Rebkong (Tib: རྨ་ལྷོ་ས་ཁུལ / Cn: Huangnan Tibetan Prefecture) is referred to the south of Yellow River in Qinghai Province. The administration seat is Rebkong / Tongren county which is 180km south of Xining City. As one of the large prefecture, it has a population of 280000, among of which 80-85% are Tibetans and rest are Han Chinese and Hui ethnic groups.
two little monks from Rongwo Monastery in Rebkong, Amdo Tibet
There are four counties under the jurisdiction of Huangnan Tibetan Prefecture.
1.Rebkong / Tongren county. located in the Golden Valley of the Rongwu Guchu River in Malho or Huangnan Prefecture. The valley is at about 2600m (8500 feet) above sea-level, extends from the north to south, and is surrounded by several mountains. Rebkong is famous for its Tibetan traditional arts and cultural preservation. There are several monasteries and villages scattering around the Rongwu town which are the home to hundreds of artists. The most well known villages and monasteries are Rongwo Gonchen, Senggeshung Yago and Sanggeshung Mago (upper and lower Wutun Si), Gomar Gompa, Nyamtok village, etc.
Tibetan pilgrims making prostration in front of Tara Statue in Rebkong, Amdo Tibet.
2. Gyantsa / Jiazha County, located at the south bank of Yellow River, 115km south of Xining and 60km north of Rebkong. Gyantsa town is at an elevation of 2063m / 6768ft, therefore it is the lowest county of Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Jianzha is home to famous Kanbula Natioinal Park, one of the top travel destination in Qinghai Province and some other religious site including Lhamo Dechen Monastery and Lor Dorje Drak ancient meditation caves.etc.
Lok Dorje Drak in Gyantsa / Jianzha County in Qinghai
3. Tsekog / Zeku Xian, lies 95km southwest of Rebkong with bordering Henan county in the south and Tongde county in the west. Being the highest town of Huangnan Prefecture, the average altitude is 3850m above sea level and the one street town of Tsekog is at 3660m/12010ft. There are nomads tents with their yaks and sheep scattering on the Tsekog grassland which is amazing view to see in the summer season. It is also home to Hor Monastery which located at the west end of Tsekog where a long Mani stone pile can be visited. It offers great opportunity to spend sometime to experience nomadic lifestyle.
Hor Monastery Mani Stone piles in Tsekog / Zeku County, Qinghai Province.
4. Sogdzong / Henan County, lies 50km west of Tsekog and Machu county in Gansu Province in the south. This is an unique town as the people here said to be mixed offspring of Tibetan and Mongolian. The Sogdzong means the Mongolian town in Tibetan language. However, the lifestyle as well as culture including language, food and dress style are completely change to Tibetan today. There is a big monastery located southeast of Sogdzong which has a famous religious festival called Monlam Prayer Festival on which you will see local nomads dressed up with best they have, monks Mask Dance, giant Thangka Display.etc.
The gate of Sogdzong / Henan Mogolian town in Qinghai Province.
Rebkong or Malho Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is one the major Tibetan area in Amdo. It has a diverse population of Tibetans, Chinese and Hui. Among these ethnic groups, Tibetan population takes about 80-85% of whole region.
