Geography

The lake is the biggest one on China’s Tibet Autonomous Region also the salt lake of highest elevation on our planet. Namtso (Chinese: 纳木措) in Tibetan language means the Heavenly Lake, located 240 kilometers to the north of Lhasa, at an altitude of 4,718 meters above sea level with an area of about 1,940 square kilometers.

In terms of geology, the Lake Namtso’s history traces back to late Tertiary and early Quaternary Periods (about 1.8 million years before present). The concave basin made by upward movements of the Himalayas with abundant rainfall that formed the lake, but in later ages local climate had become dry gradually, so that the Lake Namtso’s area had been reduced much. Today the deepest part of the lake is about 33 meters below surface. The water is like seawater but clean and crystal-clear. The fresh water sources are from neighboring glaciers melted from high mountains during warmer seasons. Towering peaks are located at the southeastern side of Namtso, the icy summit of the Nyainqen Tanglha Mountain Range (Chinese: Nianqing Tanggula Shan) is up above the white clouds. Mountainous terrains, though not so high, are seen in the north. The green pasture that has wild animals roaming is ringed the lake. The blue color is the lake surface, which is very in harmony with the azure sky in clear and sunny days, and it reflects the sky like a mirror. It seems to be in real paradise when you are having a boat ride.

Chambaling Monastery (强巴林寺, Qiang Ba Lin Si in Chinese) stands amid the high mountains and old glaciers located near the intersection of the rivers of Ang’qu and Zaqu in Qamdo Region. It got its name because the master Buddha of the monastery is the Buddha of Great Kindness (Chamba). A legend goes that in 1373, Tsongkhapa, who was 16 years old then, from the Gulug (Yellow Hat) Sect, had been traveling from Qinghai to Lhasa to learn diligently about Buddhism. When he passed the beautiful scenery at the intersection of rivers, he prophesied that this place would be the center of championing Buddhism. The prophet came true in the year 1444, one of the pupils of Master Tsongkhapa built the Chambaling Monastery, during which he visited a wealthy household in the area to preach Buddhism and they donated their pastureland for him. He spent a total of eight years to complete the work. According to the Gulug rules, the Chambaling Monastery can accommodate about 2,500 monks. During its most flourishing times, the monastery had 130 subsidiary temples in Qamdo and neighboring regions.

Because Qamdo has traditionally been a passage that linked Sichuan and Tibet, doing business became the main occupation of local residents. They influenced the holy atmosphere in the Chambaling Monastery, where monks did business apart from spiritual cultivation. The money and interest were divided fairly to the monks. If there were some surplus, they would also distribute evenly among themselves.

It is no doubt that the big monastery has owned a large amount of land and exploited serfs in its history, or else, master monks could not live a wealthy life. Drinking water, for example, due to the Chambaling Monastery was built on the mountain, the monks had to hire civilians to carry it up the hill from a river. There were 22 giant vessels in the monastery that each could carry about 100 buckets of fresh water. The dangerous mountain path, which goes up along the steep slope and hard labor have led many water-carriers died of fatigue, starvation and drowned. 

After founding of the new China, the Chinese government built a reservoir near the Chambaling Monastery that completely solved the difficulty of obtaining drinking water.

The Chambaling is undoubtedly the biggest and the most influential Gulug monastery in Qamdo region. It has five big Dratsangs (religious schools). The architectural details are well preserved with delicate artworks of Buddhist statues, murals and Tibetan Thangkas. The weird but grand divine dance show, which will be held about the time of celebrating the Tibetan New Year, is worth to see. The dancers wear masks with fearful expressions and gorgeous costumes. 

Transportation: If not go there by taxi, it is still quite convenient to start your trip on foot at a square located opposite Changqing Street, Old District of Qamdo Town. Climb along a steep road. It takes about only ten minutes. Admission is free.