Sershul County is a county under jurisdiction of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It is also the county with the highest elevation, the largest area, the most remote location and the most inconvenient transportation in Sichuan Province. Crossing Sershul County, heading northwest to reach Yushu City in Yushu Prefecture
Location
The county seat of Shiqu County, Nixia(“Jumang” in Tibetan) Town, is 4200 meters above sea level, about 671 kilometers away from Kangding and 977 kilometers away from Chengdu.
It is bordered Chindu County, Darlag County, and Madoi County in northwest, Jomda County of Tibet to southwest across Jinsha river, and Sertar County and Dege County in southeast.
Best time to travel
From June to September
Local climate
Continental monsoon plateau climate
Why “Sun Tribe”?
“Dza-chu-ka” is nickname name of Sershul county in Tibetan, which means the tribe live in the Source of Yalong River; Due to the totem of “Dza-chu-ka” is “Sun”, hence, the local Tibetan tribe was called “Sun Tribe”
Sershul, also known as “Shiqu” in Chinese Pinyin, is the transliteration of Tibetan “Serxu” which is named after the “Serxu Gompa” of Gelug pa monastery built in 1760 AD, which means “tribal descendants wearing yellow hats”
Because of its geographical location, there are 18 primitive nomadic tribes – “Sun Tribe“, who live by water and grass. The herdsmen in the tribes seldom communicate with the outside world and are relatively closed, so that they even still retain some of the rules and customs of the primitive tribe nowadays
Most popular sites
Sershul monastery, also known as “Sershul Gompa“, is located 45 kilometers northwest of the county seat. It was built in 25th year of Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty (1760 AD). The Tibetan word “Serxu” means “tribal descendants wearing yellow hats.” It is said that Sershul monastery was built by a Mongol of Soba whom was one of the seven families, whom wandered from Mongolia.
Songge Mani Pile is located in Ariza Township, about 70 kilometers away from Sershul County seat. It was built in the period of King Gesar and has been around for more than a thousand years. The entire pile is about 10 meters high, more than 60 meters long, and more than 30 meters wide. It is like a rectangular stone city. There is a gate on the front for entry and exit. After entering, there are layers of Mani walls, intricately like a maze.
Zhaxika Grassland, also known as “Dza-chu-ka” in Tibetan, originating from Yalong River in Bayan Har Mountains in the northwest of Sershul county, and winds to southeast of Sershul, forming 18 grassland nomadic tribes with unique style; The Yalong River Basin in Sershul County has wide hills and shallow valleys, gentle water flow, and continuous grassland, forming a vast Zhaxika Grassland
Geography and climate
Sershul County is located at junction of Sichuan, Qinghai, and Tibet on the southeastern edge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is part of the main body of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. After a long period of weathering and erosion, river erosion and cutting, it has formed a landform pattern dominated by hilly plateaus.
Sershul County is located in northwestern of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture covering an area of 25,191 square kilometers, and the grassland area accounts for about 90% which makes it the largest county in Sichuan Province by area and is also known as the largest animal husbandry county in Sichuan Province
Due to its deep inland location and large-scale uplift of the topography, Sershul County has a cold climate, short spring and autumn, no summer, cold and long winters, little precipitation, and strong winter and spring wind
Average annual precipitation is 570 mm, which is about 500mm less than that of the basin in Sichuan province. It rains from May to August every year, and snow falls in the rest of the month.
Annual average temperature is -0.9℃; the highest temperature in history is 23.5℃; the lowest temperature in history is -37.8℃, Annual sunshine hours are 2410-2530hs
Population and ethnicity
As of 2019, Shiqu County has a total population of 110,000, of which Tibetans account for 91% of total population. Other ethnic groups include Han, Qiang, Miao, Hui, Mongolian, Tujia, Lisu, Manchu, Yao, Dong, Naxi, Buyi, Bai, and Dai people, etc.
Recommended hotels
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Ji Xiang Business Hotel
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Snowland Hotel
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Stone Carving Ke Kingdom Hotel
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Xiang De Ni Ma Hotel
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Zang Jia Culture Hotel
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How to get to Sershul
This county is neighbored with Yushu City of Amdo. Approximately 977 kilometers from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province; and 671 kilometers west from Kangding Citythe capital town of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province. The closest airport to Sershul is Yushu Batang Airport (3,950 meter), which is about 170 km westward, a 3.5 hours drive’ is needed.
Yushu Batang Airport
Address: 18km south of Yushu City
IATA Code: YUS
Contact: +86 976 881-3743
Altitude: 3,890 meters
Sershul Bus Station
Address: No. 2, De Ji East Street
Phone: +86 836 862-2070
Altitude: 4,160 meters
Working hours: 08:30 am – 17:00 pm
Distance from Sershul to
- Manigango Town: 220 kilometers, about 5.5 hours’ drive
- Garze County : 320 kilometers, about 7 hours’ drive
- Dege County: 330 kilometers, about 7.5 hours’ drive
- Yushu City: 130 kilometers, about 2.5 hours’ drive
- Yushu Batang Airport : 170 kilometers, about 3.5 hours drive
Brief History
From pre-Qin period(Paleolithic period – 221 BC), Sershul area was land of “Qiang Tribe”
During Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), “Di tribe” moved into Sershul area
During Wei Jin Period (220 AD-420 AD), Tuyuhun regime in Qinghai raised, which the tribes in Sershul area formed small kingdom in order to defend to its invasion
During Sui Dynasty(AD 581-AD 619), “Qiang” from Dangxiang area established “Fu Kingdom” which the tribes in Sershul area was under its jurisdiction
In 4th year of Da-ye of Sui Dynasty (AD 608), “Fu Kingdom” was subordinated to Tang Dynasty
During Tang Dynasty (AD 618-AD 907), Sershul area was occupied by Tubo kingdom
At the end of Tang Dynasty(AD 618-AD 907), Tubo kingdom collapsed and the tribes in Sershul area revived.
During Northern Song Dynasty (960-AD 1127), Sershul area was ruled by Ling Kingdom
During Yuan Dynasty (1271-AD 1368), “Chieftain system” was implemented, and it was under jurisdictuion of Tubo High Pacification Commissioner’s Office
During Ming Dynasty (AD 1368-AD 1644), Sershul area was under jurisdiction of Dbus-Gtsang Itinerant High Commandery
In the early Qing Dynasty, (AD 1616-AD 1912), It was ruled by Dege Chieftain
In the 1st year of Emperor Xuantong of Qing Dynasty (1909), Sershul County was officially established
In 21st year of Republic of China (1932), it was under Xikang Special Administrative Region
In 28th year of Republic of China (1939), it belonged to 4th administrative inspectorate of Xikang Province.
In 1950, it belonged to the Tibetan Autonomous Region of Xikang Province.
In 1955, Tibetan Autonomous Region of Xikang Province was changed to Xikang Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in the same year, it was renamed as “Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture“, since then Sershul county has been under its jurisdiction
