– The Combination Of Natural And Cultural Scenery
Lhoka (Shannan) region is in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Lhoka is south of Gangtise and Nyanchen Thangla ranges and the Yarlung Tsangpo River’s middle and lower reaches.
The whole prefecture comprises 12 counties, covering an area of 79,300 square km. It is close to India and Bhutan in the south, Lhasa in the north, Nyingchi (Kongpo) in the east, and Shigatse in the west. It has a population of 318,000, of which 96% are Tibetan.
Lhoka has a crew with the fame of “The Origine of Tibetan Civilization”. The beautiful myth that tells of a sacred monkey mated with an ogress to produce the earliest member of the Tibetan race was born at the holy Mt. Gongpori of Tsetang. Hence this mountain has become a sacred place for pilgrimage and for honouring ancestors.
Lhoka, with its long-established historical culture, occupies an important place in Tibetan history. The central city of Lhoka prefecture is the Tsedang, which has had many “first”, like the first king, first monastery, etc.
Tsetang is also the place where king Songtsen Gampo once lived with Princess Wencheng. The Thangka made and embroidered by princess Wencheng herself is still in Trandruk Temple, a great treasure-house of culture and art.
Tsetang is the capital city of the Lhoka (Shannan) region of Tibet autonomous region and the source of Tibetan civilisation.
The old town is built along the base of Gangpo Ri, one of the four sacred mountains of Tibet. Avalokiteshvara descended in the form of a monkey and mated with a demoness to produce the first member of the Tibetan race.
The name ‘Tsetang’ literally means ‘playground’, i.e., the children of the monkey and the demoness. The first Tibetans come down to play.
Tsetang is about 160km from Lhasa and 90km from Lhasa Gongkar Airport. All the travel groups stay overnight in Tsetang to visit Yumbu Lakang– the first castle in Tibet and Tradruk Temple – the first Buddhist temple in Tibet.
Moreover, the Samye Monastery is also in Lhoka. Samye is the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet and worth visiting if you have enough time.
Samye was the first Buddhist monastery to be built in Tibet. It was probably founded during the 770’s …
Samye Chimphu is located 15kms from the east of Samye Monastery. The beautiful scenery of the …
Towering at the top of Mt. Tashi Tsering, east bank of the Yarlung river – Yumbu Lhakang is the first …
Mindroling Monastery was founded by Rigzin Terdak Lingpa in 1676. Terdak Lingpa was renowned …
Tradruk Temple is said to have been the second of Tibet’s earliest great geometric temples after the …
Rirdo Temple is one of the most isolated temples with one monk and a dog taking care of this temple….
