Tibet, here I come (05) - Litang, the world's tallest city

2021.6.1-2

After lunch and a rest in Litang, we parked the car in the courtyard of the county government and headed to the ancient town of Letong and the Qianhu Tibetan Village. A 4A-level hotel in Litang The scenic spot is located in the old city of the county. A series of improved Tibetan-style buildings and museums have been built around the "Renkang Ancient House" where the Seventh Dalai Lama was born, making it a tourist attraction in Litang.

Letong Ancient Town Qianhu Zangzhai is a 4A-level scenic spot in Litang

Renkang Ancient House is the core of the entire scenic spot. It is the birthplace of the seventh Dalai Lama. In more than 400 years, thirteen great living Buddhas with high virtues and high respects were born in Renkang Ancient House.

Renkang Ancient House, the birthplace of the seventh Dalai Lama

Renkang Ancient House has also given birth to thirteen living Buddhas.

The devout believers prostrated themselves in front of the Renkang Ancient House, bowed to the ground, and performed prayers around the Renkang Ancient House in a clockwise direction. The white, blue, red, yellow and green colors that represent Tibetan culture are particularly eye-catching under the blue sky and white clouds.

Believers bowed in front of Renkang Ancient House

Believers pray around Renkang Ancient House

The white, blue, red, yellow and green colors that represent Tibetan culture are particularly eye-catching under the blue sky and white clouds.

The new buildings and decorations around Renkang Ancient House have both distinctive Tibetan cultural characteristics and tourism product characteristics. The deceptive saying "318, you must drive in this life" also appeared in front of Renkang Ancient House, making Renkang Ancient House play the role of a check-in point.

The new buildings and decorations around Renkang Ancient House strive to highlight the characteristics of Tibetan culture

"318, must drive in this life" makes Renkang Ancient House play the role of a check-in point

Renkang Ancient Street, named after Renkang Ancient House, is the most important street built in Letong Ancient Town. It is home to the former residence of Mangkang Living Buddha and some small folk museums. This street has a strong sense of tourist decoration, mainly containing some tourist merchandise stores.

The former residence of Mangkang Living Buddha on Renkang Ancient Street

Tibetan girl in front of the Kham Museum

RenKanggu Street has a strong sense of tourist decoration

The area outside Renkang Ancient Street in Letong Ancient Town is very deserted.

After visiting Letong Ancient Town, it was already past 4 pm. To go or not to go? After half a day of activities in Litang, the four of us had no feelings about high altitude sickness. Their self-confidence increased and they decided to stay in Litang today. The plan is really not as good as the change. The decision made in Yajiang on May 29th not to stay in Litang was finally changed.

Return to the parking lot and take some street scenes along the way.

Random photos of Litang neighborhoods

Our car was parked in the old government compound of Litang County. There were signs for the County People's Congress and the County CPPCC hanging at the door. Inside the compound were various bureaus and the county government affairs center. The county party committee and the county government have moved to the new government office building, and it is said that they are not allowed to enter there.

Because most people who drive into Tibet by car are afraid of the high altitude in Litang, they pass by in a hurry and go to Batang, which is at a lower altitude, to stay, so parking spaces here are very easy to find. We still preferred the government compound and decided to spend the night here tonight. The conditions here are very good, very tolerant to outsiders, and the gatekeeper is very friendly to us. Of course, this is an office after all, so we'd better keep a low profile and wait until everyone else gets off work at 18:30 before we start cooking dinner.

Our campsite on June 1, 2021 - Litang County Old Government Compound

Litang County is 4,015 meters above sea level, making it the highest county on the 318 Sichuan-Tibet Highway. Known as “ World High city ” On the morning of June 2, we took some photos at Litang’s landmark, Litang West Gate, and then left Litang and headed west to Batang.

Litang’s landmark—Litang West Gate

(to be continued)