Damxung County

Damxung county is translated as “The Selected Grassland” in Tibetan. It is 170 kilometers north of Lhasa City. The road, which leads to Namtso Lake, passes through this town. Mt. Nianqingtanggula also traverses this country.

Its average altitude is 4,200 meters, and the highest peak in this country is 7,200 meters above sea level. It is located in the central Tibet Autonomous Region that connects north and south Tibet;

Brief

There are wild animals, plants, leopard, wolf, bear, fox, lynx, kiang, otter, marmot, deer, hare, eagle, white swan, teal, caladium, river deer, Chinese caterpillar fungus that inhabit there.

The main attractions in Damxung county are: the highest saltwater lake in the world – Namtso lake, the Ruins of historic city of Chong Ga Gushu Khan Summer Palace , the prestigious Zhongdunba Site whom was the founder of Kadang tradition of Tibetan Buddhism . The 8 Pagoda of North Tibet; Kalouo Monastery (Karma Kagyu sect), Yang Jin monastery (Karma Kagyu Red Hat sect), Kangma Monastery (Gelu pa), the 11^th Asian Games torch monument, Yangbajing Geothermal Power Station

Most popular sites

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Namtso Lake is located in northern of Damxung County and it is the largest lake in Tibet with an area of 1920 square kilometers. Namtso is called “Tengger Sea“, which means “Skay Lake“. Nestled at foot of Nyainqentanglha Mountain which is covered with snow all year round. It is one of the 4 sacred lakes on Tibetan Plateau.

Nyainqentanglha Mountain is located in the middle of Tibet Plateau, and traverses the entire territory along northwestern of Damxung County. The main peak with an elevation of 7111 meters is located in Ningzhong Township. It is the watershed of two large water systems of Yarlung Zangbo River and Nu River, and at the same time divides Tibet into three major regions: northern Tibet, southern Tibet, and southeastern Tibet.

The Eight Pagodas in northern Tibet are located in Wuma Township of Damxung County approximately 40 kilometers away from county seat. Legend has it that King Gesar led his troops to fight on grasslands of northern Tibet, and his general Xiabadanma Shancha died in Uma. In order to commemorate the heroes, the local people built 8 white pagodas here.

Kangma Monastery, In the monastery, thousands of Mani stone carvings are the most representative new style among the Mani stone carvings. On the left side of the Great Scripture Hall of Kangma Monastery, Lakhang (shrine) is about 3 meters high and covers an area of only more than 20 square meters. The front wall of nearly 40 square meters with an “L” shaped secret room is inlaid with thousands of the fine art of stone carvings, these stone carvings are about 18th century works,

Geography and climate

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The grasslands of Damxung County account for 30% of total area, its terrain is high in northeast and low in southwest.

The northeast is a plateau plain, and the northwest and southeast are high-altitude mountains. In between, there is a wide valley basin with intermountain structure that is nearly same as Nyainqentanglha Mountain trend, showing a relatively parallel ridge and valley.

Its basin areas are all over 4200 meters above sea level. The highest mountain is the main peak of Nyainqentanglha at 7111 meters, with a relative elevation difference of about 3000 meters, and an average elevation of 4200 meters.

The geomorphology is divided into four geomorphic units, icy high mountains and extremely high mountains in northwest, alpine and middle mountains in east, plateau lake basin in north and alluvial wide valley basin in middle.

The climate of Damxung County is cold and dry winters, with large temperature differences between day and night; warm and humid summers, rain and heat at the same time, distinct dry and wet seasons, and large weather changes.

Average annual temperature is 1.3℃, average annual rainfall is 457mm, and average annual sunshine hours are 2880 hours.

There is a three-month land freezing period from November to March of the following year. Average wind force above level 8 reaches 17.8 days throughout a year, mostly between December and March.

Population and ethnicity

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As of 2013, the population of Damxung County is 40,000, of which Tibetan population accounts for 98% of total population. Other ethnic groups include Mongolian, Hui and Han

Recommended hotels

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Distance from Damxung to

• Lhasa City: 170 kilometers, about 3 hours’ drive
• Nagqu City: 170 kilometers, about 4 hours’ drive
• Tsetang Town: 295 kilometers, about 5.5 hours’ drive
• Shigatse City: 330 kilometers, about 6 – 7 hours’ drive
• Gyantse County: 395 kilometers, about 7.5 hours’ drive

Brief history

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Before Damxung County was established, the territory of Damxung was divided different Zong that are of Damxung Zong, Baicang Zong, Yangjing Zong. All of which and togethe with four tribes were under jurisdiction of Reting monastery.

In 627 AD, Songtsen Gampo unified Tubo and set up five “Ru” which is a name of Tubo’s military and political regions, and the territory of Damxung was under jurisdiction of “U-Ru”.

In 1260 AD, Kublai Khan unified Tibet, Damxung Zong, Baicang Zong were both under jurisdiction of U-Tsang

In 1354, During the reign of Disi regime, the territory of Damxung was set as Damxung Mongolian tribe

In 1751 AD, Qing Dynasty placed the territory of Damxung under direct jurisdiction of Minister office of Qing Dynasty in Tibet

In 1^st year of Republic of China (1911), Qing Dynasty was destroyed, and the territory of Damxung was under jurisdiction of Sera Monastery and two-level clan regime was established.

In 1959, Damxung county was established , and it was under jurisdiction of Lhasa City, the county seat was Zhongga Village

In 1960, the county seat was moved to Dangquka Town.