a land of Tibet

We're in our coracle on the Ze chu heading to Tawu! On our way we'll travel through the Trongmi goldfields. Tibet has a lot of tectonic activity and it's geologic features are fairly recent. Gold and other precious metals often seem to be found in such places. Anyway, the people of Tawu speak an dialect of Tibetan that is unique to this area that is believed to the result of refugees escaping from the destroyed kingdom of Xixia. Xixia was built in 1038 to the east of Tibet in what is now the Ningxia province of China.In 1227 the Mongols under Genghiz Khan destroyed it completely. The refugees then entered Tibet where their language blended with that of the Tibetans there to create the dialect that is spoken now. The altitude is fairly low here about 3124 meters or 10,000 feet; many Chinese live here because of this. The Tibetan Language University of Eastern Tibet used to be here. Our Footprint Tibet handbook doesn't say where it is located now. Also here is Nyitso Gonpa, another Geluk monastery which once had 400 monks. It has been renovated but like many other sacred places does not have anywhere close to the original number living there now. Much of the renovation seems to be permitted or assisted by the Chinese government because of it's ability to promote tourism rather than to preserve the Tibetan way of life. Beyond Tawu the Mejesumdo uplands rise above to the Nedreheka la pass. From the forested slopes of the Mejesumdo we can see the peak of Zhara Latse in the distance. Our Footprint Tibet handbook doesn't say if Zhara Yutso, on the northeast flank of the mountain, is visible but for the poem I assumed it would be! It is sacred to Yeshe Tsogyel Padmasambhava so there is much more to say of it when we continue our travelling there a bit later. There's a lot more to add but as usual two as one we'll add to the notes later beautiful one!


	Through My Eyes * We're in our coracle on the Ze chu heading to Tawu! On our way we'll travel through the Trongmi goldfields. Tibet has a lot of tectonic activity and it's geologic features are fairly recent. Gold and other precious metals often seem to be found in such places. Anyway, the people of Tawu speak an dialect of Tibetan that is unique to this area that is believed to the result of refugees escaping from the destroyed kingdom of Xixia. Xixia was built in 1038 to the east of Tibet in what is now the Ningxia province of China.In 1227 the Mongols under Genghiz Khan destroyed it completely. The refugees then entered Tibet where their language blended with that of the Tibetans there to create the dialect that is spoken now. The altitude is fairly low here about 3124 meters or 10,000 feet; many Chinese live here because of this. The Tibetan Language University of Eastern Tibet used to be here. Our Footprint Tibet handbook doesn't say where it is located now. Also here is Nyitso Gonpa, another Geluk monastery which once had 400 monks. It has been renovated but like many other sacred places does not have anywhere close to the original number living there now. Much of the renovation seems to be permitted or assisted by the Chinese government because of it's ability to promote tourism rather than to preserve the Tibetan way of life. Beyond Tawu the Mejesumdo uplands rise above to the Nedreheka la pass. From the forested slopes of the Mejesumdo we can see the peak of Zhara Latse in the distance. Our Footprint Tibet handbook doesn't say if Zhara Yutso, on the northeast flank of the mountain, is visible but for the poem I assumed it would be! It is sacred to Yeshe Tsogyel Padmasambhava so there is much more to say of it when we continue our travelling there a bit later. There's a lot more to add but as usual two as one we'll add to the notes later beautiful one! * courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions. The information for the sketches is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje. ( please click here to return to my spinning for you!)