| Sêrtar County | |
| Other Name: | Serthar, Sêrda, Seda |
| Postal Code: | 626600 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Settlement Type: | County |
| Coordinates: | 32.2681°N 100.3327°W |
| Pushpin Map: | Sichuan#China |
| Pushpin Label: | Sêrtar |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the seat in Sichuan |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | China |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Sichuan |
| Subdivision Type2: | Autonomous prefecture |
| Subdivision Name2: | Garzê |
| Seat Type: | County seat |
| Seat: | Sêrkog (Seke) |
| Area Code: | 0836 |
| Area Total Km2: | 9338.98 |
| Population Total: | 64681 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Blank1: | Tibetan, Han, Salar, Hui |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Major nationalities |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Elevation M: | 4127 |
| Timezone: | China Standard |
| Utc Offset: | +8 |
| S: | 色达县 |
| T: | 色達縣 |
| P: | Sèdá Xiàn |
| Tib: | or |
| Wylie: | gser-thar rdzong or gser rta rdzong |
| Zwpy: | Sêrtar Zong or Sêrda Zong |
| Order: | st |
Sêrtar County or Serthar County (;) is a county in the northwest of Sichuan Province, China, bordering Qinghai province to the north. It is one of the 18 counties under the administration of the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, covering some 9,340 square kilometres. Sêrtar, which means "golden freedom" in Tibetan, lies in the southeast of the Tibetan Plateau and in the historical region of Kham. The vast majority of the population is Tibetan, followed by Han Chinese.
Sêrtar comprises 17 towns and 66 villages. It is home to the Larung Gar Buddhist Institute, the largest Tibetan Buddhist institute in the world. The institute, which was founded by lama Jigme Phuntsok in 1980 and started off with just a few monks, now houses tens of thousands of monks and pilgrims from around the world,[2] which constitute the vast majority of the Sêrtar population. Most monks spend six to 13 years completing their training. The institute, divided into two main segments and spread over just a few square kilometres, is located in a valley and around 15 kilometres from the town of Sêrtar. A permit is occasionally required for non-Chinese nationals to enter the institute.
Sêrtar is remotely located and requires more than half a day's driving if travelling from Chengdu via Maerkang. It is also possible to travel from Xining, the capital of Qinghai. Sêrtar is at an altitude of around 4,100 metres above sea level. Temperatures range from 30 degrees Celsius in the summer and -25 degrees Celsius in the winter.
Sêrtar is one of the places in Sichuan that witnesses occasional acts of self-immolation, usually carried out by Tibetans. For instance, in February 2012, three herders set themselves on fire, purportedly in protest.[3] On 26 November 2012, a monk allegedly self-immolated in front of the golden horse statue in Larung Gar.[4] The supposedly political motivation behind these acts, however, has always been disputed by the Chinese government.[5]
As many of the houses in Larung Gar are made of wood, they present a constant fire hazard. On the evening of 10 January 2014, a fire broke out in Larung Gar, burning down more than a dozen structures and requiring 450 rescue workers to respond to the scene; however, there were no serious casualties.[6]
Sêrtar County is divided into 5 towns and 11 townships.
| Name | Simplified Chinese | Hanyu Pinyin | Tibetan | Wylie | Administrative division code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Towns | ||||||
| Sêrkog Town (Seke) | Chinese: 色柯镇 | 513333100 | ||||
| Bomda Town (Wungda, Wengda) | Chinese: 翁达镇 | 513333101 | ||||
| Nubsur Town (Larung, Luoruo) | Chinese: 洛若镇 | 513333102 | ||||
| Nyidoi Town (Niduo) | Chinese: 泥朵镇 | 513333103 | ||||
| Gyaxoi Town (Jiaxue) | Chinese: 甲学镇 | 513333104 | ||||
| Townships | ||||||
| Kêgor Township (Keguo) | Chinese: 克果乡 | 513333201 | ||||
| Ragzham Township (Razham, Ranchong) | Chinese: 然充乡 | 513333202 | ||||
| Kainlêb Township (Karlêb, Kangle) | Chinese: 康勒乡 | 513333203 | ||||
| Darcang Township (Dazhang) | Chinese: 大章乡 | 513333204 | ||||
| Dagzê Township (Daze) | Chinese: 大则乡 | 513333205 | ||||
| Yarlung Township (Yalong) | Chinese: 亚龙乡 | 513333206 | ||||
| Qogcang Township (Tazi) | Chinese: 塔子乡 | 513333207 | ||||
| Nyainlung Township (Nianlong) | Chinese: 年龙乡 | 513333208 | ||||
| Horxü Township (Huoxi) | Chinese: 霍西乡 | 513333210 | ||||
| Xêchub Township (Xuri) | Chinese: 旭日乡 | 513333211 | ||||
| Yanggo Township (Yangge) | Chinese: 杨各乡 | 513333212 | ||||