Xiangcheng is a county town in the far south of Ganzi Prefecture, sitting on the high road between western Sichuan and Yunnan. At around 3,000 metres it occupies a long valley that opens into wheat fields and traditional Tibetan villages, and its most striking visual feature is its vernacular architecture: large cubic houses with white-chalked exterior walls that give the valley an incongruous, almost North African quality against the surrounding peaks.
The town itself is small and unhurried. The main attraction within reach is Bsampeling Monastery, a recently constructed but traditionally designed complex on the hillside above the settlement, with monks' residences, Buddhist murals, and prayer flags strung across the approaches. It is active rather than touristic and the ¥15 admission goes directly to the monastery. The valley walk north toward traditional Tibetan settlements, past wheat terraces and stone walls, takes a few hours and requires no guide.
Xiangcheng matters most as a point on a route that few people take but that rewards those who do: the overland journey from Chengdu through western Sichuan down to Shangri-La in Yunnan. The bus connections exist — daily services to Kangding take 12 to 14 hours, and buses to Shangri-La run most mornings — but the roads are mountain roads and the journey times are real. This is not a place you reach by accident.
Accommodation is basic and inexpensive, ranging from dormitory beds to simple double rooms, most of which you will find along the main road. The restaurants are split between Muslim-run establishments and standard Chinese kitchens. If you are heading south toward Yunnan, Xiangcheng makes for a more interesting overnight stop than the alternatives, and the valley scenery the following morning, assuming clear weather, is considerable.