Daocheng

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The county of Daocheng lies near the conjunction areas of Sichuan, Yuannan and Tibet. It belongs to Sichuan Province. Traditionally, there are two routes to go there - one is from Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, or from Chengdu.

Daocheng, located on the southeast of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the east of Hengduan Mountains, is a county on the southwest border of Sichuan, China. This county, subordinated to the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, extends, across 27o58'-29o30' north latiudes and 99o56'-100o36' east longitudes, 174km from the south to the north and 63km from the west to the east.

It covers 7323 square kilometers and its 30000 inhabitants are mainly Tibetans people. Economically the county is a region of partial agriculture and partial animal husbandry. Daocheng County is special in geographical features. Its north is higher than its south, the west higher than the east. Winding and majestic mountains like billows of the sea alternate with valleys. Hence, the high-altituded mountain peaks clad with snow all the year round, deep serene valleys with gurgling brooks and broad pastures.

Dao-cheng was anciently named "Daoba", meaning the opening of the valley in the Tibetan language. A region of the Bailang Qiang People in Tast Han dynasty. It was once governed by Tubo in Tang dynasty then by Luxuanwei Department in Yuan dynasty, and later by the Duogandu Department in Ming dynasty, and the Litang Department in Qing dynasty. In 1907, it was presented to the Imperial Court as the "Daocheng County", and granted so in 1911 under the administration of the Kangding prefecture. According to the Xibang Graphic Scripture in 1907, people tried to plant rice in this region, hence it was named the Daocheng (rice town), meaning a good wish to its agricultural successs. In 1939, when Xikang Province was established, the county was renamed as Daocheng, and governed by Tibetan Autonomous region of Xikang province in December 1950 and by the Cikang Province Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in 1955. In October 1955, Xikang Province was disorganized and Daocheng County was then governed by the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province until now.

Location and topogragh:

Located in the southwest borderline of Sichuan and south of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Daocheng is situated at longitude 9958'--10036'E, by latitude 27 58'--29 30'N with a distance of 174 kilometers from south to north and 63 kilometers from east to west. It covers a total area of 7,323 square kilometers. The highest topography is 6,032 meters and the lowest is 2,000 meters above the sea level with a vertical difference of 4,032 meters, and the center of the county is 3,750 meters above the sea level. Daocheng County is on the southeast by Muli County of Liangshan Prefecture and on the west by Zhongdian County of Yunnan Province and on north by Litang County of Ganzi Prefecture. Daocheng plateau if formed under the movement of the Gongga Snow Mountain and Haizi Mountain which are part of the Hengduan Mountain Ranges. The two mountains sit from the north to the south, Making up one third of the total area of the county. The landform descends from north to south, and west to cast, with continuous mountains around.

Rivers and Climate:

The three major rivers of Daocheng are the Daocheng River, Chitu River and Dongyi River, the tributaries of which include the Julong River and Echu River. All these rivers throw into the Jinsha River and belongs to its river system. The 104km Daocheng River originates from the southwest foot of Haizi Mountain with mature river branches and open valley. The 121km Chitu River originates from the northwest foot of the Bowa Mountain. And the 111km Dongyi River originates from the south foot of the Echu Mountain.

The Daocheng region has the plateau monsoon climate. Most of the year is clear and shining. It scarcely snows and mostly at night. In the plateau canyons, the annual average temperature is 11.5C --12.8C  and on the plateau the average temperature of coldest month is below 5C  below zero, and that of the hottest month is 10C ---12.1C  The lowest annual average temperature(January) could be as low as 27C  below zero.

Natural Resources:

Daocheng is rich of its natural resources such as 1,000 wood plants like pine, cypress fir, and oak. Of its minerals, there are gold, tungsten, molybdenum, copper, crystal, aluminum, zinc, and silver. The reserve capacity of Erze Gold Mine reserves ranks the first in southwest China. Chinese medicinal herbs growing in Daocheng are those like Chinese caterpillar fungus, bulb of fritillary, root of large-flowered skullcap, rheum officinal, large-leaved gentian, Saussurine, glossy ganoderma, red-spotted stonecrop. There are 57 wild edible fungi, for instance, Daocheng Songrong is well sold in Japan. The main rare wild animals include leopard, whilte-lip deer, hairy-corona deer, river deer, bear, Tibetan antelope, blue sheep, wood musk-deer, lesser panda, pangolin. Tibetan peasant, and Beibu peasant etc.

Nationalities and population:

Daocheng County has a population of about 30,000, of which the Tibetans make up over 96% of the population, and the rest are Chinese, Naxi, Hui and Yi peoples.

The Kangba people:

The mystical land gives birth to a mystical people.

This boundless land, continuous mountains, affluent pasture meadow and clear streams nurture the simple and diverse personalities of their folks who are pure and appealing, like the land under their feet and the sky overhead.

Here, the lengthy winter brings in harsh weather, piercing cold of unlimited snow and an expanse of silence. When summer favors the inner land, spring is only approaching there in a gradual pace. But, soon in a couple of months, the nature reveals all its colors and displays all its beauties to the world. All living things compare themselves in their personal expression, including human beings.

Such extreme living environment trains the simple and rich psychology and the inner world of the local people.

Daocheng County is located within the Kangba Tibetan region. People believe in Buddhism and worship the nature. Their spirits have for long fused with the plain and pure nature. Their dresses, architecture, language, songs and dances ¨C all are derived from the nature. They are the sons of the nature in its real sense. "Following the natural course" and "enjoying the freedom" are the very embodiment of their life.

Having accessed to their life, you will probably understand that they do not make a passive choice of all other alternatives. They have input their lives with such a new connotation. Their bold, straight forward and unconstrained personalities are forever in harmony with their optimism and perseverance rarely seen in other races. No matter how hard the environment is and how difficult their lives are, they always believe that the sun of tomorrow is bound to rise from the east. Bravely quest the world, fully enjoy the life, kindly treat lives, ceaseless doing good deeds, are their life beliefs. As their song goes, "The horseshoe echoes in our blood vessels, the sacred sun is always the eye of our people, and our chest contains all our aspiration and our love to the grassland."

This is Kangba people of Daocheng, having a strong body like the mountain, a broad chest like the grassland, and a pure spirit like the clear streams.

Custom

      1: Tibetan Names:

Dao Cheng Tibetans do not have strict rituals for their surname, they only have given name. People often invite the living Buddha to name their babies. Such names are of strong religious coloring, e.g., Duoji means "diamond", and Danba means "Buddhism". Tibetan names generally have certain implication, e.g.. Nima -- the sun, Dawa --the moon and Pachu ¨C piglet.

   2.:Dresses and ornaments:

Dao Cheng Tibetans belong to the Kangba Tibetan clan, the dresses of whom are dignified and graceful. From headwear to shoes, ornaments are in different colors and different shapes of pattern. They are delicately made of gold, silver, copper, agate, emerald, coral and precious stone. Color, style and texture represent a feeling of plainness, boldness, and nobility.

     3.  Food:

The staple of Daocheng people is the roasted Qingke barley flour, made from Qingke barley after being cleaned and cooked. The cooked Qingke is then mixed with Suyou butter tea and made into small balls before eating. Suyou butter is refined from ordinary milk to be heated, which is mainly used to make the Suyou butter tea or for frying cheese or Rensen balls. The Suyou butter tea is a daily drink for Tibetans. The dregs after Suyou butter refining is used to make the cheese. The water evaporated at making cheese is used to make the Tibetan wax. In winter, Tibetans will hang their beef or button at the doorway to dry. This dried meet can be eaten raw or cooked into delicious dishes.

    4: Marriage:

Before engagement, the man and the woman will invite the living Buddha to determine whether they are of the right couple. After engagement, both of them will exchange betrothal gifts and Hada (a piece of silk as a gift). At wedding, the traditional ceremony will be held in a very exciting manner.

5.  Burial:

The main Tibetans are the burial in the water, the ground, and cremation. What kind of burial  is taken has to be determined by the economic and social status of the dead.

6.  Rituals and Festivals:

Rituals and Festivals - Tibetans have many rituals, the most popular of which is presenting the "Hada", e.g., at reception and send ¨C off visit to the seniors or nobles, marriage or pilgrimage to Buddhist statues. Presenting the "Hada" expresses one's purity, loyalty, respect, blessing, and fortune. The "Hada" is made of raw silk or fine silk with a length range between 1 and 7 meters. The white color of "Hada"  symbolizes the purity and fortune.

Kowtow is a daily ritual, e.g. at the visit to Buddhist statues, pagodas, or the living Buddha. When meeting the seniors or the reverends, one should first take off the hat, and hend the back at a 45¡ã angle, showing his respect to them. When meeting the common people or the peers, he will take off the hat and put it in front of the chest, nodding at each other.

At the visit to a Tibetan family, the host will propose a toast of Qingke liquor to the guest. The guest will use his middle finger to touch the liquor and snap the finger in the air for three times before drinking. Otherwise the host will get annoyed, believing that the guest has no manners or does not show due respect to the host family. Only after the guest sits down will the host bring in the Suyou butter tea as a treat. The guest should drink at least two bowls of the tea to satisfy the host. Tibetans sit on the ground with legs folded under the bottoms. After sitting down, the guest should not shake his body nor stretch his legs.

The most important festival for Dao Cheng Tibetans is the Tibetan New Year, on the first of January of the Tibetan calendar. Everyone will say to each other "Zhaxi Dele". During the festival, grand great religious activities will be held in the temples like scripture chanting and deity dancing. Around bonfires, people will pass their night by dances to express their happiness.