Zhagana village in Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Gansu province, was named Best Tourism Village of 2023 by the United Nations World Tourism Organization on Oct 18. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Zhagana village in Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Gansu province, was recently named Best Tourism Village of 2023 by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

The village has also been designated as a globally important agricultural and cultural heritage site by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Zhagana, which means "stone box" in the Tibetan language, is located at an altitude of 3,000 to 3,300 meters and is surrounded by mountains, with the highest peak reaching 4,500 meters. The steep mountains and Tibetan-style houses constitute a "grand stone palace" or an ancient city constructed by natural rock walls.

It has changed from a closed mountainous village to a scenic spot where tourists can enjoy a slow and leisurely life.