Himalaya

This Himalayan mountain country lies near Dingri in Tsang, where the Tibetan plateau approaches the high southern ranges. Pastoral communities used yaks, sheep and goats, while barley grew on suitable sheltered ground. Routes over the mountains connected the plateau with Nepal and Himalayan valleys; pack animals carried salt, wool, grain and manufactured goods through passes when conditions allowed.

Buddhist monasteries and pilgrimage places linked travellers across the wider Himalayan region. In the early modern period, Tsang was involved in struggles among Tibetan rulers and religious institutions, followed by the growing authority of the Dalai Lama's government and Qing involvement. The mountains made travel difficult, but valleys and passes continued to connect communities and religious centres.