Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Norbulingka...
It is known as Lhasa
However, few people discuss it
The beauty of Lhasa's natural landscape
If you look at the waters of the Lhasa River
Look at the valley plains and ditches of Lhasa
You will find
A beautiful picture of scenery
It's slowly unfolding in front of your eyes...
It originates from the Lhasa River in the southern foothills of the Nianqing Tanggula Mountains
Spread out in braids in flat, open river valleys
Photography / Xie Gang
View of Lhasa
In Tibet
What are some good places to see glaciers, stargazing, and flower viewing?
Most of the time you don't think about Lhasa
But when you dig into Lhasa
It will be unexpected
Even overjoyed
Glaciers: Lhasa's "Source of Life"
Among the 7 cities (regions) of Tibet
Lhasa has the fewest glaciers though
Glacier coverage is also the second-to-last
But it's a very good "ice city"
Because the traffic is convenient and accessible
And the western section of the Nianqing Tanggula Mountain is particularly beautiful
Continental glaciers
Golden Dragon Peak in the north of Yangbajing Town, Dangxiong County, Lhasa City
It is one of the peaks of the western section of The Tanggula Mountain in Nianqing
White, continental glaciers meander down the mountain
Photography / South Carolina
Continental glaciers refer to
Glaciers that develop under the influence of continental climatic conditions
Characterized by lower glacier temperatures
The climate is dry, snowfall is low, and the snow line is high
Less active
As a result, there are fewer moraines and the ice surface is clean
In addition, the snow peaks in the western section of the Nianqing Tanggula Mountains are lined up
Granite mountains are carved under glaciers
The edges are sharp and the ridges are like blades
So the glaciers of Lhasa
The image is like "ice and jade beauty"
Compared to the oceanic glaciers in the eastern section of the Nianqing Tanggula Mountains
Glaciers in the western section of the Nianqing Tanggula Mountains in Lhasa
It is more in line with people's imagination about glaciers "ice and jade purity"
The picture shows the Koqiong Gangri Glacier in Dangxiong County, Lhasa City
Photography / He Yuanshu
These glaciers are not only beautiful
It is also the "source of life" that nourishes Lhasa
Tibetan
It consists of a series of mountains, plateaus, broad valleys and basins
In this combination
A wide valley embedded between mountains
It's like an oasis surrounded by desolation
It often becomes a cornucopia for human reproduction
A meadow full of flowers
Herds of cattle and sheep
The sparkling waters of Lake Namtso
It's all due to the meltwater of the glaciers of the Snowy Mountains
Aerial photography of the western section of Nianqing Tanggula Mountain in the southeast of Namcuo
Snow-capped mountains and turquoise lakes complement each other
Photography / Lee Joon-so
Starry Sky: A glittering light in the night
Ali, Tibet is an excellent place for stargazing
But for the average stargazer
A bit of a "hopeful"
High altitude, low night temperature, remote and desolate
And Lhasa and its surroundings
It is very suitable for the average stargazing enthusiast
Near Namtso, Yangzhuoyong and various snow-capped mountains
All very nice
A summer night in 2015
The photographer photographed a meteor of fire streaking over the Potala Palace on the mountain behind the Sera Temple
Photography / Pan Chengzhu
Light pollution, cloud thickness, air pollution
and atmospheric stability (apparent throbbing) and so on
It all affects the observation effect of the starry sky
The conditions in Lhasa are excellent
The first is the high altitude, transparent air and no haze
And the precipitation is not large, and the temperature is stable
There are many days suitable for stargazing
The population and architecture are distributed in narrow valley plains
Except for Chengguan District, the population is relatively scattered
So slightly out of town
It can avoid artificial light sources
Finally, Lhasa is located in a river valley
The terrain is relatively gentle and the atmosphere fluctuates less
Sight is also quite good
In the golden pond of Dazi District, not far from downtown Lhasa
It's a good stargazing spot
Photography / Wang Yi
The starry sky of Namtso
Especially recommendable
Excellent due to the dark space environment
Many beautiful astronomical phenomena can be seen here
The right side of the image below looks like a white mist
It is a rare "zodiacal light"
It is formed by interstellar dust scattering sunlight
Dark red background is "Twilight"
It is sunlight that scatters out from below the horizon
Illuminates the atmosphere at the lower levels
On a spring evening
These two "lights" together with the arched Milky Way illuminate the surface of Namtso Lake
The ultimate stargazing experience, it is actually very close to Lhasa
Sea of Flowers: The secret place of the four seasons
The ink bamboo worker card has 10,000 acres of rape flowers
The monasteries around Lhasa hide many "peach blossom sources"
There are also Kelsang flowers that are very representative of Tibet
Blooms in many obscure secrets
Most of them are not far from Lhasa
The fields of rapeseed flowers around Lhasa are little known
Such as the river valley of Mozhugongka County, Jiamagou and other places
It is the finale of the canola flower in our country every summer
Photography / Chen Wei
Peach blossoms are a symbol of spring
But it's not just Nyingchi in Tibet who can enjoy peach blossoms
Pabong Gang in the North Niangre Ditch of Lhasa City
Qusang Monastery not far from Papang Gang
Drepung Monastery on the western outskirts of Lhasa
They are all good places to see peach blossoms
Compared to the majestic Nyingchi peach blossoms that roam the mountains and fields
Lhasa peach blossoms bloom in the corner
Secretly elegant
Understatedly dotted with red walls, yellow curtains, and white towers
The peach blossoms in Lhasa are rarely noticed
They permeate any corner of cities and monasteries
Photography / Li Heng
The name Kelsang flower has been passed down for thousands of years
But what kind of flower it is
There is never a clear statement
Some scholars believe that it is a plant of the Asteraceae family that blooms yellow flowers
The shape is similar to our common chrysanthemum
Since Kelsang flowers are in Tibetan culture
It has the meaning of spiritual sustenance
In the course of time
Many similar plants are also known as Gesang flowers
Flowers that bloom in a place of purity and purity
If only the sages could bless the hereafter
It feels warm and shiny like daylight
That is, the meaning of "Gesang flower"
Inconspicuous but beautiful, pure Gesang flowers
Photography / Wang Ning
Daylight: The warm gift of the sun
Lhasa is known as the "City of Daylight"
Plenty of light and intense solar radiation
It makes up for the lack of high weather and cold in some places
It has special significance for human activities and agricultural production
There is plenty of sunshine here all year round
The number of sunshine hours throughout the year is more than 3,000 hours
it is the world that receives solar radiation
Second only to the Sahara Desert in Africa
The sky is always blue and translucent
Flowers bloom outside the residents' window sills
Due to the strong sunshine, even in severe winter
As soon as the sun comes out
Temperatures will rise quickly
Sunlight affects every aspect of Lhasa's residents' lives
Solar stoves, water heaters, and chargers are very popular
Some people also use transparent glass to build a "sun room"
Photography / Wang Ning
In Lhasa, the charm of sunshine is everywhere
Street view from Lhasa
to the traditional costumes of the Tibetan people
Then to the crops and animals of Lhasa
All are deeply affected by the sun
For example due to the strong ultraviolet rays
Common germs in the plains are difficult to survive here
Very few people suffer from skin diseases and wound infections
Infants and young children also rarely have the phenomenon of "calcium deficiency" common in plains and large cities
Tibetan man's bronzed skin
A red halo on the face of a Tibetan woman
Both are associated with long-term intense solar radiation
Due to the strong ultraviolet rays
Prayer men wearing hats are common on the streets of Lhasa
Plenty of sunshine
It brings infinite vitality to the plateau
Sunlight is the only source of energy needed by green plants
Lhasa and the entire plateau are exposed to sufficient solar radiation
Crops have 10-12 hours a day
Both can perform photosynthesis
As a result, production can be greatly increased
And since the 1980s
The local vigorous development of solar energy
Today
There are photovoltaic power plants in all counties (districts) under the jurisdiction of Lhasa
In total, there are more than ten seats
Also adapted to local conditions
Construct small off-grid solar photovoltaic power plants for local consumption
Meet the electricity needs of farmers and herders
Agriculture in Lhasa benefits from sunshine
The picture shows the crop greenhouse in Linzhou County
Photo by Tashi Tsering
Ditch Area Lhasa
The city of Lhasa and the Lhasa River are widely known
And the valley of Lhasa is "raised in the depths of the unknowned"
These ravines cover a wide area
It is spread all over Lhasa
It is made of snow meltwater and frozen soil meltwater
as well as the meltwater of the Glacier of Nianqing Tanggula Mountain
It flows into the Lhasa River or a tributary of the Lhasa River
Deeply cut the earth
These ravines
It is becoming a scenic spot for viewing, crossing the Rinka, and hiking
River Valley: Nurturing nature and humanity
Lhasa River, the mother river of Lhasa City
It originates in the southeastern foothills of Nianqing Tanggula Mountain
The total length of the main stream is 551 km
The river valley is basically a narrow valley in the shape of a "V"
A section of the river that starts below Tanggu Township
The river valley is getting wider and wider
Until the formation of a spectacular braided water landscape
At the time of the imminent flow into the Brahmaputra
Alluvial areas form a vast valley alluvial plain
It has become a treasure land suitable for the development of agriculture and artesian irrigation
And eventually gave birth to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
The most prosperous center of Tibetan civilization
- Lhasa City
Lhasa River Valley and Lhasa City
Photography / Jiang Feibo
As a typical high-altitude, low-latitude mountain plains river valley
The elevation of the Lhasa Valley has dropped from 5200 meters to 3580 meters
The drop is more than 1500 meters
Precipitation from the southwestern monsoon of the Indian Ocean
Keep the climate in the Lhasa Valley warm and arid
Vegetation is in the humid forests, shrublands and meadows of southeastern Tibet
Cold and arid with northwest Tibet
A transition zone between alpine meadows, alpine grasslands, and deserts
Mountain vegetation with
Alpine meadows, shrub grasslands and subalpine shrublands are predominant
At the bottom of the river valley, desert vegetation predominates
Special geographical location and climatic conditions
It gives birth to a diverse ecology of animals and plants
It's like a "vertical garden"
The source of the Lhasa River, the Madika Wetlands
It is a paradise for herders and a home for birds
Photography / Fu Fu Cheng
View: A paradise in the ditch
Compared to the famous gods "mountains" and names "wrong"
The "ditches" in Lhasa appear too low-key and silent
Narrow and deep "ditches" hide between mountains
Full of unknowns
It was like a wisp of silent folds on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
However, walking into these "ditches" will be found
They each have their own stories, each with its own beauty
And it's all around people
The valleys around Lhasa are rich in water resources and pleasant scenery
Ancient villages and patches of farmland
It is a common cultural landscape in the Lhasa Valley
Yebagou is a cultural landscape on a cliff face
It is located in Bangdui Township, Dazi District, Lhasa City
Deep in the ditch, there are many caves on Mount Lachenambu, and the quiet caves are an excellent choice for practitioners to retreat
Every cave has a story
It became one of the four major hermitages in Tibet, which is well-known in Tibet
Later generations even built temples nearby to commemorate the practitioners
Finally "Tokuri-ji Temple"
Formed the Zayaba Monastery
The temple of Yebagou was built because of the "hole"
The "cave" is famous for its temple
As a result, Yebagou has also formed a very distinctive cultural landscape
Photography / Lu Yuli
Inside Nanmugou in Qushui County
Green hills stretch out
The village is peacefully nestled among the valleys
It's like a paradise scene
The clouds wander freely
Shelter from sunlight from time to time
The valley under the changing light and shadow came to life
It's like playing a silent movie
In fact, it is affected by the terrain of the valley
This tranquility can be broken at any time
In just half an hour
You can experience a sudden change from a clear day to a combination of wind and rain
Lush Nanmugou, the warm sun looks good under the years
Leisure: Go to the valley to cross the linka
The mountainous terrain of the Lhasa River Valley is fragmented
Ravines run rampant
So there are many mountains, more water, and more valleys here
The city of Lhasa sits right in the middle of the wide Lhasa River Valley
Innate geographical environment, the way of life of nature and man
Let the people here be filled with a deep love for nature
At your leisure, go to the nearby valley for a linka
It has become a favorite of the residents of Lhasa
In Tibet, people have been traveling to the sacred mountain and the holy lake since ancient times
Maybe it's why the locals are particularly keen to go to the beautiful scenery of the mountains and rivers to pass the linka
Photography / Liu Bin
"Linka" is of Tibetan origin
A "forest" is a large area
A "card" is a relatively fixed field
In the past, the word referred to nobles or manor owners
Visit a private garden at a specific time to relax
With the improvement of the living standards of ordinary people
Linka is no longer the leisure and entertainment of the nobility
Everything is a gathering in a place with beautiful scenery and close proximity to nature
Can be called "over the linka"
From summer to autumn
Both belong to the long Linkar season
With the start of the bathing festival from July to early August in the Tibetan calendar
Linkarty has come to an end
People enjoy the crisp autumn water while enjoying it
While washing and drying the carpets in the home
Trekking: Walk between the ravines of heaven and earth
Tibet is known as the "Holy Land of Trekking"
Because there is
Stretching majestic snow-capped mountains and pristine deep forests
Bright and dazzling lakes, desolate wilderness...
There are also temples, ancient villages and lovely rustic Tibetans
Only walk through this land in person
You can really get close to them
And the ditch area near Lhasa
It is becoming a new destination for hikers
A hiker stands on a hill near Lhasa overlooking the city
The Kosang Trail is one of them
A famous route with a rich history and natural beauty
Refers to Jiamagou from Mozhugongka County, Lhasa City
The ancient road to Samye Temple in Zhanang County, Shannan
For thousands of years, this ancient road
It is an important channel connecting the front and back of the tibet
It is also a place where the cultures of Lhasa and Yalong Valley blend
Carry people
The footsteps of pilgrimage and business between Lhasa and Shannan
At the same time, there are many landforms such as river valleys, cliffs, and snow-capped mountains
Along the way, you can see 1,200-year-old cliff carvings
Today, it has become one of the top ten hiking routes in Tibet
Kosang Trail, a group of hikers crossing the river
Photography / Li Ming
The movement of the earth's crust created a three-dimensional Tibet
Countless peaks and ravines
Together, they form the most beautiful folds on earth
The valleys of Tibet are mostly magnificent
But in fact, Lhasa has no shortage of beautiful valleys
It's like a girl in a deep boudoir
Shui Lingjuan xiu, beautiful alone
Hike in the ditch in the summer
It's like entering a canyon in the south
Lush vegetation and wildflowers
The wild birds of the valley are covered in rainbows
The creek flows at the bottom of the valley
Rejoice in the hearts of the people
Rainbow in the Lhasa Valley after the rain
Photography / Wang Fangming
Great Lhasa
How much beauty is there?
Wonderful intangible cultural heritage, rare birds and animals
Vigorous agriculture and animal husbandry, comfortable rural life...
There are many, many more charms in Lhasa
We'll < the Lhasa > you didn't know about in the next post
Continue to reveal the lesser-known side of Lhasa
The content of this article is from the 2021 Lhasa Special Issue
topic
What is your deepest impression of Lhasa?
- END -
Edit / Dog