Tsona

Tsona[2][3] (Tibetan: མཚོ་སྣ་རྫོང་, Wylie: mtsho sna rdzong, THL: tso na dzong, ZYPY: Cona Zong) or Cona (simplified Chinese: 错那县; traditional Chinese: 錯那縣; pinyin: Cuònà Xiàn), also called Cona City (simplified Chinese: 错那市; traditional Chinese: 錯那市; pinyin: Cuònà Shì) is a county-level city[4] in Shannan Prefecture in southern part of the Tibet region of China. Tsona lies immediately to the north of the McMahon Line agreed as the mutual border between British India and Tibet in 1914.[lower-alpha 1] China has not accepted the 1914 border delineation, but treats it as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Tsona also borders Bhutan on its southwest.

"Cuona" redirects here. For the lake in Amdo County, Nagqu, see Cona Lake.
Tsona
错那市 • མཚོ་སྣ་རྫོང་།
County-level city
Cona City
Location of Tsona County (red) within Shannan Prefecture (yellow) and the Tibet A.R.
Location of Tsona County (red) within Shannan Prefecture (yellow) and the Tibet A.R.
Tsona Dzong is located in Tibet
Tsona Dzong
Tsona Dzong
Location of the seat in the Tibet A.R.
Coordinates: 27°59′19″N 91°57′31″E
CountryPeople's Republic of China
Autonomous regionTibet
Prefecture-level cityShannan
SeatTsona Dzong
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total13,932
Time zoneUTC+8 (China Standard)

Geography

Two main south-flowing rivers Nyamjang Chu[5] and Tsona Chu[6] flow through the county and enter India's Tawang district, where they join the Tawang Chu river. Between Nyamjang Chu and Tsona Chu lies an undulating plateau, with streams flowing west to east, often after collecting into lakes. Napa Yutso and Nyapa Tso are two such large lakes.[7]

In addition, the Tsona County also contains the basins of the east-flowing rivers that form the Subansiri River. Loro Karpo Chu (the "white Loro river") in the north leads to the Jorra township. Loro Nakpo Chu (the "black Loro river") leads to the Khartak (or Kardag) township..[2]

Tsona Dzong, the main town and the headquarters of the Tsona County, is in the plateau between Nyamjang Chu and Tsona Chu. It is 34 km north of Bum La Pass, which marks the border with the Tawang district.[8] Immediately to the north of Bum La is the village of Shao (Tibetan: ཤ་འུག, Wylie: sha 'ug), whose full name Shauk Tago has been associated with Guru Padmasambhava and other Buddhist preachers over centuries.[7] The location is mentioned in these texts as being part of "Monyul" i.e., Tawang area.[9]

History
Tsona County and vicinity

Tsona Dzong is on the historical trade route between Tibet and the Assam region of India. The original route led via the Nyamjang Chu and Tawang Chu rivers via Trashigang to Dewangiri (then in Assam, but now in the Samdrup Jongkhar District of Bhutan).[10][lower-alpha 2]

17th century

In the 17th century, sectarian rivalries developed between the Gelugpa sect that was in the ascendant in Central Tibet and the Drukpa sect that got consolidated in Bhutan. The Mera lama of the Merag-Sagteng region in present day Bhutan,[lower-alpha 3] belonging to the Gelugpa sect, was chased out of his native village by the Drukpa forces. He fled to the neighbouring Tawang region.[12][13] The people of Tawang were apparently indifferent to the sectarian divisions, and the Mera lama requested help from the governor of Tsona.[lower-alpha 4] However, the Tsona forces were unable to resolve the conflict between the sects. Eventually a direct appeal to the Fifth Dalai Lama was made asking him to "annex" Tawang. According to Tawang records, an edict to this effect was issued in 1680, establishing a new Gelugpa regime in Tawang. The Mera Lama was placed in a position of authority over the region and made responsible to Tsona.[14] Since the traditional route via Trashigang was now lost to Bhutan, a new route was developed via Dirang and the area under the Sela Pass (present day West Kameng) was brought under Tawang's control.[11]

The Fifth Dalai Lama died two years after these events, and his reincarnation was discovered to have been born in Tawang in 1683.[14] The family of the young boy, the next Dalai Lama, was secretly transported to Tsona, where he was raised under the watch of the Tsona dzongpöns.[15] The family was taken to Nakartsé in 1697, after which the Desi (Regent) revealed the news of the Fifth Dalai Lama's death and his reincarnation to be installed as the Sixth Dalai Lama.[16]

Administration

Tsona was formerly a county, but on April 3, 2023, the government of Tibet Autonomous Region designated the county as a county-level city.[4] It was one of the first counties in Tibet to be so designated. The designation implies that it will be taken under the direct administration of the regional government. It may also see more resources being allocated to the local development, and help China strengthen its control over the region.[17]

In addition to Tsona town/city (original name: Zholshar), the Tsona County has 8 townships.[18][19]

Monpa ethnic townships:

Regular townships:

Climate
Climate data for Cona (1981−2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) −0.5
(31.1)		 −0.7
(30.7)		 1.4
(34.5)		 4.4
(39.9)		 8.3
(46.9)		 11.7
(53.1)		 12.7
(54.9)		 12.4
(54.3)		 11.0
(51.8)		 7.0
(44.6)		 3.8
(38.8)		 1.8
(35.2)		 6.1
(43.0)
Average low °C (°F) −17.6
(0.3)		 −14.5
(5.9)		 −8.9
(16.0)		 −4.0
(24.8)		 −0.3
(31.5)		 3.8
(38.8)		 5.2
(41.4)		 4.8
(40.6)		 2.9
(37.2)		 −3.1
(26.4)		 −9.7
(14.5)		 −15.3
(4.5)		 −4.7
(23.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 8.5
(0.33)		 12.2
(0.48)		 28.5
(1.12)		 45.8
(1.80)		 38.2
(1.50)		 54.9
(2.16)		 71.3
(2.81)		 73.4
(2.89)		 40.8
(1.61)		 34.5
(1.36)		 5.2
(0.20)		 3.8
(0.15)		 417.1
(16.41)
Source: National Meteorological Center of CMA[20]

Maps
  • Map showing the border with Bhutan and Tawang, India (AMS, 1955)
    Map showing the border with Bhutan and Tawang, India (AMS, 1955)
  • Map including part of Tsona, labeled as TS'O-NA-TSUNG (TS'O-NA) (DMA, 1974)
    Map including part of Tsona, labeled as TS'O-NA-TSUNG (TS'O-NA) (DMA, 1974)

See also

Notes
  1. China claims that the McMahon Line is "illegal" on the grounds that Tibet was not an independent power.
  2. The Tawang region was known as "Tana Mandrekhang" in those times.[11]
  3. The name of the lama is given as Lodrö Gyamtso in the Tawang records.
  4. The name of the governor is given as Namkhadruk. He sent a subordinate called Gamo Shongwa to assist the Mera lama.

References
  1. "Shānnán shì dì qī cì quánguó rénkǒu pǔchá zhǔyào shùjù gōngbào" 山南市第七次全国人口普查主要数据公报 [Main Data Bulletin of the Seventh National Census of Shannan City]. Shannan City government. 2021-06-24.
  2. Dorje, Footprint Tibet (2004), p. 208.
  3. Tenpa, An Early History of the Mon Region (2018), p. 207.
  4. "Guānyú pīzhǔn chèxiāo cuò nà xiàn shèlì xiàn jí cuò nà shì de gōnggào" 关于批准撤销错那县设立县级错那市的公告 [Announcement on Approving the Revocation of Cuona County and the Establishment of the County-level Cuona City]. Tibet Autonomous Region government (in Chinese). 3 April 2023. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023.
  5. Nyamjang Chu, OpenStreetMap, retrieve 8 April 2023.
  6. Tsona Chu, OpenStreetMap, retrieved 8 April 2023.
  7. Dorje, Footprint Tibet (2004), p. 209.
  8. Indo-China Border Trade, Department of Trade & Commerce, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, retrieved 13 July 2020.
  9. Tenpa, An Early History of the Mon Region (2018), pp. 52–53.
  10. Nanda, Tawang and the Mon in their Borderlands (2020), pp. 33–34. (Nyamjang Chu is miswritten as "Namkachu" in the source. But the Chaksam Lama's bridge construction over Nyamjang Chu is mentioned correctly.).
  11. Nanda, Tawang and the Mon in their Borderlands (2020), p. 36.
  12. Nanda, Tawang and the Mon in their Borderlands (2020), p. 35.
  13. Aris, Hidden Treasures & Secret Lives (2012).
  14. Aris, Hidden Treasures & Secret Lives (2012), p. 119.
  15. Shakabpa, One Hundred Thousand Moons (2009), p. 385.
  16. Shakabpa, One Hundred Thousand Moons (2009), p. 387.
  17. Laura Zhou, China’s moves to assert control along disputed border risk further tensions with India, South China Morning Post, 5 April 2023.
  18. "Geographical names of Tibet AR (China): Lhoka/Shannan Prefecture-Level City". KNAB Place Name Database. Institute of the Estonian Language. 2018-06-03.
  19. Tsona County, OpenStreetMap, See Members section.
  20. 1981年-2010年（错那）月平均气温和降水 (in Simplified Chinese). National Meteorological Center of CMA. Retrieved 25 November 2022.

Bibliography

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