I have always wanted to go to Tibet again, because of the unforgettable memory 16 years ago...
Back then, he was tortured because of Gao Fan, and he vowed never to enter Tibet again. But as time went on, the idea of seeing him again grew stronger.
Finally, on June 2, 2021, the four of us self-proclaimed young sixties started a self-driving trip, Beijing-Tibet.
Da Wang, Brother Lin, Sister Yu and I have an average age of 66. Among the four, Da Wang is the planner, leader, photographer and videographer of this trip. In addition, he also has important responsibilities: Beijing-Tibet-Beijing round-trip driver for more than 40 days, a heavy responsibility and a long way to go!
Da Wang has been to Tibet seven times and experienced various high-level reactions of "eyes in heaven and body in hell". For this trip, he tailored a plan for us to enter Tibet - a slow self-driving in-depth tour. The starting point starts from Beijing, instead of choosing a straight line to Tibet, it passes through many places, slowly moving from the plain to the snow-covered plateau, so as to alleviate the discomfort of airborne plateau.
Practice has proved that this scheme is perfect.
We are retired and have no work and time pressure. We don't get up early every day, don't hurry, and don't walk at night. Therefore, we plan to complete the trip to Tibet in more than 40 days and enjoy every scenery on the road.
Preparations for entering Tibet: 1. Except for the team leader, each person should take Rhodiola rosea 20 days in advance.
2. Prepare headache powder, glucose powder, oxygen pillow and purchase oxygen cylinders in case of emergency.
3. Take astragalus, red dates and longan soaked in water throughout the whole process, and supplement with multivitamin tablets every day.
4. The leader brings a full set of photography and video equipment (Canon), and the other three have mobile phones and cameras.
5. You must bring the border passes of Tibet and Xinjiang. (It is best to do it at the departure point)
6. Bring thin down jackets, jackets and a full set of summer and autumn clothes.
7. Replenish instant noodles, food, fruit and purified water in the car at any time.
Route to Tibet: G214 Yushu to Qamdo via Leiwuqi.
Due to the long time and many places and pictures, this travel note is divided into four sections.
Itinerary (1) Transition from plain to plateau
Itinerary (2) Gradually enter the plateau Gannan Qinghai
Itinerary (3) Tibet Qamdo, Medog, Ngari South Line G219—Yecheng
Itinerary (4) Xinjiang Desert Highway, Duku Highway, S101 Provincial Highway and return to Beijing via Inner Mongolia G7
Itinerary (1) Transition from plain to plateau
Datong, Shanxi
Day 1, itinerary and destination: Beijing - Datong, Shanxi.
Depart at 7:00 am on June 2, leave Beijing and take the expressway G5, arrive in Datong at 12:00 noon, and check into Haohai Shengshi Hotel. In the afternoon, visit Yungang Grottoes, Nine Dragon Wall, and taste local delicacies.
The Yungang Grottoes are located on the North Cliff of Wuzhou Mountain in the western suburbs of Datong. The grottoes were dug along the mountain and stretched 1,000 meters from east to west. It was a large grotto excavated by the famous monk Tan Yao in the early Northern Wei Dynasty. It has a history of more than 1500 years.
There are 45 main caves, 252 large and small niches, and more than 51,000 stone statues. It is one of the largest ancient grottoes in my country.
The ancient road rut is an ancient road leading from Datong to Inner Mongolia. It is a historical relic left by the prosperity of business and trade in the Northern Wei Dynasty. When you approach it, you can see deep rut marks.
The Yungang Grottoes are the first royal cave temple built on a large scale after the Buddhist art was introduced to China. Its statue system is called "Yungang Model" by the Buddhist archaeological circles, representing the highest level of world sculpture art in the 5th century AD. In 2001, it was approved by UNESCO to be included in the "World Cultural Heritage" list.
On May 8, 2007, it was rated as the first batch of national 5A-level tourist attractions by the National Tourism Administration.
A dazzling array of magnificent Buddhist artworks. Lament the craftsmen's unique skills of the ancients' exquisite carvings. The cave was very dark when we visited, and the mobile phone shooting failed to leave more pictures.
The Yungang Grottoes in Datong, together with the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu, the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, and the Maijishan Grottoes in Tianshui, Gansu, are listed as the four major grottoes in China. Known as the art treasure house of the East, it enjoys a high reputation in the world. On the way to Tibet, the team leader specially arranged two of the four major grottoes, the Yungang Grottoes and the later Maijishan Grottoes, and our trip was worthwhile.
Tickets for Yungang Grottoes Scenic Area: 60 yuan per person, free for seniors over 60 years old (inclusive) with their ID card or old age certificate.
This is the first time I have seen such a archway in Datong. There are erected archways in the southeast, northwest, and each facing a street. They seem to be separated but integrated into one, which is very spectacular.
Nine Dragon Wall
Gulou East Street
A bowl of mutton noodles at noon is only 13 yuan. It has a lot of meat, gluten, and the soup is rich and delicious. This is the first delicious meal on the trip.
This bowl of mutton noodles from Datong is highly praised by everyone, hehe, I am reminiscing the whole process!
A time-honored brand in Datong recommended by locals
The first day of travel went well, let's celebrate with dinner.
Xikou Ancient Road, Laoniu Bay
Day 2, itinerary and destination: Datong—Xikou Ancient Road—Laoniu Bay, Shanxi.
Depart from Datong on the morning of June 3, first go to Xikou Ancient Road, Shahukou and Youyu Museum. Arrive at Laoniu Bay in the afternoon.
Xikou Ancient Trail Ruins
Walking to the west entrance, the familiar tunes brought us to this old mudstone road that used to be full of joys and sorrows. Walking on it has a sense of the times.
museum pictures
museum pictures
The tiger-killing entrance next to the reconstruction of the museum
Killing Tiger Pass has been one of the most important passes of Yanbei Outer Great Wall since ancient times.
There are no tickets for visiting Xikou Ancient Road, Shahukou Scenic Area, and Youyu Museum. Parking is convenient and free of charge. It takes more than 2 hours.
Arrive at Laoniu Bay at around 5:00 pm, and stay in the Shiquanshimei farmhouse, a typical loess house, with cave dwellings on the outside and rooms inside, spacious and bright.
Laoniu Bay is at the junction of Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. These are two hills in the river that resemble bull's heads, and they are out of sight of each other. The S-shaped curved river channel forms a beautiful and excellent scenery. This picture was taken in Laoniuwan, Shanxi, and the bull-headed hill on the left belongs to Shanxi Province.
The authentic Yellow River carp for dinner is 80 yuan a catty, and 192 yuan a piece, which is really expensive.
Laoniu Bay in the morning
The best location to take pictures in Laoniu Bay needs to buy tickets for the scenic spot. The host is very nice and sent us to the free shooting spot at 5:00 in the morning.
The ticket for Laoniuwan Scenic Spot is 93 yuan on Ctrip. If you contact the homestay, the estimated ticket is about 60 yuan.
When we were outside the scenic spot that day, we met villagers who blocked the road and charged fees. It was difficult to distinguish their identities and the fees were very high. Fortunately, there is a homestay owner waiting for tourists here, and he just took us to his house to stay, saving a lot of scenic spot fees.
Pianguan, Yanhuang Highway, Xianglu Temple, and Qikou of the Yellow River
Day 3-4, itinerary and destination: Laoniuwan—Pianguan—Yanhuang Highway—Xianglu Temple—Jikou of the Yellow River.
Departure on the morning of June 4th, after a brief stay and visit at Pianguan, Yanhuang Highway and Xianglu Temple, arrive at Jikou of the Yellow River at 6:00 pm and stay at the B&B.
Pass through the ancient city of Pianguan, take a small turn into the city, and continue on the road after purchasing fruits.
Leaving Pianguan County, we drove on the Yanhuang Highway.
Stop halfway and get in close contact with the Yellow River.
The car was driving along the Yanhuang Highway from Fugu to Qikou.
After 4:00 p.m. Dajia County (Stone Town) Xianglu Temple
Walking into the Xianglu Temple, you can see a huge stone standing on the steep cliff in the south. Looking from the north end of the stone, it looks like a lion's head, majestic and majestic. The boulder is isolated on the cliff and the front is not connected to any place, which is really thrilling.
Located on the cliff, the Xianglu Temple is a wonder on the Yellow River. It was built in 1613 and has a history of more than 400 years. Chairman Mao once visited here when he moved to northern Shaanxi, and he left a sigh: "When you look up the city, you are suspicious of the sky, and when you see Yanyan Village, you can see it in the mirror".
The ticket for Xianglu Temple is 20 yuan, and there is room for negotiation when there are many people or elders.
It takes a short time to visit the Xianglu Temple. After continuing for an hour, we arrive at Qikou Town. This is the fifth day of the trip. We plan to stay in Qikou for two days. One is to take a short rest, and there are many scenic spots in Qikou Town. We can have a detailed and in-depth understanding of the ancient town of the Yellow River.
Qikou Town is located at the western foot of Luliang Mountain in western Shanxi, on the shore of the Yellow River, at the southern end of Linxian County. From the Ming and Qing Dynasties to the Republic of China, relying on the water transportation of the Yellow River, it became an important commercial and trade center in the north, enjoying the reputation of "the first town of the Yellow River with nine bends" and one of the birthplaces of Shanxi merchants.
In the early morning, when I walked into the streets and alleys of Qikou early, I saw many commercial buildings such as warehouses, ticket offices, escort agencies, etc., which can be seen in the prosperity of the year.
The Black Dragon Temple was built in the Ming Dynasty
Temple Drum Tower
The stage in the Black Dragon Temple, see the introduction description: the sound is strange, there is no amplification equipment in ancient times, but the sound is far away, ten miles away, clear and pleasant. Therefore, there is a saying that "Shanxi sings operas and Shaanxi listens". This is because three cavities were dug under the stage to play the role of sound.
Standing on the drum tower of the Heilong Temple, you can overlook the whole picture of Qikou Ancient Town. When we went there, it was the dry season, and the river was quietly glowing green, and we didn't see the scene of the Yellow River rushing. Opposite is Shaanxi Province.
Residential buildings in Ming and Qing Dynasties
The upper floor of Dongcaizhuyuan is dedicated to holding banquets for old people on their birthdays, which shows the filial piety of Dongcaizhu at that time.
The stone carvings, wood carvings and brick carvings in the ancient residential buildings are exquisitely carved, lifelike, full of life and artistic atmosphere.
Ancient dwellings in Dongcaizhuyuan
Ancient Residential Groups in Dongcaizhuyuan
The West Rich Man’s Courtyard, Mr. Wu Guanzhong lived in the compound of the West Rich Man’s house when he was collecting folk songs.
Western Rich Man Ancient Dwelling Group
East and West Rich Man Ancient Residential Buildings (West Rich Man on the left, East Rich Man on the right)
Dongcaizhu Ancient Residential Complex
On the sloping hillside, the East Rich Man’s building in the Lijiashan Scenic Area, the house is close to the mountain, and the stairs are patchwork, with up to nine floors. Some say it looks like a Han Dynasty tomb, and some describe it as a small Potala Palace. Its shape and style design are unique. According to the tour guide, Mr. Wu Guanzhong completed the painting of the traditional architectural complex of the wealthy Shandong rich man of the Li family here that year, and the price was 27 million yuan.
The local people say that the wealthy people in the east like to show off their wealth, while the rich people in the west hide it. One high profile, one low profile. From today's point of view, without the high-profile and ostentatious wealth of the Eastern rich, it would be difficult to retain this colorful loess culture.
On December 17, 2012, Lijiashan Village was included in the first batch of Chinese traditional villages. Qikou Town deserves to be the number one town on the Yellow River. During the two days of rest in Qikou, we basically went around the town's scenic spots, streets and alleys, and gained a detailed understanding of this ancient commercial town by the Yellow River that has been prosperous for hundreds of years. Well worth a visit.
There are no tickets for visiting the ancient town, but when visiting the ancient houses, if you ask a tour guide to explain, you will pay 50 yuan for the whole process, and 2 yuan per person for your own tour (directly WeChat to the owner).
When visiting the Lijiashan Scenic Area, there were local villagers explaining it. The explanation fee was 10 yuan, but it was not professional enough.
Holy Land Yan'an
Day 5, itinerary and destination: Qikou of the Yellow River - Yan'an.
On the morning of June 6th, we bid farewell to Qikou and sailed towards Yan'an, which we had always longed for. We arrived at noon and had plenty of time. After checking in, the first thing we did was to see the Yan'an Pagoda.
Finally witnessed the Yan'an Pagoda
I also enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the Yanhe River at night
When I came to Yan'an, I was very moved. Our generation knew Yan'an from textbooks when we were young, and learned about Yan'an from TV when we grew up, because it was once the holy land and cradle of revolution. Finally, I have the opportunity to come to Yan'an. The pagoda is still the same pagoda, a permanent landmark, but everything is changing. Yan'an is very lively at night, with high-rise buildings and bright lights, giving the scene of a modern city. The appearance of Yan'an in our minds is long gone forever.
It was rare to arrive at the destination at noon, and everyone raised their glasses to celebrate.
The first bowl of haggis in Yan'an for dinner is delicious!
Ganquan Yucha Canyon, Chenlu Ancient Town, Tongchuan
Day 6, itinerary and destination: Yan'an - Ganquan Yucha Canyon - Chenlu Ancient Town - Tongchuan.
Depart from Yan'an on June 7, first go to Ganquan Canyon, then visit the famous Chenlu Ancient Town, arrive in Tongchuan that night, and stay at Zhengyang Hotel.
Ganquan Yucha Grand Canyon is located in Yucha Village, Ganquan County, Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province.
The Grand Canyon is naturally formed and is a typical Danxia landform canyon group.
When we arrived at 11 o'clock, the sun was good, but the legendary colorful colors did not appear in the canyon.
It is said that when the light shines directly into the canyon at noon, the beauty of the valley will appear. This picture is a photo of Da Wang before.
Under the right angle, a rabbit was actually photographed, which looks a bit like it, sitting there with its front paws still resting its cheeks.
There are other scenic spots in Ganquan Grand Canyon, but the most ornamental one is Huashugou Canyon, also known as Yucha Canyon. The package ticket is 70 yuan per person, including the round-trip car fee. The round-trip time for sightseeing and scenic spots is less than 2 hours.
Arrive at Chenlu Ancient Town in Tongchuan at around 4:00 p.m., also known as Cancan Village.
Cancan Village, an ancient town famous for its ceramic manufacturing, is a national key cultural relics protection unit. Ceramic firing techniques were included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.
There were no tourists in the whole pot village, so we took pictures to our heart's content.
In the quiet streets and alleys, wherever you can see, pots and pots build walls, tiles pave the road, and the display of pottery pots and tiles has become a charming scenery of the ancient town.
In the large tempered glass next to the small road on the left, there are preserved porcelain pieces and porcelain slag discarded during the production process of the Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties for nearly a thousand years.
Chenlu Town has a history of more than 1,400 years of porcelain making, and it is the only surviving site of Yaozhou kilns after the Song and Yuan Dynasties.
Walking in this age-old town, but full of pottery pits, pottery pots, and porcelain tile mountains, it seems to feel the historical records: "The pottery field is three miles from north to south, and five miles from east to west. The fire is mixed and bright all night.", That kind of scene that has lasted for thousands of years.
I left Cancan Village at about 6:30, and visited here for a full 2 hours. Cancan Village does not require tickets and is free to enter and exit. Arrive in Tongchuan that night and check in.
Zhaoling, Qianling, Tianshui
Day 7, itinerary and destination: Tongchuan - Zhaoling (Li Shimin) - Qianling (Wu Zetian) - Tianshui.
On June 8, go to visit the two most famous cemeteries in Chinese history, Zhaoling Mausoleum and Qianling Mausoleum. Stay in Tianshui that night.
This attractive big apricot was bought on the way to Zhaoling, and it is called "Shandi Royal Apricot". In memory, this should be the most delicious apricot, juicy and soft, sweet and fragrant. Sorry for not leaving contact information.
There is an ancient and little-known folklore about Royal Apricot at the bottom of the mountain. According to legend, during the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong Li Shimin was hunting in the Jiuzong Mountain Mausoleum. When he passed by Shandi Village not far from the Mausoleum, the local people offered the special plum and apricot here to Li Shimin to taste. Li Shimin was full of praise after eating. When you know that there is spring water flowing from Lingshan to irrigate and nourish the apricot forest, the plum and apricot are uniquely delicious. Li Shimin immediately praised: "The mountains in the cemetery are naturally moist in four seasons, and the water with thousands of fruits, plums and apricots flows forever." Since then, plum apricots at the bottom of the mountain have become tributes to the imperial palace. Later, the common people called the plum apricot at the bottom of the mountain as the royal apricot of Tang Wang. Today, it is called "Shandi Royal Apricot" based on its origin.
Zhaoling Mausoleum is the mausoleum of Tang Taizong Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty. It is located on Jiuyi Mountain, 22.5 kilometers northwest of Liquan County, Shaanxi Province. In 1961, the State Council announced Zhaoling Mausoleum as the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units. It is rated as a 3A-level tourist attraction by the Tourism Bureau.
Zhaoling Mausoleum has a circumference of 60 kilometers and covers an area of 200 square kilometers. There are more than 180 burial tombs in total. The tomb is also a representative tomb of an emperor in the Tang Dynasty.
Tang Taizong Li Shimin was an outstanding statesman and military strategist in Chinese history, and a feudal emperor with great achievements. During his twenty-three years in office, he set up the glorious monument of "The Reign of Zhenguan", which was praised by later generations...
On the blue brick stele, there are all the achievements of Tang Taizong in the historical development of China's feudal society, as well as the majestic construction scale and process of the huge Zhaoling Mausoleum.
The son of Li Shimin, the cemetery of Li Zhi, Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty - Qianling.
Qianling Mausoleum is the tomb where Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi and Wu Zetian were buried together.
The Qianling Mausoleum was built in the first year of Tang Guangzhai (684), and was added in the second year of Shenlong (706). In addition to the main tomb, there are seventeen small accompanying tombs in Qianling Mausoleum, in which other members of the royal family and meritorious officials are buried. The cemetery is large in scale, with a total area of nearly 2.4 million square meters. It is located on Liangshan Mountain, 6 kilometers north of Qianxian County, Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province.
The towering stele without characters in the Qianling Mausoleum was erected by Wu Zetian's son for his mother. There is no single word inscription on the huge stone tablet, leaving an unsolved eternal mystery.
There are different opinions about the stele without characters, and there are several sayings:
1. Wu Zetian set up the "Wordless Monument" to boast of herself, and to show that her meritorious deeds cannot be expressed in words.
2. Wu Zetian's "self-knowledge" is a smart move to set up a "monument without words", and future generations will comment on the merits and demerits.
3. Wu Zetian erected the "Wordless Monument" because she knew she had committed a serious crime and felt that it would be better not to write an inscription on it.
4. Wu Zetian's son hated his mother, because she killed all his children, and even himself was deposed by her, so he did not comment on Wu Zetian's merits and demerits.
This wordless stele has given us endless reverie. Although there are no words, it far exceeds the deeper meaning that words can express. Emperor Wu's "thousand-year merits and demerits" are left for posterity to comment...
Qianling Mausoleum is the best-preserved main tomb among the Eighteen Tombs of the Tang Dynasty, and it is also the only one among the Tang Tombs that has not been stolen. On March 4, 1961, Qianling Mausoleum was announced by the State Council as the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units.
Zhaoling Mausoleum and Qianling Mausoleum have a history of more than a thousand years, and they can still be felt today. Its size and grandeur are the most famous tombs in Chinese history.
Tickets for Qianling: 100 yuan/person, 88 yuan/person for those who are over 65 years old (age is calculated by birthday). The scale of the entire Qianling Mausoleum is very large, and it is worthy of being the mausoleum of the next generation of empresses. However, due to various factors, the actual tomb has not yet been developed, and what we can see is very limited.
Maiji Mountain Grottoes, Longnan
Day 8, itinerary and destination: Tianshui - Maijishan Grottoes - Longnan.
When we arrived in Tianshui, we came for a famous grotto. We set off in the morning and headed straight to the Maiji Mountain Scenic Area to see the magical Buddha Kingdom in the mountains. Stayed at Longnan Lianhu Hotel that night on June 9.
The Maijishan Grottoes got their name because they look like a pile of "stacks of wheat". It is located in Tianshui, "Longshang Jiangnan". The grottoes were first built in 384-417, more than 1600 years ago. According to reports, there are 221 caves, 10,632 clay sculptures and stone carvings, and more than 1,300 square meters of murals. Known as the Oriental Sculpture Art Exhibition Hall.
Most of the caves on the mountain are excavated on the cliffs, and all the caves connected with them are accessible by the plank road on the cliff.
On the steep side of the mountain, there are many Buddha statues standing quietly, as if watching the fireworks in the world.
Many of the grottoes are covered with barbed wire or completely blocked. We feel that there are 221 caves and 10,632 clay sculptures and stone sculptures, but we only see a small part.
The statues here are as high as more than 10 meters, and the small ones are only a few centimeters. Each Buddha statue is exquisitely dressed, with exaggerated and rich expressions.
The clay Buddha statues are extremely delicately carved, and the clothes on their bodies are all in color, but they are obviously faded a lot. From the statues displayed now, one can imagine how graceful and luxurious the thousand-year-old grotto sculptures were when they were completed.
During the tour, we learned that more than half of the Maijishan Grottoes were not open when we watched them, some were under repair, and some were closed due to the fading of the sculptures and paintings in the grottoes due to the carbon dioxide exhaled by people and the touch of tourists.
It is a great pity that the thousand-year-old treasure sleeping on the cliff is not understood and appreciated by future generations.
This is a mountain plank road, layered on top of each other, flying in the air on a 90° steep mountain wall. It is a bit difficult for people who are afraid of heights to visit the mountain, so try to avoid looking down vertically.
Looking at the Maiji Cave from a distance, the caves and mountains are integrated, dense like a beehive, and it is famous for its precipitous Buddhist kingdom. Feeling the wisdom of the ancients, creating such an exquisite artistic miracle. Fortunately, we did not miss it before entering Tibet.
Tickets for Maiji Mountain: 40 yuan/person, 15 yuan/person for a round-trip to the scenic spot, and the tour time is about 2 hours.
Arrived in Longnan smoothly at 7 o'clock that night.
We need to satisfy our stomach first, find a live fish shop for dinner, a plate of spicy grilled fish.
A pot of boiled fish in sour soup, the four of them ate with gusto.
After dinner, watch the night view of the Bailong River in Longnan.
After arriving in Longnan, itinerary (1) Transition from plain to plateau and end here.
From June 2-9, 2021, Beijing-Longnan took 8 days and traveled 2437.9 kilometers.
Next stop: Itinerary (2) Gradually enter the plateau of Gannan and Qinghai.
Tomorrow's destination is the beautiful "Oriental Garden of Eden" - Zagana.
