In modern usage almost always short for
巴音郭楞蒙古自治州 (Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang) — China's largest prefecture by area, seat at Korla (
库尔勒). Contains Lop Nur (
罗布泊), Bosten Lake, and parts of the Taklamakan desert. Historically
巴州 was also a name for the Ba (
巴) region of eastern Sichuan and Chongqing.