The Gyama Yangzong Glacier

The Gyama Yangzong Glacier is to the westof Tibetin Zhongba County, Shigatse City. In Tibetan, "Gyama Yangzong" means a sandy beach arranged in the shape of a swastika. The Gyama Yangzong Qu, which originates from the northern foothills of the Himalayas, is the true source of the Yarlung Tsangpo River. According to surveys, 116 square kilometers of the Gyama Yangzong area are covered by glaciers and permanent snow. The terrain is high-altitude and cold, with an elevation of 5,590 meters. The landform is flat, surrounded by steep mountains, with glaciers stretching across the valleys. Locals call the glittering glaciers the "Gyama Yangzong Glacier" and the river formed by the melting glacier water the "Gyama Yangzong Qu."

The Gyama Yangzong Glacier is located in Zhongba County, Shigatse Region. In Tibetan, "Gyama Yangzong" means a sandy beach arranged in the shape of a swastika. The Gyama Yangzong Qu, which originates from the northern foothills of the Himalayas, is the true source of the Yarlung Tsangpo River.

According to surveys, 116 square kilometers of the Gyama Yangzong area are covered by glaciers and permanent snow. The terrain is high-altitude and cold, with an elevation of 5,590 meters. The landform is flat, surrounded by steep mountains, with glaciers stretching across the valleys. Locals call the glittering glaciers the "Gyama Yangzong Glacier" and the river formed by the melting glacier water the "Gyama Yangzong Qu."

The Ma Yangzong Glacier, as it is commonly called today, traces its historical origins to the Gyema Yongzhong Glacier. In Tibetan, "Gyema" refers to sacred sand, and "Yongzhong" is the core auspicious symbol of the Bon religion, the swastika. Sacred sand can turn into water within seconds of being placed in the mouth, possessing the effects of refreshing the mind, purifying the body, and warding off evil. Hence, it is named Gyema Yongzhong.

Geographic Location: The Gyema Yongzhong Glacier is situated in Jila Township, Zhongba County, Shigatse Region, 200 kilometers from Zhongba County town. Deeply hidden in the snowy depths of the northern foothills of the western Himalayas, the glacier sits at an altitude of 5,590 meters. It serves as a summer settlement for local herders in Jila Township and is also a breeding ground for Tibetan antelopes. The source area of Gyema Yongzhong features widespread glacial deposits. Each year, a large amount of meltwater gathers into rivers and connects numerous glacial lakes, forming the "hometown" of the Yarlung Tsangpo River—the Gyema Yongzhong Qu.

Legend of the Gyema Yongzhong Glacier: At the valley entrance of the Yarlung Tsangpo source, there is a stone path in the water (called "Duo Re"). About 3 meters northwest of the river lies an oval pebble with a horseshoe-shaped mark in its center, about 20 centimeters deep. It is said to be the hoofprint of Gesar’s horse. Upstream in the valley, around a large rock and a medium-sized white stupa, the ground is covered with boulders, dozens of which bear various animal prints, including those of yaks, humans, and horses. Numerous mysterious legends are passed down locally. It is said that from Gyema Yongzhong to Derong Hot Springs, one could write 108 legendary tales.

The source of the Yarlung Tsangpo River comes from glaciers and mineral springs. Because the source snow mountain resembles a horse’s head, the river has traditionally been called the "Dangque Tsangpo" since ancient times. The Yarlung Tsangpo River is world-renowned for its abundant hydropower resources and is hailed as the mother river of the Tibetan people. The fertile land of the Yarlung Tsangpo source is the cradle of Tibetan culture. Historically, it served as the political, economic, cultural, and transportation hub of Tibet. Like Mount Everest, it is the source of countless waters and, as determined by global scientists, represents the ideas and symbols of rear Tibet. Its basin is the wealthiest part of Tibet, with its upper, middle, and lower reaches all densely populated with concentrated Tibetan tourist resources.

The surrounding resources of the Gyema Yongzhong Glacier feature ever-changing seasonal colors of the river source, majestic rivers, spectacular snow mountains, beautiful glaciers, picturesque landscapes, and lush grasslands. The sounds of glacial streams, rolling rocks, and landslides thunder like heavenly roars.

The upper reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River feature wide valleys, relatively small riverbeds, slow-moving water, and ever-changing water colors with many winding branches. The valley is dotted with lakes and swamps, and many sections have clusters of small hills. The banks and foothills are covered with sandy areas and crescent-shaped dunes, creating unique natural landscapes as the dunes reflect in the swamps, lakes, and rivers. The natural vegetation in the basin mainly consists of wetland grasslands, needlegrass prairies, and shrub meadows—excellent pastures. The river source not only nourishes the local people but also sustains diverse wildlife, including Tibetan antelopes, blue sheep, argali, Mongolian gazelles, Kubi wild yaks, wild yaks, red deer, giant wild donkeys, marmots, hares, golden yaks, snow leopards, brown bears, black wolves, yellow wolves, lynxes, foxes, black-necked cranes, and red-crowned cranes—all freely roaming, playing, and breeding here.

The Yarlung Tsangpo source is the homeland of wild yaks. Between the northwest-southeast trending Himalayas and the east-west trending Kunlun Mountains, known as the highest, largest, and most expansive "Qinghai-Tibet Plateau," large populations of wild yaks once thrived. Wild yaks in the Yarlung Tsangpo source come in three colors: black, golden, and red-nosed gray yaks. In areas like Jila Township and Holba Township of the Yarlung Tsangpo source, wild yaks are particularly distinctive and often found in herds, with more of the red-nosed gray yaks. The Yarlung Tsangpo source is also a breeding base for Tibetan antelopes, whose reproduction holds special mysteries.

Only when you see the glacier do you realize there are many shades of white: the pristine white of silent snow mountains, the bright white under pouring sunlight. As your gaze shifts downward, white tinged with gray appears: the iron-gray of glaciers, the earthen-gray of the ground—and then, abruptly at the mountain’s base, the landscape turns rugged, resembling a vast Gobi. The sky is deep blue and low, as if you could pluck a cloud with your hand. The bare mountains, stripped of their historical veneer by time, are washed by flowing waters that shape the present and future of the Yarlung Tsangpo source. Creation is so miraculous, the land so rich and beautiful, nourishing the fertile shores with its life-giving milk and fostering ancient cultures with deep roots. It is not only the cradle of Tibetan civilization’s birth and development but also a witness to cultural exchanges between Han and Tibetan peoples.