QINGHAI

Overland to Tibet

Xining to Golmud by train.
Xining, the capital of Qinghai, stands at the modest elevation of 2295m and is one of the starting points of the overland road journey into Tibet. Here the Qinghai-Tibetan highway wends through high moutain roads above 5000 m and ends in Lhasa.

Apart from its famous Highway, Xining boasts many other scenic and historical landmarks.The Ta’er Monastery is arguably one of Xining’s most famous religious site. It is one of the six biggest monasteries of the Yellow Hat Sect branch of Tibetan Buddhism and the birthplace of Tsong Khapa(1357-1419) the founder of the Sect. Apart from being a repository for Tibetan culture and heritage the monastery also displayed an unusual blend of Chinese and Tibetan architecture, with Chinese upturned eaves sitting on Tibetan flat roofs. Stupas, prayer bells, tapestries, flags and murals all showcase the richness of Tibetan culture..

Ta'er Monastery, Xining

Elsewhere the sparsely populated Qinghai grasslands present a lovely folorness - goats, sheep,yak, donkeys,nomad's tents,herder's huts and camp fires appear as blobs on the vast plains.Tibetan prayer flags and cairns are also part of the lonely landscape.

Lofty and lovely - Qinghai Grasslands

The present day road from Xining to Qinghai Hu runs through the fabled Tangbo road, as it was known in the past. It is now a paved highway which is as redolent with history as with mountains. It has formed part of the Silk Road since the 3rd century BC., after the region came under Chinese control.

The most famous historical figure passing this way was Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty. In the seventh century she was sent in a political marriage to King Songtsen Gampo of the Turbo Kingdom (Tibet). The marriage must have been a success as the Princess is much loved by both the Han Chinese as well as the Tibetans. Both groups have built shrines and memorials in her honour.

The Re-Yue Shan (Sun Moon Mountains) is a very important pass (at 3510m) and got its name when the grief stricken princess, discarded her Sun-Moon Mirror in a symbolic gesture indicating her severance with her homeland. A sympathetic river near by even changed its course to empathise with her plight, the Dao Xiang He (Back Flowing River) is said to be dedicated to her. A pavilion located on a hillock has been erected in her honour.

Princess Wencheng Memorial

The overcast sky, craggy terrain, and bleak horizon conspired to recreate history . It is indeed an eerie, mournful place filled with the ghosts of yesteryear.

Qinghai Hu also known as KoKo Nor Lake our overnight destination at  3239m is located 130km from Xining. It is the largest salt water lake in China and famed for its scenic lake views but the drizzle make sightseeing unpalatable especially since a few of us were nursing headaches, nausea and palpitations all classic symptoms of altitude sickness.

 

Our hotel is a complex of single storey buildings set within a sprawling compound not unlike our holiday bungalows back home. Although the buildings look run-down the rooms were clean and furnished with quaint old furniture, rather a refreshing change from the modern hotels in big Chinese cities. The only complaint was the shower lacked a shower head and the chambermaid tartly advised me to exercise some creativity if I needed to wash! That night with 2 panadols and a sleeping pill it was sweet slumber on a pillow full of beans.

Qinghai Hu on a rainy evening

Next morning we boarded an overnight train from Xining to Golmud. The train journey passes through the salt marsh region of Qinghai. The Salt Lake and Salt Pond formed by the action of glaciers is the largest salt production site in China. Part of the rail track and Highway is built on a Salt Bridge.

Golmud is close to the borders of the Gobi desert and it is a dusty dreary place. Golmud at 2800m marks the start of the “Roof of the World" section of the Highway where all the Big Passes are located. It is also a stopping point for acclimatization to prepare travelers for the high altitude ahead.