Chayu Travel Guide
Entering Tibet via the Sichuan-Tibet Highway and having arrived at Ranwu, one can have a really pleasant stay in Chayu for sightseeing. The nice climate and pretty landscape make Chayu a place better than the real Jiangnan.
People always liken Chayu (in Tibetan it means a pile of rocks), “the Jiangnan of Tibet”, to a green pearl on the national border. This mountainous region is the native land to the Deng People who have no literature and use robe knotting and wood carving to keep records. Mostly engaged in agriculture, the Deng men wear sleeveless shirts long enough to reach one’s thigh while women dress themselves with short-sleeve blouse, amice and carry big bag.
Because of its wet subtropical climate of south Himalaya and lower latitude than that of Suzhou and Hangzhou (two cities in east China known as a piece of land flowing with milk and honey), Chayu has very pleasant natural conditions where a large variety of plants can grow. Besides corns, rice, wheat, peanut, highland barley and sesame, Chayu is home to fruits like banana, orange, grape, water melon, sugar cane and guava; to medical herbs like Tianma, Beimu Sanqi; and to such rare animal species as tiger, gold coin leopard etc.
Its complex physiognomy consists of high peaks, deep valleys, snow mountains and grasslands. The northwest part of Chayu is higher than the southeastern side. The town is 2,360 meters above the sea level while the average latitude of the whole county stays at about 2,800 meters. The lowest place, the Rima Village of the Township of Xiachayu, is only 1,400 meters. 60% covered by forest, Chayu boasts a number of rivers like the Nu River, the Chayu River and Qingshui River etc. that mostly originates from the snow mountains.
Chayu Nyingchi Prefecture is situated in the heart of such famous scenic zones as the Meili Snow Mountain, the Arzha Glacier, the Ranwu Lake and the Ziba Valley National Nature Reserve etc. From the ancient time it has been a pleasant place for residence and enjoyed a reputation as the immortal land in the human world and “the Jiangnan of Tibet”.
The county boasts a variety of tourist attractions that includes forests, waterfalls, lakes, grasslands, glaciers and snow mountains. Its abundant species, complex topography, unique climate give rise to the formings of many scenic spots such as the Jigong hot spring, the Dongcong Cold spring and the Ziba valley National Nature Reserve. As a shining pearl on the snowy Tibet Plateau, Chayu is obviously a top choice for explorers and photographers.
Location
The County of Chayu lies in the southeast of Tibet, 900 km from Lhasa and 500 km from Bayi. It borders with Yunan in the east, with Bomi, Basu and Zuogong Changdu Prefecture in the north, with Motuo in the west and with Burma and India in the south. At east longitude of 95°41 ′- 98°45′and north latitude of 27°44′- 29°32′, Chyu (250 km long and 180 km wide) has a land area of about 31,659 square kilometers. Its national borderline with India is 400 km in length and with Burma 188 km. There are six townships and 114 villages in the county.