Mile 弥勒市
County-level city
From top, left to right: Mile City government, Qinglai Park, Yuhuang Park, road crossing of Shangqing Road and Zhongshan Road
Mile Location of the city center in Yunnan
Coordinates: 24°24′15″N 103°26′34″E / 24.40417°N 103.44278°E / 24.40417; 103.44278Coordinates: 24°24′15″N 103°26′34″E / 24.40417°N 103.44278°E / 24.40417; 103.44278
Country	People's Republic of China
Province	Yunnan
Prefecture	Honghe
Area
• County-level city	4,004 km2 (1,546 sq mi)
Highest elevation	2,315 m (7,595 ft)
Lowest elevation	862 m (2,828 ft)
Population  (2021)
• County-level city	570,100
• Density	140/km2 (370/sq mi)
• Rural (2005)[1]	433,500
Postal code	652300
Area code	0873
Website	www.hhml.gov.cn

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Mile (Chinese: 弥勒市; pinyin: Mílè Shì; [mǐlɤ̂ ʂî]; Hani language: Miqleiq Siif; Yi: ꂱꇍꏃ) is a county-level city located in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China.^[2] It is named after the Maitreya Buddha, for which there was a temple located on a nearby mountain,^[3] making it the only city in China named after The Buddha.^[4] It is a center for sugar and tobacco production in Yunnan.^[1]

History

Mile has been known since at least 116 BC in written history. In 1290 it was established as a prefecture and in 1770 as a county.^[1]

It is the birthplace of Ming dynasty politician Yang Shengwu (杨绳武), Qing dynasty merchant Wang Chi (zh:王炽) and Republic era general Zhang Chong and mathematician Xiong Qinglai.^[5]

In 2014, Mile County was upgraded as a county level city.^[4]

Administrative divisions

In the present, Mile City has 10 towns and 2 townships.^[6]

10 towns

2 townships

• Wushan (五山乡)
• Jiangbian (江边乡)

Demographics

Mile has a population of 570,100 as of 2021, including 44.9% ethnic minorities.^[5]

The Mile County Gazetteer 弥勒县志 (1987:689-699) reports the following Yi subgroups.

• Axi 阿细 (Xishan Yi)^[7]
• Azhe 阿哲: in Wushan 五山, Xunjian 巡检, and Jianbian 江边 districts
• Awu 阿乌: 8,710 persons as of 1984
• Black Yi 黑彝: in Wushan 五山, Xishan 西山, and Dongshan 东山 districts
  • Large Black Yi 大黑彝 subgroup (autonym: Nasubo 纳苏波)
  • Small Black Yi 小黑彝 subgroup
• Sani 撒尼 (autonym: Sanibo 撒尼波)
• White Yi 白彝
  • Nasubo 纳苏波 subgroup: in Dongshan 东山 and Xinshao 新哨 districts
  • White Yi 白彝 subgroup: in Xier District 西二区
• Gebo 葛波 (exonym: Guzu 古族)

The local Yi people have a ceremony to worship their fire god once a year.^[8]

Climate