The Backflow River

The Backflow River

It originates from the Chahan Grassland at the western foot of the Riyue Mountains. At an altitude of about 3,300 meters and stretching over 40 kilometers in length, the river flows from east to west into Qinghai Lake, hence its name "Backflow River." It is the smallest tributary in the Qinghai Lake water system. Not only is the river winding and twisting, but its waters are also crystal clear, resembling a bright ribbon draped across the grassland.

As the saying goes: all rivers under heaven flow eastward. So why does the Backflow River flow west? A beautiful and moving legend is told here: when Princess Wencheng descended from the top of the Riyue Mountains and switched from a sedan chair to horseback to head westward, she couldn’t help but look back toward her homeland. But her view was blocked by the towering Riyue Mountains. Thinking that she would never see her hometown again, the princess was overwhelmed with sorrow. Yet, for the sake of fostering friendship between the Han and Tibetan peoples, she wiped away her tears and continued westward. The small stream formed by her tears flowed west along with her... That’s why people say the Backflow River is made up of the princess’s tears.

In fact, the formation of the Backflow River is directly related to the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. According to scientific research, about 130,000 years ago, Qinghai Lake was still an outflow lake, with its waters flowing from west to east into the Yellow River. Later, due to intense geological changes, the Riyue Mountains suddenly rose from the plains, completely blocking the lake’s outlet. Since then, Qinghai Lake has become a closed lake, and the outflowing waters were forced to reverse direction and flow back into the lake, thus forming the Backflow River.

There is a small town by the Backflow River called Backflow River Town. It is the junction of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway and the Qinghai-Kangding Highway. The town has restaurants, inns, shops, banks, post offices, schools, transport stations, clinics, and more. Most travelers and tourists prefer to rest and stay here.

Backflow River Town: Located in the northeastern part of the county, Backflow River Town is 44 kilometers from the county seat. With a population of 10,000, it is predominantly Tibetan, accounting for 78% of the total population. The area covers 0.2 million square kilometers and administers 10 pastoral committees: Mongolia, Dongwei, Heike, Liyihaima, Cihan Dawo, Hayihei, Jiayi, Huangke, Cuoka, and Yuanzhe. In 1949, it belonged to the Qianbulu District; in 1956, Backflow River Township was established; in 1958, it was changed to Backflow River Commune; in 1965, it reverted to Backflow River Township. In 2001, it was restructured as a town. … Backflow River Town detailed information++