When you go to Tibet, you must not miss Basu!

There are always some scenery

Worth the climb

Everyone longs for Tibet

Everyone wants to challenge driving or cycling in Tibet

Whether you take the Sichuan-Tibet Highway (G318)

Or Yunnan-Tibet Highway (G214)

You won't miss it

Basu

This small city in eastern Tibet

(Basu is a county under the jurisdiction of Qamdo City, Tibet. Map by Chen Zhihao/Planetary Research Institute)

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Basu means "the village at the foot of Warrior Mountain" in Tibetan.

Anyone who reaches Basu is a warrior.

You've been to heaven and earth all this way

Sometimes climbing to a high mountain pass with an altitude of more than 4,000 meters

Then we descended nearly 2,000 meters and encountered a rapid canyon.

(G318 National Highway Nujiang 72 turn section, photographer @李文博)

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The road conditions are sometimes good and sometimes bad.

Along the way, you overcame altitude sickness and fatigue.

Finally arrived at Basu, and took a break

You are not alone now

Because I stayed in Basu

You're not the only one

01

Iceberg Visitor

--The Wind Station--

If you come to Basu in spring

Maybe there will be a peach blossom snow

meet by chance

(Basu spring peach blossoms bloom proudly in the snow. Peach blossom snow refers to the snowfall phenomenon caused by cold air when peach blossoms are in full bloom in spring. Photographer @温佐沛)

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Ocean water vapor more than 1,000 kilometers away from Basu

Guided by the wind, we arrived at Basu

In the chilly spring, it turns into snowflakes

In summer, the strong southwest monsoon

Carrying more water vapor to Basu

(Display of precipitation distribution in southeastern Tibet. Basu County is more than 3,200 meters above sea level. The 500hPa wind direction in the figure is the airflow trajectory at an altitude of about 5,500 meters. Map by @陈志浩/Planetary Research Institute)

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The river valley in the south of Basu is filled with water vapor

Near Ranwu, the average annual precipitation can reach more than 500mm

(Around the ancient village of Basulai, the mountains are surrounded by water vapor, photographer @灌英满布)

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Under the nourishment of rain

Trees such as spruce and juniper climb the hillsides

Decorate this place into a wonderland of green

(Green vegetation on the hillsides around Ranwu Lake and harvested farmland at the foot of the mountain, photographer @周超)

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Rich green

With the white snow-capped mountains not far away

Mutual Reflection

(Horses grazing under the snow-capped mountains around Ranwu Lake, photographer @吴渊)

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Aerial view

The southern part of Basu is almost covered with snow

Snow-capped mountains and glaciers

It is the greatest masterpiece left by the monsoon in Basu

However, to complete this masterpiece

We also need the cooperation of the mountain

Basu is located in the eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Over tens of millions of years, plates collided and squeezed, causing mountains to rise.

Mountains with an average altitude of over 4,000 meters

Forming a water vapor barrier

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Basu terrain and southern glaciers, map by @陈志浩/Planetary Research Institute)

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The first barrier is Gangri Gabu Mountain

Its southern side is low-lying, and the monsoon can easily penetrate deep into it.

Then the tall mountain ridges face the monsoon head-on

As the altitude increases, a lot of water vapor condenses

On the mountains, the highest annual precipitation can reach 1000~3000mm

Due to the low temperature, most of the precipitation is snow.

Snow accumulates over the years, which is the prelude to the development of glaciers

The Gangri Gabu Mountains stretch for more than 280 kilometers.

There are many snow-capped peaks and snowfields, which seem like the polar regions.

(Please watch in horizontal mode, looking from north to south at the "Snow Ridge Great Wall" of the Gangri Gabu Mountains, photographer @阿怪Zax, tagged @台田/星球研究院)

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In summer, as the temperature in the mountains rises

Rapid melting of glaciers

A large amount of meltwater at the bottom of the glacier increases lubrication

Glaciers flowing rapidly downward

They pour down from the snowy peaks like falling Hada

(Renlongba Glacier and yaks at the foot of the mountain, photographer @英布仓·洛松次成)

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Laigu Village in the south of Basu

Looking around, you can see at least 6 glaciers

Yalong Glacier, Meixi Glacier, Ruojiao Glacier

Dongga Glacier, Xiongjia Glacier, Niuma Glacier

Laigu Glacier Group

Among them, Yalong Glacier (scientific name "Yalong Glacier")

It covers an area of ​​174 square kilometers.

From the peak of more than 6,600 meters above sea level

All the way down to about 4000 meters above sea level

Standing on its vast ice

It's like traveling back to the Ice Age

(Yalung Glacier, the glacier area in the article is the data of 2020, Xiongjia and Niuma Glaciers are not open to the public, photographer @王炳瑞)

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Yalong Glacier flowing downwards

Along the way, we will receive many glaciers in the valleys.

During glacier movement

Stripping away the rocks and sand on both sides of the valley

The dark edge is called "lateral moraine"

When the branch glacier meets the main glacier

The two lateral moraines merge to form the "middle moraine"

Leaving dark streaks on the main glacier

Outlining the curve of glacier flow

(Please watch in horizontal mode. There are many S-shaped moraines on the surface of Yalong Glacier. Photographer: Mao Guochun)

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At the end of the glacier

Dark moraine cover

The pure blue glacier ice is clearly visible

(Ice wall at the end of Yalong Glacier, photographer @袁文笛)

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Due to the lower latitude

These glaciers are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature

A small river formed by the melting water of glaciers

Sometimes flows on ice

Sometimes they dive under the ice

(Ice cracks on the western glaciers of the United States, photographer @李珩)

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Subglacial rivers flow out from the end of the glacier

The melting of the ice at the end of the glacier, coupled with the erosion of flowing water

Often arched ice caves are formed

Enter the ice cave and see the dense and pure glacier ice

Under the light, it appears bright blue

(The Blue Ice Cave of Yalong Glacier, the ice cave is not at the end of the glacier, just for reference, photographer @龙世杰)

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Meltwater flowing from the ice cave

Flowing continuously into the valley below

Water will accumulate in low-lying areas to form lakes

(The braided river formed by the meltwater from the Laigu Glacier Group flows into Langcuo. Photographer: @李珩)

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There are more than 100 lakes of various sizes in Basu.

Lakes can be seen everywhere near the Laigu Glacier Group.

Some are close to the ice tongue

Due to the continuous receipt of glacial meltwater and silt

Turbid water

(Reduocuo, also known as Gongcuo, on the ice tongue of Yalong Glacier, photographer @刘培龙)

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Some lakes have sedimented

The lake is clear and transparent

(Xiongying Co [front] and Zedong Co [back] near the Laigu Glacier Group, photographer @刘培龙)

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stream flowing from a lake

Finally, it flows into the valley to the north.

Formation of rivers

(Please watch in horizontal mode, streams flowing out of the lakes at the end of Renlongba Glacier [right] and Danong Glacier [left], photographer @曹明雄)

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More than 200 years ago, due to the collapse of the river in front of the mountain

Blockage due to accumulation of gravel

Thus forming a plateau barrier lake

Ranwu Lake

It consists of three lakes connected by rivers.

The total area is about 20 square kilometers

Abundant glacier meltwater supply in summer

It is one of the largest freshwater lakes in eastern Tibet.

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the sun shines on the golden mountain beside Ranwu Lake, photographer @英布仓·洛松次成)

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The best season to view Ranwu Lake

It is in autumn

At this time, the lake sediment was settled.

The lake is clear and blue

On the hillsides on both sides, the forests are colorful, like brocade.

In the distance are white snow-capped mountains

In the near distance, a few cows and sheep are strolling leisurely on the grass.

This scene is like a dream

(Yaks on the beach of Ranwu Lake in autumn, photographer @张百强)

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Southwest monsoon is "retained" by high mountains

Stopping in Basu, it unloads most of the water vapor

For the monsoon, Basu is a post station.

For Basu, the monsoon is a "visitor on the iceberg"

It created this glacial kingdom

With a steady flow of meltwater

Recharge the river

The largest tributary of the Yarlung Zangbo River

Parlung Tsangpo

It originates from the glacier in the south of Basu

Basu is its starting station

(Palong Zangbo River in Basu County, photographer @刘剑伟)

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When Parlung Tsangpo set out in a hurry

The monsoon continues to move north

It will encounter the second barrier , the Beshura Ridge

The third barrier is Tha Nin Tha Weng Mountain

As the water vapor decreases

Only a small amount of precipitation forms local glaciers

(Looking at Ranwu Lake and Boshula Ridge, photographer @刘培龙)

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And when the wind bends down

It will meet another visitor from afar

02

Canyon Traveler

--River Station--

Southwest monsoon over the mountains

Go down the slope and reach the valley

At this time, the altitude decreases and the temperature rises

The airflow is getting drier

There is little vegetation in the canyon.

The canyon has exposed brown rock formations on both sides.

(A truck traveling along the Sichuan-Tibet Highway at the bottom of the Nujiang Gorge in Basu, photographer @曹铁)

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In some areas

Exposed red rock formations

Extending upward from the canyon, like a flame

(Red-layer mountains in Basu, photographer @英布仓·洛松次成)

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In this desolate place

Nujiang River

This visitor from afar brought life

Nujiang River originates from Tanggula Mountain

The upper reaches are called "Nagqu" on the northern Tibetan Plateau.

The river meanders gracefully at this time

Its power has not yet been revealed

(Nagqu City, Buqu County, the upper reaches of the Nujiang River, photographer @黄雪峰)

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As it turns south

After entering the Hengduan Mountains, it is called "Nujiang River"

In Basu

He thought that Wengshan and Boshula Mountain would attack Nujiang River from both sides.

The valley is narrow and the river channel is narrow, with the narrowest point being only 50 meters

The river is raging and roaring

(Nujiang River in Basu, photographer @在远方的阿伦)

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The roaring river is a sharp blade

The mountains on both sides continue to rise, and then rise again.

The river keeps cutting down, cutting down again

From the mountains to the valley bottom, the height difference can reach 1500~3000 meters

The slope is steep, with a slope of more than 60°

(Overlooking the Nujiang River Valley in Basu County, photographer @李珩)

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The river flows through the hard, narrow canyon

Swing as hard as you can

On the riverbank and terrace

Fine soil, nourished by river water

Green plants appear here

(The scenery of the river valley in Basu County, with vegetation and farmland visible on the river beach, photographer @林森)

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On the hillsides on both sides of the Nujiang River Valley

Short runoff formed by rainwater and glacial meltwater

Injected into Nujiang River from high altitude

They form suspended alluvial fans

Distributed on both sides of the Nujiang River

The soil here is deep and crops can be grown

There are often villages distributed

(Terrace scenery of Wada Village, Basu County, photographer @陈小羊)

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In Basu

Along with the Nu River is its largest tributary

Jade song

Yuqu originated from Tha Nian Tha Weng Mountain

Passing through the Bonda grassland in the north of Basu

The meandering river created a lowland wetland

(Bonda Grassland, photographer @熊可)

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Moss grows, green as a carpet

This is a good pasture.

(Grazing scene on Bonda grassland, photographer @曹明雄)

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For Basu

The river is a hasty passer-by in the valley

They create life

While strengthening yourself

(Basu Lengqu, a first-level tributary on the right bank of the Nujiang River, photographer @杨奎)

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They have further destinations.

Yuqu and Nujiang River always maintain

More than ten kilometers away

Heading south

In Zayu County, Nyingchi

Yuqu turns and merges into Nujiang River

(The confluence of Yuqu River and Nujiang River [left] in Zayu County, image source: Visual China)

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Nujiang River continues to flow south

It will meet Meili Snow Mountain and Gaoligong Mountain

The surging Nujiang River

Over thousands of years

With those who travel from north to south, from west to east

Human passerby encounter

03

Warriors of the world

--Human Station--

The great rivers flow southwards, the mountains extend southwards

It has created a natural passage in the north-south direction.

Thousands of years ago

Basu has welcomed groups of people from all over the world.

In Basu, alpine pastures are suitable for grazing.

(A herder family under the Doji Pearl of Ranwu Sacred Mountain in Basu County, photographer @英布仓·洛松次成)

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Warm valleys can be planted

The remaining tribes hunt and herd

Build a home and thrive here

(Wheat harvest season in Basu Village, photo source: Visual China)

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In the east-west direction

Mountains and valleys are insurmountable barriers

Due to geographical barriers, there are great differences between Eastern and Western civilizations

Head west from Basu and head west along the Yarlung Zangbo River

Gradually going deep into the plateau

Arrive in Lhasa, the center of Tibetan civilization

(Lhasa, photographer @张静)

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From Basu, head east and cross the Hengduan Mountains to Shandong

Going down the steps, you will reach the land of Bashu

(Yulei Pavilion in Dujiangyan, Chengdu, photographer @The Scenery in My Eyes)

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For thousands of years, the civilizations of the East and the West have been different.

Break down obstacles with powerful thrust

Basu is located on the channel of communication between Han and Tibetan peoples.

From West to East

Popular culture in the hinterland of Tibet at different times

Gradually expanded eastward and remained in Basu

Tongka Temple in Basu

It is a famous Tibetan Buddhist temple in eastern Tibet.

The temple preserves a large number of historical treasures such as Buddha statues and scriptures.

(Basu Tongka Temple White Pagoda, photographer @英布仓·洛松次成)

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From East to West

Despite the high mountains and steep terrain of the Hengduan Mountains

But with the Tang Dynasty

Frequent exchanges between Han and Tibetan peoples

Cultural integration represented by the tea-horse trade

Breaking down natural barriers

The prosperity of Sino-Tibetan trade over the past thousand years

Transformed into ancient roads spreading across the earth

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the main route of the Ancient Tea-Horse Road is shown here, drawn by @陈志浩/Planet Research Institute)

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In this complex network of ancient roads

Basu is in a pivotal position

Two main routes of the Ancient Tea-Horse Road

Intersection in Basu

One is "Sichuan tea into Tibet"

Depart from the tea-producing areas of Ya'an, Sichuan

To the west, it splits into two lines, north and south, crossing the Hengduan Mountains into Tibet

Among them, the southern route reaches Lhasa via Basu

(Tea mountain in the famous mountain area of ​​Ya'an, Sichuan, with Gongga Snow Mountain in the distance, photographer @5零2)

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The second is "Yunnan tea into Tibet"

Depart from the tea-producing areas around Erhai Lake in Yunnan

Go northward through the river valley extending from north to south into Tibet

Passing through Basu, turn west to reach Lhasa

Or continue north to Qinghai

(Ten thousand mu of wild ancient tea garden in Mengku Snow Mountain, Shuangjiang, Lincang, Yunnan, photographer @林小龙)

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In the trade between Sichuan, Yunnan and Tibet

Basu has become a "crossroads"

Tea, fur, good horses, salt

…

Products from all over the country are transferred here

Merchants come here to rest

(Bangda Town in the early morning after the snow, photographer @袁雪飞)

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Mid to late 17th century

In one year, 30,000 dan of Yunnan tea were sold to Tibet.

Nearly 70,000 mules and horses were needed to transport

How many have passed through the eight constellations is unknown

But you can imagine that there used to be a lot of people coming and going here.

Along the way, they crossed mountains and hills.

Looking up is the high cliff

There is a rushing river under my feet

If you are not careful, you will fall off the cliff and die.

(The "Tiger's Mouth" where the Lengqu River and Nujiang River meet in Basu, photographer @英布仓·洛松次成)

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Whether it is for livelihood, forced to go on the road

Or they volunteered, they are all warriors

The hardships along the way make people with different beliefs

All of them became devout believers of heaven and earth.

(Mani piles beside Ranwu Lake, photographer @陈小羊)

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Millennium

Thrilling stories on the ancient road

Has long disappeared into the dust

In the 1950s, with the liberation of Tibet

The ancient roads are gradually replaced by modern roads.

Sichuan-Tibet Highway , Yunnan-Tibet Highway

Following the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, heading towards Tibet

(G317 Sichuan-Tibet North Line, Zhezhushan section of Dingqing County, Changdu City, photographer @袁杨)

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Thousand years later

When you set foot on these roads into Tibet, passing through Basu

At that moment, the moods of the past and present may be connected

(Basu G318 Anjiula Pass section, photographer @陈科珊)

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If you take National Highway 318 (South Sichuan-Tibet Line) into Tibet

From Chengdu

You need to cross the Minjiang River, Dadu River, and Yalong River

Jinsha River, Lancang River

You need to cross the Great Snow Mountain, Shaluli Mountain, and Mangkang Mountain

He Nian Thawengsan

Cross the Dongda Mountain Pass at an altitude of 5013 meters (measured altitude)

Go down the slope along the Yuqu River Valley

Entering Basu

(Dongda Mountain section, Zuogong County, Changdu City, photographer @张百强)

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The first thing that greets you is

The vast Bonda grassland

(Bonda Grassland, photographer @孟祥和)

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Then continue to climb

Yela Mountain Pass at an altitude of 4,658 meters

Waiting for you

(Red layer slope near Yela Mountain in Basu, photographer @孟祥和)

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When you arrive here

Don't take it lightly

Because next, it's downhill.

From the pass down, Nujiang 72 turns

Bring you the thrill of descending nearly 2,000 meters

Even if you have driven many winding mountain roads

Here, my heart still beats faster

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Basu Nujiang 72 bends, photographer @Jagdtiger喵)

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Bend after bend

The sound of the Nujiang River rushing down the valley is getting louder and louder.

The river is within your sight and gradually becomes clear

When you reach the bottom of the valley, you will meet the Nu River

We must separate

One of the natural dangers of Nujiang River

Nujiang Bridge is in front of you

Passing vehicles all honk their horns to comfort the martyrs who died while building the Sichuan-Tibet Highway

Cross this bridge

Along the Nujiang River's tributary Lengqu

Heading to Basu County

(Basu Nujiang Bridge, the old bridge piers that have not been demolished in the middle are like a monument to commemorate the martyrs, photographer @曹铁)

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Arrived at Basu

The most precipitous mountains and valleys are all left behind

Here you can temporarily relieve your fatigue

Get supplies

This road, ups and downs

The winding road is like climbing a ladder to the sky

Lead you to Basu

(Basu County, photographer @英布仓·洛松次成)

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Here

The surging monsoon has stayed

It left behind hundreds of square kilometers of glaciers

Turned into gurgling water, nourishing the land

Make Basu a "Snowy Water Town"

The grain planting area in Basu County can reach more than 40,000 mu

The total output of highland barley, buckwheat, etc. exceeds 10,000 tons

(Barley fields in Basulai Ancient Village, photographer @李揩)

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Here

The turbulent river has stayed

It splits mountains and digs valleys to create a "natural greenhouse" for Basu

Let apples, pears and grapes become plateau specialties

Development of forestry and fruit industry

It can also improve the surface environment of the Nujiang River Valley and maintain water and soil

(Basu Nujiang River Valley, Basu forest coverage rate exceeds 30%, photographer @英布仓·洛松次成)

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Today's continuous improvement in transportation

Accelerate the development of this small city in eastern Tibet

In 2023, Basu's economic growth rate will exceed 10%

Basu continues to promote high-quality development of the plateau economy and

National Unity and Progress

Building a national ecological civilization highland

Responding to the national action of consolidating borders, developing border areas and enriching people

Adhere to "four creations and four leading positions"

and the construction of “three districts and one highland”

(Basu Bangda Grassland Photovoltaic Power Station, Basu's total clean energy power generation in 2023 is nearly 300 million kWh, photographer @孟祥和)

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From 2023

Basu has held two consecutive Basu Cultural Tourism Festivals

In the past year, more than 1.5 million people came to Basu

Tourism revenue exceeded 300 million yuan

Basu from a "secret paradise"

Gradually becoming a beacon for people to enter Tibet

Brave people stayed

This is Basu

A Heavenly Road Station

(Glacier and Warriors, Photographer @雪域秀罗)

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This article was created by

Written by: Qingliu

Image: Xia Xue

Design: Terraced Fields Map: Chen Zhihao

Proofreading: Yunwukongcheng & Zhou Weihua & Wu Xintian

Cover Photographer: Yingbu Cang Luosongcicheng & Wanyou Attraction & Tibetan Light and Shadow Zhang Rongping

Special partners of this article

Cultural Bureau of Basu County, Qamdo City, Tibet Autonomous Region

【References】

[1] Tibet Autonomous Region Basu County Local Chronicles Compilation Committee. Basu County Chronicles[M]. Bashu Publishing House, 2012.

[2] Huang Guangcheng. The Story of Lancang River and Nu River[M]. Hebei University Press, 2004.

[3] Ju Jianting, Zhu Liping, Huang Lei, et al. Modern processes of Ranwu Lake in southeastern Tibet based on monitoring: the response of the lake to glacial meltwater[J]. Chinese Science Bulletin, 2015, 60(01): 16-30.

[4] Shi Shuo. The Ancient Tea-Horse Road and its Historical and Cultural Value[J]. Tibet Studies, 2002, (04): 49-57.

[5] Remote sensing monitoring of glacier changes in Gangrigabu Mountain in the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from 1980 to 2015[J]. Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 2017, 39(01): 24-34.

[6] Xiong Junlin, Fan Xuanmei, Dou Xiangyang, et al. Seasonal variation of flow velocity of Yanong Glacier in Ranwu Lake Basin, southeastern Tibet[J]. Journal of Wuhan University (Information Science Edition), 2021, 46(10): 1579-1588.

[7] Shi Shuo. Ethnic Migration in the Tibetan-Yi Corridor History[J]. Ethnic Studies, 2014, (01): 78-89+125.

[8] Bian Qiong, Huang Peng, Zhuo Yong, et al. Analysis of circulation patterns and water vapor trajectories of heavy rainfall in Qamdo, Tibet[J]. Journal of Plateau and Mountain Meteorology, 2021, 41(03): 58-63.