Tanggula Mountain Pass

　　Introduction     Tanggula Mountain Pass marks the boundary between Qinghai and Tibet provinces (autonomous regions), with an elevation of approximately 5,231 meters. It is the highest point along the Qinghai–Tibet Highway. The pass is located 604 kilometers from Golmud City in Qinghai Province. A monument dedicated to the People’s Liberation Army soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the construction of the Qinghai–Tibet Highway stands at the pass, as well as an elevation marker and the “Monument Commemorating the Completion of the Lanzhou–Xining–Lhasa Optical Cable Project Built Jointly by the Military and Civilians.”

　　    “Tanggula,” meaning “the mountain above the mountains” in Tibetan, is known as the “warehouse of wind and snow” due to its year-round harsh weather conditions. Tanggula Mountain serves as the watershed between the Yangtze River and the Nu River. It is also called Dangla Mountain or Dangkong Ridge. The mountain range spans over 150 kilometers in width, with most elevations ranging between 5,000 and 6,000 meters. Its main peak, Geladandong, rises over 6,000 meters and is the source of the Tuotuo River, the main headstream of the Yangtze River. The uninhabited Hoh Xil region at its base provides a peaceful grazing ground for endangered wildlife such as the Tibetan antelope.

　　 Golmud, Qinghai