Travel in Qinghai Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
| Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture |
| Travel in Qinghai | |||
|
|
Haixi Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture is situated in the northern part of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the western part of Qinghai Province. It connects Tibet in the south, reaches Gansu Province in north, and stretches Xinjiang in the west. Thus it is a communication center of Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai and Gansu provinces. Currently, Haixi prefecture governs two cities and three counties, namely Delingha City (dé lìng hā shì 德令哈市), Gomud City (gé ěr mù shì 格尔木市), Dulan (dū lán xiàn 都兰县), Wulan (wū lán xiàn 乌兰县) and Tianjun counties (tiān jùn xiàn 天峻县). Delingha is the capital city of the prefecture. There are 29 ethnic groups living in this region, including Han, Mongolian, Tibetan, Hui, Tu and Sala people. Especially, the Mongolian and Tibetan are the major residents.
After 1949, the People's Government of Dulan County was founded and the area was renamed Dulan Autonomous District (dū lán zì zhì qū 都兰自治区); in 1954, Dulan was renamed Haixi Mongol, Tibetan and Kazakh Autonomous District (hǎi xīměng zàng hā sà kè zú zì zhì qū 海西蒙藏哈萨克族自治区) and in 1955, Haixi Mongol, Tibetan and Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture (hǎi xīměng zàng hā sà kè zú zì zhì zhōu 海西蒙藏哈萨克族自治州). In 1963, it was renamed as Haixi Mongol, Tibetan and Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture (hǎi xīměng gǔ zú zàng zú hā sà kè zú zì zhì zhōu 海西蒙古族藏族哈萨克族自治州). In 1985, after the Kazakhs had returned to Xinjiang, it was again renamed Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
The main landform of Haixi is the Tsaidam Basin, one of the four major basins of China. It leans against Mount Aerhchin and Mount Chilien in the north and is adjacent to Mount Kunlun in the south. Its total area is 325,800 square kilometers (125,792 square miles), covering 45.17 percent of the area of Qinghai Province. The average elevation of Haixi is 3,000 meters (9,842.5 feet) and the highest point is the Bukadaban Peak, with an altitude of 7,720 meters (25,328 feet). The lowest point lies in the Dabuxun Lake Area, with an elevation of 2,675 meters (8,776 feet).
The Kunlun Mountains (kūn lún shān 昆仑山) has been known as the Forefather of Mountains in China. The name of the mountain can be found in many Chinese classics, such as The Classics of Mountains and Rivers, Commentary on the Waterways Classics, and Canonization of the Gods (or Gods and Heroes). As legend has it, the goddess of Kunlun is Queen Mother of the West. The adobe of immortals in many ancient books is said to be the Heihai, or the Black Sea (hēi hǎi 黑海) - the source of the Kunlun River (kūn lún hé 昆仑河), 4,300 meters above sea level, with an area of 60 square kilometers. The river region is an ideal home to birds and wild animals, such as wild donkeys, sheep, and brown bears. There are precious murals in Yeniugou (yě niú gōu 野牛沟), or Wild Bull Ditch. Textual research shows that this is where Taoist rites were performed during the late Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
Qarhan Salt Lake (chá ěr hàn yán hú 察尔汗盐湖) is located in Tsaidam Basin in Golmud City, west of Qinghai Province. 750km away from Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province, the lake is the biggest one with the solid and liquid salt in China and is the most well-known inland salt lake in the world. With an altitude of 2600 meters and an area of 5000 square kilometers, it is the biggest production base of potash fertilizer in China. The lake enjoys Tsaidam desert droughty and extreme droughty climate and has an annual average precipitation of merely 24.7 mm, forming the unique landscape and attracting lots of people coming to visit.
Dulan Hunting Ground is located in Barum (bā long 巴隆) and Gouli (gōu lǐ 沟里) Communes, Dulan County, Qinghai Province. It consists of two parts: Barum with an area of 19,000 ha, and Gouli with an area of 25,000 ha. The altitude at Barum is around 4,000 m (13,123 ft.) above sea level and a little higher in Gouli. Dulan Hunting Ground is in the central part of Qinghai, along the southeastern edge of the Qaidam Basin. The habitat is open alpine mountainous region with spare vegetation of grasses and low, sporadic patches of scrub. The weather is dry, windy and cold. The annual average temperature is 3.8°C. In spring hunting season (March - May) there is less rain or snow and the wind slows down, but the ground is still frozen. From late September to the end of October is the best season for hunting there when it is mild, windless, and dry without rain and snow, and the temperature rarely drops to -2/-8 °C at night.
Mt. Geladandong (gè lā dān dōng shān 各拉丹东山) is located in the Tanggula Mountains in the central region of the eastern Tibetan Plateau, and is the source region of the Yangtze River (the third longest river in the world). Grassland steppes lie to the south and east, and the regions to the north and west are arid. The place of origin of the Yangtze River has an elevation of 6,621 meters. It is famous as the origin of the rivers. Geladandong Peak is a snow-covered mountain (or massif) located in southwestern Qinghai province of China near the border of Tibet. It is the tallest mountain in the Tanggula Mountain Range of the Tibetan Plateau with an elevation of 6,621 meters (21,722 ft) above sea level. The source of the Yangtze River begins with glaciers on its surface.
By the archaeological excavation, a lot of relics of leather boot, golden articles, wooden bowls and dishes, wooden bird animals, pottery, inscribed wooden slips of ancient Tibet are unearthed. Especially, the unearthed silk clothes with clear designs, bright colors are the scarce treasures. The main kinds of the silk cloth are the brocade, thin satin, tough silk and embroidery with design of birds and animals, flowers and plants, figures and carriages, among which those with beautiful designs of figures and hunting scene are the first time of excavation. The excavation of the tombs in Dulan is very useful for the study of the history of the civilization of ancient Tibet. It was classified as one of the most important discoveries by the Ministry of Culture in 1983 and 1996. It was under the state protection.
Tanggula Mountain literally means “mountain on the plateau” in Tibetan and “high mountain insurmountable by eagles” in Mongolian. It is connected by the Karakoram Mountains to the west and the Hengluan Mountains to the east, extending about 1000 km (621 mi) long and 150 km (93 mi) wide. The mountain is the watershed of the Yangtze and the Nu Rivers, and the seedbed of these two rivers and Lancang River (lán cāng jiāng 澜沧江). The source of Yangtze River C Tuotuo River just originates from its main peak, Geladandong Peak. Generally at the altitude of 5,000 C 6,000 m (16,404 C 19,685 ft), the mountain is capped with snow all the year round, with dozens of ancient glaciers racing down the side C a spectacular view.
Thangka painting (táng kǎ huà 唐卡画) is one of the foremost expressions of Tibetan religion, culture, and art. Present day artisans produce the magnificent works just as their predecessors did centuries earlier. Thangka, or scroll painting, is usually painted on linen cloth or cotton fabric and mounted by scroll of brocade, and aesthetically depict religious symbolism. It's a mark of Tibetan people's devotion to Buddhism and often serves as an object of worship at home. Invented during the 7th and 8th century, the art of Thangka became widely popular in the 12th century. Thangkas can last a very long time and retain much of their luster. Therefore, they are regarded as a living encyclopedia of Tibetan culture and art.
Licorice is used for various digestive system complaints including stomach ulcers, heartburn, colic, and ongoing inflammation of the lining of the stomach (chronic gastritis). Some people use licorice for sore throat, bronchitis, cough, and infections caused by bacteria or viruses. Licorice is also used for osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), liver disorders, malaria, tuberculosis, food poisoning, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Licorice is sometimes used along with the herbs Panax ginseng and Bupleurum falcatum to improve the function of the adrenal glands, especially in people who have taken steroid drugs long-term. Steroids tend to suppress the activity of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands produce important hormones that regulate the body’s response to stress. Licorice is also used in an herbal form called Shakuyaku-kanzo-to (yào gān cǎo tāng 药甘草汤) to increase fertility in women with a hormonal disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome. In combination with other herbs, licorice is also used to treat prostate cancer and the skin disorder known as eczema. Some people use licorice as a shampoo to reduce oiliness in their hair.
China Travel Guide
China Yellow Pages
Copyright © 2007 - 2024 Foreigners in China | Travel in China | China Travel Guide