Lancang

Lancang is a geographic name used for several places and features in southwestern China and the surrounding region. The most prominent is the Lancang River, known in China as the Lancang Jiang. This river forms the upper course of the Mekong and flows through Yunnan Province before crossing into Southeast Asia, where it continues as the Mekong River through several countries. The Lancang River is a major water resource in the region and has been the site of extensive hydropower development, with multiple dams built on its course in Yunnan. It also plays a central role in regional cooperation efforts, notably the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation framework, through which China and the five downstream Mekong countries coordinate on development, water resources management, and ecological protection.

Lancang County (Lancang Xian) is a county-level division of Pu’er City in Yunnan Province. It lies along or near the Lancang River and is named after the river. The county is part of the broader Lancang river basin and is characterized by its agricultural communities and ethnic minority cultures.

In addition to these, the name Lancang appears in other local place names within the same region, reflecting the river’s influence on geography and identity. The Lancang River is often discussed in the context of the broader Mekong system, with the upper Lancang in China and the downstream Mekong extending through Southeast Asia.