Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Qinghai, China
Guoluo is a Tibetan autonomous prefecture in southeastern Qinghai covering over 76,000 square kilometers across six counties, with Maqên as the administrative center. The region sits on a high plateau with diverse geography and communities.
The prefecture was established in 1955 as a designated administrative region for the Tibetan population. Since then, it has remained a place where local autonomy and regional identity are maintained.
Monasteries throughout the region function as gathering places where communities celebrate Buddhist traditions and maintain spiritual practices in their daily lives. They are central to how people here express their faith and identity.
The region experiences cold winters with temperatures dropping to around minus 21 degrees Celsius in January, while summer temperatures in July average around 17 degrees Celsius. Visitors should prepare for significant temperature swings between seasons.
The region contains two major lakes, Gyaring and Ngoring, which together form the source waters of the Yellow River at the western edge. These waters hold geographic significance that extends far beyond the local area.
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