Have a General Idea of Tibet

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On October 25, 2010, in Cool Places, Shanghai, by Zhu Liuliu

Nowadays Tibet Tours have become very hot among travelers from all over the world. Although Tibet has gradually unveiled itself to the outside world, to most people it is still a mysterious place for not only for its unique geography but also for its religion and landscapes. This article will give a brief introduction of Tibet mainly from the perspective of its administrative districts. It aims at providing some basic information for travelers who are interested in Tibet and who are planning a Travel to Tibet.

Tibet is located in the southwest frontier of China, covering an area of over 1.2 million square kilometers. For its high elevation of about 4000 meters it has been referred to as “the World Ridge” and “the Third Pole on the Globe”. It lies adjacent to Xinjiang and Qinghai Province, and neighbors Yunnan Province on the southeast. Tibet is administratively divided into one municipality Lhasa and six prefectures: Shigatse, Ali, Shannan, Chamdo, Nagchu and Nyingchi. We will look at them one by one.

Located in the center of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world for its elevation of about 3700 meters. As the capital of Tibet, Lhasa is also the political, economical and cultural center. It accumulates wonders such as Potala Palace (the world’s highest and largest castle palace), Jokhang Temple (from which Lhasa got its name), Barkhor Street (the most famous street for worshipping and souvenirs), Gandan, Sera and Trupeng monasteries (the three greatest monasteries in Tibet) and Namco Lake which is a holy lake worshipped by disciples of Buddhism.

Shigatse is the second largest city of Tibet which stands close to the intersection of Yaluzangbu River and Nianchu River. As the former capital of Tibet, Shigatse also has political and religious significance. Here you can also find a lot of monasteries, the most famous of which is Tashilhungpo Monastery. Built under the supervision of the first Dalai Lama Genden Zhuba, it is one of the four monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The most famous attraction close to Shigatse is Mt. Everest, the highest peak in the world.

Ali is situated in the west part of Tibet. It is the highest area in Tibet with the most complete plateau features and thus called “the roof of the world’s roof”. It is the origin of the ancient Shang-shung culture. Ali has a lot of mysterious sights such as Mount Gangrenboqi and Lake Manasarovar which are regarded by religious groups such as Buddhism, Bon and Hinduism as world’s center. Every year pilgrims from all over the world come to these areas to circumambulate around the mountain and the lake. Visitors can also have a chance of viewing the mysterious Guge Kingdom Ruins and the amazing Zhada Shilin.

Shannan area is regarded as “the cradle of Tibet culture”, because it gives rise to many “Firsts” such as the first king of Tibet, the first palace-Yongbulakang, the first temple-changzhu Temple, the first monastery-Sangye Monastery and so on.

Chamdo area refers to the east part of Tibet. It features magnificent mountains and rushing rivers. It occupies nearly all the temples of various religions in Tibet.

Nagchu area is in the north part of Tibet where you can feel the Nomadic Culture of Tibet. In this area there are no high mountains but hills and a large area of grass. Chongqinkaduo is such an area of grass where horse racing festival is held every year.

Nyingchi is honored as “Jiangnan of Tibet” as the scenery here is characterized by blue sky, white clouds, green mountains and trees, clear water and pinky flowers. There are a lot of natural sceneries: Cuogao Lake which is shaped like a crescent between valleys and seen as a sacred lake by the Red Sect of Lamaism; Namjagbarwa Mountain which is honored as “father of the iceberg”; Hanmi Waterfall and Nyingchi Huge Cypress Forest.

So, that’s the basic information of Tibet. I believe you are already amazed at so many natural and cultural landscapes. So why not choose one of China Flights to visit Tibet right now?