General description
Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is
located in southern Qinghai Province. It is comprised of six counties:
Yushu, Chengduo, Nangqian, Zaduo, Zhiduo and Qumalai. The total land area is
191,178 km2. The government seat is located in Jiegu (Jyekundo),
which is the centre of political life, economy, culture and transportation
for the entire prefecture.
Ethnic groups
The total population of the prefecture is about 258,000
people, of which 97% are Tibetan. Other groups include the Han, Hui, Tu and
Mongolian.
Economy
Yushu is one of the main
animal husbandry bases in Qinghai Province. The agricultural (animal husbandry)
output of the prefecture is about one-forth of the total provincial output. The
main livestock in Yushu prefecture are Tibetan sheep, goats, domestic yak and
Yushu horses. Mineral resources include gold, silver, copper, iron, aluminium,
molybdenum, lithium and others. There are six gold mining areas in the
prefecture. Wildlife resources include musk deer, wild yak, blue sheep, Tibetan
gazelle, Tibetan antelope, snow leopard, brown bear, lynx, otter and numerous
birds such as black-necked crane, white eared pheasant, Tibetan snowcock,
etc. In addition, many medicinal plants from the prefecture are recognized
globally. Special medicinal plants include caterpillar fungus (Cordyceps sinensis),
tumeric, Rhizoma anemarrhenae, fritillaria, sallow thorn, rhubarb, snow lotus,
etc. There are nearly 800 kinds of medicinal plants in the prefecture.
Tourism in Yushu Prefecture
Yushu has its own unique
character of natural and cultural landscapes. Yushu's folk songs and dances are
extremely well known all over the Tibetan world, and the Old Road of the Tang
and Tubo dynasties is known worldwide. The famous temple of Princess Wencheng
and colourful Tibetan monasteries are often visited. Wildlife is also abundant,
particularly in the Sanjiangyuan
National Nature Reserve.
Also see
historic narratives
written by travellers in the region over the past century.
