Garze Culture

Garze Prefecture is the second largest Tibetan area in China and the core area of Kangba. For thousands of years, the ancestors living here have created a splendid, colorful and profound Kangba culture. Garze Culture introduces Garze Culture Tour information about People, Language, Costumes, Cuisine, Festivals, Song and Dance, Traditional Crafts, Architecture, Museums, Religion, Historical Sites, Traditional Villages, Intangible Cultural Heritages and Inheritors of Intangible Cultural Heritages.

History of Garze

Garze has a long history and the people are industrious and brave. In ancient times, primitive human beings have been working, living and multiplying here, creating the civilization of stone age. In the spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period, some tribes of Qiang people in the North moved here to integrate with the primitive ancestors in this land. Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, the friendly exchanges between the Han and Tibetan people established through the "tea horse trade" have never been broken, and have continued to the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. The people's Government of Xikang Tibetan Autonomous Region was formally established in Kangding on November 24, 1950. In 1955, Xikang Tibetan Autonomous Region was abolished, and Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province was established, and Kangding was the capital of the prefecture.

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Language of Garze

The population of Garze is approximately 880,000, among of whom, 78% of the total population are Tibetan. From the linguistic point of view, there are standard Kang dialect (Dege language), Andao, Jiarong, Zhaba, Liangru, Muya, Ergong and other local languages.

Costumes of Garze Tibetan People

The Tibetan clothing of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is commonly known as Kangzhuang(康装). Kangzhuang can be subdivided into the clothing of Kangbei rural area and Kangnan rural area, Muya clothing, Jiarong clothing, special zone clothing, etc. The clothing in Kangbei agricultural area is mainly distributed in Dege, Baiyu, Xinlong, Ganzi, Luhuo and other county agricultural areas; the clothing in Kangnan agricultural area is distributed in Batang, Yajiang, Xiangcheng, Derong and other county agricultural areas; the clothing in Muya is distributed in the agricultural areas of Daofu, Yajiang, and Zhedo mountain in Kangding County, west agricultural area and Jiulong County; the clothing in Jiarong is represented by Danba county and Dadu River in Kangding County. Yutong district and Yala Township in Kangding and Lan'an Township in Luding have their own characteristics. The costumes of the special zone are mainly distributed in Shiqu, Serdar county and animal husbandry areas of each county.

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Diverse Culture of Garze

Kangba culture includes love song culture, Gesar culture, Shambhala culture, red culture, religious culture and other folk culture. This is the hometown of love songs, the birthplace of Kangba culture, the hometown of King Gesar, the core area of Shangri-La, the center of Jiarong culture, the main line of the ancient tea horse road,etc. Batang Xianzi dance, Garze tap dance, Serxu Zhenda Guozhuang are well-known at home and abroad. There is the only Baiyu Geba patriarchal culture in China, and unique regional culture such as Daofu Zaba walking marriage custom. The long march of the red army passed through 16 counties of Garze Prefecture and lasted for a year and a half, leaving behind a large number of revolutionary relics. It is also the place where many tribal alliances thrived, such as the Fuguo, Dongnu, Jialiang, Bailang, Maoniuqiang, and where Tubo developed and operated. There are strong Tibetan culture, Di culture (Jiarong), Dangxiang culture (Muya), as well as the remnants of Aboriginal culture, Naxi culture, Mongolian culture, the Central Plains Qin and Jin cultures.

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Religion of Garze

Garze Prefecture is an important part of the whole country and Sichuan Tibetan area. Religion has a long history and profound influence in Garze Prefecture, which belongs to the area where most people believe in religion. Tibetan Buddhism, Catholicism, Christianity and Islam coexist in the prefecture, but most farmers and herdsmen believe in Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism has a history of more than 1300 years in the prefecture. With the development of Tibetan history, it has developed synchronously, forming a significant characteristic of wide distribution, full sects, many temples and great influence.

Temples & Monasteries in Garze

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Cuisine of Garze 

The Dining in Garze is determined by local specialties, ecological environment and cultural background. According to this, the Tibetan diet in Garze can be divided into several dietetic cultural zone of pastoral area, Kangbei agricultural area, Kangnan agricultural area and Kangdong agricultural area. The pasturing area is dominated by beef and mutton, dairy products, tsamba and flour, as well as Zhuoma (commonly known as ginseng fruit). The main food in Kangbei agricultural area is highland barley, wheat and pea, as well as cattle, sheep, pork, dairy products, potato, etc. In Kangnan agricultural area, highland barley and wheat are the main food, and corn, buckwheat, potato, cattle, sheep, pork, etc. The main food in Kangdong agricultural area is corn, buckwheat, and soybeans and kidney beans. Meat is mainly pork and mutton, and there are abundant wild animals, such as rabbit, deer, water deer, blue sheep, wild boar and pheasant. 

Festivals in Garze

Garze Festivals and activities introduce a brief introduction of festivals and activities and tell travelers Top Things to Do for Garze festivals Tours and important Garzê events and activities such as Litang Horse Riding Festival and Tibetan New Year. If you are looking for the best events and festivals in Garze listed on one platform - we have you covered.

Top Festivals in Garze

Traditional Arts and Crafts in Garze

Litang Silver

Silver ware production in Litang has a history of more than 300 years. Silver has the functions of disinfection, detoxification and rheumatism elimination. It is also said that drinking water or tea with silver products can nourish the stomach. Since ancient times, the folk silver has been said to ward off evil spirits.

Tibetan Ornaments

The main materials of Tibetan ornaments are natural stones, corals, animal bones and silver. The rough appearance has delicate connotation. Small patterns, engraving, and mosaic are ingenious designs of Tibetan decoration and emit strong ancient and local flavor. All the decorations are hand-made, which is a good souvenir.

More Arts and Crafts in Garze:

  • Crystal
  • Danba Drum
  • Buddha Beads

Museums in Garze

The museums in Garze are an important window to publicize and display Garze history and culture, human geography, folk customs, and an important education base for patriotism and revolutionary traditional education for the masses.

Historical Sites in Garze

Ganzi Prefecture is located in the heart of the "ethnic corridor", and it is also the transportation hub between the mainland and Tibet. It is also an important trade distribution center. With the development of history and culture, its multi-cultural convergence has formed a more regional cultural content. In particular, the development of ethnic culture reflects the imprint of history. There are more than 30 red relics and scenic spots in Garze Prefecture, and more than 300 revolutionary cultural relics, known as the first in Tibetan area.

Ethnic Towns in Garze

There are seven ethnic towns in Garze prefecture, all of which are distributed in Jiulong County. 

Tibetan Villages in Garze

There are many beautiful Tibetan villages in Garze Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Jiaju Tibetan village is the most famous and representative one. It was once rated as one of "the six most beautiful rural villages and towns in China" by China National Geographic.

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Intangible Cultural Heritages in Garze

Garze has a splendid, colorful and profound Kangba culture. There are 23 national intangible cultural heritage projects, 39 provincial intangible cultural heritage projects, 63 prefectural intangible cultural heritage projects, 391 County's intangible cultural heritage projects, which have become the key areas for the distribution and protection of intangible cultural heritage resources in China and Sichuan Province.

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