Heihe

Heihe (Chinese: 黑河; pinyin: Hēihé; "Black River") is a prefecture-level city of northern Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China, located on the Russian border, on the south bank of the Amur River, across the river from Blagoveshchensk. Heihe has an urban population of about 211,313, while the total population of the prefecture-level city is 1,673,893.

Heihe marks the northeast terminus of the Heihe–Tengchong Line, which is sometimes used to divide China into east and west.

History

Heihe, formerly Aihui or Aigun, is among one of the five oldest cities in Heilongjiang, along with Tsitsihar, Yilan, Acheng and Hulan. Human beings started to settle in Heihe region as early as the Paleolithic Age. Later it became home to local tribes. During the Qing Dynasty, Heihe was the first place troops sent to Heilongjiang were stationed. The predecessor of today's Heihe was the town established by the indigenous Ducher people of the Amur Valley in the mid 1650s. It was established some 30 km (19 mi) south of the modern city site (in today's Aihui District) and was known as Aigun, Heilongjiang, or Saghalien Ula. (The two last names both mean "the Black Dragon River" - the name for the Amur River in Chinese and Manchu, respectively).

Heihe horse

The Heihe is a breed of horse that originates from the Heilongjiang River (Amur river) basin in China.

Origin

Along the boundary between China and the former Soviet Union there is a long river basin called Heilongjiang (Amur). Heihe city is the center of the Heihe horse breeding region. Beyond the forest/tundra to the north, the terrain is hilly with an altitude of 1,640 to 3,300 feet and a gradual slope. The area is rich in water resources. Average temperature is near 32F, with the minimum about -58F and the maximum in summer about 89F. Horses are absolutely necessary for both agriculture and transport in this area.

History

The Heihe developed on the basis of Soulun and Mongolian stock. In the Longsha summary it was recorded that prior to the seventeenth century the Heihe area was occupied by the Soulun nation, which was connected to the Manchu. To enforce defense, the Qing government sent a large regiment of cavalry there that contained many Mongolian horses.

After 1820, lumber and mining for gold again brought Mongolian stock to the area. In 1908, Russian immigrants brought horses of unknown origin, and after 1930 some Orlov Trotter and draft stock was added to the growing mixture. During the years from 1937 to 1939, a Russian strain of Mongolian was brought in and at the same time the Keshan stud farm was organised. Anglo-Norman stallions were mainly used and four insemination centers were established. By 1940, there were sixteen stallions at this stud farm, among them two Anglo-Arabians and four Anglo-Norman, and others were crosses from Anglo-Norman and Percheron. Systematic selective breeding was not done until 1955, when the North Horse Farm was founded. Finally, in 1963, the new breed was officially recognised. Thus the Heihe is a developed breed.