Ganzi in brief (Sichuan province)

Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is located on the South-eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau , in the Western part of Sichuan Province .It has 18 counties covering an area of 156,000 square kilometers with a population of 910,000 .The capital is Kangding.

Garze Prefecture is the centre of the Kham region-one of the three branches of Tibetan culture .It is also the centre of the Shangri-La ecological travel region , which includes parts of Sichuan , Yunnan and Tibet . As Wei Ciao'an says : " in this place the very best of natural sights and regional cultures of China are collected. It is a world class travel estination ." Garze is the centre of tea trade , the hometown of the famous Kangding love song , and of Tibetan cultural hero King Gesar . It is a gallery of local cultures and history . As Fei Xiaotong say :" This gallery is located between the Tibetan and Yi cultures . There are many exciting historical artifacts. The area should be considered a precious preserve of history and linguistics." Garze Prefecture is the closest Tibetan area to Chengdu, and the easiest travel to . It is just 4 hours from Chengdu to Hailuogou ,and from there only another few hours to Kangding . The eastern part of Garze Prefecture is an area of Kham culture and is famous for ecological sightseeing. It has the majestic Gongga Mountain scenic spot, the hometown of Tibetan architecture in Daofu, and the " Thousand Towers and " beautiful valley " sightseeing areas.

The north of Garze Prefecture is perfect for exploring Kham culture in depth . Not-to-be-missed sights sights include; Dege Scripture Printing lamasery , a rare treasure of Tibetan culture; King Gesar's birthplace in Ahxu grassland; the Sun Tribe and many famous monasteries of the five main Tibetan Buddhist sects.

In the South is Shangri-La, a fantastic ecological travel region. Highlights include: Daocheng Yading nature reserve; the West sun vally of china ,Shambala Xiangcheng;Cuopu Lake-the first lake of Eastern Tibet; and Genie Holy Mountain.
Traveling in Garze is a trip into the mysterious.

Tibet highlands, You will experience pure snow mountains, and transparently clear, jade-coloured lakes, simple and delightful national customs, and lush grasslands. Humans , nature ,and animals are united in peaceful coexistence, just like themythological shambala.

Traveling in Garze leaves you with a deep impression of Kham Tibetan culture. The magnificence of the monasteries, impressive statuary; coloured drawings, frescoes, tangkas, religious dances and rituals, impassioned folk dancing, and folk festivals will all impress you. Kham men are called " the western cowboys of china " They resemble a rocky snow mountain, In contrast , the Kham girl is like a tree full of treasures.

Garze is a pure and fertile place - a place which not been polluted by industry and civilization, a place which is still like our dreams.

A trip to Garze is also an experience of Tibetan art and architecture. In Tibet, The Potala Palace is the symbol of Tibet and it's architecture. It's beauty defies adequate description. In Garze Prefecture the houses of local Tibetans are also beautiful examples of traditional architecture.

The inner rooms of Daofu house are painted in magnificent colourful designs, exceeding even the Potala place in exquisite design. The stone houses of Daocheng, Litang, Yajiang are strong and timeless. Houses in Luhuo and Xinlong are elegant. And the white Tibetan houses of Xiangcheng and Derong are unique throughout Tibet. In Danba you can easily find many magnificent stone look -out towers .Finally, in Seda, Garze and Shiqu you can see the intriguing tents of Tibetan nomads.