Malkang in late autumn is vast and far-reaching,
From Ningde, Fujian at 26 degrees, to Aba in Sichuan at 2 degrees,
I flew for 3 hours. Another 7 hours in the car,
More than two thousand kilometers of clouds and moon,
This time I came to Aba Malkang,
Just to find the dust in the works of the Tibetan writer Alai.
The quaint Jiarong dwellings, the blooming Gesang flowers,
Towering ancient watchtowers, circling eagles,
When I stood on the highest viewing platform of Kepantian Street and looked up,
The picture in front of me is full of rich Jiarong Tibetan style and chieftain culture, which makes me feel a lot of emotion.
[About Malkang's itinerary]
DAY1 Departs from Chengdu in the morning, arrives at Maerkang after 7 hours by car, walks through Zhuoerji Chieftain's official village, visits Sanlang Luoerwu, the inheritor of Thangka intangible heritage, and stays at Maerkang Jiarong Hotel.
DAY 2 Go to Alai's former residence in the morning, lunch at Maomuchu Village, Suomo Township at noon, go to Kepantian Street in the afternoon, visit the inheritors of Tibetan incense non-heritage, and participate in the award ceremony of the 2020 Malkang 2nd Alai Poetry Festival Original Competition in the evening.
DAY3 Return to Chengdu.
【About pre-departure preparation】
1. Malkang is a high-altitude area. It is recommended that you do a good job of health assurance before departure. Don’t catch a cold. Even though it is late autumn, the ultraviolet rays are still strong, so bring sunscreen and sunglasses. It is best to choose 50 times sun protection. If you are going out with motion sickness, remember to bring motion sickness medicine, and cool oil to prevent mosquito bites. Band-aid cold medicine is also a must.
2. Because the journey from Chengdu to Malkang will be relatively long, everyone remembers to bring a neck pillow. It is very convenient to eat on the road, so don’t worry about it.
3. On the road of travel, remember to wear clothes with brighter colors, which will look better when taking pictures. Especially Kepantian Street, it is very nice to take pictures.
5. The necessary camera equipment, camera and mobile phone tripod will add color to your travel notes. What I bring here is a DJI drone, Sony A7R2 and an Apple XR mobile phone. There is also a power bank is a must.
One Chieftain's official village
Aba in Sichuan in late autumn is warm and bright. In October, when the breeze is not dry, you can walk into the Zhuokeji chieftain village in Aba and walk into an ancient historical story. This place has witnessed the vicissitudes of Aba for hundreds of years. The wooden four-story blockhouse was first built in 1718 during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. There have been countless stories about Aba's chieftain culture.
Walking along the stone steps, we came to Zhuokeji chieftain's official village. The cottage is located in Xisuo Village, Zhuokeji Town, 7 kilometers away from Malkang County. , in the years when the transportation was underdeveloped, this was the only way for Jiarong Tibetan area to go east to Wenchuan and enter the mainland.
Zhuokeji Chieftain's official village is a pure wooden structure with brightly colored wooden buildings. It looks pleasing to the eye, and the old tones glow with the luster of the years. This is the largest building in Malkang, and it is also a must-see place for tourists to visit Malkang.
The ancient buildings reflect the long past of a city. Zhuo Keji Chieftain’s official village was creatively designed and organized by Suo Guanying, the last chieftain. The building is very classical, integrating the exquisite architectural art of the Tibetan and Han peoples. Exquisite wooden doors and windows , we can still see the ingenuity of the year.
Every room here is arranged according to the layout of the year, and the simplicity reveals a strong Tibetan style. It was praised by Salisbury, editor-in-chief of the famous American writer "New York Times" as "a pearl in the history of oriental architecture". ". This is also the original story of the work "Dust Settled" by the famous Jiarong writer Alai who won the Contradictory Literature Award and the location of the TV series. In 2005, it was listed as one of the top 100 red classic tourist attractions in the country.
In 1935, the Red Sixth Regiment of the Central Red Army crossed Mengbi Mountain and entered the Zhuokeji area on June 24. The old site of the Zhuokeji meeting in Guanzhai is still displayed as it is.
Around June 30, 1935, the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China led the main force of the First Front Army to leave Lianghekou and march northward. They crossed the second snow mountain (Mengbi Mountain) on the Long March and arrived at Zhuokeji Town on July 1. The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held here, and the leaders attended the meeting here and rested here for a week.
On July 3, 1935, the leaders of the central government entered Tusi Guanzhai. On the same day, a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee was held in the "Tusi Council Hall" to discuss issues related to ethnic minority areas. Suo Guanying, the chieftain of Guanzhai, is familiar with the Four Books and Five Classics, and can speak Chinese fluently. The Shujin Tower in Guanzhai has a large collection of Tibetan and Chinese classics. When you come to visit, you must come here.
The Guanzhai buildings we see today are reproduced later, and can be divided into four exhibition areas. The Jiarong culture exhibition area is mainly concentrated on the first floor and some buildings on the fourth floor, which are divided into kitchen, prayer flag room, and Sheji room. There are 12 exhibition halls, including , silver hall, brewing room, and clothing room. We can take a closer look and feel the exquisiteness and thickness of the chieftain culture.
The mottled light and shadow make the ancient furniture glow with the warm luster of the years. The stories that once happened here have disappeared in the dust and smoke of history. Zhuokeji Chieftain's official village is large in scale and fine in structure, almost including the essence of Jiarong Tibetan architectural art. It is a model of the high integration of Tibetan and Han architectural art, and it is also a historical witness of the rise and fall of the chieftain system and the arduous Long March spirit of the Red Army.
Shuttle among the antique buildings, time seems to be still, the building is the yearbook of the times, when the songs and music disappear, the ancient buildings are still silently telling the story of the past, passing through the smoke and dust of the years, timeless, it is worth our deep thinking .
2 Visit Thangka intangible heritage inheritors
That night, I listened to Sanskrit singing all night, not for enlightenment, but just to find a trace of your breath. Regarding Thangka, I always feel that it is full of mysterious atmosphere. This painting art, known as the Tibetan encyclopedia, has a distinctive National characteristics, strong religious color and unique artistic style have always existed like a mystery in my heart, until I walked into Aba and Malkang this time, and came into contact with Thangka for the first time.
Maerkang Painting Pavilion, along the Tibetan-style wooden stairs, I walked into the studio of Saburo Luo Erwu, the inheritor of Aba Intangible Cultural Heritage, to find out what kind of time polishing and careful painting a thangka will experience. Such a beautiful gesture unfolds in front of our eyes.
Many people have never been in contact with Thangka. When I walked into the studio of Saburo Luo Erwu, the inheritor of Aba Intangible Cultural Heritage, and looked at the colorful Thangka and various pigments, I was also full of curiosity. Thang-ga (Thang-ga), also known as Tangga, is a transliteration of Tibetan, referring to religious scroll paintings that are mounted in colorful satin and hung for worship. Thangka is a unique art form of painting in Tibetan culture. The subject matter involves many fields such as Tibetan history, politics, culture and social life. Most of the Thangkas handed down are works of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon religion.
When I came to the studio at two o'clock, Sanlang Luoerwu, the inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, was painting with great care. Sanlang Luoerwu was very fond of Thangka painting since he was a child. He began to learn Tibetan wall painting from the old artists in the village when he was 9 years old. While doing chores for them, add some simple colors. Such as furniture, windows, doors and so on. After graduating from junior high school at the age of 15, he studied alone in Huangnanzhou, Haidong and other places in Tibetan areas to learn Thangka painting skills. This is eight years. During these eight years, Sanlang Luo Erwu learned different thangka painting styles, and also experienced the ups and downs of studying.
Everyone who likes Thangka has a great love for Thangka art. Traditional Thangka drawing has strict requirements and extremely complicated procedures. A complete set of technological procedures such as canvas making, composition drafting, coloring and dyeing, line drawing and shaping, gold and silver painting, eye opening, sewing and mounting, etc. It takes a long time to make a Thangka.
Thangka is colorful and is a unique painting art form in Tibetan culture. With distinctive national characteristics, strong religious color and unique artistic style, the pigments are traditionally all made of precious mineral gemstones such as gold, silver, pearl, agate, coral, turquoise, malachite, cinnabar, saffron, rhubarb, indigo, etc. Plants are used as pigments to show their sacredness.
Looking at the various paints in front of me, I can see why the value of a thangka is so high. Painting a thangka requires not only a lot of noble paints, but also time and participation. Patience and perseverance.
There are several completed thangkas in the studio. Appreciate them carefully. The color of the thangkas is bright and dazzling. Because of the special pigments, these thangkas will still maintain their bright and bright colors even after hundreds of years. Therefore, it is known as a treasure of Chinese national painting art, and is called the "encyclopedia" of Tibetans. The intangible cultural heritage at the fingertips allows us to see the power of time.
This time I met Sanlang Luo Erwu, the inheritor of Aba Intangible Cultural Heritage. Under his guidance, I learned how to hold a pen and how to fill in a little bit of color. Only then did I realize that it takes a lot of patience and patience to calm down and do something. love.
It takes a long time to draw a thangka, which can be as short as half a year and as long as more than ten years. The spirit of Chinese ingenuity is often reflected in the details.
Three Alai's former residence
From Ningde, Fujian, which is 26 degrees, to Aba, Sichuan, which is 2 degrees, I flew for 3 hours. After another 7 hours of driving, more than 2,000 kilometers of clouds and moons, this time I came to Aba Malkang, and I came to Alai’s former residence. This is the hometown of Alai, a Tibetan writer who I have admired for a long time. The rich national cultural heritage and architectural features have inspired the famous writer Alai.
Alai's former residence is located in Matang Village, Suomo Township, Malkang City. In Malkang in October, rape blossoms are just in bloom. Across the flower field, a three-story Jiarong residence with white stone and red tiles is the place where Teacher Alai was born and grew up.
Teacher Alai, born in Malkang City, Aba, Sichuan Province, is a famous contemporary writer and the chairman of Sichuan Writers Association. In 2000, his first novel "Dust Settled" won the fifth Mao Dun Literature Award. He is the youngest winner (41 years old) and the first Tibetan writer to win the award in history. Teacher Alai's writing captures the conflict and tension between Tibetan Buddhism and modernity in the Jiarong Tibetan area, and objectively describes the actual appearance of religion in the face of modernity.
Alai’s old residence is similar to Jiarong’s traditional residence. In the study room on the third floor, there is a Western-style bed that doesn’t match the Tibetan style. According to reports, although Alai seldom lives at home, his family still prepared a big bed for him in case of emergency. Now Teacher Alai’s younger brother is taking care of the old residence, which is rich in Tibetan-style buildings. Many photos are hung on the walls of the old residence, showing the growth experience and honor of Teacher Alai.
I think most people who like literature have read the novel Dust Falling to Earth. The novel describes a prominent Kham Tibetan chieftain who gave birth to a foolish son with a Han wife after drinking. This fool, whom everyone thinks is incompatible with real life, but he has premonitions and behaviors that are beyond the times, and has become a witness to the rise and fall of the chieftain system. The novel shows the unique Tibetan customs and the romance and mystery of the chieftain system. All the sources of inspiration and creation come from the land of Malkang.
Teacher Alai's pride in Malkang, he is also proud of this affectionate land and rich culture. On November 19, 2018, Alai led experts from seven countries to carry out the "Foreign Famous Artists' Hometown Tour of Alai" in Malkang Gathering” activities. During the event, the experts successively visited Changlie Temple, Songgang Tianjie, Zhibo Diaoqun, Aba Prefecture Museum, Alai’s Former Residence and Zhuo Keji Official Village/
Teacher Alai gave a detailed introduction to the history and culture of each scenic spot, the production, life and folk customs of the place for the scholars who came from afar. Maerkang's beautiful mountains and rivers, deep river valleys, charming scenery, simple folk customs, and rich Jiarong Tibetan culture left a deep and beautiful impression on the experts.
Today's former residence of Alai still maintains a simple state. The quaint buildings in the wilderness are under the green hills, and it has become a must-see place for many literature lovers who come to Malkang.
4 Kepantian Street
Malkang in late autumn is vast and far-reaching. Driving along the winding and rugged mountain roads, I expect to arrive at a place called Kepantian Street in the quietest afternoon.
The quaint Jiarong dwellings, the blooming Gesang flowers, the towering ancient watchtowers, and the circling eagles, when I stand on the highest viewing platform of Kepantian Street and look up into the distance, the picture in front of me is full of rich The Jiarong Tibetan style and the atmosphere of the chieftain culture make people feel very emotional.
A Suomo River flows along the vast gorge. On both sides of the river, there are industrious and brave Tibetan people. Kepantian Street is located on the south bank of the Suomo River, Songgang Town, Malkang City. The highest point of Songgang Town was built. During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, it was known as the "Second Potala". It has a history of more than 800 years. What kind of stories have been bred here, attracting travel enthusiasts, poets and writers from all over the country, who have worked hard to find them here?
This is the second time I have come to Malkang. It is located at the southern end of the plateau in Northwest Sichuan, which belongs to the plateau canyon area. Malkang has many special tourist attractions, which are worthy of our understanding and appreciation. Kepantian Street is one of them.
The quaint Kepantian Street, through the stone gate, let's go to find the time stories belonging to Malkang. The scenic spot is located at the highest point of Songgang Town, Songgang Town, Songgang Town, Malkang City. There is a bit of deep-rooted chieftain culture here, Songgang Chieftain During the more than 1300 years, the chieftain (including chieftain) family has reproduced and succeeded for 25 generations. Kepantian Street is the site of Songgang chieftain's official village, which is the most representative Jiarong residential complex in Songgang Town.
The mountain road is winding, and when I came to Kepantian Street, I started to look for the landmark building here-Songgang Zhibo Ancient Fortress, which is the only watchtower of the national key cultural relics protection unit hand-picked by the country. It is mainly made of blue-gray small stones The Songgang Tusi Guanzhai site and the Jiarong residential buildings composed of blocks are the traditional residential buildings handed down by the Jiarong Tibetans.
Today's weather is a bit of a metaphor. The ancient watchtower stands silently between the sky and the earth. The watchtower has a long history. It was built in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. It is a stone and wood structure. The two watchtowers are 30 meters apart, and one of them, a 43-meter-high octagonal watchtower, has tilted 2.3 meters for more than half a century and has survived three major earthquakes. It is known as the Chinese version of the "Leaning Tower of Pisa".
The Jiarong area is known as the "Hometown of Thousands of Blockhouses", but there is only one watchtower protected as a national cultural relic. Therefore, when tourists come to Kepantian Street, they will immediately climb up the mountain to take pictures of the watchtower.
On the way to the watchtowers, we can take photos of the meandering Suomo River and the unique Dejiarong buildings, which are particularly spectacular against the backdrop of the majestic green hills.
Wearing a Tibetan costume, walking among the antique old buildings is especially suitable for the occasion. This is a suitable place to take some portrait photos of Tibetan costumes. If you stop at will, you will see the scenery.
Kepantian Street is known as the Second Potala Palace, which has a great relationship with the history here. According to records, the history of Songgang Tusi can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. The original official village was built on Panguo Liangzi, about During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, it was moved to the current site, and after expansion and renovation, two official villages, the old and the new, were formed. Cangwang Zaljia (ruled from 1720 to 1752) imitated the style of the Potala Palace and built large-scale construction projects to connect the two sides. The most".
I really like the feeling of walking in Tianjie, the Gesang flowers blooming everywhere, swaying gently with the breeze, the old houses, the wind chimes hanging under the eaves, and me who traveled thousands of miles, all became Part of Malkang's story, at this moment, there is no need to speak, no need to miss, the memory will freeze these beautiful things.
The Alai Bookstore on Kepantian Street is a favorite place for many tourists. If you are tired from walking, you can come to the Alai Bookstore to sit for a while. Here are the past of Kepantian Street and those lively stories. Recorded by writers with vivid writing, in a quiet environment, you can gain a deeper understanding of the past stories of Kepantian Street.
Kepan Tianjie has a viewing platform with excellent sightlines, which not only overlooks the whole Tianjie, but also has two bird nests, which can be used to take more distinctive punch photos.
Around 1936, the official village here was burned down. The book records that the fire burned for half a month, and the remaining fire lasted for another three months, and some buildings were burned down. The buildings we see today were rebuilt in the later stage. From the walls, tiles, bricks and wood of the Songgang ancient blockhouses, official villages, and residential buildings, you can still experience the unique living atmosphere of the chieftain in the past, and at the same time, you can deeply understand the Tibetan people. The unique beauty of architecture in Jiarong area
Time flies, like the galloping Suomo River, never stopping for someone or something. The historical story about Maerkangke Pantian Street has been recorded in the thick historical annals. We came to Maerkang , When we came to Kepantian Street, what we opened was our story. Qingfeng, Mingyue, Diaolou, and Gesanghua are all worth our stay.
Wu Xie La, Inheritor of Tibetan Incense
This trip to Malkang made me feel very fruitful, and I met Xie La, the inheritor of Tibetan incense non-heritage.
Xie La is a person with a story. He is cheerful and enthusiastic, full of love for life. He entered a temple to practice at the age of 5, and left the secular life at the age of 25. He went to the mainland to work and do small business. After several years of hard work in life, he returned to his hometown in 2008 and became a migrant worker who returned to his hometown to start a business. The Aba Prefecture Ciyuan National Traditional Culture Co., Ltd., which was established and operated, mainly produces and operates Ciyuan Tibetan incense.
Tibetan incense has a strong fragrance. According to legend, it was created by Thonmi Sangbuza, a minister of Songtsan Gampo in the 7th century. It has a history of more than 1,300 years. The production process contains the essence of Tibetan culture. The main ingredients are saffron, snow lotus, musk, Tibetan Kou, etc., all of which are very rare and precious. Good Tibetan incense is all handmade.
The process of smelling the incense is a very enjoyable process. Tibetan incense is a variety of precious Chinese herbal medicines, which are mixed and formulated physically in proportion, and have great medicinal value.
Xie La's production of Tibetan incense is even more unique, requiring 38 kinds of Chinese herbal medicines. Looking at all kinds of medicinal materials, you can know the production process of Tibetan incense, the cost is still quite high, saffron, snow lotus, musk, Tibetan Kou, rhodiola, clove, borneol, sandalwood, agarwood, nard pine, most All are edible. Therefore, Tibetan incense is also very beneficial to the body. The fragrance diffuses, walks through the joints of the skin, prevents joint pain, regulates the skin, relieves mental tension, relieves nervous headaches, improves sleep quality, and prevents insomnia.
Lu Tibetan B&B
Malkang in late autumn is colorful.
The B&B in Maomuchu Village, Malkang Somo Township has a simple and natural atmosphere of life. I like to live in a B&B during my travels. Different B&Bs have different tastes, which represent the attitude and feelings of the owner.
The afternoon sun shines warmly into the room, and the taste is very meaningful. A couple of friends staying here for a short stay, drinking tea, chatting, and watching the scenery should be a good time for a half-day leisure.
Seven Alai Poetry Festival
On the banks of the beautiful Suomo River, the famous writer Alai came out.
The river ding-dong, Malkang wakes up in the morning mist. The green hills in the distance, the Tibetan house at the foot of the mountain..." On the evening of October 22, a classical recitation of a scene carefully performed by children kicked off the 2020 Happiness Malkang·The 2nd "Alai Poetry Festival" Original Poetry Contest Awards Gala The prelude to the book is chanted in immature Tibetan Gyarong dialect, which is particularly beautiful and moving.
It lasted three months and received enthusiastic responses from poets, writers, and literature lovers from all over the country and around the world. It received enthusiastic contributions from 1,125 poetry lovers from 31 provinces (municipalities, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) across the country, as well as from Singapore, Italy, Chinese and overseas Chinese from Spain and other countries contributed. A total of 1,554 manuscripts were received, and 29 award-winning works were selected, including 1 first prize, 3 second prizes, 5 third prizes, and 20 excellence awards. Among the award-winning works, there are 23 works from outside the province and 27 works from outside the state, making the "Alai Poetry Festival" particularly exciting.
Eight written in the back
Time flies, like the galloping Suomo River, never willing to stay for someone or something, put on the wings of poetry, let those affectionate stories about Malkang fly in the clouds, we come to Malkang, come to The story of teacher Alai, a Tibetan writer, follows the context of the novel to find the past events that happened here, such as the breeze, the bright moon, the watchtower, and Gesanghua. Malkang told me that poetry and the distance are not about the appearance, but about the heart.
