Danba Jiarong Tibetan Villages

Danba Jiarong Tibetan Villages

Danba Jiarong Tibetan Villages

The Jiarong Tibetan villages are situated in Danba County, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Most of their buildings are stone houses—homes made by stacking flagstones. Others have wall frames constructed from rammed earth, reinforced with horizontal beams, tree branches, weeds, and then covered with soil to create flat-roofed structures. In some locations, there are also plank houses with wooden frames. The interiors are divided into sections using wooden boards, and the roof beams feature either half-hipped or gable-style openings, similar to the architecture of small blue-tiled houses found inland. The roofs are covered with cedar planks, also called shingle boards, which are approximately 1–1.5 meters long and 5–8 inches wide. After laying the cedar planks, stone slabs are used to weigh down the seams, ensuring a secure, sloped surface for water drainage. These multi-story houses can reach up to three floors. The wooden-frame structures are comfortable, well-ventilated, moisture-proof, spacious, and bright, making them ideal for earthquake resistance. Most houses have small front courtyards enclosed by earthen walls. These homes are mostly built in a small region close to frequently active seismic zones.

What’s most unique in these villages is that during festivals and holidays—especially the Jiarong Tibetan New Year—the stone walls of houses near Mount Moerduo are always painted with white lime. Using the lime, residents paint depictions of the sky, earth, sun, moon, stars, various animals, and religious symbols. However, families in mourning do not paint their walls. These houses remain cool in summer and warm in winter, a direct result of the interplay between the natural environment of the Moerduo Mountain area and the needs of its inhabitants.

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Transportation:

To reach Danba from other regions, you first need to travel to Chengdu and then take a bus from there (the Chengdu West Bus Station has daily departures for Danba at 7:00 AM). The Chengdu West Gate Bus Station offers direct buses to Danba every morning, and minibuses run regularly between Danba County and various tourist sites. Currently, there are two main routes to Danba: one starts from Chengdu, passing through Dujiangyan, Wolong, Mount Siguniang, and Xiaojin before arriving in Danba, covering a total distance of 390 kilometers; the other route goes from Chengdu via Ya’an, Kangding, Xinduqiao, Tagong, and Bamei to Danba, spanning approximately 520 kilometers.

Food: Fragrant pork leg, cured ham, local chicken, pickled vegetables, za wine, honey, wild mushrooms, and more.

Accommodation:

It is about 20 kilometers from Danba County to the Jiarong Tibetan villages, allowing for a same-day round trip. Therefore, you can choose to stay and eat in Danba. Danba Youth Hostel offers dormitory beds priced between 20–50 RMB. Standard rooms at Danba Grand Hotel range from 150–300 RMB.

Local Specialties: Tibetan-style headscarves, Tibetan belts, and locally made pottery.