Towering, crystal-like, graceful, and elegant, Mt. four-sister is, in the mind of those who love it , a mystic and legendary place. The expression “the Oriental Sacred Mountain” is the highest commendation of tourists at home and abroad. Situated close to the State Highway 303, this snow-clad scenic area is a well-known tourist attraction. In 1994, it was listed as the State Key Place of Scenic Interest. Situated in Xiaojin County of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, With lofty snowcapped peaks and red leaves covering to mountains, this scenic area exhibits infinite charm and is known as the "Oriental Holy Mount".

Wolong

The Wolong Natural Reserve lies in the southwest of Wenchuan County of the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, 100 kilometers away from Chengdu. The Wolong Natural Reserve has unique geograhic features, complex landforms, beautiful scenery, a pleasant climate and fresh, sweet air. It possesses many natural landscapes such as lofty mountains and deep valleys, flying waterfalls and spring-waters, glaciers and snowcapped peaks, highland meadows and primitive forests, exotic flowers and rare plants, sunrise and sea of clouds. Research shows that there are over 100 giant pandas in this area. They account for about 10% of the total Panda popjlation. Of the giant pandas propagated by artificial method, 45 are on this reserve and make up one third of the artificially propagated animals of Wolong.

Songzhou Ancient City

Songzhou Ancient City is a famous ancient historic and cultural city under state protection, an important strategic place since the Qin dynasty (1379A.D) by a general who was called Gaoxian, on the basic town of Tang Dynasty. In recent years, the ancient wall has been rebuilt, emerging the original of ancient time.

Traveling in Aba Prefecture you can also see the followings as you see in Tibet:

Swastika

The swastika is an ancient symbol of Buddhism and is ofter found painted on house to brig good luck. Swastikas that points clockwise are Buddhist’ those point anticlockwise are Bon.

Sun & Moon

Another popular protective motif that is painted on houses, the sun and moon symbolize complementary opposites, in the form of wisdom and compassion.

Prayer Flags

Strips of colorful cloth printed with Buddhist sutras are strung up at the top of passes, near streams and on houses to purify the air and pacify the gods. When the flags flutter, prayers are thought to be released to the heavens. The colors are highly symbolic-red, green, yellow, blue and white, represent of fire, wood earth, water and iron.

Prayer wheels

Prayer wheels, which range from the hand-held variety to huge water-powered version, are filled with up to a mile of prayers’ the prayers are “recited” with each revolution of the wheel. A wheel can be the size of a fist or a small building and can be powered by hand, water, wind or even hot air (in the case of cylinders made form paper and suspend over a hot flame). Koras(pilgrimage paths) are lined with prayer wheel’ circumambulating pilgrims spin the wheels to gain merit and to concentrate the mind on the mantras and prayers they are reciting.

Wind Horse

The wind horse, or longda, is the main symbol found on prayers flags. The horse carries the Three Jewels of Buddhism (the Buddha dharma and sangha) on his back and carries prayers to the heavens.

Mani Stones

Main stones are carved with sutras as an act of merit and placed in long walls, often hundreds of meters long at holy sites.

Skull Drum

A skull is a small double-sided hand drum traditionally made from two halves of a skull covered in leather.

Yak-Butter Tea

Bo cha, literally tea, is unlikely to be a highlight of your trip to the Tibetan area. Mad from yak butter mixed with salt, milk, soda, tea leaves and hot water all churned up in a wooden tube, the soupy mixture has more the consistency of bouillon than of tea(one traveler described it as a cross between brewed old socks and sump oil!). When mixed with tsampa(roasted-barley flour)and yak butter it becomes eh staple meal of most Tibetans and you may well be offered it at monasteries, people’s houses! At most restaurants you mercifully have the option of drinking sweet milky tea, but there will be times when you just have to be polite and down a cupful of Bo cha (without gagging). Most nomads think nothing of drinking up to 40 cups of the stuff a day. At least it stops your lips from cracking.

Lifestyle

Formerly a nomadic people, now most Qiang farm and engage in animal husbandry. Previously, they practiced slash and burn farming. Their diet consists of millet, barley, potatoes, winter wheat and buckwheat. Agriculture is the mainstay of the nationality. The chief farm products include corns, wheat, highland barley, and a variety of beans. The white beans called Snow Mountain beans are the local specialty. The Qiang people also raise goats.