The armed conflict between Chinese and Tibetan forces erupted once again along the de facto Sino-Tibetan border established in 1912, as tensions escalated in the Riwoche (Leiwuch’i) region, located 40 miles from Chamdo. Although skirmishes had never fully ceased, this crisis marked a significant flare-up. Situated along the Dza Chu (Sze Chu) River—a tributary of...Read More

The Dolma Nangtso River (卓玛朗措曲), meaning “Mother Tara’s Superior Lake River,” is a sacred waterway flowing through Lhorong County, Tibet, west of the county seat. As a tributary of the Gyalmo Ngulchu (Salween River), one of the major rivers in the region, it plays a crucial role in the local ecosystem, economy, and Tibetan spiritual...Read More

Introduction to Yangchu River: A Lifeline of Tibetan Nomadic Culture The Yangchu River (羊曲), also known as “Yangmu Yong” (羊木涌), meaning “Stone Slab River,” is a crucial waterway originating in Dingqing County (སྟེང་ཆེན་རྫོང), Tibet. Flowing northward into Qinghai Province, this river serves as an essential natural resource, supporting the local ecosystem, Tibetan nomadic culture, and...Read More

Introduction to Tachu River The Tachu River (Daqu, 打曲, རྟ་ཆུ་), also known as the “Horse River,” flows through Dingqing County (丁青县, སྟེང་ཆེན་རྫོང་།) in eastern Tibet, playing a vital role in the region’s pastoral economy and diverse ecosystem. The river derives its name from a mountain at its source that resembles a horse, adding cultural and...Read More

Introduction to the Nujiang River The Nujiang River (怒江), also known as Gyalmo Ngulchu (རྒྱལ་མོ་རྔུལ་ཆུ།) in Standard Tibetan, is one of the most significant rivers in Tibet and southwestern China. As Tibet’s second-largest river, it originates in the remote Tanggula Mountains on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and carves its way through breathtaking landscapes before reaching Myanmar,...Read More

Introduction to the Yuchu River (Yuqu) The Yuchu River (玉曲), གཡུ་ཆུ། also known as Yuqu, translates to “Shining River” in Tibetan. Flowing through Zogang County in Tibet’s Chamdo region, this pristine waterway plays a crucial role in the region’s ecology, economy, and culture. Eventually, it merges into the Nujiang River (怒江, Salween River) in Zayul...Read More

Introduction to the Maychu (Maiqu) River The Maychu River སྨད་ཆུ (Maiqu, 麦曲河, 美曲), also known as Mingjiu River (明纠河), is a significant waterway in Tibet’s Chamdo region, particularly flowing through Bianba County (边坝县). In Tibetan, its name translates to “Impure River.” As an important tributary of the Nujiang River (怒江, also known as the Salween...Read More

Overview of the Lancang River The Lancang River (澜沧江), known in Tibetan as Zachu (རྫ་ཆུ་,), meaning “Moon River,” is one of Tibet’s most significant waterways. It forms the upper course of the Mekong River, one of Southeast Asia’s most vital rivers, which flows through multiple countries before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. Originating in the...Read More

Overview of Sharchu River (Xiaqu) Sharchu (夏曲), meaning “Eastern River,” is a crucial waterway flowing through Bianba County, Tibet. The river gets its name due to its geographical position relative to Nubchu (努曲), the “Western River,” which runs parallel to it. As an essential part of the region’s ecosystem, Sharchu supports local agriculture, biodiversity, and...Read More

The Drichu River, also known as the Jinsha River, is one of the most significant watercourses in Tibet and China. Serving as the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, it is deeply intertwined with the geography, culture, and history of the Tibetan Plateau. In Tibetan, the Drichu (འབྲི་ཆུ་, ‘Bri Chu’) means “Water of the Female...Read More