Shannan

Shannan, also known by its Tibetan name Lhoka, lies in the Yarlung Tsangpo river valley south of Lhasa and is revered as the cradle of Tibetan civilization. Its administrative seat is at Tsetang in Nedong District, and the surrounding valley holds Yumbulagang, said to be Tibet's oldest palace, and Samye, the first Buddhist monastery ever built in Tibet. The economy combines highland barley farming, animal husbandry and fast-growing cultural tourism, and the region hosts Lhasa Gonggar International Airport in Gonggar County. The Lhasa–Nyingchi high-altitude railway, opened in 2021, now gives the city a modern rail link, and Shannan Vocational and Technical School provides local training. For an international student, Shannan offers profound Tibetan Buddhist heritage, sacred lakes and monasteries, and some of the most historically significant sites on the plateau.