Simao County, Frontier Town Of South Yunnan

Simao County is situated in the south of Yunnan, with a total area of 3,867 sq. km. It has a population of 126,000 people, made up of more than 20 nationalities such as the Hans, Dais, Hanis, Was, Huis and so on, of whom 18.8% are minority nationalities. The county seat Simao Town is 570 km, from Kunming by motor road, 305 km. by air, and 163 km. from Jinghong County by motor road. Simao Town is where the prefectural office and the people's government of the county are located, and is a key point in the traffic to Lancang, Ximeng, Menglian, Jiangcheng and other counties in South Yunnan, hence the name "the gateway to South Yunnan" and "a key garrison town on the southern frontier".

The climate of Simao is very mild, not severely cold in winter nor unbearably hot in summer. The annual mean temperature is 17.7 C, and the yearly average rainfall 1,535.4 mm., with a frostless period of 325 days. It is an excellent health resort with green hills all around, perpetual streams meandering across the fields, flowers blooming and birds singing everywhere; the four seasons are as warm as spring.

Simao County is very rich in natural resources and ideal for tourism, with beautiful landscapes and various attractions. Forest coverage of the county is 61.2%. Meizihu Park, situated in the southeast of the county, is completely embraced by green hills, just like a piece of emerald inlaid amidst a sea of forests. There are motor boats and little rowboats for the visitors to ride in, and restaurants for them to have some refreshments. Ximahe (horse-washing river) Park, situated in the east of the city, has beautiful surroundings with many carved galloping horses about to rush forward. The Cuiyun Scenic Resort is the best place for tourists who are interested in karst grottoes. There are already four grottoes open to tourism, namely the Grotto of the Immortals, the Grotto of Guanyin (Avalokitesvara), the Rainbow Grotto and the Water Screen Grotto.

Manzhongtian Hot spring and the thousands of mu of grazing grassland in the east of the city present a magnificent view. The Caiyanghe Nature Reserve in the south of the county boasts an area of 100,000 mu, and is covered with dense virgin forests in which are found great varieties of rare and precious tropical plants and many species of rare and near-extinct animals.

The Lancangjiang which lies in the west of the county is one of the first batch of landscape nature reserves under state protection. The famous Big and Small Lushan Mountains are endowed with myriads of grotesque looking rocks of every description. On the banks of the Lancangjiang River 90 km. away from the county there is a giant waterfall called the Nanpahe Fall with a drop of more than 150 m. cascading down among green trees, just like "the Milky Way dropping down from the Ninth Heaven" as is described in a Tang poem, so full of colour and fascinatingly attractive.

The Little Ganlanba to the southwest of the county is endowed not only with important historical cultural relics including the remains of the Paleolithic and Neolithic epochs, bronzeware and cliff paintings of the Yuan Dynasty, but also with subtropical scenery and attractions. Tourists can also make a boat ride from here along the Lancanjiang River and get to Jiughong County in three hours, feasting their eyes on the natural beauty of riverside landscapes.

In ancient times Simao was known as Sigongbu, and in the Ming dynasty it was called Simaozhai. In the 7th year of the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty (1729) the administrative body Tongpan was first established on the old site of Simaozhai. In the 13th year of the Yongzheng era (1735) the designation of Tongpan was changed into Ting. In 1913, Simaoting was renamed Simao County. In August 1, 1949 the Provisional People's Government of Simao County was established; in 1954 the First Peoples Congress of the County convened and the People's, Government of Simao County was officially established. In December 1958 Si mao County was disbanded and merged with Pu'er County. On May 9, 1981, under the approval of the State Council, Simao County was re-established.