Tales of Cities | Shannan, where Xizang culture began and flourishes

Shannan, located in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, is widely celebrated as the ancestral home of the Xizang people and the cradle of Xizang culture. With an average elevation of around 3,700 meters, the region is blessed with landscapes shaped by nature's extraordinary artistry.

Across this vast land, natural wonders, ancient traditions, community sports and cultural activities, and distinctive local industries come together, revealing a region where centuries-old heritage and modern development go hand in hand.

Lakes and mountains: Unlocking new possibilities for highland tourism

Following the scenic road around Yumzhog Yumco Lake, visitors are greeted by sweeping views of the plateau. At an elevation of 4,960 meters, the Lurila Viewing Platform offers a spectacular vantage point overlooking the lake. Its waters shift through different shades of blue as the light changes, while islands and peninsulas create an intricate pattern across the lake, framed by distant snow-capped mountains. Together, these features reveal Yumzhog Yumco Lake's distinctive coral-like shoreline and branching waterways.

Making the most of its exceptional natural landscape, the Yumzhog Yumco Lake Paragliding Base has brought a new dimension to local tourism. With takeoff points at elevations above 5,000 meters, it offers a rare high-altitude flying experience. By combining highland views with outdoor adventure, the base has helped create a new tourism offering and inject fresh momentum into the local tourism economy.

On the northern shore of Yumzhog Yumco Lake, Rituo Temple sits quietly on a peninsula, nestled against the mountains and surrounded by water. Known as one of the loneliest temples in the world, it was once tended by just one monk. Its peaceful, timeworn atmosphere reflects the enduring spiritual traditions of the local community.

Keeping ancient crafts alive: Giving traditional heritage a new lease on life

Shannan's rich history has given rise to a remarkable variety of intangible cultural heritage. Traditional crafts, folk songs and dances remain deeply rooted in local communities, passed down from one generation to the next.

In 2006, the Jiedexiu Bangdian weaving technique was included on China's national intangible cultural heritage list. A Bangdian is an apron worn around the waist by women in Xizang, distinguished by its vibrant colors and graceful patterns. Through creative adaptation and innovation, the craft has become part of everyday life while creating employment opportunities for local women, allowing them to earn an income close to home.

Every colorful pattern woven by hand carries its own cultural meaning, making Bangdian a distinctive symbol of Xizang craftsmanship and cultural identity. Today, Bangdian products are sold overseas, bringing the beauty of Xizang culture to a wider international audience.

Zhanang woodcarving, another craft inscribed on China's national intangible cultural heritage list, embodies the distinctive artistic traditions of Xizang culture. The intricate process involves multiple stages and demands exceptional precision and skill. It is this dedication to craftsmanship that has allowed the centuries-old tradition to endure and flourish.

Today, local cooperatives and apprenticeship programs are helping pass these skills on to younger generations. By adapting traditional carving techniques to contemporary needs, artisans have also turned this heritage craft into a thriving furniture industry.

Originating in Qiongjie County, Jiuhe Zhuo Dance has a history spanning more than 1,300 years. Dancers wear colorful waist drums and perform a series of movements following ancient ritual traditions, keeping alive the plateau's age-old customs of prayer and blessing.

Today, under the guidance of Nyima, a nationally recognized representative inheritor of this intangible cultural heritage, performances of Jiuhe Zhuo dance have become an important source of income for local residents.

In the Zhaxi Qudeng Community of Changzhu Town, Shannan, traditional Xizang Opera performances take place on a regular basis. Dressed in elaborate costumes and striking masks, performers tell their characters' stories through powerful, resonant singing and time-honored dance movements.

Preserving the charm of its historical traditions while embracing a contemporary stage, Xizang Opera has attracted growing numbers of visitors and helped boost the local cultural tourism industry.

In Shannan, intangible cultural heritage is more than a cultural treasure kept alive through generations. It is also an important driver of local tourism and economic development.

United through sport: Bringing communities together on the plateau

Highland sports venues provide an important platform for people of different ethnic groups to interact, communicate and build closer bonds.

The 2026 Shannan City "Pomegranate Seed Cup" Grassland Football Invitational Tournament brings together young players from different ethnic groups, regions and even countries, giving them an opportunity to compete and connect on the same field.

From energetic sprints and well-timed tackles to precise passing combinations, shots on goal and spectacular saves, the players' skills and teamwork keep spectators on the edge of their seats, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Match after match, the tournament brings communities closer together, offering a vivid example of people of all ethnic groups coming together like the seeds of a pomegranate, closely united as one.

As fitness and recreational sports become increasingly popular in townships and villages, these activities are enriching community life while creating new opportunities for the development of local sports facilities, recreational activities and related industries.

Building industries on the plateau: Turning local strengths into shared prosperity

The fertile valleys along the Yarlung Zangbo River provide ideal conditions for Shannan's distinctive industries. Drawing on the plateau's unique ecological resources, communities across the region are working to build integrated local industry chains.

Taking advantage of the pristine mountain forests and abundant wildflowers in the Yarlung Zangbo Valley, Jieba Township, Shannan has been developing highland ecological beekeeping.

Local beekeepers tend their hives as mountain flowers bloom throughout the seasons, producing high-quality honey with a distinctive flavor. The local industry has expanded into a complete value chain encompassing beekeeping, processing, branding, marketing and educational experiences in the countryside.

By combining beekeeping with tourism, the area is also developing immersive visitor experiences. The industry provides local farmers and herders with stable employment opportunities and income from industrial dividends, creating a pathway to prosperity that protects the local ecology while boosting household incomes.

The high-altitude valleys of Shannan are also home to what is known as the world's highest-altitude grape-growing base. After months of exposure to the intense sunshine of the plateau, the grapes develop rich aromas and flavors.

Making the most of these exceptional natural conditions, Sangri county has established a comprehensive wine industry chain, spanning grape cultivation, fresh-grape processing, winemaking and leisure tourism.

The industry not only creates jobs close to home for local residents, but is also helping high-altitude wines emerge as one of Shannan's most distinctive agricultural products.

A lake and a mountain open up new possibilities for tourism. A craft and a dance keep centuries of cultural heritage alive. A football and a shared passion bring communities together. And every industry helps build a stronger foundation for local prosperity.

Today, Shannan is drawing on its rich natural and cultural resources to pursue development on multiple fronts. From protecting its fragile highland ecosystem and breathing new life into intangible cultural heritage through tourism, to expanding public sports and cultural services and cultivating promising industries such as beekeeping and high-altitude winemaking, the region is forging a path toward thriving industries and better lives for local people.