Location: located in the southwest of Gansu province and northwest of Gannan Tibetan Autonomous prefecture; in northeast edge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Neighboring Area: Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Qinghai provinces, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia Hui and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions

Physical Features: slopes down from northwest to southeast; average elevation of 2900-3100m with the highest of 4636m and lowest 2160m

Population: 150,000
Urban Population:
Area: 8687 sq km

Nationalities: Tibetan, Han and Hui

History: used to be the ley of Qiang nationality in the spring and autumn period; once occupied by Xianbei, Tubo and Mongolian nationalities; named as Xiahe in 1928

Climatic Feature: temperate, semiarid climate in the north and cold, humid in the south; windy in spring and winter and rainy in summer and autumn; long frost period with the frost-free period only 56 days annually; total sunshine of 2296 hours

Average Temperature: annually average temperature of 2.6 centigrade degree with the highest of 28.4 and lowest of -26.7

Rainfall: 444mm annually
Mountains:

Rivers: Daxia River and Zhao River

Specialties: yak, Ganjia Sheep, Juema Pig, bezoar and aweto

Labrang Monastery

280 kilometers (eight hours) south of Lanzhou in Xiahe County, this is one of the six great monasteries of the Gelukpa (Yellow Hat) Sect. The monastery was founded in 1709 (the forty-eighth year of the reign of Qing Emperor Kangxi) by the monk E'Ang Zonghe, the first generation living Buddha, or Jiemuyang. It is Tibetan Buddhism's most important monastery town outside Tibet itself.

The monastery complex dominates the northern village. The white walls and golden roofs feature a blend of Tibetan and Han architectural styles. The monastery contains 18 halls, six institutes of learning, a golden stupa, a sutra debate, and nearly 60,000 sutras. There are more than 2000 monks in residence. It has a Buddhist museum with a large collection of Buddha statues, sutras and murals. In addition, a large amount of Tibetan language books, including history is available for purchase, together with medicines, calendars, music and art objects.

The monastery today is an important place for Buddhist ceremonies and activities. From 4th to 17th January and 26th June to 15th July (these dates may change according to the lunar calendar), the great Buddhist ceremony will be held with Buddha-unfolding, sutra enchanting, praying, sutra debates, etc.

Another reason for a visit to Xiahe is that it is a melting pot of Chinese, Middle Eastern and nomadic cultures. In the villages outside Xiahe, it's not unusual to see Muslims in white skullcaps hawking Tibetan jewelry. Tibetan nomads usually come from the grasslands to the nearby Hui trade cities. When you wander along the streets in Xiahe, you will see the flashes of bright maroon robes, and have to dart between bicycles and taxis. Old monks meditate and pass prayer beads through their hands at the street corner.

Getting There:

Xiahe is accessible only by bus from the West Bus Station in Lanzhou. Buses usually depart every 30 minutes, and it costs RMB30. Renting a motorcycle may appeal to you, because you can stop anywhere on route.