Cities > Shigatse
Overview
Chinese Name: 日喀则 (Shigatse)English Name: Shigatse
Climate Conditions: Plateau Mountain Climate
Airports: Shigatse Peace Airport, Shigatse Tingri Airport, Yadong Airport
Train Station: Shigatse Station
Background
Shigatse City is located in the southwestern border of the People's Republic of China, in the southwestern part of the Tibetan Plateau, bordered by the Ali region to the west, Nagqu City to the north, Lhasa City and Shannan City to the east, and neighboring Nepal, Bhutan, and India to the south. The northern and southern terrains are relatively high, with the area in between being the Southern Tibetan Plateau and the Yarlung Tsangpo River basin, covering a total area of 179,240 square kilometers. The six famous valleys at the southern foot of the Himalayas in Shigatse are referred to as the "Little Jiangnan of Tibet": Yadong Valley, Chen Tang Valley, Gama Valley, Rongxia Valley, Zhangmu Valley, and Gyirong Valley.Climate
Shigatse City generally has three regional climates. The area north of the Himalayas and south of the Gangdise-Nianqing Tanggula Mountains belongs to a plateau temperate semi-arid monsoon climate; a small portion of the area north of the Gangdise-Nianqing Tanggula Mountains has a plateau subarctic monsoon semi-arid and arid climate; the area south of the main ridge line of the Himalayas has a plateau temperate monsoon semi-humid climate. The overall climate characteristics of Shigatse are as follows: the air is thin, the pressure is low, and there is less oxygen; solar radiation is strong, with lengthy sunshine hours, averaging 3,300 hours annually, and strong ultraviolet rays in the plateau; temperatures are low; there is a small annual temperature range, but a large diurnal temperature range. The annual average temperature in the subarctic region of the west is 0°C, while in the temperate eastern region it is 6.5°C, with an overall annual average temperature of 6.3°C, which can be characterized as having no severe winter and no extreme summer. The coldest month averages between 2°C to 12°C, while the warmest month averages between 10°C to 18°C. The annual average diurnal temperature range in the northwest is 16°C and in the east is 14°C. There are distinct dry and rainy seasons. From October to the following April, it is dry, windy, and cold with little rainfall or snow, accounting for less than 10% of the annual precipitation, referred to as the dry (arid) or windy season. From May to September, the climate is mild and humid, with precipitation accounting for over 90% of the annual rainfall, concentrated in July and August, designated as the rainy season. During this time, there are many nighttime rains, thunderstorms, and hail, with nighttime rains accounting for over 70-80% of the total precipitation. The distribution of rainfall is uneven, with more in the east, ranging from 200 to 430 mm, while the northwest has less, under 200 mm. Rainfall occurs earlier in the east than in the west, with significant annual variability; Shigatse has a frost-free period of over 120 days. Snowfall is light, primarily concentrated in the southern area of Yadong, Pari, Nielamu, and Tingri. The southern slopes of the Himalayas, including Yadong, Zhangmu, Gyirong, Chen Tang, and Rongxia, are warm year-round, with abundant rainfall, with annual precipitation around 1,000 mm and average temperatures on the warm days ranging from 18°C to 22°C, exhibiting characteristics of a plateau subtropical climate.Handicrafts
Shigatse has a long history of ethnic handicrafts. The Tibetan people create various handicrafts with unique Tibetan characteristics, possessing distinct ethnic styles and local features, many of which have gained recognition domestically and internationally. Distinctive "samba" boots, rugs from Gonggar, gold and silver processing, wool products, and ethnic clothing, Tibetan knives from Xietongmen and Lazi, jade from Renbu, wooden bowls from Gyirong, and bamboo products are all rich in Tibetan cultural atmosphere.Folk Dance
Tibet is a world of song and a sea of dance, and the people of Shigatse are especially good at singing and dancing. Their folk dance styles are unique, graceful, and elegant. The "Guoxie" dance features lively and bold steps with grand scenes, while the "Sima Zhuo" drum dance is rough and passionate. Gyirong's "Luo Dance" has light movements and beautiful singing, while Kangma's "Xieqing" and Tingri's "Jiaxie" feature powerful and orderly steps, with harmonious and elegant song. The Sherpa dance is wonderfully lyrical, with smooth and graceful steps, and the Sagya "Jiaxie" is bold and primitive, while the "Qiangmu" is grand and impressive. Every year in the eighth month of the Tibetan calendar, the "Jumping God" dance festival is held, with a history dating back two to three hundred years. Nearly 80 monks dressed in traditional clothing perform the dance while wearing masks of the protectors of Buddhism, showcasing different postures. The two types of Qiangmu, "A Qiangmu" and "Copper Qiangmu," differ mainly in the accompanying musical instruments. The Jumping God dance starts with six young boys performing an auspicious dance in rhythm with drums. Following that, various sacred dances, including Vajra, Skeleton, Deer Ox, Bhikkhu, and Six Longevities, are performed. Finally, decorated steeds, elephants, and cattle adorned with coral trees, pearl decorations, golden towers, and ivory emerge to respond to the auspicious dance at the beginning. Initially, the Jumping God dance was performed as a tantric ritual only within the monastery, strictly prohibited from being witnessed by laypeople. As the scale of the performance grew, and in the interest of spreading teachings, the Seventh Panchen Erdeni decided to hold the “Simu Qingmu” Jumping God dance annually for pilgrims and spectators to enjoy.
Tibetan Opera
Tibetan Opera, known in Tibetan as "Ajiram," is a comprehensive performing art that uses folk song and dance forms to convey story content. It is widely popular in Tibetan regions and is distinctive among numerous theatrical genres in China. It is said that since the 15th century, a monk from the Kagyu school named Tang Dongjie aimed to build bridges across the snowy land for the benefit of all beings. After over three years of hard work fundraising for the bridge construction without success, he discovered seven beautiful and talented sisters among his devout followers who could sing and dance. He invited them to form a troupe and created simple story-based song and dance dramas based on Buddhist tales to raise funds while performing in different places, which laid the foundation for Tibetan opera. As a result, Tang Dongjiebu is regarded as the founder of Tibetan opera, and due to the initial performance being by the exceptionally beautiful and ethereal seven sisters, Tibetan opera is also referred to as "Ajiram." Through the continuous inheritance and development from countless folk artists, art lovers, and Tibetan intellectuals, Tibetan opera has evolved into a distinctive style, strongly characterized by regional and ethnic traits.Traditional Festivals
Tibetan New Year
The Tibetan New Year is the traditional holiday of the Tibetan people and is the most grand celebration. Shigatse celebrates both the "Farmers' Year" on the 1st day of the 12th month in the Tibetan calendar and the Tibetan New Year on the 1st day of the 1st month.Linka Festival
The activity of visiting the Linka has become a national custom shaped by the plateau climate, environment, and living conditions. In the past, from the 1st to the 15th day of the 5th month in the Tibetan calendar, people would leave their courtyards and enjoy recreation in the shady Linka, gradually evolving into the Linka Festival.Dama Festival
Dama refers to horse racing and archery in Tibetan. It originally flourished in Jiangzi, and many other places have also held it. The Dama Festival used to be held around the 19th day of the 4th month in the Tibetan calendar, featuring horse racing, horseback riding competitions, wrestling, and primarily religious activities such as Buddha display, Jumping God performance, and rituals. Nowadays, the Dama Festival is usually held in June during the agricultural slack season.Bathing Festival
The well-known saying, “When the bright star appears in the sky, let the river call for the doctor,” refers to the mid-July period in the Tibetan calendar when the bright evening star appears in the clear blue sky. The rivers, springs, and streams illuminated by the starlight undergo transformation and possess the eight virtues of water. During the seven days of the evening star's shimmering, whether in cities, towns, or rural areas, every household takes the elderly and young to nearby rivers and springs to enjoy drinking, swimming, bathing, and washing clothes.
Wangguo Festival
Wangguo originated in ancient times and flourished in modern times as an activity to pray for a good harvest. While the practices of Wangguo vary in complexity from place to place, their forms and connotations are generally similar. Before harvesting, when farming activities are slightly lax, men and women from the entire village wear new clothes and join the monks in a procession around the fields. The troupe is led by virtuous men and women carrying incense, prayer flags, scriptures, precious umbrellas, treasure vases, hand drums, cymbals, Dharma names, and colorful arrows, with the whole village following behind. The procession turns in the four cardinal directions, performing rituals at each directional deity. Along the way, they continuously blow horns, shake drums, chant scriptures, and wave colorful arrows while calling out: “Chaye Rui Xiu, Yang Ye Rui Xiu” (Blessings come, auspiciousness come), burning incense and offering to the village deities, praying for a good harvest. After completing the tour of the fields, they gather in a shady place to have a meal and drink. They then engage in entertainment activities such as horse racing, yaks racing, singing Tibetan opera, and dancing.Bullfighting Festival
The Bullfighting Festival in Baila County is held in August, where farmers and herders from various villages gather, bringing their bulls to the designated bullfighting arena for competitions in their respective villages. During the match, the bulls fiercely clash, creating a tense and gripping scene, ultimately ending when the weaker one is knocked down or flees.Famous Attractions
Mount Everest
Shigatse's Dingri County is home to the towering snow peaks, primitive forest belts, sacred mountains, holy lakes, grasslands, and ancient temples, including the "World's Highest Peak" – Mount Everest.Temples
Tashilhunpo Monastery is a symbol of Shigatse, built against the mountain and serving as the residence for successive Panchen Lamas. The Baiju Monastery in Jiangzi is renowned for its many pagodas and is known as the "King of Tibetan Pagodas," with murals in the temple featuring cohesive structures and individual sections that hold together independently. Both Baiju Monastery and Sakya Monastery are central religious sites in Tibet.
