Yushu City is a county-level city under Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture with location in southwestern of Qinghai Province. It is a semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral city that focuses on animal husbandry.
Yushu City is also known as “Jiegu town” in Chinese Pinyin” OR “Gyegu” , “Jyekundo” in Tibetan, which means “Confluence of all growth”. It was an important hub in history of Tangbo Ancient Road, and was also a non-governmental trade distribution center at junction of Qinghai, Sichuan, and Tibet. It is seat for both of Yushu prefecture and Yushu city. As well as political, economic, and cultural center of Yushu Prefecture.
Location
Yushu City is in eastern of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, bordering Tibet Autonomous Region to east and southeast, Nangqian County to southwest, and Zadoi County to west, Zhidoi County to northwest, and Qumarleb County, and Chindu County to north and northeast. Its city seat – “Jyekundo town” is with altitude of 3681 meters,
Note: “Jyekundo” is used as Tibetan name of Yushu city, with two meanings, one — capital town of Yushu City; it also means administrative area of Yushu City
Best time to travel
From June to October
Local climate
Plateau alpine climate
Most popular sites
Jia Na Mani Stone Sutra Pile, commonly known as “Jia Na Mani” OR “Gyanak Mani“. Located in Xinzhai Village, 3 kilometers away from Jiegu(Jyekundo) Town with altitude of 3,600 meters above sea level. The existing mani stone piles are 283 meters long from east to west, 74 meters wide from north to south, and 2.5 meters high. There are more than 2 billion mani stones, a large prayer hall, a Buddhist hall, 10 large prayer wheels, more than 300 small prayer wheels and more than a dozen stupas. It is considered a mountain piled with words, and was announced as a national key cultural relics protection unit in May 2006
Zangniang Pagoda and Samdrub monastery were formerly a Bon religion monastery. The earliest ancient building is “Zangniang Pagoda·Shengde Mountain”, which was completed in 1030 AD. Tibetan Buddhist community recognizes that Zangniang pagoda is an essence of Tibetan Buddhist pagodas. It is one of three world-class Tibetan Buddhist pagodas along with Bodhnath Pagoda in Nepal and Kumbum Pagoda in Gyantse County of Tibet. In 2001, Zangniang Pagoda and Samdrub monastery were included in list of national key cultural relics protection units
Jiegu Monastery, also known as “Jyekundo Dondrubling Monastery” in Tibetan, located on Jiegu Mountain in east of Yushu City. It is main temple of Sakya pa in Qinghai Province. Its main buildings are 2 sutra halls, 220 monks’ houses, 1 assembly hall.
Jiegu monastery is built on hillside, and Gyanak Renpoche is the largest living Buddha of this monastery, and has a close relationship with hinterland of China, So he is called “Gyanak Zhugu” (meaning living Buddha of Han nationality),
Temple of Princess Wencheng is also known as “Vairocana Cave Temple“. According to legend, it was built for commemorating Princess Wencheng. It is located in Batang Township which is 20 kilometers away from Jiegu Town. Construction began around 642 AD and was completed around 653 AD. It is one of important cultural relics of ancient Tangbo road.
Trangu Monastery enjoys a reputation for building and managing Princess Wencheng Temple. It is located in Trangu village about 4 kilometers south of Jiegu Town. It was built in 12th century with altitude of 3700 meters above sea level. There are two parts of this monastery with distance of 70 meters apart from each other. Lower part was built at beginning, Upper temple was built later, and lower monastery is main part of this monastery.
“Trangu”, literally translated as “flower stone”, is named after a rock with colorful colors near lower monastery. Trangu monastery belongs to Kagyu pa of Tibetan Buddhism. There are Buddhist halls of Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug sects in assembly Hall, enshrining their respective founders or lineage masters.
Bianqin Monastery, also known as “Banqing Monastery” or “Benchen Monastery”, is called “Benchen Puntsok Dargyeling” in Tibetan. It belongs to Kagyu pa. Located in Batang Township, 28 kilometers away from Yushu City. There are Assembly hall, Dharma Protector Hall, Retreat Buddhism Hall, etc.; A 5-story Assembly Hall is 36 meters high and covers an area of about 1,200 square meters. Inside of it, there is an 8-meter-high gilded bronze statue of Trai-lokya Buddham.
Geography and Climate
Yushu City is located in eastern of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, bordering Tibet Autonomous Region to east and southeast, Nangqian County to southwest, and Zadoi County to west, Zhidoi County to northwest, and Qumarleb County, Chindu County and to north and northeast. It is 190 kilometers from east to west and 194 kilometers from north to south, with an area of 13,462 square kilometers,
Terrain of Yushu City is dominated by plateaus. Its entire terrain is high in northwest and middle, low in southeast and northeast. Topography is dominated by alpine valleys and mountain plains, with many small basins and lake basins in its middle.
The highest mountain is 5752 meters above sea level, and the lowest point is 3350 meters above sea level. With an average elevation of 4,493 meters, there are 951 peaks over 5000 meters above sea level, most of which are covered with snow all year round.
Remaining of Tanggula Mountain traverse middle of Yushu county from east to west to form a branch-shaped mountain, which is watershed of two major river basins (Yellow River and Yangtze River).
Yushu City has a typical plateau alpine climate. There are no four seasons throughout a year, only difference between cold and warm seasons. Cold season lasts for 7-8 months and warm season only 4-5 months. Aannual average temperature is 2.9℃, average temperature in January is -7.5℃, and average temperature in July is 12.5℃. Annual precipitation is 487 mm.
Population and ethnicity
As of 2016, total population of Yushu city was 111,352, of which 93% were Tibetans. In addition, there are Han, Hui, Tu, Mongolian, Salar, Miao, Buyi, Zhuang, Manchu, Korean
Yushu Major Event
Yushu Horse Racing Festival July 25th – August 1st , annually
How to get to Yushu
In general, there are two ways to get in & out Yushu city, one is by overland, anther is by flight;
Overland journey
From Xining to Yushu with distance of 795 kilometers, which takes about 11 hours’ drive; There are bus to Xining City, Sershul county, Garze County, Chengdu…..etc
By Flgiht
There are daily flights between Yushu/Xining, and flights between Xining/Chengdu, Xining/Lhasa; More flights will be added
Yushu Bus Station
Add : Jieguzhen, Yushu city
Contact : +86 976 882-7730
Altitude: 3,700 meters
Working hours: 08:00 am – 18:30 pm
Yushu Batang Airport
Address : Yushu, China
IATA Code : YUS
Contact : +86 976 881-3743
Altitude: 3,890 meters
Distance from Yushu City to
- Qumarleb County: 250 kilometers, about 6.5 hours’ drive
- Xining : 795 kilometers, about 11 hours’ drive
- Zhidoi county : 200 kilometers, about 5 hours’ drive
- Zadoi county : 225 kilometers, about 5.5 hours’ drive
- Tongren : 950 kilometers, about 13 hours’ drive
Recommended Hotel in Yushu
Brief History
In ancient times, Yushu area was a land of Qiang
During Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, it belonged to Sum pa (Subi) kingdom
In Tang Dynasty, it was land of Tubo kingdom
In Southern Song Dynasty, it was under jurisdiction of Nangqian tribe
In Yuan Dynasty, Yushu area was under jurisdiction of Tubo High Pacification Commissioner’s Office
In Ming Dynasty, Yushu area belonged to Mdo-khams Pacification Commissioner’s Office
In early Qing Dynasty, Yushu area was under jurisdiction of Nangqian Royal family which was under control of Heshuote Mongolian regime,
At beginning of Republic of China, Yushu area was under direct jurisdiction of Qinghai province
In 6th year of Republic of China (1917), Yushu area was placed under Yushu region
In 18th year of Republic of China (1929), Yushu County was established when Qinghai Province was established
In 1949, Yushu Special Region was established, Region office was stationed in Yushu County, and it governed Yushu county, Chindu County, and Nangqian county.
In 1951, Yushu Special Region was changed to Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Region, with jurisdiction over two counties of Chindu and Nangqian, and Yushu County was abolished
In 1952, Yushu County was restored, and it was under direct jurisdiction of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Region
In 1955, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Region was abolished, and Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture was established, Yushu County was under jurisdiction of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
In 2013, Yushu County was abolished, Yushu City was established; and former administrative area of Yushu County was administrative area of Yushu City
