| Khambula
National Forest Park is located at Khambula township,
Jianzha County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
The park borders Hualong County to the east,
Lijia Gorge Hydropower Station and the towering
Shenbo Mountains to the south, Guide County to
the west and Gongbozhana Peak and the Chapubabao
Mountains to the north.
The mighty Yellow River flows through the park
from north to south. With an average altitude
of 2,500m above sea level, the Park covers an
area of 1,525,000 skm, among which forest and
peaks take up more than 80%.
The average rainfall is between 450-490mm and
the average annual temperature is 6?-2.9?. It's
usually quiet with fresh air and an ideal place
for sightseeing and summer resort vacations.
The park is 112km from Xining , capital city
of the province, 37km from Marktown where the
Jianzha County government is located and 75km
from Lijia Gorge Hydropower Station. Buses to
Xining from the station every other hour make
the trip easy. One can cover the distance from
the bus station to the Park either by bus or by
boat. Once there, guests can enjoy natural food
and lodging. The Park is high in the west and
low in the east.
The landscape here matches the traditional ideal
of having snow-capped peaks in the west, green
forest in the east and some red peaks between
the two.
In the park's beautiful valleys there are tiny
rivers and fountains, colorful flowers, and lovely
singing birds. One may use something like the
color of sunset to describe the landform of the
Park. The peaks with various postures are like
coral in the sea, vivid and picturesque.
Some resemble pillars, bottles, elephants, fingers,
ancient castles and palaces, modern cities, a
mother with a baby in her arms. Many others might
remind some of teaching Lamas and meditating monks.
Imagine yourself enjoying such grand scene.
Four monasteries are located in the Park: Sang-na
–darjie Monastery in the west, Tashi-namjie
Monastery in the east, Tsa-chu Monastery and Samdan
–chupal Monastery in the center. Around
the four monasteries are the famous "Eighteen
Peaks", among which Namkha Peak, at 2,600m
is very steep with only a narrow pathway leading
up the mountain side.
Once on the top, among the clouds the exhilaration
is incredible. From Namkha, one can easily find
a smaller peak which takes the form of the Tibetan
alphabetical letter. As time flies, the four monasteries
and the eighteen peaks were named "A-chong-Namtsong".
These peaks tower over lush trees and flower.
Namkha peak is famous for the meditating caves
where the three Tibetan scholars of the middle
Ages stayed, their "stupas" (religious
memorials) being kept on top. .
Thus A-chong-Namtsong is important all over Tibet
and ever in Mongolia. Among the 276 species of
trees,cypress and birch grow well in the Park,
as well as rare medicinal herbs.
Apart from unforgettable scenery, the Park is
proud of its history as well. History records
that Khambula is the source of the Revival of
Tibetan Buddhism.
The full construction of the dam of the Lijia
Gorge Hydropower Station , ranking as a nationwide
important project , brings to the park the beauty
of a large lake. The Eighteen Peaks range from
west to east in the park.
The upper part has 6 peaks. They are Gabolayi,
Gobao, Nebo, Waxiang, Chachi, Jomo and Jiasong.
Out of the six, Jome and Chachi are legendary.
A legend goes that in the middle of the 12th Tibetan
Rajong(Tibetan calendar), there lived an elderly
nun in a hermitage on Jomo Peak. Her name was
Yeshe Droma. One day , after her young prentice
finished his water-carrying work, he surprisingly
found the tutor was high up on an inaccessible
rock. He couldn't help crying. Khambula in summer
The nun asked him to take a pill she left at the
cave gate and bring her beads. The prentice was
told he could reach the tutor by doing so. He
did so and got to the place where the nun was.
Then the tutor explained the truth to him: "My
body is impermanent like a rainbow, if you read
sutras hard enough, we can see each other in Nirvana."
Thus, the peak was named Jomo, Meaning a nun.
The Chachi Peak is equally worshipped. It is
recorded in the Five Commandments that Deity Masang
lives in A-chong-Namtsong, Goura Padmasambhava
entitled this Deity to teach Dharma in Khambula.
And Chachi Peak is his residence.
In the middle part are 6 peaks: Laxi, Ghongpo,
Lanchang, Da, Deji and Le, and in the lower are
the 6 peaks :Mubo, Nor, Xia, Ra , Semo and Sor.
These 18 peaks surround Namtsong Monastery. Peak
Le is the major one in the east, Ghongpo in the
south, Chachi in the west and Deji in the north.
Hence, they are the so-called "Four Guardians"
of Namtsong. Editem.
Ticket Price: 20 Yuan
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