Housing project improves grassland life at winter pastures in Xizang

This photo taken on Nov. 5, 2023 shows yaks at a pasture in Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

The county of Damxung, meaning "carefully selected pasture" in Tibetan language, is located at the southern foothill of the Nyainqentanglha Range, with an average elevation of about 4,200 meters.

Each September, 33-year-old villager Yonten and other herders migrate north to the lower winter pastures, to escape from the extreme cold and oxygen deficit on the plateau.

With the implementation of the housing project for farmers and herders in Xizang in recent years, shelters made of brick and stone, movable board houses that have replaced yak hair tents, along with the upgraded facilities of electricity and water supply, have made grassland life much easier at the winter pastures.

As the owner of more than 100 yaks and over 200 sheep, Yonten's annual income is expected to reach 110,000 yuan (about 15,086 U.S. dollars) this year.

A herdswoman makes dairy food at a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Nov. 10, 2023.(Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

A boy helps his mother make cow dung cakes to be used as heating fuel at a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Nov. 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

Yonten's father checks the number of his sheep at a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Nov. 10, 2023. (Photo by Tenzin Nyida/Xinhua)

A herdswoman is pictured at a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Nov. 10, 2023. (Photo by Tenzin Nyida/Xinhua)

Yonten keeps watch over his sheep at a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Nov. 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

A herdswoman makes cow dung cakes to be used as heating fuel at a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Nov. 10, 2023.(Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

This photo taken on Nov. 10, 2023 shows a winter pasture at night in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

Yonten dusts the solar panels at a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Nov. 10, 2023.(Xinhua/Sun Fei)

A herdswoman slices beef for her son at a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Nov. 10, 2023.(Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

This aerial photo taken on Nov. 10, 2023 shows a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.(Photo by Tenzin Nyida/Xinhua)

This aerial photo taken on Nov. 11, 2023 shows a pasture in Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.(Xinhua/Sun Fei)

Yonten's wife milks a yak at a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Nov. 10, 2023.(Photo by Tenzin Nyida/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Nov. 10, 2023 shows a pasture in Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.(Photo by Tenzin Nyida/Xinhua)

A herdswoman walks with a dog at a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Nov. 10, 2023. (Photo by Tenzin Nyida/Xinhua)

Yonten's wife (R) boils water at a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Nov. 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

Yonten keeps watch over his sheep at a winter pasture in Dabug Village of Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Nov. 10, 2023. (Photo by Tenzin Nyida/Xinhua)