Gegyai County is a county under Ngari Prefecture. It means “a beautiful and fertile land” in Tibetan. Shiquan River (Senge Tsangpo) originated in Gegyai County.
In the old days, there were 7 tribes in Gegyai, including Gegyai tribe. Together with other tribes in northern Tibet, they were called the eighteen districts of Northern Tibet and all of those were unified under jurisdiction of To(Ali) Garpon
Location
Gegyai County is located in the west of Tibet, covering an area of 47,225 square kilometers. It is a pure animal husbandry county. The county is in the Great Lake Basin of Qiang-tang Plateau with an average elevation of 4800 meters or more.
Best time to travel
From May to October
Local climate
Plateau sub-frigid arid climate
Most popular sites
Kailash Mountain (Kangrinboqe), North of the sacred lake Manasarovar in Burang County, is the main peak of Gangdise Mountains with an altitude of 6,656 meters; it means “mountain of gods” in Tibetan and It is the most sacred holy site of Tibetan Buddhism
Tashi Qulin monastery, also known as “Tashi Choling monastery”, is located in Jiangmai Village, Yanhu Township,some 5 kilometers south of Yanhu Township. It belongs to Karma Kagyu pa, and being founded in 1894 AD. It is a sub- monastery of Tsurphu in Lhasa.
There is a large assembly hall with 16 pillars. The main statues in this hall are the giant one-story gilded eleven-faced Bodhisattva, Sakyamuni, Immeasurable Buddha, and Guru Padmasambhava, all of which are inlaid with numerous Gemstones. In addition, there are silver statues of the living Buddhas of the first to sixteenth Karmapa, and exquisite thangka portraits of hereditary monks of Kagyu sect. There are pictures of life and death on the walls. Exquisite murals such as the Four Heavenly Kings, Mount Xumi, Saint Monk, Sixty Arhats on the Babao Pagoda River and other exquisite murals, as well as 1 guardian hall and 1 Ganggyur hall
Zhajia monastery is also known as Drakya Gonpa. Its full name is “Drakya Drubgyu Tengyeling”. It was founded in 1797 AD, and it is 95 kilometers away from the county seat. Lhkahng is with size of 425 square meters and an area of 36 million square meters at an altitude of 4770 meters, there are 8 monks and nuns. The successive abbots of Zhajia Monastery were dispatched by Tsurphu Monastery for a term of 3 to 4 years. When the new abbot took office, Tsurphu monastery sent a monk official, steward and 4 monks along with the abbot.
Xianglukang, also known as “Shang Lukhang“, is located in Duoren Village, Xiongba Township. It is a Kagyu pa monastery. The distance is about 18 kilometers away from Duoren town, and 95 kilometers away from the county seat. It covers an area of 1,5677 square meters with altitude of 4,573 meters. There are 10 monks and nuns. The temple was founded in 905 AD.
There are many caves in the sourrounding of Xianglukang, the most popular one is the meditation cave that Padmasambhava used; According to legend, Guru Padmasambhava went to Samye Monastery through Xiongba and practiced in this cave for seven days. When he left, he left his footprints on the top of the cave. Since then, many eminent monks have come here to practice.
Jiawu Lakang, also known as “Kyawo Lhakhang” is located in Jiawu Village. The date of its establishment and the founder are both unknown. It is 135 kilometers away from the county seat and 35 kilometers away from the township. The total area of Lakang is 5,000 square meters with altitude of 4,800 meters. There are 4 monks. This is a Kagyu pa monastery of Tibetan Buddhism.
Geography and climate
Gegyai County is located in Great Lake Basin area of Qiang-tang Plateau, with an average elevation of over 4,800 meters. The mountains in the territory are towering.
There are 11 peaks with altitude of above 6000 meters and other 23 peaks are overe 5000 meters. Among those, the highest peak is Zhilongla Peak, which is 6380 meters above sea level.
In the southwest of the county, there is Gangdisi Mountain Range and Mount Kailash, with an altitude of 6656 meters; and Dingla Riju Mountain. There is Zimowuri Mountain in the north of Gegyai with altitude of 5580 meters. Dozhari Mountain, 4618 meters above sea level, Jibusang Mountain, 5130 meters above sea level;
Jiala Mountain in east with altitude of 4878 meters above sea level; Zhongri Zongqing Mountain is in southeast with altitude of 5888 meters above sea level.
In the west of Gegyai County, there is the Senge Tsangpo River, which flows from east to west and flows north to south. Shengla Tsangpo River is in the southwest of the county and flowing from east to west; The Xiangqu River is in the middle of the county and flows from north to south; There is the Zagonqu River in the south of county flowing east-west; In the east, there is the Amazangbo River which flows east-west.
Population and ethnicity
As of 2010, the county has a total population of 15,483, and Tibetans account for more than 99%.
