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Lhasa |
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Lhasa, the capital of China's Tibet
Autonomous Region, has a history of more than 1,300 years.
It is the political, economic, cultural and transport center
of the region. Lhasa covers an area of close to 30,000
square km. It has a downtown of 544 square km and a
population of 400,000; 140,000 of its people live in the
downtown area. Lhasa is home to the Tibetan, Han, and Hui
peoples, as well as many other ethnic groups, but the
Tibetan ethnic group makes up 87 percent of the total
population.
Lhasa has beautiful scenery. The Lhasa River, known as the
"merry blue waves," runs through the snow-covered peaks and
gullies of the Nyainqentanglha Mountains, extending 315 km.
The river empties into the Yarlung Zangbo River at Quxu,
forming a scenic wonder that features blue and white water
waves.
The ancient city of Lhasa stands by the Lhasa River. Inside
the city towers the Potala Palace. The city features a
combination of traditional and modern things, including
prayer wheels and computers.
Located at the bottom of a small basin surrounded by
mountains, Lhasa has an elevation of 3,650 meters and sits
at 91'06E and 29'36N, the center of the Tibet Plateau.
Blessed with flat land and mild weather, Lhasa is free of
frigid winters and unbearably hot summers, having an annual
average daily temperature of 8 degrees C (43 degrees F). It
enjoys 3,000 hours of sunlight annually, much more than all
other cities in this regard, giving the city its title of
"sunlit city."
Lhasa enjoys an annual precipitation of 500 mm. It rains
mainly in July, August and September. The rainy seasons in
the summer and fall are the best seasons of the year, when
it rains mostly at night, and is sunny in the daytime. |
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Tsedang |
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Tsedang (Zetang) is the birthplace of
earliest Tibetans and the political and economical centre of
Shangnan prefecture. It sits on the south bank in the middle
section of the Yarlung Tsangbo River with a moderate climate
at an altitude of 3,600 meters.
The nearby Yarlung River scenic area is a national scenic
park with Samye Monastery, Yumbu Lhakang Palace, burial site
for Tsampos and Traduk Monastery spotting the region. It is
located between two mountain ranges at the northern side of
Himalayas, to the south of Nyanchen Tanggula mountains, just
by the Yalong zangbu river, with land area over 800,000
square kilometers. The Yalong river flows from the south
through the area and empty itself into Yalong zangbu river,
hence the Yalong river formed a huge river delta at its end
when it merges into another. |
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Shigatse |
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Shigatse, also Xigatse, means "fertile
land" and stands at the junction of the Yarlong Tsangpo and
Nyangchu River. It used to be the capital of Tsang and now
is the capital of Shigatse prefecture. The 600 year old city
is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, who is one of
the two prestigious spiritual leaders in Tibet and the abbot
of the Tashilhunpo Monastery. About 300 km from Lhasa, it is
an important stop between Lhasa and west Tibet where
pilgrims and tourists often wander. Shigatse has a
population of over 80,000, of which 97% are Tibetan. It is
the second largest city within Tibet has undergone large
scale development. Most tourist facilities stand along
Jiefang Dong Lu, Beijing Bei Lu, Zhufeng Lu and Shandong Lu.
West of the market and below the Dzong is the old Tibetan
quarter where many people like to visit.
Shigatse, the second biggest city in Tibet is situated at
the altitude of 12,600 ft. It is the famous city for its
great Tashilhunpo Monastery - the seat of the Panchen Lama,
who is regarded as the reincarnation of the Buddha of
Endless Enlightenment. Items of interest inside this
monastery built in 1447 by the First Dalai Lama are: the
relics of Sakyamuni, the Hall of Maitreya, and a incredible
collection of thanks, frescoes and statues. There is also a
dynamic 'free' market where one can buy local handicraft
embedded with coral and turquoise, Tibetan Daggers, Chinese
pottery and yak butter. Since it is the second biggest city
of Tibet, it is the center for transportation and
distribution of agriculture and other products. |
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