Qiongzhong Administrative Divisions

Qiongzhong Li and Miao Autonomous County (琼中黎族苗族自治县) lies in the mountainous center of Hainan Island, on the northern side of the Wuzhi Mountain range. Covering about 2,705 square kilometers, Qiongzhong borders nine other Hainan cities and counties and occupies an important position in the island's central transport network. Its forest coverage reaches approximately 86.17%, and the county is closely associated with the tropical rainforest landscapes of Limu Mountain, Diaoluo Mountain and the wider Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park system.

Administratively, Qiongzhong is a county-level autonomous county directly administered by Hainan Province. It does not contain subordinate county-level cities or districts. The county currently administers 7 towns and 3 townships, making a total of 10 township-level administrative divisions: Yinggen, Wanling, Limushan, Heping, Changzheng, Hongmao and Zhongping towns, plus Diaoluoshan, Shang'an and Shiyun townships. The county government is based in Yinggen Town (营根镇). This 7-town and 3-township structure was still recorded in 2025 administrative-division data.

Qiongzhong's administrative geography is especially relevant to tourism because its major attractions are scattered among mountain towns, ethnic villages and rainforest areas rather than concentrated around the county seat. The Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park Scenic Road helps connect many of these areas, while the official Hainan tourism route linking Qiongzhong, Danzhou and Baisha highlights Limushan National Forest Park, Baihualing Tropical Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone, Shihan Village and Shang'an Shijie Hot Spring Tourism Resort as major Qiongzhong stops.

Yinggen Town

Yinggen Town (营根镇) is the administrative, commercial and service center of Qiongzhong and therefore the most convenient base for visitors. Its best-known tourism resource is Hainan Baihualing Tropical Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone (海南百花岭热带雨林文化旅游区), located only several kilometers from the urban center. Baihualing combines tropical rainforest scenery, waterfalls, mountain streams and rainforest recreation, making Yinggen the county's principal gateway for first-time visitors.

The town also provides the county's strongest concentration of hotels, restaurants, transport services and public facilities. As a result, even travelers exploring remote villages or rainforest areas commonly use Yinggen as their accommodation and transport hub.

Wanling Town

Wanling Town (湾岭镇) lies in northern Qiongzhong and combines rural landscapes, tropical agriculture and local food culture. It is particularly associated with Wanling chicken, including the locally famous electric-rice-cooker style of preparing free-range chicken. Rural areas such as Shuiyang Village (水央村) have also developed homestays and countryside leisure products, giving Wanling growing potential for family holidays, agricultural experiences and slow rural tourism.

Its location near major road connections also makes Wanling one of the more accessible countryside areas outside Yinggen.

Limushan Town

Limushan Town (黎母山镇) contains one of Qiongzhong's most important natural tourism landscapes, Limushan National Forest Park (黎母山国家森林公园). Limu Mountain is deeply associated with Li ethnic culture and is an important ecological area within central Hainan. Dense tropical forests, mountain valleys and river-source landscapes make this part of Qiongzhong particularly suitable for rainforest exploration, ecological education and nature photography.

Official Hainan tourism planning identifies Limushan National Forest Park as one of Qiongzhong's principal attractions on the Tropical Rainforest National Park Scenic Road system.

Heping Town

Heping Town (和平镇) is primarily a mountainous agricultural and ethnic rural area. Compared with Yinggen, Hongmao and Limushan, it has fewer large developed tourist attractions, but its villages, forested hills, rivers and Li cultural landscapes give it potential for countryside tourism and community-based experiences.

For visitors, Heping is better regarded as part of Qiongzhong's wider rural and rainforest landscape rather than as a conventional sightseeing center. This quieter character is also one of its attractions for travelers interested in less commercialized central Hainan.

Changzheng Town

Changzheng Town (长征镇) is located south of the county center and serves as an important transition area between Yinggen and the southern mountain townships. Its tourism resources are dominated by mountain scenery, Li and Miao villages, tropical agriculture and comparatively undeveloped countryside.

The area around Shireng Village (什仍村) and the surrounding mountains offers opportunities for rural exploration, although Changzheng remains much less commercialized than Baihualing or Shihan Village. Its value lies primarily in authentic rural landscapes and ethnic settlement patterns rather than large-scale scenic attractions.

Hongmao Town

Hongmao Town (红毛镇) is one of Qiongzhong's most distinctive cultural tourism areas. Its best-known destination is Shihan Village (什寒村), a high-altitude settlement located between Limu Mountain and Yinggeling. At roughly 800 meters above sea level, it is among Hainan's highest villages and is known for misty mountains, cooler temperatures, Li and Miao culture, traditional food, rural homestays and ecological tourism.

Hongmao is also closely associated with the history of the Baisha Uprising, particularly Fanxiang Village (番响村), an important location connected with Li leader Wang Guoxing and the preparation of the uprising. The combination of revolutionary history and Li-Miao village culture gives Hongmao particular importance for cultural and educational tourism.

Important administrative correction: Shihan Village belongs to Hongmao Town, not Shiyun Township. Current and historical administrative-division records list Shihan Village under Hongmao Town.

Zhongping Town

Zhongping Town (中平镇) occupies the eastern part of Qiongzhong and is characterized by river valleys, forest-covered mountains and agricultural villages. Qibushui (七步水) in Nanmao Village is among the locally known natural resources associated with the town.

Tourism here remains relatively low-key, making Zhongping more suitable for travelers interested in rural scenery, streams, tropical vegetation and less-developed countryside rather than major resort facilities.

Diaoluoshan Township

Diaoluoshan Township (吊罗山乡) lies in Qiongzhong's southeastern mountain area and is closely associated with tropical rainforest landscapes, waterfalls and mountain ecosystems. It forms part of the broader ecological environment surrounding Diaoluo Mountain, one of the major rainforest areas incorporated into the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park landscape system.

The township's main tourism appeal is wilderness rather than urban sightseeing: forest roads, streams, mountain valleys and waterfalls make it suitable for ecological observation and off-the-beaten-track exploration. Hainan's official rainforest tourism material also highlights the Diaoluo Mountain region for secluded waterfall and rainforest experiences.

Shang'an Township

Shang'an Township (上安乡) is one of the county's most interesting areas for combining natural scenery with historical and cultural resources. Shijie (仕阶) is associated with historic cliff inscriptions and hot-spring resources, while the surrounding mountain villages retain a strong Li ethnic character.

The Shang'an Shijie Hot Spring Tourism Resort is specifically included among the recommended Qiongzhong stops on Hainan's official Tropical Rainforest National Park Scenic Road cultural route, indicating the township's growing role in ecological wellness and rural tourism.

Shiyun Township

Shiyun Township (什运乡) lies west of the county center and is especially important for ethnic minority village culture and revolutionary heritage. Its administrative villages include Bianwen (便文村), Shitong, Nanping, Nanliu, Shiyun and Sanlian.

Bianwen Village and the Guangyi–Guang'er village area (光一光二村) are associated with Li cultural traditions and ethnic minority village tourism. Guangyi–Guang'er has been recognized as a characteristic ethnic minority village and combines Li cultural imagery with elements of revolutionary history.

Unlike the earlier draft, Shihan Village should not be placed under Shiyun Township; it is administratively part of Hongmao Town.

Complete Township-Level Administrative Division Table

Qiongzhong has no subordinate districts, county-level cities or additional counties. Its formal civil administrative structure below county level consists of the following 7 towns and 3 townships. The village and community names below follow published township-level statistical division records; former State-farm residential committees that have been incorporated into township statistical divisions are shown where applicable.

Administrative Structure at a Glance

Hainan Province → Qiongzhong Li and Miao Autonomous County → 7 Towns + 3 Townships

Towns: Yinggen → Wanling → Limushan → Heping → Changzheng → Hongmao → Zhongping

Townships: Diaoluoshan → Shang'an → Shiyun

This administrative layout explains Qiongzhong's tourism pattern particularly well: Yinggen functions as the main visitor and service center, Limushan and Diaoluoshan emphasize rainforest ecology, Hongmao and Shiyun are important for Li-Miao village culture and revolutionary heritage, while Shang'an, Wanling, Heping, Changzheng and Zhongping provide quieter rural, agricultural and ecological experiences. Together, these areas form one of the most diverse inland tourism landscapes in Hainan.