Nyingchi City

Nyingchi, which means “throne of the sun” in Tibetan, was called Gongbu in ancient times. It is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of the Tibet Autonomous Region with location in the southeast of the Tibet and in the middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River. It is also spelled as “Linzhi City” or “Nyangtri City”

Location

Nyingchi City is connected to Lhasa and Shannan City to the west and southwest, Lhari County of Nagqu City in the north, Chamdo City to the east, and India & Myanmar to the south.

Nyingchi City has the world’s deepest canyon Yarlung Tsangbo River Grand Canyon and the world’s third deepest canyon Pallong Tsangbo Grand Canyon. Most areas are with humid climate and pleasant scenery. The ethnic minorities are dominated by Monba and Luoba.

Most popular sites

Basum-Tso is one of the most beautiful lakes in Tibet which is approximately 90 kilometers west of Gong-bu-jiang-da County, at the largest tributary of the Nyang River lying with altitude of 3550 meters. Its surrounding is populated by a diverse wildlife including leopards, bears, goats, musk deer and Tibetan snow lions. In 1997, Basum-Tso Lake was listed by the World Tourism Organization as a top tourist attraction. East of the town, is the Seji La Mountain, a mountain is one part of the Nian-qen-tang-lha Mountain Range. It forms part of the watershed of the Nyang River and the Polung Zangbo River.

Ben-ri La Mountain near the small town of Dagze is a known sacred site of the Tibetan Bon Sect religion that is considered as one of the four great holy mountains in Tibet. A mountain festival is called “Nang-bo-lha-so”, which means seeking for treasures from immortals, is held on 20^thday of the 8^th month of the Tibetan calendar annually. Mt. Namcha Barwa (7,756 meters) where the Brahmaputra River carves a fantastic gorge near Metok county. It is also home to Tibetan Tribes including: Monba, Loba…..

Nyingchi Giant Cypress Forest, This is the unique giant cypress (also known as the Yarlung Tsangbo River Cypress) in Tibet. Bajie Township in Bayi District of Nyingchi is the Giant Cypress Forest Reserve, in which the average storage volume per hectare is 678 cubic meters, and the highest volume can reach 1,000 cubic meters per hectare. The average individual plant volume is 33.9 cubic meters, the average height is 44 meters, and the average DBH is 158cm. The largest plant has a DBH of 446 cm, a height of 46 meters, and a canopy projection area of more than one mu.

Bujiu Lama Lin Monastery, also known as “Buchu Sergyi Lhakhang“, belongs to Nyingma pa, the largest and most important place of Tibetan Buddhism in Nyingchi city. The entire monastery has four square corners. The outer bottom eaves have 20 corners. The second to third eaves are octagonal. The monastery is more than 20 meters high and with an inner diameter of more than 10 meters. The top is covered with golden dome in a shape of tower; its four walls are painted in blue, white, red and green.

Aviation in Nyingchi

Nyingchi Mainling Airport is located in the Yarlung Tsangbo River Valley in Mainling County, about 50 kilometers away from Bayi District of Nyingchi City, with an altitude of 2949 meters.

There are 8 routes have been opened, including flight to Lhasa, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Shijiazhuang, Lanzhou and Shenzhen.

Administrative divisions

Nyingchi City has 1 municipal district and 6 counties under its jurisdiction.

Municipal District

Bayi District

Counties

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Geography and climate

Nyingchi City is 647 kilometers long from east to west, and 353 kilometers wide from north to south. The total area is 116,175 square kilometers, the actual controlled area is 76,000 square kilometers, and the border is about 1,000 kilometers long. The average altitude of Nyingchi City is 3100 meters,the city center is 2990 meters above sea level. It is about 440 kilometers away from Lhasa City, 510 kilometers away from Lhasa airport;

The terrain of Linzhi is high in the north and low in the south. In the area of Nyingchi City, the Himalayas and the Nyainqentanglha Mountains stretch parallel from west to east, and are connected to the Hengduan Mountains where a big gap in the lower southeast is formed facing the Indian Ocean,

The warm Indian Ocean current that flow up along the river and the cold northern current eventually converge in Nyingchi creating a variety of climate zones where Nyingchi’s tropical, subtropical, temperate and frigid climates coexist. The annual rainfall in Nyingchi is about 650 mm, the annual average temperature is 8.7°C, the annual average sunshine is 2022 hours, and the frost-free period is 180 days.

Yarlung Tsangbo River, after rushing for more than 1,000 kilometers, enters Nyingchi City from Nang County. It was blocked by the Himalayas and being forced to deflect northward, forming a peculiar “horseshoe turn ” around Namcha Barwa Peak and forming the largest canyon in the world — the Yarlung Tsangbo Grand Canyon, and then it rushes southward in Medog County, from which it flows into the Indian Ocean through India.

The average depth of the Grand Canyon is 5000 meters, and the deepest part reaches 5382 meters. The length of this canyon is more than 490 kilometers. The most precipitous part is from Daduka in Pai Town to Bangbo village of Medog County, which is more than 240 kilometers and the upper part of the canyon is wide and the lower part is steep. The velocity of river is of 16 meters per second and a flow rate of 4,425 cubic meters per second.

Population and ethnicity

As of 2016, Linzhi has a total population of 231,000, of which the Tibetan population accounts for 74% of the total population, and the Han population accounts for 17% of the total population. Other ethnic groups include Monba, Luoba, Nu, Dulong, Lisu, and Naxi , Bai and Deng people

Recommended hotels in Nyingchi

How to get to there

The road from Lhasa to Nyingchi has been well paved; the driving hours from previously 11 – 12 hours to 5 to 6 hours; in addition, a new airport has been accomplished that has flights to many cities of China, such as Beijing, Chengdu

Distance from Nyingchi to

• To Lhasa : 3800 kilometers, about 5 hours drive
• To Tsetang : 410 kilometers, about 6.5 hours drive
• To Shigatse : 670 kilometers, about 9 hours drive
• To Gyantse : 660 kilometers, about 10 hours drive
• To Qamdo : 720 kilometers, about 14.5 hours drive
• To Markam : 810 kilometers, about 15.5 hours drive
• To Bome County: 230 kilometers, about 4.5 hours drive
• To Zogang County: 650 kilometers, about 12 hours drive
• To Mainling County: 75 kilometers, about 1.5 hours drive
• To Nangxian County: 240 kilometers, about 4.5 hours drive
• To Gyaca County: 310 kilometers, about 6.5 hours drive

Brief History

The earliest written record of Nyingchi’s history can be found on the stone carvings of Gongbudi Mu. It has a history of more than 1,200 years.

During the Sakya period and the Phagmo regime period (13-16^th century), the Nyingchi area became the sphere of influence of the Karma Kagyu Sect.

The Ganden Podrang regime was established in the 17^th century, and the Nyingchi area was in a state of tribal separatism.

In the 20^th year of the Republic of China (1931), the Tibetan government classified the Bome area of Nyingchi as the two Zongs of Bodui and Bome, and the Medog area was changed to Medog Zong.

In 1960, The Nyingchi area was established

In 1963, Nyingchi Prefecture was abolished, Bome County was placed under the jurisdiction of Chamdo Prefecture, and Nyingchi area was under the jurisdiction of Lhasa City.

In 1986, Nyingchi District Administration Office was officially restored, Bome County was again placed under the jurisdiction of Nyingchi Prefecture

In 2015, Nyingchi Prefecture and Nyingchi County were abolished; Nyingchi City was established