The county of Damxung, meaning “carefully selected pasture” in Tibetan language, is located at the southern foothill of the Nyainqentanglha Range, with an average elevation of about 4,200 meters.
Each September, 33-year-old villager Yonten and other herders migrate north to the lower winter pastures, to escape from the extreme cold and oxygen deficit on the plateau.
With the implementation of the housing project for farmers and herders in Xizang in recent years, shelters made of brick and stone, movable board houses that have replaced yak hair tents, along with the upgraded facilities of electricity and water supply, have made grassland life much easier at the winter pastures.
As the owner of more than 100 yaks and over 200 sheep, Yonten’s annual income is expected to reach 110,000 yuan (about 15,086 U.S. dollars) this year.
