Langmusi was also called Taktsang Lhamo in Tibetan language. It is a small village on the border of Sichuan and Gansu provinces. Benefited by the rapid developing tourism, it is now growing to be a large township.
A small stream named “White Dragon River” with width of less than 2 meters flows cutting through Langmusi township into two parts, which are separated administrated by two provinces of Sichuan and Gansu. The province boundary is very clear on the map, however, the people of the two provinces live together and it is not easy to define which part is Gansu or Sichuan. The part of Langmusi in the south of the river is administrated by Zorge county of Sichuan Province. The monastery on this side is called “Gerda monastery” which was found by one of the disciples of Tsongkhapa who came around 1413. The current buildings are founded by the 53rd throne holder of Ganden in 1748. The north of the river is administrated by Luqu county of Qinghai province (Amdo). The monastery on this side is called “Sertang Gonpa” which is a branch of Drepung monastery in Lhasa, and has some impressive buildings, such as the Protector Temple (Gonkhang) and the residence of Alak Chetsang. In the rare of the monastery, there is one Sky-funeral site above the monastery which is the only one that is allowed to visit. The red rock cliff is visible on the trail to this site,
The Tibetan name of “Taktsang Lhamo” is usually called only “Lhamo” in short; “Taktsang” in Tibetan means “Tiger Nest”; “Lhamo” in Tibetan means “Fairy”. So that the complete meaning of this name is “The Tiger Nest Fairy”. This toponym is widely spread and used in Amdo Tibetan Area and has a long history. Langmusi is actually chinese pronunciation; “Langmu” is pronunciation of “Lhamo” in Chinese, “Si” is Chinese and means monastery . Here “Langmusi” means the monasteries in Langmu area;
Langmusi is in a narrow valley. Its southeast is a bare red stone mountain; It is the evergreen forest canyon in the southwest. The west is a hill; To the north is the bare rocky mountains. It is the traffic hub of the road junction of Sichuan and Gansu provinces. It is also the fortress from Qinghai to Gansu province.
Tea is a necessity for the lives of Tibetans, but there was no tea-planting in Tibet; and Good horses were absolutely needed by the Ancient china warlord in hinterland during the ancient civil wars. Tibetan plateau provides a great number of good horses. So a trade of Tea and horse began. In 1047, the Song Dynasty officially set up a “Tea division” in Sichuan and a “Horse division” in South of Gansu in order to manage the business of tea and horse trade. Langmusi became one important site on the ancient “Tea-Horse Trade route” for transporting tea and horses
With the prosperity of commerce. In the 4th year of Tongzhi of Qing Dynasty (1865), Hui merchants from Gansu and Ningxia provinces came here to do business,and settled here. Then after, more people including the Islamic Hui, the Dongxiang people, the Salar people came here, and villages were gradually built up. A mosque was built at Langmusi in 1943. Now there are two mosques belongs to two difference sect of Islam
The best travel seation
The best time to travel in this area is from May to September. During these months, the temperature is not cold, and very pleasant. It is very cold in winter, but there are many Buddhism activities.
How to get Langmusi
The closest airport to Langmusi is Hongyuan airport, approximately 240 kilometers and 4.5 hours’ drive south of Langmusi.
Add: 48 kilometers from Hong Yuan county
Contact: +86 837 7735566
Airport code: AHJ
Altitude: 3,535 meter
Add: No. 289, Section 5th, West Third ring road;
Jin-Niu district, Chengdu
Contact: +86 28 87506610
Altitude: 460 meter
Shuttles to Langmusi
From Hezuo to Langmusi, there are 3 buses a day,departing at 06:30, 07:20， 12:00 with rate RMB 50 per person
From Xiahe to Langmusi, there are 2 buses a day, departing at 06:40 am, 07:40 am with rate RMB 71.5 per person
From Lanzhou South Bus station, departing at 08:20 am with rate RMB 150 per person, Note, this bus would stop at a distance of 5 kilometers from Langmusi; It is recommended to get to Hezuo and then switch to another bus to Langmusi
From Zorge to Langmusi, there is one buse,departing at 14:30 pm with rate RMB 25 per person
From Jiuzhai valley, there is one bus, departing at 07:00 am with rate RMB 120 per person; Note, this bus is to go to Lanzhou that has one stop near Langmusi (approximately 5 kilometers)
Distance from Langmusi to
- To Chengdu : 565 kilometers, about 9 hours’ drive
- To Hongyuan Airport : 240 kilometers, about 4.5 hours’ drive
- To Labrang monastery : 190 kilometers, about 3.5 hours’ drive
- To Aba County: 255 kilometers, about 4.5 hours’ drive
- To Huanglong: 268 kilometers, about 4.5 hours’ drive
- To Lanzhou: 390 kilometers, about 5.5 hours’ drive
- To Xining: 430 kilometers, about 7 hours’ drive
