The county of Danba is located in Tibetan Plateau in western Sichuan, China. Damba means ?Rock City?, but it sounds better to call it as the ?kingdom of the thousand castles of stone.? This area of Tibetan-speaking hamlets perched stunningly on 8,000-foot-high mountainsides that loom over the town of Danba, has long been a way station on a circuit through the country’s southwest, which is home to some of China’s most exotic travel destinations. The groups of castles are scattered around strategic positions in the valley or near villages. Towers and citadels were built hundreds of years ago, for defensive purposes and passing messages between different villages. The height of these stone-built military structures is often above 30 meters, while the tallest tower measures 60 meters in height. Looking from afar, the scene of groups of towers and castles standing in the gorgeous Danba valley is breathtaking.
Danba or Rongzhag, is famous for "Thousand stone castle kingdom", with many kinds of old stone castles like watchtower, "Qionglong" in ancient, scattered over the county, built as early as 1700BC. The watch tower in Shuopo village is very varities. There used to be 5,000 watchtowers in Danba, but only 343 that mostly date back 200 to 1,000 years remain. Local inhabitants have a custom of adding one storey to a watchtower to mark each year of a boy’s growth until he reaches 18 years old. Usually 30 meters high, Dongba’s highest watchtower stands at 60 meters, with four, five, eight or thirteen corners.
During Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) wars in the area that lasted for 30 years these watchtowers were a vital aspect of military defense as they could provide human sanctuary for 15 days. The height of watch tower from 16-35meters, they stand on hillsides or the top of hills. The materials for the watch tower as stone slabs for the walls, stone blocks for the foundations. Usually designed as ploygonal shapes, such as square, pentagon, hexagon, and octagon, and the best watch tower is 13-sides watchtower as a pearl in Damba area (only about 3 13-sides watchtowers in Gyarong Tibetan area). 4kinds of Watchtower are protected very well in Rongzhag: Strategic Paas, Bezcon-Fire, Village and Dwelling as its different usage.
The county varies greatly in altitude, from peaks that are as high as 5,820 meters to river valleys as low as 1,700 meters. The Big Jinchuan and small Jinchuan Rivers meet here, marking the beginning of the Dadu River. The green mountains and waters, birds and flowers, is the most brilliant pearl of Kantse. The Tibetan-Gyarong style buildings and watchtowers are surrounded by fields and orchards.
The green mountains and waters, birds and flowers, is the most brilliant pearl of Kantse. The Tibetan-Gyarong style buildings and watchtowers are surrounded by fields and orchards. Danba men are strong and the women are pretty, special in Badi for the Beauty Valley. Stone castles as Thousands Watchtowers of Kingdom with it’s various Gyarong folk residence as Jiaju for it famous. The Molto Holy mountains with it’s unique Gyarong culture play important roles in Danba county.
The Tibetan-Gyarong style buildings and watchtowers are surrounded by fields and orchards. Danba men are strong and the women are pretty, special in Badi for the Beauty Valley. Stone castles as Thousands Watchtowers of Kingdom with it’s various Gyarong folk residence as Jiaju for it famous. The Molto Holy mountains with it’s unique Gyarong culture play important roles in Danba county.
Out of Danba. Our first of many stops to take pictures along the way. The scenery over the next 6 hours is simply stunning, as will be the bumpiness of the road.
