A Trip to Lhasa River(I)

The Lhasa River originates from Nyangqentanglha Mountain on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.It is 551 km long and is one of the five major tributaries of the Yarlung Zangbo.For many years,the average diametric flow volume has been 6 billon cubic meters,which is about one-eighth of that of the second largest river in China,the Yelow River.The drainage area is nearly 30,000 square km.The Lhasa River is the Mother River of the Tibetans,which witnessed the changes of ancient Tibetan culture.The drainage area of the Lhasa River serves as the center of politics,economy,culture,transportation and religion in the whole Tibet, as well as the significant part of three-river area(the Yarlung Zangbo River,the Lhasa River and the Nyang Qu River)that Tibetan government attaches importance to the development there.     

Old Ferryboats in Tibet

According to Tibetan historical documents, as early as the Tubo period, sailing activites were recorded on the Yarlung Zangbo River and Lhasa River. According to Biography of Padmasambhnva, he onec crossed the Yarlung Zangbo by a wooden bout with a horse＇s head to reach Samye Monastery murals in the Samye Monastery, Potala Palace and Norbu Lingka record this.     

Exploring the Source of the Yarlung Zangbo River

The hydro energy reserves of the Yarlung Zangbo River stand at 113.47 million square meters, ranking second in China and next only to the Yangtze River. The Yarlung Zangbo River Valley is the richest region of Tibet, with its upper, middle and lower reaches running through the entire Tibetan region. Over 20 rivers converge along the upper reaches. The birthplace of the Yarlung Zangbo River is the Gyima Yangzoin Glacier within Zongba County of the Shigatse region. The source arises fro…     

NEWS IN BRIEF

Road for Gonggar AirportThe Central Government has approved construction of the "two bridges and one tunnel" project which is expected to shorten the 98-km distance from Lhasa to Gonggar Airport to 53 km. As a result, the travel shall be shortened from 90 minutes to 50 minutes.Construction of the project shall consume 6.5 billion Yuan in investment.The two bridges refer to the 1,594-rneter-long Lhasa River Bridge and the 3,797-meter-long Yarlung Zangbo River Bridge. Both are of the extra large type in Tibet.The one tunnel refers to the Shierong Tunnel that cuts through the mountain by 2,426 meters.The new road will extend 13.282 km. It will be a second class one by the Chinese standard. It is expected to meet Tibet's need for economic construction in the 10-15-year period. It is expected to be built at the end of 2004.     

Wedding Ceremony Unique to Chanang

Located in the middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, Chanang, some 130 km from Lhasa, is blessed with convenient transporta-tion networks and a longstanding culture. Despite modern progress, tradition still holds sway in some areas.A wedding party in Chanang generally lasts three days. On the first day, a number of people who are good at singing and dancing will be selected to greet the bride at her door. Relatives of the bride will come to offer their congratulations, too.On the second day, the bride leaves her home and enters that of the bridegroom at a suitable time chosen by divination. The     

THE MYSTERY OF Leshan Tombs

Leshan is the name of a peak in Nang County, Tibet. At its foot is Lecun Village, home to some 20 households.In the summer of 1993, a group of Beijing and Lhasa archaeologists reached Lecun, which is surrounded by up to 100 tombs. These have been largely ignored for more than 1,000 years. The archaeologists worked on the site for about one month. The tombs spread along a mountain slope. To the south is the Jindongqu River that flows from east to west, emptying into the Yarlung Zangbo Riv…     

PEOPLE IN THE BARKOR STREET：PALBAR,AN OLD MANIN SHARSASUALLEY

According to local custom in Lhasa, people refer to the area around the Jokhang Temple as ＂Barkor Street＂. ＂Lhasa＂ is ＂the Buddha＇s land＂ in Tibetan. In the hearts of Tibetan people, the Jokhang Temple is one of the most holy places because a statue of the twelve-year-old Sakyamuni is enshrined and worshiped there. Every year, the temple attracts many Tibetan Buddhist monks and disciples come from far away and pay homage to the Buddha. As time passed, the area of Barkor Street around the Jokhang Temple has become the busiest district in Lhasa. Eight alleyways extend out from the Barkor Street. Here the old citizens of Lhasa reside, and this is where Lhasa＇s unique economy, national culture, traditional craftsmanship and local Tibetan customs and practices flourish.     

荒漠变绿洲——山南市造林治沙小记

Looking from the high ground in downtown Lhoka,the Yarlung Zangbo River can be seen from afar.The golden sandy land along the river is covered with a large stretch of woods.The leaves are so lush,the river so mighty,and the mountains in the distance so picturesque that any observer would feel as if time had stood still.     

The opening of achievement report

The unified plan for Sharqu River has been worked out by experts from Yangtze Water ConservancyCommission,Yangtze Hydraulic Engineering Investigation Academy,and the Academy from T.A.R.A meetingof reporting their achievements has been hold in Lhasa.Sharqu River,a tributary of Yarlung Zangbo River,is located in the southern part of Qinghai-Tibet plateau,flowing along the valley between Kangdese Mountains and Himalayan mountains.It passes through severalcounties,including Kangmar,Gyangtse,Panam,Camba,Sagya,Lhazi and Shigatse,with 5.417sq k river basin.this project is to irrigate and generate electricity and to provide the source of the river,as well as to protectecosystem.The total investment for this project will be more than 4 billion yuan.It will play very important rolein improving water supply standard and farming and grassgrowing condition,as well as increasing their production.     

News in Brief

Tibet to Hold ! ITH Mountaineering Assembly The llth Tibet Mountaineering Assembly is going to be held from Sep.26 to Oct.7. It is aimed to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Qomolangma by human beings. The organizers will also hold several mountaineering activities for amateurs to learn mountaineering skills. i,hasa Issued China＇s Firstlmrism Law Lhasa issued the offprint of the Tourism Law of the People＇s Republic of China in August, which is the country＇s first tourism law. Deliberated and approved by the 12th Standing Committee of the National People＇s Congress （NPC）, the law will be put into force on October 1, 2013. Overseas Chinese Painters X＇isited Tibet Nearly 20 overseas artists from 11 countries and areas including the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, France and Italy set out for the journey of ＂Famous Chinese Painters to Tibet＂ on August 16. In the next ten days in Tibet, they produced art works and had seminars with local artists. 2013 Tibetan Thangka Industrial Dexelnpment Forum Ileid in Lhasa The forum was held in the Mass Art Gallery in Lhasa on August 15, attracting the relative experts, scholars and painters in Tibet to have an in-depth discussion about Thangka＇s industrial development pattern and path, and the inheritance and protection in the new media age. Grand Tibetan Musical Yarluag Zangbo Premiered Musical Yarlung Zangbo premiered at the Yarlung Theatre in Lhoka Prefecture on August 15, 2013. The musical showed the time-honored history and culture of Lhoka and also highlighted the Yarlung Cultural Festival from August 15 to 21. Tibet Invests 100 Million Yuan to Build Sehool Bathrooms Almost 100 million Yuan has been invested in building bathrooms for primary and middle school students in Tibet since 2012. It is expected that 109 bathrooms, which make use of solar energy by installing solar power water heaters, will be finished until the end of 2013. Nachen Bridge, connecting the North Circular Road and the 318 National Highway after completion, has realized its closure of the main part structure and is expected to open to traffic within the year. The scenic zone Nanyigou, located in Nyingchi Prefecture, has adopted a tourist quota policy to allow a limit of up to 2,000 per day since August in order to support Chinas bid to build ecological shelter. The 2013 Shoton Festival of Tibet has wrapped up on August 12th. During the seven days＇ festival this year, a total number of 1.38 million tourists have visited Tibet, reaching an all-time high. The Xiahe Airport in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province opened on Aug. 19.     

Aquatic Birds Winter In Lhunzhub County (I)

Lhunzhub County is located inthe middle of Tibet along theupper reaches of the LhasaRiver. It is also called Peng-bo after the Pengbo River.Gandain Qugo Town, the county govern-ment headquarters, is 65 km from Lhasa.The county covers an area of 4,517square km, with 12,000 hectares of culti-vatable land, and a total population is52,000. The northern part belongs to thehigh and cold zone with the average ele-vation of some 4,160 meters. The south-ern part belongs to the drainage area ofthe …     

Thoughts on History

The Yarlung River Valley inShannan was the birthplace ofthe Tibetan race. When theTubo Kingdom was founded,Songtsam Gambo moved its capital topresent-day Lhasa. With Lang Darmamaking efforts to suppress Buddhism,the regime fell and in the ensuing 400years, the region suffered heavily fromdisintegration. This lasted until two menemerged to establish the brilliance of theXigaze area.Sapan and Godan Meet inLiangzhou     

A Brief Description of Tibetan Residential Architecture

The Tibet Autonomous Region covers an area of1.2 million square kilometers.It stretches 2000 kilo-meters from east to west,and 1000 kilometers fromnorth to south.With such a vast area,Tibet has uniquetopographies and landforms,as well as a complex eco-logical environment.The northwest of the TibetanPlateau has a cold climate because of its high altitude,and it is mainly pastoral.With a lower altitude,a mildclimate and plenty of rain,the southeast is suitable forplanting crops,so is mainly agricultural and agricul-tural-pastoral.In addition,the middle and lowerreaches of the Yarlung Zangbo (Yar-Klung gtsang-po)River and the Valleys of Three Rivers consist of vastareas with dense primeval forests.Inhabitants fromvarious ethnic groups,with Tibetans as the majority,are scattered in agricultural,pastoral,and forested     

Tibetan Knives

The style of Tibetan knives comes in four kinds:knives unique to the Lhasa and Xigaze areas,Gungbo area,Amdo area and Kham area.Lharze and Namling Tibetan knives are what people always talk about as being representative of the knives found in the Lhasa and Xigaze aareas.Craftsmen in the Lharze and Namling areas pay much attention to the steel-making fire when making the knife‘s edge.     

A JOURNEY TO Qomolangmo(Ⅴ):SOUTHEASTERN ROUTE

Located south otKangdese and Nyain-qentanglha Mountains,-Shannan lies on thelower and middle reaches ofthe Yarlung Zangbo River.Itconnects with Lhasa in thenorth,abuts Nyingchi Pre-fecture n he east,neighbosXigaze in the west, and bor-ders Bhutan and Indiaacross the Himalayas.The prefectures mea-     

Land of Snow Mountains And Grasslands

Damxung, located at the meeting point of southern and northern Tibet, is 160 km from Lhasa. Tibetans regard it as the northern gate to the regional capital city.In Tibetan, Damxung means "the selected choice place". It is the best grassland in Changtang and is the only county under Lhasa devoted to animal husbandry.Sitting at an elevation of 4,300 meters, it is intersected by the Nyainqentanglha Mountains, and has a total area of 12,000 square km.The county exercises jurisdiction over six townships and two towns, respectively Wuma Township, Lungren Town-     

丹巴古碉建筑文化综览(英文)

The upper reaches of the Three Rivers of western Sichuan~1 is one of the areas which boast ancient Tibetan and Qiang pillboxes. Danba county~2 was and is well known for the architectural culture of ancient pillboxes. The county was hence famed as "the country of a thousand pillboxes." According to the documents I have in hand and the fieldwork I made in the area, the pillboxes of Danba county are the most numerous, widest in distribution, most complete in function and type, and the clearest and longest in historical development among all counties. Danba is the most suitable place for studying ancient pillboxes and also for solving the mystery of the architectural culture of ancient pillboxes in the area of the Three Rivers.     

PEOPLE IN THE BARKOR STREET

<正>Editor's Note:According to local custom in Lhasa,people refer to the area around the Jokhang Temple as"Barkor Street"."Lhasa"is"the Buddha's land"in Tibetan.In the hearts of Tibetan people,the Jokhang Temple is one of the most holy places because a statue of the twelve-year-old Sakyamuni is enshrined and worshiped there.Every year,the temple attracts many Tibetan Buddhist monks and disciples come from far away and pay homage to the Buddha.As time passed,the area of Barkor Street around     

THE BAR-HEADED GOOSE FLYING OVER THE HIMALAYAS

正The bar-headed goose,one of the most common waterfowls on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,is named after the two black stripes on its head.A bar-headed goose looks quite stupid.Their images can be found everywhere,no matter whether they come from the Changtang Plateau in northern Tibet,the valley from midstream of the Yarlung Zangbo River in winter,the crop fields of the suburbs of Lhasa,or in the Dzongyab Lukhang Park downtown.     

WHEN THE TIBETAN GARUDA MEETS HARLEY-DAVIDSON

正When Tibetan Harley bikers are together, they are always confused whose phone is ringing, as all of them have the same ringtone:the revving of a motorcycle engine.Having a nice horse was and is a luxury and source of pride for a Tibetan nomad on the grassland, butin a city like Lhasa, some consider riding a Harley to be the new fashion.A mix of Harley and Tibetan culture,the Tibetan Harley team known as the"Garuda"is an eye-catching scene in the ancient streets of Lhasa.