Editor's Note: CGTN is embarking on a 20-day journey to Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province for the production of Music Voyage, a cultural documentary that traces the roots of music on the Tibetan Plateau while exploring beautiful landscapes and diverse ethnic culture. The series previews six destinations that are not to be missed along the journey.
The series ends with Dege, a small county located in the northwestern part of the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, a Tibetan cultural treasure house that is not to be missed.
Dege is best known for its 300-year-old sutra-printing house, acclaimed as one of the country's top three Tibetan sutra-printing houses. The other two are respectively situated in the Tibet Autonomous Region and Gansu Province.
Dege County in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, is home to one of the most famous sutra-printing houses in the country. /CFP
Over 320,000 Tibetan printing blocks are stored in the three-story Tibetan-style building, covering a wide range of fields, such as Tibetan Buddhism, history, literature, art and medicine.
Today, workers at the printing house still use the traditional block engraving technique that has been passed down from their ancestors. This particular type of printing technique, often regarded as one of the most important inventions in the history of human civilization, was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list in 2009.
Like the other five destinations along the journey of "Music Voyage," the natural landscape in Dege is a feast for the eyes that will not leave guests disappointed. The imposing Chola Mountains and the turquoise lake of Xinluhai at the foot create picturesque views.
With a dozen peaks soaring up to 5,500 meters above sea level and the highest one standing at 6,168 meters, the snow-capped Chola Mountains is a popular spot for a challenging yet rewarding trekking adventure.
The beautiful lake beneath, at an elevation of 4,000 meters, is sacred to the local Tibetan folks who have engraved mantras on the rocks.
The snow-capped Chola Mountains and the lake of Xinluhai in Dege County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province. /CFP
Rocks engraved with mantras at the lake of Xinluhai in Dege County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province. /CFP
Check out previous episodes in the series: Kangding, Litang, Batang, Daocheng Yading and Luhuo
(Cover image by Feng Yuan)