Kangding [Tatsienlu] in 1929

kangding view, originally uploaded by jiulong.

This is a view of old Kangding, taken in 1929. At that time, the Christian church was one of the most prominent buildings. Even then Kangding was a key meeting place for Han and Tibetan cultures, and boasted a British consulate - no doubt due to the trade links between British India, Tibet and China.

Despite his antipathy to western missionaries, Joseph Rock stayed at the Kangding Christian Mission on his visit from Lijiang in 1929. He had travelled via the Yalong canyon and Minya Konka [Gongga Shan], and rested in Kangding for a few weeks before making the long return trip.