Tongdao Dong Autonomous County
autonomous county
Tongdao (the full name: "Tongdao Dong Autonomous County", simplified Chinese: 通道侗族自治县; traditional Chinese: 通道侗族自治縣; pinyin: Tōngdào Dòngzú Zìzhìxiàn; usually referred to as "Tongdao County", simplified Chinese: 通道县; traditional Chinese: 通道縣; pinyin: Tōngdào Xiàn) is an autonomous county of Dong people in Hunan Province, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Huaihua. Tongdao is also the 5th least-populous county of the province (after Shaoshan, Guzhang, Shuangpai and Yanling).
Located on the south western corner of Hunan province, Tongdao borders Guizhou to the west and Guangxi to the south. The county lies in the southernmost part of Huaihua, it is the least populous and least densely populated county-level division of Huaihua. Tongdao borders to the northwest by Jingzhou County, to the northeast by Suining and Chengbu Counties, to the southeast and the south by Longsheng and Sanjiang Counties of Guangxi, and to the west by Liping County of Guizhou. The county covers an area of 2,239 km2 (864 sq mi), and as of 2015, it has a census registered population of 242,100 and a permanent resident population of 212,300. The county has 8 towns and 3 townships under its jurisdiction, and the county seat is Shuangjiang Town (双江镇).
There are two Miao subgroups in Tongdao County, namely Hua Miao (花苗 mjiu55 ken35) and Cao Miao (草苗 mjiu55). Despite being officially classified by the Chinese government as ethnic Miao, Cao Miao is actually a Kam-Sui language.
The public source identifies “Tongdao Dong Autonomous County” as autonomous county. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Tongdao, Dong and Autonomous.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Tongdao Dong Autonomous County”, the useful work is to connect “autonomous county” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 7, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1199383. VIAF identifies the subject as 267791942. The Library of Congress control number is n86121420. Authority coordinates are 26.158, 109.778. 1 of 4 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2015.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
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Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Tongdao Dong Autonomous County”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Tongdao Dong Autonomous County primary sources, Tongdao Dong Autonomous County archive and Tongdao research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
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- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
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This entry incorporates text from “Tongdao Dong Autonomous County” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.