On the 80-kilometer journey from Nangqian County to Gaer Temple, Baizha Salt Field is a must. Nangqian County, Qinghai Province is located in the famous "Three Rivers Metallogenic Belt" in China. Due to the special geological structure, brine salt reserves are abundant. It has a history of mining for thousands of years and is in the state of simple traditional workshops.
Chaka Salt Lake in Qinghai has become an "Internet celebrity" attraction in recent years because of its title of "China's Sky Mirror". But most people may not know that there is also a spring salt production area in the south of Qinghai Province. It has a very long history and the salt pan landscape formed fascinates the viewers. It is Nangqian County, which belongs to Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
The salt produced by local residents is mainly sold to remote Tibetan-inhabited areas in Qamdo, Tibet, western Sichuan, and northwestern Yunnan. From ancient times to the present, the salt field has always provided convenience and guarantee for the local and surrounding farmers and herdsmen to use salt for humans and animals.
Starting from Nangqian County and heading south about 45 kilometers, you can reach Baizha Salt Field, which is the most representative salt field in Nangqian County and also the salt field with the highest salt production quality. I saw that the salt field covers an area of about 50 mu, and the salt fields are distributed at the foot of the mountain like a chessboard.
The Baizha Salt Farm is located on the Dana River. Standing on the small bridge, looking from the left and right sides, the square shape is like the salt bed of the paddy field, and you can’t see the side at a glance; walking up the mountain along the path, you can see circular shapes of different sizes. The salt beds spread out along the mountain, layer upon layer, and you can't see the edge at a glance.
Abundant brine salt reserves, ancient traditional crafts, local villagers regularly introduce brine from springs into terraced salt fields all over the hillside, and salt is made by natural crystallization of brine after being exposed to wind and sun.
The Baizha Ancient Salt Field is very rich in brine salt reserves, with a history of mining for thousands of years. It has been exported to Tibet, India, Nepal and other places, occupying a very important position in Tibetan areas.
The craftsmanship here is primitive and ancient. Looking at these crude facilities, it is impossible to imagine how the highest quality salt is produced in Tibetan areas.
At present, the salt-making technology of these salt fields still maintains the ancient traditional Tibetan craftsmanship, and the salt produced is basically free from pollution. After the brine evaporates naturally for seven or eight days, there are only white or red salt grains left, which are spread in a thick layer.
April and May in spring and September and October in autumn are the seasons for drying salt. Every season, the workers of the salt field introduce the salt water from the salt spring into the terraced salt ponds below. After the salt water evaporates naturally in the salt ponds for seven or eight days, a thick layer of white or red salt grains remains.
There are still 8 similar ancient salt fields in Nangqian, and the soil salt of Baizha Salt Field is said to be the best salt in the territory. The salt pools in the salt field reflect different colors from different angles, which are as beautiful as watercolor paintings, which are breathtaking.
The salt produced in the saltworks has a good taste. This kind of red salt also has the function of curing diseases, especially for gastrointestinal diseases. Even cattle and sheep can cure dysentery after eating it. It has been exported to Tibet, India, Nepal and other places. Tibetan areas occupy a very important position.
