Kham is one of the three traditional provinces of Tibet. The local people are called Khampas. The kingdoms and tribal confederations of East Tibet, nomadic or sedentary, have been shaped by this vast and formidable terrain. Since the disintegration of the Tibetan Empire following the demise of King Langdarma, for most of their history, they have fiercely maintained their independence from Lhasa, China, and indeed from each other.
Among them, the most critical states in Kham were the five kingdoms ruled by hereditary kings (Gyalpo); Chakla, Derge, Nangchen, Lingtsang, and Lhato. Some states were ruled by hereditary chieftains (Ponpo); Drango, Kangsar, Mazur, Trewo, and Beri. The diverse grassland of the southern states of Kham is also ruled by chieftains.
Currently, the Kham region covers a land area distributed between five provinces of China and most of it in Tibet Autonomous Region and Sichuan Province, with smaller portions located in Qinghai Province and Yunnan Province.
Khampas are primarily nomads, traders, and farmers. They speak the Tibetan Khampa dialect, and within the different parts of Kham, regions speak local Khampa dialects. The people of Kham are alleged warriors legendary for their marksmanship and horsemanship. Some of the most famous horse festivals are observed around the Kham region.
Some of the most famous ancient trading sites and influential historical regions in Kham are known as the five kingdoms of Kham. Traditionally, it connects central Tibet and mainland China. So, Khampas played a significant role in trading, and Dharzi Dho, Jegu Dho, and —- were the most famous trading sites in Kham Region. There were located along the ancient trading route, Tea Horse Road.
Kham presents a fantastic contrast to the landscape of the Brahmaputra valley and is characterized by highly rugged mountains in parallel ranges extending from northwest to southeast, broken by bottomless alpine gorges. The narrow and rocky ranges, with steep slopes, sharp ridges, and high-altitude nomadic grassland. Glaciers cover some peaks.
Kham region is famous for its beautiful scenic landscapes, densely forested with grass plains. Kham region’s convergence of six valleys and four major rivers perfectly describes the geographical feature of Kham.
The climate is milder here than in West Tibet and Central Tibet, owing to the penetration of monsoon winds and precipitation from Southeast Asia. Yet the incredible ruggedness of the terrain contributes to localized climatic diversity.
The average winter in the Kham region is from the end of November to mid-April, with temperatures falling from -30 to -10 degrees Celsius. The spring starts from mid-April to mid-June, and the temperature falls from -15 to 10 degrees Celsius. The summer begins from mid-June to early September, and temperatures drop from 10 to 20 degrees Celsius. It receives abundant rainfall in summer. The Autumn season starts from mid-September to mid-November, and the temperature falls from -15 to 5 degrees Celsius.
