Photo shows the Gyirong County under construction. [Photo/China Tibet Online]

GYIRONG,Oct.11 (China Tibet Online) According to the Tibet Daily, Gyirong Port is planned to open wider to the outside world in October. At that time, Gyirong will present a feature with multiple elements including "ancient path culture, port culture, and folk culture" on the basis of its unique geographical advantages and become an important channel for international tourists to China.

The Gyirong Port is 78 kilometers away from the south of Gyirong County in the Shigatse Prefecture and 24 kilometers away from the Rasog Village located in the border of China and Nepal. In the history of China, the Gyirong Port is one of the biggest overland trading ports between China and Nepal, and is renowned as the "commercial road", "official road" and "war road" because of its long history of foreign trade. In October of 1961, the State Council of China decided to set up Gyirong Customs as well as gave permission to the port's opening. The Gyirong Port was confirmed as the national level overland trading port in 1978.

According to the Master Plan of Gyirong Port in Shigatse Prefecture, the Gyirong County will be forged as the leading area by the Shigatse Prefecture in the aspect of mountain resorts and tourism. Therefore, tourists could have multiple travelling experiences in Gyirong.

Daman People living in the Gyirong County are dancing with joy. [Photo/China Tibet Online]

Historically, the Gyirong Ditch was the only way which must be passed in the "ancient road connecting Tubo Kingdom and Nepal" when the pedestrians headed for Nepal from Lhasa. The ancient road was opened in the early Tang Dynasty, and became an important channel for the culture and trade exchange of central plains and South Asia. In history, this ancient road had welcomed Princess Bhrikuti from Nepal who married Srongtsen Gampo, Wang Xuance who was the imperial envoy of Tang Dynasty sent on a diplomatic mission to India, as well as Shantarakshita and Padma Sambhava who both went to Tibet for preaching Buddhism. Until Qing Dynasty, the road was still a major international way to South Asia. It boasts a unique ancient road culture.

Gyirong, as the backyard garden for Mt. Qomolangma, integrates the elements of snow mountains, pastoral forests, lakes, canyons, rivers and pastures. By then, Gyirong will be presented as the "roof of the world tourist attraction and international holiday town". Gyirong will become an important channel for international tourists to enter China with the enlargement of Gyirong Port.