Chodrak

Chodrak belongs to the historical Nangchen country of the Tibetan plateau, the southern part of the five kingdoms of Do Kham. Nangchen emerged from a tribal confederation and became a unified Buddhist kingdom in the thirteenth century. The present county occupies about 11,539 square kilometres and includes the old kingdom’s core. Its seat lies in a side valley on the right bank of the Dza Chu, the upper Mekong.

Mountains, tributary valleys and a high river corridor define a land where travel follows water and passes rather than broad open routes. The climate has clear, freezing and dry winters and mild, rainy summers, with strong differences between day and night. Although much of Qinghai is associated with Amdo culture, Nangchen and the wider Yushu region belong to Kham, and residents speak a Kham dialect. Kagyu Buddhism holds a majority there, distinguishing the kingdom from areas dominated by Gelug institutions.

Tana Monastery, a Yelpa Kagyu house founded in 1068, is among the region’s religious landmarks.