Located in eastern Tibet, the Chamdo Prefecture, tucked away in the Hengduan Mountains and dissected by the Jinshajiang, Lancanjiang and Nujiang rivers, covers an area of 108,600 square km. On its eastern side lies Sichuan, with Yunnan to the south and Qinghai in the north.

The Chamdo Prefecture has an average altitude of over 3,500 meters, with a unique topography and wonderful landscapes. It is in the plateau continental climate zone. The mountains in the northwest are integrated, creating wide plateaus in the watershed area; while the hills and valleys are more frequently found in the south, and the mountains become more precipitous, and the river valleys deeper. The mountain body is divided into many parts. Divided by the three-river water system, the Chamdo Prefecture forms a multi-layer plateau, with a complicated geomorphologic structure, different topographies, climate types and plant growing environments.

Here one can find broad and rich pastures, undulating farmland, endless forests on peaks, abundant minerals, water and solar energy, diversified wide fauna and flora and sub-tropical scenes. Here the mountains, water, trees, birds, beasts, insects, fish, flowers and grass prosper together, forming a beautiful, varied, tranquil, primitive and magnificent picture of nature.

Historical records in Tibetan show that there are 25 holy mountains in the Kham area, most of which are located in Chamdo. Besides the unique mountains, the lakes in Chamdo also take on various features. The Ra'og Lake in Riwoqe is reputed as "a pool of precious jade in western sky" for its beauty.

As the center of Khamba culture, Chamdo enjoys a good reputation for its Raba dance in Dingqen, Cho of Chamdo and Shinze of Mangkang. Also, it is the main area where the Tibetan epic King Gesar spreads.


Chambaling Monastery
Looking down from the top of the Tamala Pass, Chambaling Monastery appears tucked in the crisscrossing mountain ranges on a knoll-composed layers of red earth formed by ancient glaciers between the Tsarchu and Ngom Qu Rivers. This monastery was founded during the Ming period by a disciple of Tsongkapa after Tsongkapa's religious reform in Tibet.

The Monastery has always maintained close relationship with successive interior imperial counts. The giant living Buddha of the monastery has been granted titles since the reign of emperor Kangxi in the Qing dynasty. It still keeps the brass seal granted to Phagpalha Living Buddha during Emperor Kangxi's Reign.

In Emperor Kangxi years, Chambaling Monastery made good effort to help Qing with its war against Zhunge'er Section. So the 6th Pagbalha was rewarded as "Nuomenhan" by Emperor Kangxi, and given a bronze seal, and he was also one of the six ho-thog-thues after Kangxi praised Panchen Erdini. Kangxi wrote "Ganden Chambaling Monastery" for the temple. At that time, the temple was under the most prosperous development, including 3500 Buddhas and 135 branch temples in Chamdo.

Chambaling Monastery was similar to other major Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries, with the well-reserved statues, frescos and Tangkas. As one of the three leading temples in "old" Tibet, it took up a great amount of land and hired bondmen. The monastery stands high on the mountain, all Buddhas had to go down to the river and carry water to the monastery. There were twenty-two big bronze pots, each containing more than 100 barrels of water.

Because the monastery is located at the highest part of Chamdo Town, you can have a bird view of the whole county, where the roaring Lantsang River converges Ngom Qu River and Tsarchu Rivers.