Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Draksum-tso
0894 / Elev 3470m
Sights
One of the east's most beautiful lakes,
Draksum-tso
(| Bāsōngcuò admission ¥120)
is also its
most sacred, with strong connections to three towering figures in Tibetan history. It's the
soul-lake of Gesar of Ling, the semi-mythical king of Tibetan legends and epic poems.
Gesar is said to have resided near the lake and spent years in one of the nearby monaster-
ies. Ruins associated with the king can be found on the road up to the lake, as well as
around the lake itself.
Draksum-tso was also visited by Guru Rinpoche and, as in many other places, the great
sage left signs of his journey on rocks and caves. Finally, the Nyingma lama Sangye
Lingpa founded the Tsodzong Monastery on a tiny islet just off the southern shore. Today,
the monastery is one of Kham's most important pilgrimage sites.
The lake entrance fee is payable at a visitor centre/entrance gate about 4km before the
lake. PSB officers at the ticket booth will ask to check your travel permits. A shuttle bus
(¥45) then takes you to another visitor centre just above the lake. From here it's a quick
walk down to the floating bridge across to Tsodzong Monastery. Note that at the time of
writing visitors had a two-hour limit at the lake and monastery unless they were spending
the night. If possible, try to arrive in the evening to avoid the masses of Chinese tourists.
On your way to or from Rawok Lake consider spending a night at Draksum-tso in a
guesthouse rather than a second night in Bāyī.
Tsodzong Monastery
BUDDHIST, MONASTERY
The monastery (the Fortress on the Lake) is a small Nyingmapa chapel tucked into the
forest on a tiny islet off the shore of Draksum-tso. Associated with the 8th-century king
Trisong Detsen, it is also the 14th-century birthplace of Sangye Lingpa, a
terton. Tertons
are reincarnations of Guru Rinpoche's disciples and are tasked with recovering the great
spiritual leader's buried relics and texts. The monastery and surrounding kora are filled
with holy relics and attract numerous pilgrims.
