"Hongyuan and surrounding area" Sichuan Sheng by nattybabe

Set on the banks of the Bai He (Kar-chu) River (a tributary of the great Yellow River), the town of Hongyuan is set in a grassy, marshland area. It earned its name which means "Red Plains" after the Chinese Communist Army made its gruelling passage through the outlying quagmire during its famous Long March in 1934.

With its temple, several markets, restaurants, movie theatre, school, good shopping area, plus post and PSB offices, Hongyuan serves as a meeting point and trade area for the outlying areas that feature two very large monasteries and several temples.

We only stopped for lunch here on the way through but it's a great town to stock up on needed supplies before heading back into the wilderness.

I researched these but was unable to go. Here is the information I collated:

Housing some 1,500 monks and set in the grasslands 25km northeast of Hongyuan, the Mewa Gompa is of the Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism. It was built in honour of Longchen Rabjampa, the 14th century scholar who laid the foundations of the Nyingmapa teachings.

Amchok Gompa is another great Gelukpa monastery that houses approximately 1,000 monks. The 4th Amchok Rinpoche, the incarnate monastery lama in exile has often in the past been permitted to return from time to time by the Chinese Government. It is located about 30kms to the south of the village.

The small Gungthang Temple at Longrang, about 2kms north, functions not only as a place of worship for locals, but also a kind of summer villa for the lama at the Labrang Monastery.

Lying at an altitude of 3500m above sea level the Thangkor Grasslands is situated along the banks of the Yellow Rover (Machu) between Tatsang Lhamo (Langmusi) and Mewa (Hongyuan). This vast expanse of grassy plains is a unique and beautiful place, home to 6,000 Tibetan nomads wrapped in their traditional chubas and tsarers grazing yak herds.

July to September is the best time to visit (although in May when I went it is beautiful as well) when the plains are at their greenest and when the wild flowers are in full bloom and local festivals are held.