The decade-long contruction of Cizhong Cathedral (Cízhōng Tiānzhǔ Jiàotáng, 茨中天主教堂) by the Langcan River (Láncāng Jiāng, 澜沧江; known as the Mekong when it flows into Vietnam) began in 1909. It was built by French missionaries who brought Christianity with them to the region at the end of the 19th century and is one of few churches in Tibet to have survived the Cultural Revolution.

Some Tibetans converted to Christianity from Buddhism and passed down the tradition to present generations. Every Saturday and Sunday, Catholics from Tibetan, Naxi, Han and Li villages pray here in the Tibetan dialect. In Cizhong (Cízhōng, 茨中) alone, there are over 400 believers out of the 1,000 or so people who live here.

The Cizhong Cathedral's architecture is influenced by typical Han and Tibetan folk art. Located among the remote mountain ranges and valleys, the cathedral is a witness to the blend of the cultures and traditions that exist here.

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