Villagers reap a golden harvest

The altitude cap for farmland in China is 4,750 meters, and the altitude here is close to this limit. Endowed with the unique location, Ombu abounds with highland barley. It is also a reason behind such a vast field of highland barley, rarely seen in northern Tibet. In late autumn, the highland barley on the northern Tibetan Plateau has ripened, and the villagers in South Ombu begin their busy harvesting season.

The herdsmen who seed the land or the farmers engaged in animal husbandry are called samadro in Tibetan, which means half farming and half pastoralism. However, the uniqueness of South Ombu village lies in the imprint of its Zhang Zhung culture that has lasted for thousands of years. Zhang Zhung, or Xang Xung, was an ancient culture and kingdom of western and northwestern Tibet, which predates the culture of Tibetan Buddhism. Zhang Zhung culture is associated with the Bon religion, which in turn, has influenced the philosophies and practices of Tibetan Buddhism.