Cultural centre · Scenic area · Qinghai
Yushu (Gyêgu)
玉树
Khampa town at the headwaters of the Yangtze and Mekong
Yushu is a county-level city at about 3,700 metres on the Tibetan Plateau and the seat of the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southern Qinghai. Its town, Gyêgu, is a trading and pilgrimage centre of Kham Tibetan culture, known for the Gyanag Mani stone field and its summer horse festival; it was rebuilt after a strong earthquake in 2010.
Key facts
- Province
- Qinghai
- Administrative level
- County-level city (seat of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture)
- Elevation (town)
- about 3,700 m
- Earthquake
- 14 April 2010[2]
Overview
Gyêgu lies in a valley near the Tongtian River, the upper Yangtze, on the old trade route between Xining, Lhasa and Sichuan. The surrounding prefecture is almost entirely Tibetan and pastoral, and much of it lies within Sanjiangyuan National Park.
The earthquake of 14 April 2010 destroyed most of the town and killed about 2,700 people. Gyêgu was rebuilt over the following years with new housing, a rebuilt monastery and wide avenues. The name Yushu is also used by a county-level city in Jilin province written with different characters.
Names and nicknames
结古
“Gyêgu”
The Tibetan name of the town, usually explained as “marketplace”.
江河源头
“source of the rivers”
For the prefecture's position at the headwaters of the Yangtze and the Lancang (Mekong).
History
The region belonged to the Nangchen and other Tibetan principalities of Kham. Tradition holds that Princess Wencheng rested here on her way to Lhasa in 641, and rock-cut reliefs of the Buddha Vairocana in the Bida valley are attributed to the Tibetan imperial period. The Gyanag Mani began in 1715 and has grown, by local estimates, to billions of carved stones.
8th–9th century
Bida valley reliefs
Rock reliefs of Vairocana and bodhisattvas, later housed in the Princess Wencheng Temple, date from the Tibetan Empire.
1715
Gyanag Mani founded
The first Gyanag lama laid the foundation of the stone field with a carved mani stone.
14 April 2010
Yushu earthquake
Destroyed most of Gyêgu; reconstruction lasted several years.
2013
County-level city
Yushu county was converted into a county-level city.
Landmarks
Temple or shrine
Gyanag Mani
嘉那嘛呢石经城
A walled field of stones carved with prayers and scriptures, circled by pilgrims throughout the day.
Temple or shrine
Princess Wencheng Temple
文成公主庙
Temple in the Bida valley built over early rock reliefs of the Buddha.
Temple or shrine
Jiegu Monastery
结古寺
Sakya monastery on the hill above the town, rebuilt after the earthquake.
Nature
Tongtian River
通天河
The upper Yangtze, flowing through gorges east of the town.
Neighbourhoods
King Gesar Square
格萨尔王广场
The central square with an equestrian statue of the epic hero.
Xinzhai
新寨
The village of the Gyanag Mani, east of the town.
Food
Yak meat
牦牛肉
Boiled, dried or in dumplings (momo).
Yoghurt
酸奶
Yak or dri yoghurt from the summer pastures.
Culture
Yushu is known for Khampa song and dance — the Yushu zhuo (卓舞) circle dances and yi (依舞) sleeve dances are on China's national intangible heritage list — and for its horse festival, held on the grasslands near the town in late July, with races, riding displays and tent camps. The Gesar epic is performed by bards throughout the prefecture.
Getting around
- Yushu Batang Airport lies south of the town; long highways connect the town with Xining and with Garzê in Sichuan.
- At this altitude, walking uphill is tiring for new arrivals; a day or two of rest helps acclimatisation.
Day trips
Leba valley
勒巴沟
Valley with rock carvings and prayer stones leading to the Tongtian River.
Longbao wetlands
隆宝滩
Nature reserve north-west of the town, a breeding ground of the black-necked crane.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture People's Government — Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture People's Government (retrieved 27 September 2026)
- Qinghai Provincial People's Government — Qinghai Provincial People's Government (retrieved 27 September 2026)
- Qinghai — Encyclopaedia Britannica (retrieved 27 September 2026)