Snowy Holy Spring Kaga
In Xietongmen County, a place whose name in Tibetan means "joy at first sight," Kaga Village in Kaga Town, a treasure known as "the mouth of the hot spring," tells the story of the plateau's millennia-old history with its gushing hot springs. Located only 2.5 kilometers from the county seat and 85.5 kilometers from Shigatse City, this geothermal wonder lies quietly on the north bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, becoming a unique scenic spot on the western Tibetan Plateau.
The birth of Kaga Hot Spring stems from the unique geological structure of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Situated on the third fault zone, frequent underground magma activity provides a continuous source of heat for the hot spring. The spring water maintains a high temperature of 63 degrees Celsius year-round, belonging to a compound hot spring of sodium bicarbonate and alkalinity, a rare high-temperature medicinal hot spring of sulfate-sodium type. Tests have shown that the spring water is rich in copper, zinc, and other minerals beneficial to the human body, and has special therapeutic effects on various diseases such as rheumatism, neuritis, and skin diseases, making it regarded as a "sacred spring" by the Tibetan people.
Throughout history, Kaga Hot Spring has remained closely intertwined with Tibetan Buddhism. Starting with the Fourth Panchen Lama, successive Panchen Lamas have bathed here, with the Ninth and Tenth Panchen Lamas even having dedicated bathing pools. Every year, Kaga Village hosts the largest prayer ceremony in Shexiong, where high-ranking monks chant sutras and offer blessings by the hot spring, while devotees line up to receive blessings by touching their heads. The fusion of hot spring water and religious rituals creates a unique cultural landscape in western Tibet.
For the villagers of Kaga, the hot spring is an integral part of daily life. In the early morning, villagers carry buckets to the spring to collect water for drinking, cooking, and heating. In winter, the steam from the hot spring permeates the entire village, creating the remarkable phenomenon of "snow falling on the hot spring without freezing." The hot spring water not only nourishes the villagers' bodies but also fosters a unique way of life—the elderly chat by the hot spring, children play in the warm streams, and the warmth of neighborly affection flows gently in the steam.
In recent years, Kaga Hot Spring has ushered in new development opportunities. With tourism development, this area has become a national 3A-level tourist attraction and an autonomous region-level health and wellness tourism demonstration base. Villagers have established a hot spring cooperative, transforming their family springs into hot spring guesthouses, turning this ancient sacred spring into a source of wealth. But no matter how times change, Kaga Hot Spring has always maintained its pure essence. It is not only a gift from nature but also a carrier of Tibetan culture and a testament to the harmonious coexistence of the plateau people and nature.
As dusk falls, the steam from the hot spring blends with the twilight, and the distant snow-capped mountains outline a silver silhouette on the horizon. Kaga Hot Spring continues to flow quietly, soothing the hearts of every visitor with its warm waters, telling the eternal stories of faith, life, and heritage on the plateau.