The Auspicious Gateway to the Sky City: Litang East City Gate and the Echoes of the Tea Horse Road

The Stone Sentinel of the "Sky City"

Standing majestically on the eastern edge of the Litang basin in Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, the Litang East City Gate (also known as the Letong East Gate) is a profound symbol of history etched into the high-altitude landscape. Situated at an elevation of approximately 4,100 meters, this ancient stone structure serves as the historic entrance to the "City in the Sky." Unlike the polished gates of lowland palaces, the East City Gate presents a rugged, primitive beauty: its cyan-grey stone walls are mottled with age, and the archway is adorned with fluttering prayer flags and piles of Mani stones. Facing the rising sun and overlooking the winding Wuliang River (Boundless River) and the distant, snow-capped Genyen Holy Mountain, the gate stands as a silent witness to centuries of caravans, warriors, and pilgrims who have passed beneath its arch,.

A Fortress of the Qing Dynasty and the Tea Horse Road

1.The history of the East City: Gate is a saga of border defense and trade. Originally a strategic checkpoint between the Tang Empire and the Tubo Kingdom, the current structure traces its roots to the Qing Dynasty. In 1718 (the 57th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign), Qing troops built a fortified city here to stabilize the Kham region against Dzungar invasions. The East Gate, built with thick stone masonry reaching over a meter in depth, became the primary entrance and a vital military lookout. During the Qianlong era, it was further strengthened and inscribed with the Han and Tibetan phrase "East Welcomes Auspiciousness" (Dong Ying Ji Xiang), symbolizing the hope for peace and prosperity. As a crucial node on the Tea Horse Road, it watched over mule caravans trading tea for horses, serving as both a defensive bastion and a bustling commercial checkpoint.

Legends of Heroes and Poets

Culturally, the gate is steeped in the folklore of the Muya Tibetan people. Legend has it that this was a battlefield where the epic hero King Gesar fought demons, and the gate is seen as a "Gate of Guardian" ensuring the safety of the Ling Kingdom's descendants. It is also romantically linked to Tsangyang Gyatso, the 6th Dalai Lama. Born near Litang, his poetry is said to echo in the winds here, and many lovers visit the gate to toss white ceremonial scarves (Khata) and pray for eternal love, believing the gate to be a place of spiritual inspiration. In the modern era, the gate witnessed the entry of the People's Liberation Army in the 1950s during the construction of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, marking a new chapter of unity between the Han and Tibetan peoples,.

A Photographer's Highland Frame

For travelers and photographers, the East City Gate offers a composition of striking contrast and depth. It is widely regarded as the best preserved of the ancient gates in Litang. Visitors can climb the remnants of the city wall to gain a commanding panoramic view. To the east, the sun rises over the vast Maoya grassland; to the west, the golden roofs of the Changqing Chunke'er Monastery shine against the mountain backdrop. The interplay of light and shadow at sunrise and sunset turns the weathered stone walls into gold, while the river valley below offers a serene picture of grazing yaks and drifting clouds. It is a place where the "Highland Aesthetics" of rugged stone meets the spiritual softness of prayer flags, offering a deep sense of historical continuity and silence,.