Gonjo

Gonjo lies in the mountain country west of the Jinsha, the upper Yangtze River. Across the river are the lands of Pelyul, while the valleys and high ridges to the west lead towards Chamdo. The Dzong Chu rises in the district and flows south to join the Jinsha, its short tributaries descending steeply from the surrounding mountains.

During the Ming period the religious figure Zongba Wo received the title of protector of the faith from the Yongle emperor. In 1727, after the struggles over eastern Tibet, Gonjo was placed under the Tibetan government and organised as a dzong. Religious authority and changing relations with the Qing court both formed part of the district's history. The river valleys formed corridors through the intervening mountain ranges.