset Sulaiman|quote=Government employees at the local level frequently regret the difficulties caused by these requirements, an employee at Langru's Economy Management Office told RFA, adding, "But we have no choice, since these are the rules of our county." Hotan prefecture, in which the county lies, "is a very special region in the [Xinjiang] Autonomous Region," he said. "Most of our population here are Uyghurs, and their Islamic beliefs are very strong."|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222235927/https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/restrictions-12172014152720.html/|archive-date=22 December 2019|url-status=live}}{{rp|178}}

As of 1999, 96.9% of the population of Hotan (Hetian) Prefecture was Uyghur and 3.1% of the population was Han Chinese.{{cite book|url=https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/bitstream/handle/1773/44961/9780295804057.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y|title=Governing China's Multiethnic Frontiers|date=2004|isbn=0-295-98390-6|editor=Morris Rossabi|publisher=University of Washington Press|page=180|access-date=2020-05-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200107163017/https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/bitstream/handle/1773/44961/9780295804057.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y|archive-date=2020-01-07|url-status=live}}

Residents of Hotan Prefecture commonly speak Uyghur and often do not speak Mandarin Chinese.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/invisiblechinajo0000lege/page/181|title=Invisible China: A Journey Through Ethnic Borderlands |author=Colin Legerton |author2=Jacob Rawson |date=2009|pages=178, 181|via=Internet Archive|isbn=978-1-55652-814-9|publisher=Chicago Review Press|quote=While much of Xinjiang is being overpopulated by Han migration from eastern China that has more than quadrupled the desert region's population in a mere half-century, Hotan has been protected from the influx by its remote location at the southern base of the Taklimakan. It remains more than 95 percent Uyghur.{...}Even after eight years in the city, he spoke only Uyghur. His few Han clients were forced to communicate in their limited Uyghur, he explained, as he himself had never learned Chinese. In Hotan, there was no need for it.}}{{rp|181}}{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/china00pete/page/304|title=China the Silk Routes|author=Peter Neville-Hadley|series=Cadogan Guides|isbn=1-86011-052-5|publisher=Globe Pequot Press|page=304|year=1997|via=Internet Archive|quote=Travelling east from Khotan{...}Many Uighurs speak no Chinese at all, and most hotels are even less likely to have English speakers than those elsewhere in China.}}{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/emperorfarawaytr0000eime|url-access=registration|title=The Emperor Far Away: Travels at the Edge of China|date=2014|author=David Eimer|publisher=Bloomsbury USA|page=[https://archive.org/details/emperorfarawaytr0000eime/page/75 75]|via=Internet Archive|isbn=978-1-62040-363-1|quote=Far fewer people understood Mandarin in Hotan than anywhere else I'd been in Xinjiang. It made getting around difficult, as not only did the taxi drivers fail to understand what I was saying, but they couldn't read an address either. Most ignored or didn't know the Chinese names given to the streets anyway.}}{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/xinjiang0000unse/page/241|script-title=zh:新疆|trans-title=Xinjiang|date=2004|editor=王炜|publisher=Encyclopedia of China Publishing House|pages=235, 241|language=zh-hans|quote={{lang|zh-hans|和田地区{...}安全 因为与当地人语言交流可能有障碍，注意礼貌和当地习俗是非常必要，以免发生不必要的争执。}}|location=Beijing|via=Internet Archive|isbn=7-5000-6883-2|title=Xin jiang }}{{rp|241}}{{better source needed|date=January 2020|reason=Several travel accounts make this report, but a more scientific analysis is needed.}}

• Ismail Amat, former Chairman (Governor) of Xinjiang
• Islam Akhun, con-man
• Juma Tayir, imam of the Id Kah Mosque, murdered by ETIM terrorists
• Kurban Tulum, Member of the Fourth National People's Congress, a symbol of unity between Han people and the Uyghurs
• Ablajan Awut Ayup, a pop singer, songwriter and dancer
• Abdul Haq al-Turkistani, militant

Historical English-language maps including modern-day Hotan Prefecture area:

File:Johnson-journey-ilchi1865-mapa.jpg|Map including ILCHÍ (1865)

File:China West 1906-08 Sven Hedin.jpg|Map of the expeditions of Sven Hedin (1906-8) including the southern part of the modern Hotan Prefecture (RGS, early 20th century)

File:STANFORD(1917) p61 PLATE19. SINKIANG (14597194848).jpg|Map including Hotan (labeled as Khotan) (1917)

File:Txu-oclc-6654394-nj-44-3rd-ed.jpg|Map including most of northern Hotan Prefecture area (USATC, 1971){{efn|From map: "DELINEATION OF INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES MUST NOT BE CONSIDERED AUTHORITATIVE".}}

File:Operational Navigation Chart G-7, 6th edition.jpg|From the Operational Navigation Chart; map including Hotan Prefecture area (DMA, 1980){{efn|From map: "The representation of international boundaries is not necessarily authoritative."}}

File:Txu-pclmaps-oclc-22834566 g-7a.jpg|Map including Hotan Prefecture area (northwest) (DMA, 1984){{efn|From map: "The representation of international boundaries is not necessarily authoritative"}}

File:Txu-pclmaps-oclc-22834566 g-7b.jpg|Map including Hotan Prefecture area (northeast) (DMA, 1990){{efn|From map: "The representation of boundaries is not necessarily authoritative."}}

File:Txu-pclmaps-oclc-22834566 g-7d.jpg|Map including Hotan Prefecture area (southwest) with Aksai Chin (DMA, 1995){{efn|From map: "The representation of boundaries is not necessarily authoritative."}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Hotan Prefecture}}

{{Wiktionary|Hotan|Khotan|Hetian|Ho-t'ien}}

• [http://www.xjht.gov.cn/ Hotan Government website {{in lang|zh}}]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110501081838/http://218.31.134.111:8261/index.jsp Hotan Government website {{in lang|ug}}]
• [http://dsr.nii.ac.jp/photograph/khotan/ Silk Road in Photographs > Khotan]

{{coord|37.11|N|79.91|E|type:adm2nd_region:CN-65_source:Gaode|display=t}}

{{Xinjiang}}

{{Prefectural-level divisions of the People's Republic of China}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Prefecture-level divisions of Xinjiang