Travel in China – Kangding, Ganzi Autonomous Prefecture

Kangding is often considered the true gateway to Tibet and is the capital of the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, China.

Location of Kangding
Kangding (known as Darchen or Daruo in Tibetan) is situated in a deep valley where the rushing Zheduo River meets the Yala River.

It is approximately 133 kilometers northwest of Moxi Town, 49 kilometers west of Luding County, and 360 kilometers west of Chengdu. Historically, Kangding was a hub for the tea and horse trade on the ancient Sichuan-Lhasa route.

Kangding ABC
Kangding has been a center for the exchange of Han and Tibetan cultures and serves as the gateway to Tibet from western Chengdu.

Kangding was upgraded from a county-level city to a prefecture-level city, administering 6 towns, 15 townships, and over 200 villages. Lucheng Town is the urban area of Kangding and serves as both the city and the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture’s seat of government.

For many Chinese people, Kangding is famous for the theme song “Kangding Love Song.” Visitors are drawn to its enchanting scenery, including snow-capped mountains, glaciers, alpine meadows, vast grasslands, and temples. The unique Kamba culture, such as the Kamba folk dance, is also a major attraction.

Self-Driving Tour: Moxi Town – Luding – Kangding
Returning to our self-driving tour, at 3:30 PM on October 8, we departed from Moxi Town towards Kangding, where we stayed overnight. At 5 PM, we passed through Luding County and stopped for about 10 minutes to see the legendary Luding Iron Chain Bridge spanning the Dadu River in Luding County.

（Self-Driving Tour: Moxi Town – Luding – Kangding）

Luding Bridge

The Luding Bridge was originally built during the 44th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1705) and completed in the 45th year of Kangxi (1706), giving it a history of over 300 years. The bridge’s name “Luding Bridge” was inscribed by Emperor Kangxi himself, and an imperial stele was erected at the bridgehead. The bridge is 103 meters long and 3 meters wide, with 13 iron chains fixed into anchor points on both sides of the bridge. Of these, 9 chains serve as the main supports and 4 serve as handrails on the sides, with a total of 12,164 iron rings interlinked. The total weight of the iron components of the bridge exceeds 40 tons.

In 1935, the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army made a dramatic and daring “assault on the Luding Bridge” over 240 li (approximately 120 kilometers) during the day and night, a feat that was a crucial blow to Chiang Kai-shek’s attempt to suppress the Red Army and became a remarkable event in world military history. Mao Zedong wrote the famous poem “The Iron Chains of the Dadu River Bridge” about this event. Among the ten founding marshals of the People’s Republic of China, seven have crossed the Luding Bridge, earning it the honorific title of “Thirteen Iron Chains Supporting a Republic.”

In 1961, the State Council designated the bridge as a “National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit.” In 2001, the Ministry of Propaganda confirmed it as a “National Patriotic Education Demonstration Base,” and in 2012, the National Defense Education Office officially recognized it as a “National Defense Education Demonstration Base.”

The Luding Bridge Scenic Area is an important hub on the Ancient Tea Horse Road and the core site of the Red Army’s daring Luding Bridge assault. It is renowned as a “Destination for Red Revolutionary Spirit Remembrance” and is rich in historical and revolutionary cultural significance. The scenic area comprises the Luding Bridge, the Red Army Luding Bridge Memorial Hall, the Red Army Luding Bridge Memorial Monument, the Warrior Road Sculptural Group, the Pre-War Mobilization Site, the Dadu River Suspension Bridge, and the Guanyin Temple, among others. The area holds high scientific value for the study of Chinese revolutionary history, border development history, and Tibetan social history. With distinct seasons, the area features unique spring, summer, autumn, and winter landscapes. The local people are known for their warm hospitality and distinctive regional ethnic customs.

（Luding Iron Chain Bridge）

Kangding City Center

Continuing along the Sichuan-Tibet Highway G318 from Luding, we arrived in Kangding city around 7 PM. The brightly lit streets and modern buildings were truly impressive!

Is This Kangding? It looks so developed and prosperous! It’s like a world away from the Kangding we had imagined! Below are some street photos I took with my iPhone from the car while searching for a hotel for the night.

The rushing Zheduo River flows through Kangding city from southwest to northeast, eventually merging with the Dadu River.

Since it’s not the peak tourist season, we quickly found a very nice hotel on the bustling streets of Kangding, and the price was quite reasonable. After dinner, I urged Mr. Chen to bring his camera to capture the night scene of Kangding. Despite the light drizzle outside, it didn’t stop us from heading out to enjoy the beautiful night view of the city.

On both sides of the Zheduo River, towering modern buildings stand—banks, office towers, department stores…