Across the river, on its eastern bank is the settlement of PipitangШаблон:Efn
(Шаблон:Zh), which was described as a flourishing Chinese village in the 19th century. The village got emptied during the period of Tibet's independence (1912–1951).Шаблон:Sfn It is now repopulated.
Chema and Pipitang are four miles to the south of Yatung (Shasima). The track from the Nathu La pass met the Amo Chu valley here, while the track from the Jelep La pass also joined here via Rinchengang.Шаблон:Sfn At the present time, the Yanai Road (Шаблон:Zh) runs along this route to Nathu La.[2]
In December 1903, British travel writer Laurence Waddell passed through Chema on his way to Lhasa and described it as follows:Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Blockquote
His description continued with that of Pipitang:Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Blockquote
During the period 1894–1903, when a British Indian trade mart was opened at Old Yatung near Rinchengang, all the villages in the Chumbi valley were involved with the India–Tibet trade. Pipithang also had many Chinese officials and a yamen for handling passports and foreign visitors. Ekai Kawaguchi describes the elaborate procedures devised by the Tibetan and Chinese administration for traders visiting India.Шаблон:Sfn The senior Chinese official of the yamen was called Popon.
During 1904–1908, when the Chumbi Valley came under the administration of the British per the Convention of Lhasa, the Chinese continued to use Pipithang as their base, and attempted to act as if they were still controlling the Chumbi Valley.Шаблон:Sfn After 1911 Xinhai Revolution and the Dalai Lama's declaration of independence, all Chinese nationals were forced to leave Tibet. The village of Pipitang was deserted and said to have been in ruins in 1919.Шаблон:Sfn A British report in 1940 said that the all the houses except one were washed away in a flood.[3]
