Mount Everest Culture

Despite Mount Everest is towering, chilly and remote, you can still feel the Tibetan religious culture and their piety.

History of Mount Everest

Mount Everest is of great scientific research value and has long been a focus of attention. In the 56th year of Kangxi period of Qing Dynasty (1717), today's Mount Everest was called Zhumu Langma Alin on the map. In 1952, the government of the People's Republic of China named the peak qomolangma. And it is called Sacha-mata in Nepal. In 1960, Chinese mountaineers and scientists overcame numerous difficulties and climbed to the top of Mount Everest from the north slope for the first time, creating an unprecedented miracle in the history of world mountaineering. Since the 1960s, Chinese scientists have made a comprehensive survey of the qomolangma region, obtaining rich and valuable materials in paleontology, natural geography, alpine climate, modern glaciers and landforms. In 1975, Chinese surveying and mapping workers, with the cooperation of Chinese mountaineering teams, climbed Mount Everest again, accurately measured its height and drew a detailed map of the qomolangma area. All these provide an extremely important scientific basis for China to develop and utilize the natural resources of the Tibetan plateau.

In March 1989, Mount Everest national nature reserve was established. The protected area covers 33,800 square kilometers. The area is rich in rare and endangered species, among which there are 8 national class I protected animals, such as long-tailed gray langur, Assam Macaque, Himalayan thar, and leopard. There are more than 600 glaciers at its peak, covering an area of 1,600 square kilometers, and the longest is 26 kilometers. When the sun rises in the east, the huge mountain is illuminated with red light, bright and colorful. In addition, many exotic natural landscapes often appear, attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.

Religion Culture

The main religion in Tibet is Tibetan Buddhism, and monastery is the main manifestation of Tibetan Buddhist culture. At Mount Everest, there is the highest monastery in the world. 

Rongbuk Monastery

Rongbuk Monastery is a monastery of Nyingma sect, and a monastery that has both monks and nuns in it. Located at the foot of Mount Everest, the south of Basong Township, Tingri County, Shigatse, Tibet, 90 kilometers from the county seat, about 5100 meters above sea level. With high, steep and cold terrain, Rongbuk monastery is the highest temple in the world, and the landscape is wonderful as well.

Sherpa People

The most famous climbers of Mount Everest are sherpas around qomolangma, distributed in Nepal, China, etc. They are the most famous mountain guides in Nepal. And Sherpas are famous for climbing Mount Everest.

Sherpa refers to "people from the east" in Tibetan language, scattered on both sides of the Himalayas, mainly in Nepal, a small number in China, India and Bhutan. Their language is the Sherpa language, using Tibetan. In 1980 (Chen Naiwen exploration period), the population of Sherpa is about 40,000, and only about 1200 people distributed in Tibet, mainly at Zhangmugou(樟木沟) and Chentanggou(陈塘沟).

Qingmu Dance(羌姆舞)

On April 15 of the Tibetan calendar, the weather is particularly refreshing. It is the day that Sakyamuni's birthday is commemorated, while "Qiangmu dance" will be held in the following day. On that day, many tents are put up outside the monastery, the villagers who came to see the Qiangmu dance staying here one day in advance. The new green prayer flags float in the wind outside the Rongbuk monastery, and colorful flags, prayer flags and decorations are hung in the monastery everywhere. Most of the Tibetans who came to watch bring buttered tea and Zanba. When the Qiangmu dance starts, the monks with the yellow cockscomb cap pull out the prelude, stand in the courtyard and strike the cymbals to meet one after another of the monks who came down the stairs. With the exception of khenpo, they appear according to the age. In the Buddha-hall above the stairs, Buddhist monks and nuns are to chant Kangyur in May of Tibetan calendar. Buddhist from other monasteries also come here to recite or chant scriptures.

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