Another Hidden Paradise Discovered in Aba Prefecture! It's Jiuzhaigou's Back Garden, Yet Still Unknown to Many!

Everyone knows Jiuzhaigou is like a paradise on earth.

Just beyond a mountain ridge from Jiuzhaigou

lies a hidden gem rarely known to anyone.

Here, green mountains surround lush meadows,

spotted with scattered cattle and sheep.

Colorful prayer flags flutter over ancient Tibetan villages,

painting a pastoral idyll.

This place is far from the hustle and bustle of the city,

offering a sense of tranquility and remoteness in the wilderness.

It is a wonderland within a hidden paradise,

an unknown Shangri-La.

Many people know of Jiuzhaigou, but not of Zhongcha Valley, which lies just across a mountain ridge from Jiuzhaigou.

Not far from the crowded tourists of Jiuzhaigou, within Zhangzha Town of Jiuzhaigou County, and separated from the Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area by only a mountain ridge, there is a valley that feels like a world apart—Zhongcha Valley.

Here, there are only gently flowing streams, only the silver shimmer of sacred mountains, only the distant and near calls of birds, and the smoke rising from Tibetan villages.

Unlike Jiuzhaigou, which got its name from 'nine Tibetan villages in the valley,' Zhongcha Valley's name comes from Tibetan, meaning 'the place where the divine eagle descends.'

It hides five authentic Tibetan villages. After Jiuzhaigou relocated almost all its villages for conservation, the remaining villages in Zhongcha Valley have become the best place for visitors to explore Tibetan village culture.

Perhaps in the near future, it will be developed into a scenic area, but for now, the editor suggests you take a look and witness the pristine Zhongcha Valley.

You must go horseback riding once, traversing the meadows and forests, experiencing the slow-paced life of the Bai Ma Tibetans from the past.

You must visit the abandoned ancient Tibetan village—Gexia Ancient Village—to pay homage amidst the crumbling walls to the grandeur and splendor of the ancient village a hundred years ago.

The forms of these buildings, the mottled paint, the ancient trees at the village entrance, and the everyday utensils left behind in the old houses all evoke boundless imagination.

Step into a pastoral life.

Standing in Zhongcha Valley, up close are terraced farmlands with distinct layers, a few Tibetan villages scattered at different elevations, with a pale blue smoke spreading overhead, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

Looking further into the distance, under the sunlight there are green grasslands, forests of varying shades of green, and farther up, snow-capped peaks and blue sky.

Climbing slowly under the summer sun, passing through the village, walking over the grassland, approaching the forest, it seems as though everything slows down at this moment.