I had the privilege of visiting Shigatse City in the Tibet Autonomous Region, a prefecture-level city in the southwestern border of the People's Republic of China, in the southwest of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, adjacent to Ali Prefecture, not far from Nagqu City, close to Lhasa and Shannan, and close to Nepal, Bhutan and India.
The city is a high north-south area, consisting of the southern Tibetan plateau and the Brahmaputra River basin, with a total area of 179,240 square kilometers. As of 2022, the city has jurisdiction over 1 municipal district and 17 counties. In addition, data as of November 1, 2020 shows that the city's permanent population is 798153.
The city of Shigatse was historically known as Khikasangzhuzi, the origin of which means "the best manor of the soil", hence the name "Shigatse". The history of the city dates back to the twentieth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1360), and due to its strategic location, it became the site of the Sangzhuzi Dzongbao and the starting point for the official establishment of the city of Shigatse.
There are many amazing places in Shigatse City, such as Dingri County in the territory, where Mount Everest is located. In addition, Sangduz Dzong Fort and Gyantse Fort were former political and religious centers. In addition, famous temples such as Tashilhunpo Temple, Baiju Temple, and Sakya Temple are also in the city. The three major ports of Yadong Port, Zhangmu Port and Jilong Port have brought the city closer to neighboring countries. Shigatse City is also known as the small Jiangnan of Tibet and the south of the Tibetan Jiangnan, named the six famous ditches in the southern foothills of Xima, namely Yadonggou, Chentanggou, Karma Gou, Rongzhigou, Zhangmugou and Jilong Gou.
On December 9, 2019, Shigatse City's Shetongmen, Gyantse, Sakya, Saga, Latse and Nanmulin counties all got rid of the embarrassment of poverty-stricken counties (districts). In October 2020, the city was also rated as a national model city (county) with double support.
Historically, around the beginning of the seventh century AD, Songtsen Gampo of the Yalong tribe established the Tubo dynasty. The territory of the country is roughly divided into two parts, "Wei" and "Tibet", of which the "Tibet" area east and west of Shigatse is "Yeru" (around the Nianchu River) and "Rula" (along the upper reaches of Brahmaputra), bounded by the Gangbara Mountains in the east, and the Gundes Mountains (part of present-day Ali) in the west. The area named "Houzang" includes the city of Gyantse. Originally known as Nianqumai or Nianmai, Shigatse is located in a desolate area that, although already inhabited, is still relatively barren.
By the beginning of the 14th century, the Great Situ Cho Gyaltsen defeated the Sakya dynasty and established the Pazhu dynasty. After receiving the patronage of the Yuan and Ming royal families, he established 13 major sects, the last of which was called Sangzhuzi (meaning "to get one's wish"). The sect is located in Shigatse, hence the name Khikasangzhuzi. Since then, the full name of Shigatse has become Xikasangzhuzi, abbreviated as Xikazi, and the Chinese transliteration is Shigatse.
On May 23, 1951, the Central People's Government and the local government of Tibet signed the Agreement between the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet, and on November 15, the Chinese People's Liberation Army entered Shigatse. In order to facilitate administrative management, the central authorities have set up division of labor committees in Shigatse and Gyantse. Since then, Shigatse City has modernized and become a city with both historical and modern characteristics.