Tsedang-Exploring the Tibetan Civilization
Tsedang is a town in Shannan City of Tibet Autonomous Region. After many times of alternation in its municipal function, Tsedang has been set as a township of the Nêdong District(Pinyin: Naidong), the seat of Shannan City since 1996.
Shannan City, in Tibetan language, is called Lhoka, which is believed as the cradle of Tibet civilization. As the center of Shannan City, Tsedang is where you can trace back to the mysterious past of the Tibetan people.
The reason why Tsedang, or the broader range of Shannan, could have nurtured the earliest Tibetan civilization might owe to the advantageous geographical location. The town of Tsedang was built in the river basin area of Yarlung River, which enables sufficient irrigation water for the farming land. And with tall mountains sitting in the surroundings, the wind chill gets much weaker when the cold air reaches the town. Thanks to the fertile land and mild climate, the agriculture got highly developed, which created the conditions for the breeding and growing of the fascinating Tibetan civilization.
Temperature Data in Tsedang
| Temperature ℃ | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average High | 8 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 12 | 8 |
| Average Low | -9 | -9 | -2 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 9.5 | 8 | 2 | -4 | -8 |
Tsedang is the current fourth largest town in Tibet. In comparison with the holy city Lhasa, or the second largest city Shigatse, Tsedang has a modest reputation among tourists. However, Tsedang travel features an intense cultural atmosphere and is undoubtedly the best place for people who have an interest in history. Therefore, it is such a quint and enticing destination for scholars who research archeology or anthropology.
Tsedang is just 191 kilometers away from Lhasa by road, and within easy reach from the other popular destinations such as Shigatse, Nyingchi or Gyantse. Therefore, Tsedang is often included in a combined trip with the nearby attractions.
Below is the info about Tsedang weather and the guide to the top cultural sites and pretty natural attractions in and around Tsedang. You may find out which season is the best to visit a specific scenic spot in Tsedang.
Yungbulakang
Location: 11 km from Tsedang
History: According to the historical record, Yungbulakang Palace was completed in 147 BC and is recognized as the first Tibetan palace. In the period of the 33rd King of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo (617-650), the palace was transformed into a temple. Songtsen Gampo and the wife from the T'ang, Prince Wencheng have a tradition to spend their summer at Yungbulakang. When it was the time of the fifth Dalai Lama, the previous fortress-like Yungbulakang had the roof added pyramidal roof, and officially became the religious site of the Gelug Sect of Tibet Buddhism.
Best season: all year-round
Yungbulakang Palace
Samye Monastery
Location: 50 km from Tsedang
History: In the end of the eighth century, the King Trisong Deutsen, who was a devout believer in Buddhism, invited two Buddhism masters from India to Tibet for promoting Buddhism and he decided to build a monastery for the masters, the Shantarakshita and the Padmasambhava. When the construction of Samye Monastery was completed in 779, a grand ceremony was held. King Trisong Deutsen invited a group of Buddhist monks from the inland areas governed by the T'ang and India. These monks translated the Buddhist scriptures and taught the doctrines in Samye Monastery. Since then, King Trisong Deutsen announced that all the people of the Tubo (the Tibetan empire at that time) should faithfully obey Buddhism. Samye Monastery has ever since, become the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet.
Best season: all year-round
Samye Monastery
Thangdok Monastery
Location: 5 km from Tsedang
History: Thangdok Monastery is a Gelug Sect monastery of Tibet Buddhism, of which the construction is believed to complete in the reign of Songtsen Gampo. As the first Buddha hall in Tibet, it has a great religious significance. However, when Thangdok Monastery was first built and used as the religious venue for worshiping and praying, it was not eligible to be granted the name “Monastery”. Because according to dharma of Buddhism, to be a monastery, the venue must have the triad of the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha. Thangdok Monastery at the beginning of its function, had only the Buddhas and Bodhisattva in the hall. By the middle eighth century, the King Trisong Deutsen built Samye Monastery and organized a series of activities including the translation of scriptures, the training of the Buddhists, which provided the wider space for the development of Thangdok Monastery as well.
The highlight of visiting Thangdok Monastery is to admire its most precious treasure “the pearl Thangka”. This special Thangka consists of an image of the resting Bodhisattva buddha, of which the pattern was made by real pearls, and the history can date back to the Yuan Dynasty. Apart from pearls, diamond, ruby, sapphire, amethyst, kallaite, gold and other gemstones were also used as the sources.
Best season: all year-round
Main crops: Highland Barley, Wheat, Rape Flower and Peas.
Theme: Beautiful farming landscape
Best Seasons and Why: spring, summer, autumn
If your hometown is in the countryside and you grow up with the seasonal changes of crops and veggies, you may still keep the images of the everchanging farming landscape in the memory.
Normally, peasants start their ploughing, sowing, planting, irrigating in spring, when the people activities are actually the most appealing “scenery”. Seeing how their dedicated figures bending and erecting, could be a touching moment, and also a provoking image that strikes you and inspire you to think about the relationship between human beings and the land we're literally living on.
Highland Barley Crops
After months of rain and sunlight, and the essential human care with irrigation labor and pest control, the seeds and seedlings grow into lush green young plants in summer. They paint the land with mostly the soothing green color. It is not a very common seen color in Tibet except the forestry region of the southeastern Tibet.
September and October are the times for harvesting the highland barley and other ripe crops. Golden colored crop fields are teeming with hardworking Tibetan people. After the harvest in September and October, the farming fields are taking their winter rest for the upcoming spring. When it snows, it gets white colored.
The staple crop of Tibet is highland barley. Rice can barely survive in this rough area. Wheat can be planted in fertile land and is another major crop in Tsedang, plus with rape flowers and peas. Hiking to a hilltop in the suburb of Tsedang, you can have an overlook of the beautiful farming landscape.
Tibet Tours you may be interested in:
5 Days Lhasa with Samye Monastery Tour
6 Days Cradle of Tibet Civilization Tour
8 Days Central Tibet of Cultural & Historial Tour
