Hezuo Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)

The refreshing summer in Hezuo

Hezuo is the administrative seat of Gannan Tibetan Prefecture with an elevation of nearly 3000m and has a very cold dry winters and short mild summer. However during summer time, the place is a sight to behold with widespread of grassland where the Tibetan yaks and sheep grazes, and different wild flowers grow. If you want to experience the serene beauty of this magical town, it is best to visit from July to September. It is also known for the famous Milarepa Temple. #summervacation #grassland

May Day Travel | 3-Day Gannan Loop | The Road of Zhagana and Loka

The beauty of nine colors, the secret realm of Gannan🌈 When the first rays of the morning sun sprinkle on Zhagana amidst the clouds🌞 Herds of cattle and sheep stroll on the Sangke Grassland, and red-robed monks murmur scriptures in the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion... The whole world seems peaceful and serene~ Those who are preparing for the May Day holiday, take a look here, you must not miss this niche scenic area❗❗ . 🚘Itinerary at a glance D1⃣️Lanzhou - Gannan Secret Realm - Labrang Monastery - Xiahe D2⃣️Xiahe - Sangke Grassland - Langmu Temple - Zhagana D3⃣️Zhagana - Milarepa Buddha Pavilion - Lanzhou . 🎨Exquisite Attractions Milarepa Buddha Pavilion: 'Tibetan Buddhism Museum' ✨ The red Tibetan-style nine-story pagoda in Hezuo City of Gansu's Amdo Tibetan area Tips: 🎫20/person Tibetan area V1⃣️ houses the architecture that worships masters of various sects of Tibetan Buddhism, each floor is a separate Buddha hall, representing different sects, worshiping different main deities . Gannan Secret Realm: ✨ In Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture's Xiahe County, Gannan Town, the scenic area contains rich geological structures and unique Tibetan customs Tips: 🎫80/person The eastern part of Ganjia Grassland has the mark of the Silk Road in the ancient Octagonal City, and at the end is the magical Baishi Cliff, with caves, grand canyons, and other landscapes in between . Zhagana: A hidden paradise among the clouds surrounded by mountains, where one can watch the morning mist and the starry sky at night, a utopian land of half fireworks and half celestial Tips: 🎫80/person (half price for student tickets) Dari Viewing Platform is good for watching the sunrise but often crowded, Fairy Beach is the best spot for sunset in the scenic area, with crystal clear water . Labrang Monastery: 'World Tibetan Academy', built against the mountain with red walls and glazed tiles, has the world's longest prayer corridor Tips: 🎫 Main hall, namely Wensi Hall, 40/person, Gontang Pagoda 20/person The prayer corridor should be visited clockwise, and there is a wooden bridge across the Daxia River to the southwest of the monastery, where you can take a panoramic photo of Labrang Monastery 50 meters south of the Buddha sunning platform . Langmu Temple: Not a temple but a town, the Bailong River inside the town divides Langmu Temple into two, which are Gerdeng Monastery in Sichuan and Sertri Monastery in Gansu Tips: 🎫30/person (same price for both temples) The Flesh Relic Hall in Sichuan Gerdeng Monastery is the essence of Langmu Temple, and you can also pass through the Namo Grand Canyon, through the Fairy Cave, Tiger Cave, and explore the source of the Bailong River . Sangke Grassland: One of the largest highland grasslands in Gannan, also a natural pasture, where local Tibetans often pray and celebrate festivals Tips: Grassland protection 💰15 yuan Horse riding price 50-80/30min Respect the local customs and religious beliefs, try not to enter yurts/temples at will, and do not damage stone carvings, prayer flags, etc. . 🌟Considerate Tips 1⃣️The average altitude of Gannan is over 3000m, so it is necessary to prevent altitude sickness and avoid strenuous exercise 2⃣️You can prepare some anti-altitude sickness medicines, such as Rhodiola, oxygen, and glucose, etc. 3⃣️Colorful clothes can produce photos with richer layers 4⃣️The region is mostly inhabited by Tibetans and some Hui people, so it is necessary to respect local customs and habits

Why was the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion built?

It is about 70 kilometers from the Sangke Prairie to Hezuo City, all the way is the prairie scenery. Because it was smooth and time allowed, we decided to visit the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion in the suburbs of Hezuo City first. After more than an hour's journey, it started to rain as soon as we got off the bus at the Buddha Pavilion. The rain was not heavy, and through the hazy rain, we saw a red Tibetan-style high-rise building rising from the flat ground. The surrounding houses were all low, only it was very unique, this is the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion. As soon as we got off the bus, we saw a few Tibetans walking clockwise around the wall of the Buddha Pavilion. The main gate of the Buddha Pavilion is somewhat like an archway, with double rows of large pillars, a total of eight; the middle of the large pavilion eaves and the lower four corners of the side eaves are all upturned, colorful painted patterns are decorated on the beams, rafters and brackets, which is very exciting. On a blue background sign on the gate, it is written: Anduo Hezuo Monastery Milarepa Buddha Pavilion. This name is a bit of a tongue twister, I only remember the four characters "Milarepa Buddha Pavilion". The steps are not too high, and there are devout believers who keep kneeling and worshiping. The wall on both sides of the gate is a corridor composed of 130 prayer wheels, I went over and turned a few as usual, there was no one in front, the big drum in a static state was very heavy to turn! From the courtyard of this gate, you enter the inner courtyard of the Buddha Pavilion, which also has upturned eaves decorations. This is the second gate, where tickets are checked. Looking up at the Buddha Pavilion, it is a three-dimensional rectangular building with nine floors. On the wall of the courtyard, there are two rows of 1500 small white pagodas arranged in a staggered manner, one next to the other, this decoration is the first time I have seen. Above the curtain on the first floor of the Buddha Pavilion, I saw the symbol of the double deer kneeling Dharma wheel again. The first floor is also a prayer wheel corridor, and the copper prayer wheels are not small. It is said that the Buddha Pavilion was built in memory of the great master Milarepa in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. He was a great master of the early White Sect, known for his asceticism and singing to preach. In fact, the Buddha Pavilion is eight floors, and the ninth floor refers to a mandala painting on the roof of the eighth floor. The mandala represents the home of the Buddha and Bodhisattva, and is the image of the Buddha country that appears in the mind of the high monk during practice. This needs to be understood with Buddhist thinking, I only know that the patterns of the mandala are very beautiful. I took off my shoes and walked quietly into the main hall on the first floor. On both sides of the main hall are statues, beautifully made, each one looks like a fairy. There is a large Maitreya Buddha statue here, his face is a serious expression. The statues here are famous people in Tibetan history, including the Tibetan kings of all ages, the founders of Tibetan literature and Tibetan opera, etc., and I saw statues of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng. I saw large photos of the 9th, 10th, and 11th Panchen Lamas. There are Tibetans who kowtow in front of their photo frames to show respect. The second to fifth floors of the Buddha Pavilion are dedicated to the representative figures of the various sects of Tibetan Buddhism, a total of 1270: the second floor is the Gelug sect, the third floor is the Nyingma Red sect, the fourth floor has the Bodhisattva Hall, the fifth floor is the Kagyu sect of the White sect, etc. I don't understand when I look at it, I only know the White Sect on the fifth floor, they are ascetic, and the figures are all very thin. The halls on the sixth to eighth floors are generally not found in temples, and they are dedicated to the kings and venerables of the Tantric sect, including: the Horsehead Ming King, the Great Black Sky, etc., most of the faces are very fierce and terrifying. The temple here is one of the famous temples of Tibetan Buddhism in the Anduo area. The Buddha Pavilion is just one of the buildings. There are several large white pagodas inside and outside this area. There are also several buildings on the west side, including the Horsehead Ming King Hall, the Dharma Protector Hall, the Scripture Hall, the Debate Field, the Great Scripture Hall, the Tsongkhapa Buddha Pavilion and other ordinary buildings. This temple was built in 1777, the 42nd year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, and was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. It was rebuilt in 1988. Visiting here is equivalent to "exercise digestion". It's not early, we are going to stay at the Yihao Hotel in Hezuo City!

Back to the Tibetan area (Hezuo)

After many years, I came to the Tibetan area again, and for the first time to Gannan. The familiar blue sky and white clouds arrived as scheduled, and the feeling of chest tightness and shortness of breath was unexpected (high anti). Although the altitude is only about three thousand meters, the feeling is still very obvious. If you don't exercise vigorously, the symptoms are not serious, but if you want to sleep well at night, it is definitely a luxury The Buddha Pavilion is tall and majestic, and can be seen from a long distance. It is also a landmark building in Hezuo. The entire temple is filled with the smell of burning pine branches and cypress leaves. The overall color scheme of the building is still the classic white, black, red and gold of Tibetan temples. The pure white, mysterious black, fanatic red, authoritative gold and the hard lines of Tibetan architecture blend perfectly, making it even more sacred and solemn under the blue sky and white clouds The interior of the building is all wooden structure, you need to take off your shoes when you enter. It is cold inside in winter, and the floor is even colder. It is recommended to bring a pair of disposable slippers The stairs are quite narrow, and each floor enshrines different Buddha statues, but the light is very dark, especially the upper floors are black and messy, let alone murals, even the Buddha statues can't be seen clearly The Buddha Pavilion is open until six o'clock in the afternoon, but it is still recommended to come in the morning, because most of the places in the Hezuo Temple are closed in the afternoon, and you can only look outside. Before visiting the Buddha Pavilion, I specifically checked the life of the venerable Milarepa, and indeed lived up to the name of the legendary master He lost his father when he was young, his property was occupied by his uncle, and after being bullied, he was determined to improve himself. After learning the peerless martial arts, he killed more than thirty relatives and friends in anger, and then put down the butcher knife and devoted himself to Buddha. After nine years of hard cultivation in Gang Rinpoche, he finally confirmed the "Great Handprint" and "Clumsy Fire Determination" secret method. The master practiced the secret methods of the Bon and Red Sects in his life, participated in the creation of the White Sect, and his understanding of the Tantric Sect was inherited by the later Yellow Sect, and was revered by all sects of Tibetan Buddhism... This experience is breathtaking No wonder he can name a high-rise building that enshrines the masters of all sects of Tibetan Buddhism after his name

Breathtaking beauty in the spring of 2024, the Meiren Prairie is not to be missed

In the heartland of northwest China, there is a paradise on earth - the Meiren Prairie, a green dreamland that people yearn for. Imagine walking in this boundless prairie, what you see is not the usual grassland, but countless round grass tufts🌱, like mini green mushrooms🍄, scattered across the vast land, creating a vibrant and unique scene. This place is not just a simple prairie, it is a precious land on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, each grass tuft is growing colorful flowers🌺, full of vitality and joy, making people can't help but stop to watch and get close to nature. And when you slowly drive through the colorful prayer flag tunnel, feeling the Buddhist chants brought by the breeze, this experience is like a soul cleansing on the holy land, every step is full of tranquility and sanctity.🎐 'Deep understanding of the Meiren Prairie' The Meiren Prairie is fascinating because of its unique topography. This is a marshy alpine meadow unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, its unique form comes from the special natural conditions of the region. The altitude is as high as 3600 meters, the permafrost layer can reach 150 cm, the natural environment here is very special.🗻 The uniqueness of this prairie is not only a gift from nature. The vegetation community here, wind erosion and water erosion have jointly carved out the current appearance of the Meiren Prairie. Every inch of land, every plant, is telling the mystery of nature.🌍 📍Directions | Hezuo City Meiren Prairie 🎫Admission Information | No ticket required, open all day for free 🅿️Parking Tips | Free parking convenience, parking lots are set up on both sides of the road ⏰Recommended Tour Time | About 1.5 hours 🚾Convenient Facilities | Free clean public toilets are located near the parking lot 'Unmissable sights on the journey' On the journey to the Meiren Prairie, a standing giant rock🪨 is particularly eye-catching, it is about 6 meters high, the bottom area is 50 square meters, covered with colorful prayer flags, symbolizing the soul of the Meiren Prairie. It is said that touching this stone can bring peace and harvest blessings for the toucher and his family.🔮 In this pure land far away from the hustle and bustle of the world, every corner can awaken your senses, making your trip full of unexpected discoveries and surprises. Don't hesitate, the Meiren Prairie is quietly waiting for your visit!🌟Changsha·Hunan

Gannan · Meiren Grassland is a must-visit

Actually, I rarely write about a scenic spot, I prefer to write about selective hotels and restaurants, but after visiting more than 30 scenic spots in Gannan, Meiren Grassland is still one of my top recommendations. It's not far from Hezuo City, on the must-pass route of the Gannan Grand Circuit, and it's drivable, free of charge, highly recommended to stop by. There are so many grasslands in China, why would I recommend this one? Because it has a grassland landscape that is completely different from Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia and Qinghai, and even other areas of Gannan, very unique. This is a complexly formed plateau marsh grassland, the grassland surface is covered by endless, uniformly sized and neatly arranged small grass bundles, very much like the bun on the Buddha's head, full of spirituality and Buddhism, breathtaking. Meiren Grassland is not well-known, but just for this point, it's worth a special trip, and, there is a nearly one kilometer long prayer flag built on the grassland, you can drive under it, very photogenic. In addition, not far from the grassland, you can also see another spectacle "Gaser Water Dama Group", along the small stream where the divine springs converge, composed of 72 water-powered prayer wheels, horses leisurely drinking water in between.

Journey from Gannan to Northern Sichuan

🚗🚗🚗Travel Route: Day1: Yellow River Iron Bridge→Gongtang Pagoda→Labrang Monastery Day2: Sangke Prairie→Gansu Gahai Zecha Nature Reserve-Gahai Lake→Langmu Monastery Day3: Langmu Monastery→Ruoergai Flower Lake Ecotourism Area→Zha Ga Na Day4: Zha Ga Na Day5: Anduo Hezuo Monastery Mila Ribage Buddha Pavilion→Meiren Grassland→Eight Squares Thirteen Alleys

The Meiren Prairie is located in the east of the cooperative city of Gansu Province. It is a unique alpine meadow steppe in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Meiren Prairie did not undergo excessive artificial development and quietly bloomed its beauty. The alpine meadow grassland here is very unique and has become a must-see for Gannan. Meiren grassland is a plateau marsh grassland, which is a very unique type of grassland in China. Looking at the beautiful grassland, it is like a large mushroom head. The blossoming gap is scattered in the depths of the grassland, accompanied by wildflowers, which makes people fall in love at a glance. The spring, summer, autumn and winter of Meiren Prairie are like an oil painting, which has been spread from the front to the far side. In spring, everything recovers, spring is full; summer is full of grass, comfortable and pleasant; autumn is clear and clear, autumn is high; winter is snowy, snowy sunset. Here is a shooting paradise for photography enthusiasts. The beauty of the Meiren Prairie seems to have a magical power. Even if you don't have professional shooting equipment, you can take advantage of the mobile phone to capture unlimited scenery. Mayren Summer There is a kind of travel, called summer to go to the grassland! 20° Gannan, the beautiful and beautiful grasslands of the United States, the beautiful scenery makes us stunned. For those who live in the city, the grassland always gives people unlimited imagination, and the Meiren grassland brings us wonderful beauty!

Why was the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion built?

It is about 70 kilometers from the Sangke Prairie to Hezuo City, all the way is the prairie scenery. Because it was smooth and time allowed, we decided to visit the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion in the suburbs of Hezuo City first. After more than an hour's journey, it started to rain as soon as we got off the bus at the Buddha Pavilion. The rain was not heavy, and through the hazy rain, we saw a red Tibetan-style high-rise building rising from the flat ground. The surrounding houses were all low, only it was very unique, this is the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion. As soon as we got off the bus, we saw a few Tibetans walking clockwise around the wall of the Buddha Pavilion. The main gate of the Buddha Pavilion is somewhat like an archway, with double rows of large pillars, a total of eight; the middle of the large pavilion eaves and the lower four corners of the side eaves are all upturned, colorful painted patterns are decorated on the beams, rafters and brackets, which is very exciting. On a blue background sign on the gate, it is written: Anduo Hezuo Monastery Milarepa Buddha Pavilion. This name is a bit of a tongue twister, I only remember the four characters "Milarepa Buddha Pavilion". The steps are not too high, and there are devout believers who keep kneeling and worshiping. The wall on both sides of the gate is a corridor composed of 130 prayer wheels, I went over and turned a few as usual, there was no one in front, the big drum in a static state was very heavy to turn! From the courtyard of this gate, you enter the inner courtyard of the Buddha Pavilion, which also has upturned eaves decorations. This is the second gate, where tickets are checked. Looking up at the Buddha Pavilion, it is a three-dimensional rectangular building with nine floors. On the wall of the courtyard, there are two rows of 1500 small white pagodas arranged in a staggered manner, one next to the other, this decoration is the first time I have seen. Above the curtain on the first floor of the Buddha Pavilion, I saw the symbol of the double deer kneeling Dharma wheel again. The first floor is also a prayer wheel corridor, and the copper prayer wheels are not small. It is said that the Buddha Pavilion was built in memory of the great master Milarepa in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. He was a great master of the early White Sect, known for his asceticism and singing to preach. In fact, the Buddha Pavilion is eight floors, and the ninth floor refers to a mandala painting on the roof of the eighth floor. The mandala represents the home of the Buddha and Bodhisattva, and is the image of the Buddha country that appears in the mind of the high monk during practice. This needs to be understood with Buddhist thinking, I only know that the patterns of the mandala are very beautiful. I took off my shoes and walked quietly into the main hall on the first floor. On both sides of the main hall are statues, beautifully made, each one looks like a fairy. There is a large Maitreya Buddha statue here, his face is a serious expression. The statues here are famous people in Tibetan history, including the Tibetan kings of all ages, the founders of Tibetan literature and Tibetan opera, etc., and I saw statues of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng. I saw large photos of the 9th, 10th, and 11th Panchen Lamas. There are Tibetans who kowtow in front of their photo frames to show respect. The second to fifth floors of the Buddha Pavilion are dedicated to the representative figures of the various sects of Tibetan Buddhism, a total of 1270: the second floor is the Gelug sect, the third floor is the Nyingma Red sect, the fourth floor has the Bodhisattva Hall, the fifth floor is the Kagyu sect of the White sect, etc. I don't understand when I look at it, I only know the White Sect on the fifth floor, they are ascetic, and the figures are all very thin. The halls on the sixth to eighth floors are generally not found in temples, and they are dedicated to the kings and venerables of the Tantric sect, including: the Horsehead Ming King, the Great Black Sky, etc., most of the faces are very fierce and terrifying. The temple here is one of the famous temples of Tibetan Buddhism in the Anduo area. The Buddha Pavilion is just one of the buildings. There are several large white pagodas inside and outside this area. There are also several buildings on the west side, including the Horsehead Ming King Hall, the Dharma Protector Hall, the Scripture Hall, the Debate Field, the Great Scripture Hall, the Tsongkhapa Buddha Pavilion and other ordinary buildings. This temple was built in 1777, the 42nd year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, and was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. It was rebuilt in 1988. Visiting here is equivalent to "exercise digestion". It's not early, we are going to stay at the Yihao Hotel in Hezuo City!

The buildings in the Gannan cooperation city have obvious Tibetan characteristics. It belongs to the Amdo Tibetan area. Lamas are often seen on the streets. The most famous sights in the city are the nine-storey Buddhist pavilion in the north of the city. The full name of Amdo cooperates with Mila Bhafo. Go to the 9th floor of the Buddhist Pavilion. You can take Bus No.1 and get off at the Nine-Layer Buddha Pavilion stop. If you have enough time, you can walk and walk 20 minutes north from Shambhala Square in the city center. Arrived. If you walk 20 minutes to the south, you will arrive at the southernmost tip of the city. The cooperative urban area is so small. Gannan Prefecture and Sichuan border, there are many Sichuan food restaurants on the roadside, there are many stalls selling snacks, life is quite convenient, bought a steamed potato to taste. The spectacular white towers line up in a row, which is common in Tibetan areas, but it is still very shocking. Just the good weather of the blue sky and white clouds suddenly became dark clouds, and a heavy rain is coming. In the past few days in the northwest, there is a rain every afternoon, and the poncho must be brought out when going out. Gannan dark night, the nine-story Buddhist pavilion closed early, when it was here, the tourists were not allowed to enter, but also caught up with the sudden heavy rain, but had no choice but to find a place to hide from the rain. The white tower in the Tibetan area is very common and beautiful in appearance. After the rain stops, you can take a close look at the Buddhist pavilion that was built in the Qing Dynasty (1777).

A Famous Landmark in Lanzhou 🇨🇳

#timetotravel I heard a lot of people saying that this is just a bridge but upon reading about it while being there I have learned that this was the first bridge in Lanzhou over the yellow and was built by a German construction company with the help of Chinese workers. This is the reason why this has become a tourist spot and probably because of its historical significance. This bridge has become a popular landmark in Lanzhou and in Gansu Province in general. You don't need to spend a lot of time here, take some photos , walk over the bridge. Enjoy your Lanzhou trip! Name: Iron Bridge Address: Binhe Central Road, Qilihe District

🌉 Bridge me to your heart ❤️

Item : The Zhongshan Bridge (Chinese: 中山桥) Location : Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Lanzhou, China, 730046 Worth the visit : 100% 💯 This place is beautiful both in the day and in the night. Because it's winter, during the day it's more than -10⁰ degress celcius you cant even touch the steel construction of the bridge...grrrr At night it's much worse coldness not more than- 20⁰ degress celcius. I love love love love the cold lol The bridge is beautifully light up at night....very the super the romantic....Imagine freezing cold, you walk in the arms of your love one giving warm kisses like those melodramatic romantic drama hahaha Then you stop buy at one of the restaurant along the river near the Zhongshan bridge. Many halal restaurants by the way. You slurp down a bowl of Niurou La Mian....yummy...What a perfect day. #passionpassport

Lanzhou mistakenly hit a day trip Although I have been to Lanzhou several times, but every time I just eat a bowl of Lanzhou noodles, or work in the body, did not go through, this time is also going to Xinjiang to turn around I didn't expect to be mistaken in Lanzhou. I could take a day to go slowly and find that all aspects of Lanzhou's rectification are particularly good. The happiness index of the local people is really high, even if it is not weekend. On the Yellow River, there are a lot of people on the loungers, facing the Yellow River, drinking tea and chatting, a cup of tea, a plate of melon seeds, nothing at all, leisurely and self-sufficient, really have a fight with the success []

Lanzhou must come to Zhongshan Bridge, the first bridge of the Yellow River in the world. The earliest known as the Yellow River Iron Bridge, which lasted for three years, was built with a cost of more than 306,000 silver. Who knows how much it will be converted into the current RMB?