Zada, in Tibetan, means "place where there is grass downstream".
It is home to a unique and magnificent Tulin wonder, and is dotted with cultural sites that have endured thousands of years.
The Xiangquan River, which flows through the soil forest, has become the source of Tibetan civilization. The long and profound historical accumulation has left countless cultural and historical sites that have been discovered or not yet known in the Xiangquan River Basin.
▲Zada County under the rainbow
I.
Magnificent Zada
The scenery of Zada is empty but not lonely: Zada soil forest, the world's most typical and largest distribution area of the Tertiary strata weathered soil forest, is overwhelming and layered.
Zada Tulin
Nature's miracle
In the afterglow of the setting sun, it is magnificent, magnificent, and splendid.
Millions of years of erosion and stripping by wind and rain have created a soil forest, steep and straight, majestic and colorful, with a variety of postures and unique tastes.
This is the world carved out by the Creator with a pen of a carving knife.
▲ Rain falls on Malang Canyon
▲ Zada Tulin and the Himalayas under the light and shadow
▲The "heart" of the earth forest
Xiayi ditch
Colorful soil forest
If this 2,400-square-kilometer soil forest is a grand art exhibition, Xiayigou is one of the most exquisite and unique works of art.
This strange silvery white, silver-gray, and beige soil forest has become a must-visit place for many landscape photographers.
▲Looking down from a high place, the Xiayigou soil forest is like a blooming flower
▲The composition of the soil forest in Xiayi ditch is special, the bottom is gravel and loess, and the top is an iron-containing ore layer, because the soil layer contains a large number of ores, red, blue, yellow and many other colors shine in it, which is colorful.
▲The structural components of the bottom layer of the Xiayigou soil forest are easy to be eroded by wind and sand, and the weathering over the years has caused a wide shape at the top and narrow at the bottom, resembling a large mushroom, and the height of the "mushroom" can reach tens of meters!
II.
Ancient Zada
The vast Zada Tulin is like a spring river bubbling through the Tulin. The ancient Zhangzhung civilization began here, and the glorious Guge Dynasty left behind towering castles for people to hang on.
Xiangquan River
Zada Mother River
The Tibetan word for Xiangquan River is "Langchen Kapa", which originated at the foot of the sacred mountain Kailash.
Through the Menshi, all the way along the ancient river temple, Qulong ruins, Daba ruins, Zaburang, and finally through the Indian Satlati River into the Indus River.
The Xiangquan River Basin is the most important birthplace of ancient civilization in western Tibet. The Zhangxiong civilization and the Guge Dynasty have witnessed the legend of the ancient Tibetan civilization.
▲Zada County on the bank of the Xiangquan River
▲The Xiangquan River flows through the soil forest
▲Xiangquan River Grand Canyon
Qulong ruins
The legendary capital city of Zhangxiong
In the upper reaches of the Xiangquan River, there are famous Qulong ruins in Qulong Village, Daba Township, Zada County, the ruins are like Dapeng spreading their wings, there are many historic sites in the ruins, and it is the political center of Xiangxiong Dongdai, one of the six rus of Tubo.
▲Qulong ruins, such as the winged Dapeng bird
Ruins of the capital of the Guge Kingdom
The back of a dynasty
When the Xiangquan River once again traveled through historical time and space to the 9th century AD, the fallen Tibetan king Sun Jidenymagon went all the way west to Ali and gradually ruled the vast area of Ali. Then the three sons were divided, and "Sangon occupied the three circles": among them, the youngest son, Dezugon, occupied the ancient Xiangxiong field and founded the Guge Kingdom, opening a new page in the history of civilization in western Tibet.
In the more than 700 years of history of the Guge Kingdom, the magnificent culture of the Guge Dynasty has left people with infinite reverie.
▲The first ray of sunshine in Guge
▲ The road to Guge
▲ Guge in the moonlight
▲Luodang Temple under the starry sky
Torin Temple
Temple of Flight
Located in the territory of Zada County, more than 20 kilometers away from the ruins of the Guge Kingdom, on the south bank of the Xiangquan River, there is a majestic temple, the tower group is towering, and the building complex surrounded by the red wall, which is the famous Torin Temple at home and abroad.
Torin Monastery means "hanging temple" or "temple hovering in the air", and the appearance of this temple has played a huge role in the formation and development of Tibetan Buddhism in the post-macro period.
▲ Overlooking from a high place, the whole hall of Torin Temple is in the shape of a multi-edged "Asia", which is actually a large mandala (mandala)
▲The pagoda is an important part of the architecture of the Torin Temple, and there are as many as 83 pagodas around the Torin Temple
▲The Heavenly Descending Tower of Torin Temple
The site of the Donggapiyang Buddhist caves
"The Second Dunhuang"
The upper reaches of the Xiangquan River are scattered with large and small cave ruins. Donggapiyang ruins, Xiangzi ruins.
The Donggapiyang Buddhist Cave Site is the largest Buddhist cave site ever discovered in Tibet, and a large number of exquisite murals have been preserved. The murals in the cave are lifelike, the shape is beautiful, the lines are smooth and natural, and the colors are simple and bright without losing the sense of solemnity.
▲ Layers of Piyang ruins
Diya
"Ali's Little Gangnam"
The Xiangquan River completed its journey in the middle reaches after nine bends and eighteen bends, and came to Diya Township in Zada County.
The average altitude of the whole township is 3,700 meters, of which the average altitude of Diya Village and Shibuqi Village is 2,900 meters, which is the lowest altitude in Ali area. The climate is mild, the vegetation is abundant, it is the only place in Ali area where crops can be harvested twice a year, producing a variety of fruits, here is Ali's "small Jiangnan".
In summer, the valley is beautiful. Wild roses bloom all over the hillsides, and green barley grows freely.
▲ Surrounded by mountains, the bottom of the house
▲ The apricot blossom of the bottom of the bottom
▲ The girl who picks apples
III.
Zada today
Today's Zada, the traffic has changed dramatically, the village houses in the soil forest are neat, and the melons and fruits are fragrant. Zada, this "place with grass downstream", has a promising future.
Zabuljang Village
A tourist village under Guge
On the bank of the Xiangquan River in Zada County, at the foot of the ruins of the capital of the Guge Kingdom, there is a beautiful small village called Zaburang.
Because of its close proximity to the ruins of the capital of the Guge Kingdom, with the popularity of tourism in Tibet in recent years, this quiet village in the depths of the vast mountains has slowly become lively. Tourists from afar will rest and stay here to experience the authentic Tibetan family life.
There are already 32 families in the village who have set up family hotels with complete service facilities.
Pollin Village
Aoi Xiang
The village of Bolin is located at the foot of the Guge ruins, where the average altitude is about 3,900 meters, and the average annual temperature is 7 degrees Celsius. The climate, water source, soil, and suitable planting environment make the barley planted unique compared to other places. The milled multi-spiced tsamba was once used as a tribute to the Guge Dynasty and was famous.
The village has set up a multi-spiced tsampa processing factory, and the charming aroma of multi-spiced tsampa produced has drifted to all over the country.
- How to get to Zada -
There are currently three roads leading to Zada, all of which are connected to National Highway 219.
The first is Provincial Highway 303, which runs from Menshi Township, Gar County to Zada County. Along the way, you will pass by Qulong Ruins, Dongbo Ruins, Daba Ruins, Malang Scenic Area, Guge Kingdom Capital Ruins and other tourist attractions.
The second is National Highway 565, which runs from Suoduo Village in Gar County to Zada County. Along the way, you will pass through the colorful mountains, pearl lakes, etc., and see the rolling Himalayas, which is the best place to watch the sunset in Zada.
The third is Provincial Highway 302, which runs from Namuru Village in Gar County to Zada County. Along the way, it passes through Zada Tulin National Geopark, Xiayigou Scenic Area, Donggapiyang Grottoes Ruins and other scenic spots.
Source: Ali Travel
[Editor-in-Chief: Tan Qilu丨Editor: Jidan Zhuoma]
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