Yangpachen
Encyclopedia
Yangbajain is a town approximately 87 kilometres (54.1 mi) north-west of Lhasa
, halfway to Damxung in the Tibet Autonomous Region
of China
. The town lies just south of the Nyainqêntanglha Mountains, in an upland lush green valley surrounded by the tents of nomads with grazing yak
and sheep populating the hillside. It is the site Yangpachen Monastery
, which was historically the seat of the Shamarpa
s of Karma Kagyü
and the Yangbajing International Cosmic Ray Observatory.
The area is famous for the Yangbajain hot springs
, which have been harnessed to produce much of the electricity for the capital Lhasa
. There is a thermoelectric power plant on the edge of the Yangbajain hot springs field covering 20–30 square kilometers. The thermoelectric power plant was established in 1977, and the first development of geothermal power
not only in Tibet
but in the whole of China
.
The Yangbajain hot springs field is at an altitude of 4290–4500 m which makes it the highest altitude set of hot springs in China, and possibly the world.
The highest temperature inside the drilling hole is 125.5°C.
water. It allows to bath at an altitude of 4200 m AMSL, making it likely to be the highest swimming pool of the world.
Collaborating institutes includes the INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare) and various Chinese and Japanese universities.
The KOSMA
3-m submillimeter telescope is being relocated to a nearby site.
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
, halfway to Damxung in the Tibet Autonomous Region
Tibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....
of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The town lies just south of the Nyainqêntanglha Mountains, in an upland lush green valley surrounded by the tents of nomads with grazing yak
Yak
The yak, Bos grunniens or Bos mutus, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. In addition to a large domestic population, there is a small, vulnerable wild yak population...
and sheep populating the hillside. It is the site Yangpachen Monastery
Yangpachen Monastery
Yangpachen Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yangpachen , in the Lhasa Prefecture of Tibet. It is historically the seat of the Shamarpas of Karma Kagyü...
, which was historically the seat of the Shamarpa
Shamarpa
Shamarpa of the Red Crown"), also known as Shamar Rinpoche or more formally Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche is a lineage holder of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism and the mind manifestation of Amitabha Buddha, He is traditionally associated with Yangpachen monastery near Lhasa.The first...
s of Karma Kagyü
Karma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu , or Kamtsang Kagyu, is probably the largest and certainly the most widely practiced lineage within the Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The lineage has long-standing monasteries in Tibet, China, Russia, Mongolia, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and current...
and the Yangbajing International Cosmic Ray Observatory.
The area is famous for the Yangbajain hot springs
Hot Springs
Hot Springs may refer to:* Hot Springs, Arkansas** Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas*Hot Springs, California**Hot Springs, Lassen County, California**Hot Springs, Modoc County, California**Hot Springs, Placer County, California...
, which have been harnessed to produce much of the electricity for the capital Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
. There is a thermoelectric power plant on the edge of the Yangbajain hot springs field covering 20–30 square kilometers. The thermoelectric power plant was established in 1977, and the first development of geothermal power
Geothermal power
Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. Thermal energy is the energy that determines the temperature of matter. Earth's geothermal energy originates from the original formation of the planet and from radioactive decay of minerals...
not only in Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
but in the whole of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
The Yangbajain hot springs field is at an altitude of 4290–4500 m which makes it the highest altitude set of hot springs in China, and possibly the world.
The highest temperature inside the drilling hole is 125.5°C.
Holy Medical Spring Resort
The Holy Medical Spring Resort has both two indoor swimming pools and one outdoor swimming pool, all filled with hot springsHot Springs
Hot Springs may refer to:* Hot Springs, Arkansas** Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas*Hot Springs, California**Hot Springs, Lassen County, California**Hot Springs, Modoc County, California**Hot Springs, Placer County, California...
water. It allows to bath at an altitude of 4200 m AMSL, making it likely to be the highest swimming pool of the world.
Yangbajing International Cosmic Ray Observatory
The YBJ International Cosmic Ray Observatory (羊八井国际宇宙线观测站) is located in the Yangbajing valley of the Tibetan highland, a site chosen for its high altitude at 4300 meters above sea level.Collaborating institutes includes the INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare) and various Chinese and Japanese universities.
The KOSMA
KOSMA
The Kölner Observatorium für SubMillimeter Astronomie ' was a 3-m radio telescope for submillimeter astronomy located at 3,135 m on Gornergrat near Zermatt . It was operated by the and the , University of Bonn...
3-m submillimeter telescope is being relocated to a nearby site.