Shigatse
Shigatse, also named Xigatse, means 'the fertile land'. Covering an area of over 3875 square kilometers (about 1496 square miles), this frontier city is the second largest in Tibet. It sits in the plain at the confluence of the Yarlong Tsangpo and Nyangchu Rivers, where Tibet's most fertile land is to be found. With some thirteen ethnic groups including Tibetan, Hui and Man, Shigatse is a typical living area for minority nationalities. The population of Shigatse City is 98,700 about 97% of which are Tibetan. Shigatse has a history going back more than 600 years and it is this ancient holy city that is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, one of the spiritual leaders in Tibet. The city is also the cultural, economic and political center of Tibet.
Before the 1950s, Shigatse remained in a primitive state in terms of its economy and its people's lifestyle. Following reformation and the opening up to the modern world, a series of highways were built up such as the Shigatse is one of the world's highest cities with beautiful high plateau scenery. It is also a hot spot for Chinese tourism. The average elevation here is in a range of 3840 meters (about 12598.4 feet) - 4464 meters (about 14645.7 feet), which endows cool and even cold weather to the area. In the high plateau, the climate is not very pleasant due to the frequent wind and dry atmosphere. However, it is not bad a place for summering. Its long history gives this city a strong cultural heritage, especially in respect of Buddhism. The approximately 600 year-old majestic Tashilhunpo Monastery has a magnificent architectural style with a golden roof and resplendent buildings. Dozens of monasteries belonging to different sects enhance the atmosphere of Buddhism. Various grand festivals like Buddha Unveiling Festival in the monasteries each year give people a chance to admire the huge portraits of three Buddhas.
Shigatse is of great importance for its location in this area. It is 300 kilometers (about 186 miles) away from the world's highest peak Mt. Everest, 150 kilometers (about 93 miles) away from the Sakya Monastery and also on the only path to Tibet's holy lakes. Thus Shigatse is quite an important base for people heading for those places. In the city, hotels and motels of different classifications satisfy tourists' needs. Although the accommodation in this remote area cannot be compared with those in modern cities, they are still important and plentiful. In terms of transportation, there are tourist buses heading for the nearby venues such as Lhasa, Zhangmu and Nakchu. Public amenities such as the post office and banks do much to facilitate travel in Tibet.
No.318 National Highway and the China-Nepal Highway. These connect Shigatse with the outside world while opening up the outside world to people in Shigatse.
Nowadays, Shigatse is an important Tibetan communication hub and an air of modernization pervades the area. New industries including mechanics, chemicals and food production thrive here. Meanwhile, the traditional handcrafts have been encouraged and expanded. Products such as Tibetan knives as well as items of silver and gold are sought after throughout China and are exported abroad.
Gyangtse County is the most important pass on the way from Lhasa to Shigatse. One can head to Lhasa, Shannan, Shigatse City, Tingri, Yadong and Zhangmu from this busy county. Mt. Everest located in Tingri County is the highest mountain in the world. Every year, thousands of tourists and mountaineers from all over the world, come to appreciate and challenge the sacred and awe-inspiring 'Goddess the Third'. Zhangmu is an important trading port as well as a border town between China and Nepal. Many visitors enter or leave Tibet through this small but busy town.
Although some parts of Shigatse Region are remote and still developing, the abundant cultural relics and majestic natural beauty of the area allure more and more visitors both from home and abroad every year.
As in the rest of Tibet, the weather in Shigatse is cold, snowy and windy throughout much of the year. The summer months can bring temperatures as warm as the high 20s º C (80s º F) but even in August it cools down to around 12 º C (mid-50 s º F) at night. Summer months can also bring a lot of rain. The best time to visit Shigatse is in the early fall when temperatures are still warm or late spring before the heavy rains roll in. Layered clothing, sunscreen and lots of water are keys to coping with the climate and altitude year round.
