Tongren Travel Guide

Basic information Area code: 0973 Huangnan Tourism Bureau: 0973-8728181 Tourism complaints of Qinghai Province Tel: 0971-6159841 Travel information Tongren County has a maximum altitude of 4,767 meters and a minimum altitude of 2,160 meters. It rarely causes altitude sickness except […]

Basic information

Area code: 0973
Huangnan Tourism Bureau: 0973-8728181
Tourism complaints of Qinghai Province Tel: 0971-6159841

Travel information

Tongren County has a maximum altitude of 4,767 meters and a minimum altitude of 2,160 meters. It rarely causes altitude sickness except for some tourists. When there is a altitude sickness reaction, do not be too nervous. Just relax and pay attention to keeping warm. In normal circumstances, altitude sickness will be about two days and then disappear. In addition, UV radiation in the plateau area is strong. It is recommended to bring high sunscreen lotions and sunglasses, and pay attention to sun protection and moisture protection of exposed skin.

Medical treatment

Huangnan State Tibetan Hospital
Address: No. 2, Longzhong Road, Dehe, Longwu Town, Tongren County
Tel: 0973-8722481

Huangnan People’s Hospital
Address: No.37 Longwu North Street
Tel: 0973-8722474

Destination overview

Destination sketch

Located on the south of Qinghai Province, Tongren was a nomadic region in history. It is a great place to see the most real culture, architecture and sightseeings of China’s northwestern area. In the exchange center of Tibetan culture, Central Plain Culture and Khampa culture, Tongren plays an important part of the cradle of Regong Art which consists of Tibetan-style scroll painting, barbola and sculpture. Besides, it became an important agricultural center during the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). This trend continued throughout the Tang (618 – 907) and Yuan Dynasty (1206 – 1368) all the way through to the end of Qing Dynasty (1616 – 1911).

Beliefs and taboos

The residents of Tongren County are mainly Tibetans. There are ethnic minorities such as Tu, Hui and Sala as well as some Han people who have moved from ancient times. Except for some Islamic people, most residents believe in Tibetan Buddhism.

Culture

Art

Tongren County is the original place of Regong Art, the hometown of the famous Tibetan Painting, and also the only national culture city in Qinghai Province.

Thangka

It is a Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton, silk appliqué, usually depicting a Buddhist deity, scene, or mandala. Thangkas are traditionally kept unframed and rolled up when not on display, mounted on a textile backing somewhat in the style of Chinese scroll paintings, with a further silk cover on the front. So treated, thangkas can last a long time, but because of their delicate nature, they have to be kept in dry places where moisture will not affect the quality of the silk. Most thangkas are relatively small, comparable in size to a Western half-length portrait, but some are extremely large, several metres in each dimension; these were designed to be displayed, typically for very brief periods on a monastery wall, as part of religious festivals. Most thangkas were intended for personal meditation or instruction of monastic students. They often have elaborate compositions including many very small figures. A central deity is often surrounded by other identified figures in a symmetrical composition. Narrative scenes are less common, but do appear.

Agriculture

It is considered as the “Hometown of Yellow Fruit” because of the Ren Long Wu River valley which has the rarely seen yellow pear. This kind of yellow pear warms the stomach and strengthen the spleen. Moreover, the rich wild plants or fruits in this area make it very popular among the people who’d like to collect some valuable medicinal materials. Tongren also provides very good mutton, hike, nap, cow suede clothes and etc.

Best Travel season

Huangnan Prefecture enjoys a continental plateau climate with clear dry and wet seasons, long, chilly and dry winter and short, refreshing and humid summer. The annual average temperature of Huangnan weather range of the whole prefecture is around -0.9℃ to 8.5℃ (30.4℉ to 47.3℉). July to September is the best period to visit Huangnan Prefecture.

Consumption level

There are only a few spots that need buy entrance tickets, and accommodation and food consumption levels are not high.

Practical information

Longwu Temple Tourist Service Center
Address: Tongren County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture

Tongren County Tourism Bureau
Address: Zhenwu Town, Tongren County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Tel: 0973-8722969

Intercity traffic

Huangnan has complex terrain and relatively simple transportation modes. There is no aviation and railway traffic, and the only way to get in and out of Huangnan is by road.

Long distance bus

Huangnan Bus Station
Address: Dongshan Road, Longwu Town, Tongren County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (east of Regong Bridge)
Tel: 0973-8722267

Attractions

Longwu Monastery

Dehelong South Rd (Dehelong Nan Lu). 8AM-7PM. This active Gelukpa (Yellow Hat) monastery sprawls around the foot of Xishan Mountain on the south-west edge of town. Behind the exterior walls, embedded with squeaking prayer wheels, is a Blend of Chinese and Tibetan style halls and monks residences that are easy to get lost in for few few hours. The monastery was established in 1301 and greatly extended during the Ming Dynasty. Though some of the halls and their resident Buddhas have been rebuilt multiple times Over their 700 year history, everything that stands today dates from the late 1980’s after the ruination of the Cultural Revolution. Don’t let the lack of antiquity put you off as the present neglected upkeep lends the architecture a beaten aesthetic with its own charm The Future Buddha Hall holds a large Jampa (Maitreya) statue in an elaborately decorated 3 storey hall. The fortress like Hall of Bodhisattva Manjusri is said to hold a Avalokiteshvara from 1644 that survived the 196. 0’s destruction, possibly because the door is rarely opened for anyone to see it.
Address: Longwu Temple, Tongren County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Opening hours: 8:00-18:00
Arrival method: Xining coach to Tongren daily first shift 7:30, last shift 17:00, hourly
Tickets: 30 yuan from October 16th to April 15th, 50 yuan from April 16th to October 15th

Wutong Monastery

With a reputation unequalled in the Tibetan world, many visitors come here exclusively to see the monastery’s collection of centuries old Thanka paintings and watch the resident artists continuing the tradition. Though the art is undoubtedly the headliner the rebuilt grounds are a fine example of modern Tibetan architecture elaborately decorated with brightly painted wood carvings. The complex is divided into upper and lower monasteries, each with its own set of prayer halls, courtyards and artist studios. Some say upper feels more authentic and holds the best art but the lower’s towering gold-tipped gompa is quite impressive. An idle English speaking monk will give you a quick tour through the main halls. Some contain fine examples of Thangka that the monks say are at least a few hundred years old, saved from destruction during the cultural revolution by being turned to the wall and the back painted with a decoy portrait of Chairman Mao. During the Summer (Late July to ealy September), women are not allowed to enter the monastery.
Address: Regon Art Town, Tongren County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Arrival method: Tongren County to Wutun Up and Down Village Charter 20 yuan
Tickets: ¥30 for each monastery

Kanbula National Forest Park

Being the first national geo-park in Qinghai, Kanbula National Forest Park is a scenic area with Danxia Landform as the main sight. It is adjacent to the Yellow River in the north and close to the magnificent Lijiaxia Hydropower Station. The red mountains in Kanbula and the green lake in Lijiaxia Reservoir set off perfectly with each other, forming a beautiful natural painting.
Arrival method: Take long distance bus from Xining Long Distance Bus Station to Kanbula (Lijiaxia) Town. It costs around CNY 23.

Tongren Bridge: Though it is hardly be the most graceful looking span it is the most significant structure in town. During construction locals would gather at the intersection of Dehong Lu and Zhongshan Lu to discuss its progress as they watched the two halves stretch toward the eventual joining at the middle point. Now that the bridge is finished, locals have taken a somewhat blasé inclination to it, if its always deserted appearance is any indication, as it sees very little traffic excepting the odd farmers jalopy. At the very least it does provide a good view up the valley and back toward town.
Address：East end of Zhongshan Rd.

Guomari Village

Situated in the west of Longwu River of Tongren County, Guomari Village is the dwelling place of the Tu ethnic minority. The most famous architecture is Guomari Monastery and its Shilun Buddhist Pagoda. Guomari Monastery, best known for its carving and sculpture, is a national-level key cultural relic preservation unit. Shilun Buddhist Pagoda is the biggest pagoda in Anto Tibetan area, which is famous its compacted structure and ingenious shape.

Special features: Guomari Monastery, Shilun Buddhist Pagoda
Admission: 10 yuan
Arrival method: It is 5 kilometers from Longwu Town of Tongren County. Take a taxi to the village, which will only cost 10 yuan.

Heri stone sutra wall

Hri Temple is a temple of Nyingma Sect located in Zeku County, Huangnan State. Behind the temple there are four large-scale stone walls, commonly known as the Heri stone sutra wall, which is the largest stone we have discovered so far.
Address: Zeku County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Arrival method: There is a daily bus service between Tongren County and Zeku County. It is very convenient. Zeku County Town is about 70 kilometers from Heri Temple.

Rabkong Art Museum

A famous historic and cultural city located in picturesque southern Qinghai, in the Tibetan Nanzhou County.
Address: 52 Ronggong Road, Longwu Town, Tongren County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Arrival method: Walk down the middle of the town, Dehelongzhong Road

Activities

Hiking

The western hills rising up next to town look steep from the bottom but the ChinFanLing on the peaks at various elevations prove it’s climbable and also give you something to aim for as you blaze your own path up the more mild inclinations. A network of trails leading off from the Thangka sunning terrace behind the Monastery is a good place to start and leads to some reasonably mellow slopes that will get you high enough to see lofty snow peaked mountains in the distance.

Quku Hu Hot Springs

Address: North of Maixiu Mountain, Tongren County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture

Food

While the dining options aren’t particularly diverse or inspiring, the numerous restaurants offer warmth, large portions and interesting people watching opportunities.

Dried sheep’s head is one of the curious delicacies favoured by locals to nibble with a few drinks. It’s mostly bone on the outside, necessitating a probe of the cavities for the tasty bits. Numerous roadside vendors sell them for ¥20 and all will assure you it’s delicious.

Yak milk yoghurt is freshly made every morning and sold, usually by young Tibetan girls, along the roadside. The flavour is very rich with a tangy or sometimes citrus bite. A spoon of sugar is an option if you prefer it sweeter. A bowl costs about 2¥.

Accommodation

There are numerous cheap hotels (Binguan) in the few blocks to the north of the Monastery but many are selective about accepting foreigners. Generally they charge as little as ¥30-60 per bed with basic bathroom facilities and some may have early curfews. Bigger, potentially English signed and speaking, hotels are found along Zhongshan Lu and Dehelong Nan Lu. They provide more comfort for an accordingly higher price.

Shopping

Clothing. The main market has a couple of surprisingly fashionable boutiques, including a clothing store owned by a Tibetan with excellent English. Others sell those exotic looking but impractically long sleeved coats all the Tibetan guys have hanging around their waist. edit
Thangkas. The monks at Wutong Monastery have an unequaled reputation for creating the beautifully detailed images of Buddhist deities meticulously painted on stretched fine-weave canvas. These are not some cheap tourist fodder, but works of art by skilled artists. Pigments are hand ground from brightly coloured and inordinately heavy stones sourced from Tibet that the monks say are worth upwards of ¥80 per gram. Likewise, real gold leaf ground with a resin is used to give the paintings some sparkle. A small, simple painting takes about a month to paint and costs around ¥500, while a 1 meter sized piece can take a year and set you as much as ¥50,000.
Shops in Tongren and around Wutong Si mainly catering to the tour group busses sell Thangkas of lower quality and price that might be suitable if you are not a Thanka aficionado and just want a nice souvenir. Superior pieces are best bought direct from the artist. Some artist have pre-made Thangka to select from or you can commission a painting of a particular size or theme, though the best artists may have years a years backlog of reservations. Even without any art expertise you should be able to identify which works are genuine art if you take some time to look around, talk to the artists and let your eye be your guide. Generally artists can be contacted via e-mail or phone and can ship your piece anywhere worldwide when it is completed.

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