The Chig bdag Organization of Rkang tsha Herding Community, Mtsho shar (Haidong) City, Mtsho sngon (Qinghai) Province, PR China

Rkang tsha Village limits the number of livestock and moves seasonally to maintain pasture quality. Village leaders establish organizations such as the tshod 'dzin rga po and CB to manage the village. The tshod 'dzin rga po limits each community member to fifty sheep, thirteen yaks, or nine horses. To enforce this, they visit each family once a year to monitor livestock numbers. If the livestock exceeds what is allowed, the family is fined 5,000 RMB. Since the local monastery re-established the CB organization in 1983, the organization has worked with the community, managing seasonal migration, protecting seasonal pastures, and sponsoring local religious rituals. They also establish principles and rules for themselves. For example, when the community moved to the summer pasture from the spring pasture, they set rules such as ru chig 'migration rules', rtswa chig 'grazing rules', and phyi chig 'rules for neighbor herding communities'. Herders breaking these rules are fined cash, sheep, and dried cheese. They also take responsibility for the ten-day Zlog chen religious ritual, including camping on the grassland with several tents and serving the monks conducting the ritual. CB prepares lug sha sha khog and other food for Dbyar ston, a summer feast marking the end of dbyar gans. They also prepare lug sha sha khog for each high reincarnation bla ma during the Lo sar period. Community leaders offer 'tshams zhu'i and ask the reincarnation bla ma to specify the community's ritual that year. Overall, CB plays a crucial management role for Rkang tsha Herding Community.