Last updated 2026-11-12 — Mount Wanyan is located 45 kilometers from the county town and belongs to the Datong Mountain Range of the Qilian Mountain System. With an elevation of 4,517 meters, it is an isolated peak. Due to its pyramid-like shape, the mountain is referred to locally as the “Pyramid of Gangcha,” a source of pride for the area. The summit is perpetually covered in snow and often shrouded in clouds, while the foothills boast lush grasslands, earning it the beautiful name “Golden Grass Mountain.” “Ami Wanyan” is a compound term of Tibetan and Mongolian origin, meaning “Wealthy Grandfather.” In Tibetan, “Ami” means grandfather or elder, and in Mongolian, “Wanyan” means wealth. The Mount Wanyan area is rich in flora and fauna, featuring valuable medicinal plants such as spring grass and snow lotus, as well as wildlife like snowcocks, goitered gazelles, and brown bears. The current Vice President of the Buddhist Association of China, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Gansu Provincial People’s Congress, Honorary Director of the Labrang Monastery Management Committee, and the sixth Jamyang · Losang Jigme Thubten Choskyi Nyima were born at the foot of Mount Wanyan. There is a local legend about Mount Wanyan: the Three Brothers of Wanyan were land deities residing in Xinghai County, Hainan Prefecture, Qinghai. Following a dispute among the brothers, the eldest and youngest Wanyan, out of spite, moved to Gangcha. They were persuaded to stay by the guardian deity of Gangcha, Zamal, who asked them to assist in managing the northern shore of Lake Qinghai. Since then, they have remained there, while the third brother still resides in Xinghai County, and the mountains bearing their names are remarkably similar. It is also said that later immigrant tribes who joined the Gangcha community were able to thrive and grow in the region, partly due to the special care shown by Mount Wanyan as a foreign deity toward these outsider tribes. Another plausible theory about Wanyan states that there are thirteen Wanyan peaks across the Amdo region, all considered land deities. Within Gangcha, there are two; in Gonghe County, one; in Xinghai County, one; and in Haixi, the Bayankala Mountain — though spelled differently, it is also called Wanyan in Tibetan, among other names. Thirty kilometers north of here lies Longdong Tianchi (Dragon Cave Heavenly Lake). Situated at an altitude of 4,284 meters, it is said that ancient people once witnessed a dragon ascending from the lake into the heavens. In Tibetan, it is called “Zhou Dong,” where “Zhou” means dragon and “Dong” means “nest” or “dwelling,” thus Zhou Dong translates to “Dragon’s Nest.” Longdong Tianchi boasts abundant plant and animal life and stunning scenery, making it an ideal destination for adventure tourism. Both Mount Wanyan and Longdong Tianchi have been sites where the rare “waterspout” or “dragon sucking water” phenomenon has been observed. Twenty kilometers north of Longdong Tianchi lies Muli Tan, the summer pasture of Gangcha.