【Preface】
Sometimes, it is not only the beautiful natural scenery that moves us
What's more, there are exciting stories behind the scenery
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It used to be a place that couldn't be found on the map
Hidden in the mountains, isolated from the world for more than 1300 years
A Kangba man, he spent all his property and borrowed money everywhere
From a multi-millionaire to a billionaire, it cost nearly 300 million yuan
Forged a heavenly road leading to his paradise-like hometown
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The Tibetan named Hometown Xiulu is called Sina Dingzhu
The place that cannot be found on this map is called Balagezong
Different from the past, at the beginning of the travel notes, I want to share a story
[Contemporary Tibetan Foolish Old Man: From Multi-millionaire to Billionaire]
Bala Village, located in Balagezong, Shangri-La, Yunnan, used to be a place that could not be found on the map. He sold tens of millions of assets, borrowed money everywhere, and spent nearly 300 million yuan to build the most dangerous road to the sky in China, leading to his paradise-like hometown, and also filled in the missing landmarks of his hometown on the map.
This legendary character is called Sina Dingzhu, and many people may not be unfamiliar with him. Yes, in April this year, he appeared in Dong Qing's program "Long Reader" and read "A Dim Fire in the Huotang" for everyone. ". "China Tourism Influential Figure", "China Good People List" cover character, winner of the 5th CCTV Charity Night Annual Award, top ten news figures in Diqing Prefecture's poverty alleviation, all these are his honorary titles, and he is because of The great deeds of Xiutian Road in his hometown are also called "Contemporary Tibetan Foolish Old Man" by the world.
Seeing this, you may have doubts, so I will explain them one by one.
Why build roads in the first place?
When Sina Dingzhu was ten years old, he accidentally injured his eye because of blacksmithing. He and his father spent seven days walking out of the mountains. When they came to Shangri-La County to seek medical treatment, the doctor told him that It was too late, the best treatment time was missed, and one eye was abolished.
The young Sina Dingzhu, because he saw the wonderful world outside and because of the backward living conditions in his hometown, was determined to change all of this. He came out of the mountain at the age of 13 and worked hard in the society for more than 20 years, accumulating more than 4,000 Wan's wealth, and then he made a decision that surprised the world. He decided to build a road to his hometown to change the poverty and backwardness of his hometown.
Is it difficult to build roads?
I don’t know how many well-known national mileage surveying experts were invited to the site to investigate the situation. The experts basically came to the same conclusion that the geology of this kind of cliff is very dangerous and not suitable for road construction. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and change from a businessman to a road builder. With his unremitting efforts, he finally persuaded the experts to determine the road construction plan. After ten years, he built the most road in China. The steep road to the sky.
Do you have enough funds?
After working hard for more than 20 years, he has accumulated more than 40 million yuan in funds, but road construction is like a bottomless pit. After a few years, he spent more than 40 million yuan without any money left. After that, he sold his house, company, and hot pot City, and then asked friends to borrow money, and borrowed all the banks in Shangri-La County, large and small. The final total investment of the project was 298 million. Debt, and everyone's incomprehension, can't stop the determination to build roads for the hometown.
In 2008, with a total length of 35 kilometers, 52 super hairpin bends, a drop of up to 750 meters, and nearly 300 million funds, the most dangerous road in China that took 10 years was finally opened, allowing Bala village to go from the original 7 days to the county. shortened to 1.5 hours. Ten years ago, everyone in the village thought he was a lunatic, and even his father objected. Ten years later, his spirit of moving mountains from a fool infected everyone, and was called a hero by the villagers. He also regarded Balagezong as a paradise. The beautiful scenery is shown to the world, lighting up the landmarks of Balagezong on the map.
Anyone who has been to Balagezong will be overwhelmed by the surrounding snow-capped mountains, the deep and deep Grand Canyon, the mysterious Bala Village and other landscapes, but let us not forget that behind the beautiful road leading to heaven Persevering dream-building spirit.
【schedule】
This time, I flew from Shantou to Shangri-La. Because there is no direct air ticket from Shantou to Shangri-La, I can only transfer in Kunming. Book the ticket a week in advance. The price is about 1,200 yuan. Shangri-La has its own airport, and the cities that can fly directly to Kunming are Kunming and Mang. City, Chengdu, Chongqing, Qianjiang, Xi'an, Guilin, Baise, Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Changsha, Dalian, Changzhi, Zhangjiakou, Lhasa, etc. For connecting flights, pay attention to the transit time in the middle, try not to be too short, because if the previous flight is delayed, it is not the same airline, and there will be no compensation if the next flight is affected.
This is the distribution map of Shangri-La's scenic spots. The Shangri-La Grand Canyon Balagezong Scenic Area is 82 kilometers away from the ancient city. It takes about an hour and a half to drive. You can drive there by yourself, but it is relatively test driving skills. The ancient city has a special line bus to and from the Balagezong Scenic Area. It departs on time at 9:15 every day. In the peak season, there will be a delay of about 10 minutes if there are too many people. Overall, it is very convenient and takes about one and a half hours. If you return on the same day, the special line bus The time is around 5pm.
This is the distribution map of scenic spots in Balagezong Scenic Area. Although this scenic spot looks complicated, it is actually very simple to play. The main scenic spots include Tongtian Gorge, Grand Canyon, Bala Village, glass plank road, Shambhala Pagoda, among the scenic spots There are sightseeing cars everywhere, and the regular route is enough for a one-day tour, but the essence route requires a two-day tour.
Two-day essence tour recommended itinerary:
DAY1: Renmayi Road - Millennium Bodhi Tree - Grand Canyon - Tongtian Gorge - Tibetan Song and Dance Performance - Balagezong Tibetan Ecological Hotel
DAY2: Shambhala Pagoda - Glass Plank Road - Bala Village - Return
【About the author】
A former practitioner of a state-owned bank, now he travels all over the world for his family.
Some things, if you don't do it now, you will never do it in your life.
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Post-90s freelance writer, traveler on major OTA platforms
Going around, running around, hoping that when you come back, you will still be that boy.
【Ren Ma Yi Dao: The way out of the mountains when I was a child】
It's a pity that the camera was taken out a step late, otherwise we could see a more colorful sunset, and the sky is so beautiful that people are intoxicated, just like the legendary Balagezong, the place we are going to.
After more than an hour, we finally arrived at Balagezong. We checked into a Tibetan-style ecological hotel. It was the first time we set foot in this hot land, and we were still a little excited, so we didn’t even bother to check in. We picked up our mobile phones and were here Selfie, the one on the left is me, and the one on the right is my cousin.
The decoration style of the room is a combination of Chinese and Tibetan. The pure Tibetan-style room is relatively darker in color. It combines Chinese style here, which looks much more comfortable. Many details are well done. The location is also very good. Open the window The sound of running water can be heard.
As soon as I went out after breakfast, I was startled by the sight in front of me. Because all the lights were turned off last night, I didn’t realize that there were such towering mountains around me. It turned out that I was sleeping in the arms of the mountains last night. No wonder I slept well. So secure.
Opposite the hotel is the Renma Post Road. When the road was not built into Balagezong, people walked in such a tunnel. It took seven days to get out of the mountain. There were no such railings before. Some adults were afraid that their children would fall into it. Under the cliff, a rope was tied to the child, and he walked hard on the half-meter-wide dirt road.
After walking for a while and looking back, the height is almost 100 meters. What kind of environment did the villagers of Bala Village walk out of the mountain? Normal people are a little afraid of heights, let alone teenage children. .
At that time, there was no doctor in the village, and one had to walk for seven days to get to the hospital in the county when one fell ill. Many lives were lost during such a long journey. It was so difficult even on sunny days, let alone rainy days. Crossing the river, fighting against the rapid flood, and against sudden natural disasters, if you walk through it yourself, you will understand why Sina Dingzhu is so determined to build such a road for his hometown.
Passing through the cave, there is another village in front of you. It seems to be a long and narrow canyon, with towering peaks on both sides, and a river winding in the middle. Some people may ask, shouldn’t road construction be the responsibility of the government? ? However, with a total investment of 300 million yuan, there are only a hundred households in Bala Village, and there is no way to build roads. The villagers have to move out of the mountains and leave their homes.
At this time, Sina Dingzhu, a Kham man, stood up. Regardless of the opposition of the whole village and even his father, he went bankrupt and borrowed money everywhere by himself. After ten years, he finally opened up this road to his Hometown, what a great but unbelievable project. The contemporary Tibetan Yugong is even worse. Yugong even has his descendants to help, but Sina Dingzhu is alone. It was only when he was able to master it that people changed their views on him and came out to help him one after another.
Going down the mountain and returning to the original road, walking on this long tunnel, I feel extremely complicated. I don’t know how many tunnels like this have been dug. Even road surveyors don’t think it’s impossible to build a road. It’s not because of persistence. It's nothing short of a miracle what can be accomplished through perseverance.
【Millennium Bodhi Tree: The Legendary Buddha's Hand】
When you look at this scenic spot after knowing some information, you will definitely have a different feeling, and if you just look at the natural scenery, perhaps such beauty will not stay in your mind for too long. After the road led to Bala Village, Sina Dingzhu transformed the scenery of his hometown into a scenic spot, and shared the beauty of this paradise with everyone who loves nature. From then on, there was another Balagezong on the map.
Because there has been a lot of rain recently, the river water is relatively turbid. Normally, the water is very clear, which can also be seen in the upper reaches of the water.
Colorful prayer flags, yellow and white hada, and this Tibetan-style house, every time I come into contact with the world of Tibetans, I always feel very wonderful. Many knowledge of Tibetans is very advanced in the world, such as Tibetan medicine.
This is a thousand-year-old linden tree that grew in the Balagezong Grand Canyon. This tree is also a magical existence in Balagezong. It only has a thick bamboo stem, but its branches and leaves cover the entire rock wall. The most amazing Yes, there was a bergamot-like branch next to the trunk of this tree. He held onto the wall tightly and stared at it carefully, as if there was a magical power.
"The body is a bodhi tree, and the heart is like a mirror stand. Wipe it diligently at all times so as not to stir up dust." Perhaps the Buddha wanted to warn us to stay vigilant at all times and eliminate distracting thoughts and temptations so that we will not lose ourselves in the secular world.
Balagezong, like a miracle in the mountains, slowly shows its magical side to the world, and surprises are coming to you step by step.
[Grand Canyon: The light boat has passed the Ten Thousand Mountains]
The most fascinating thing about Balagezong is that the altitude of its bottom is only more than 1,800 meters, but we can go up to more than 4,200 meters. A mountain has four seasons, and the weather is different for ten miles. The temperature at the bottom is mild, but the high place needs to wear down jackets keep out the cold. We are currently at the bottom, and this river also runs through the entire Balagezong Scenic Area. On the glass plank road, we can overlook the spectacular landforms of the entire Grand Canyon from a high altitude.
In the deep and vertical Grand Canyon, you can see all kinds of strange-shaped vegetation everywhere, as if this is a natural gene pool. If you are a plant expert, it is estimated that you can stay here for a few days.
Because of the movement of the terrain, the river was pressed at the bottom of more than 1,000 meters above sea level, and looking up to both sides, there are towering peaks of more than 5,000 meters in the sky. If you look at it from the perspective of God, we have truly fallen into the Grand Canyon. In the middle, it seems to have fallen into the crack of time. The landform of the Grand Canyon formed over tens of millions of years is now around us, within reach.
After walking for more than half an hour, I finally arrived at the source of the river. The emerald-green river water flowed past my eyes. Holding the water in the palm of my hand, I wiped off the tiredness on my face and the dust on my heart.
This is the mani pile that can be seen everywhere in Tibetan areas. The piled stones are Tibetan-style prayers and blessings, and they are a symbol of good luck.
This is the mani pile that can be seen everywhere in Tibetan areas. The piled stones are Tibetan-style prayers and blessings, and they are a symbol of good luck.
The wooden bridge connecting the two banks of the river has become a popular shooting spot for Internet celebrities. It is as beautiful and dreamy as being in a virgin forest.
Then we drifted along the river to the place where we came at the beginning. In about 15 minutes, "the light boat has passed the Ten Thousand Mountains". The feeling of being at the bottom of the river is different from walking on the wooden plank road.
【Tongtian Gorge: The Uncanny Workmanship of Nature】
If the Grand Canyon is not enough to shock you, then you can come to Tongtian Gorge to have a look. The uncanny craftsmanship of nature is fully displayed here. Walking along the narrow and long plank road, it seems to have broken into a secret place.
As wide as the river valley is, so is the gap above. Looking up, the walls on both sides lead straight to the sky. We are like frogs trapped at the bottom of a well, looking at the sky close by and dreaming of the outside world.
This scenic spot is also very powerful. The steps are built against the cliffs. The winding steps seem to lead to the top of the mountain. After walking for a while and looking back, the depth of the canyon can be seen at a glance.
And the most admirable thing is that a clear spring falls from the sky, falls into the valley along the boulders, and makes a thumping figure. When the water is heavy, will there be another scene here?
It is not only a little afraid of heights, but more of an admiration for nature. It can be said to take a "ladder" in the canyon and watch this gallery hidden in the deep mountains. This trickle is undoubtedly the finishing touch of this canyon gallery, which makes the originally static gallery move.
[Balagezong Night: Carnival and Quiet]
I thought that there were no programs in the deep mountains, and the evening should be boring, but I was completely wrong! The Tibetan song and dance performances at night are also very exciting. The unique Tibetan stage, the home-like viewing environment, and the handsome and graceful dances of the little girls and brothers will definitely fascinate you. If you feel good, you can dedicate your hada to them. It's a way of expressing love for them.
If you want strong, drink a cup of highland barley wine; if you want tenderness, drink a cup of buttered tea, then immerse yourself in the perfect blend of music and dance, and feel the joy and passion from the Tibetan people.
From being deeply infected to personally participating is just a process from indoor to outdoor. Lighting a bonfire, playing music, following the melody, twisting the body like a flame, round and round, in the embrace of the deep mountain, unexpectedly Hidden in an ocean of joy.
After the carnival, there is silence. After ten o’clock, all the lights in the mountains will be extinguished, and the whole world seems to come to an abrupt end. You can hear the sound of the mountains breathing in the silence, and the day’s journey ends in silence. Tonight is destined to sleep well.
[What is the road to heaven, this is it! 】
It took just over an hour to go from an altitude of more than 1,800 meters to an altitude of 4,200 meters. The ghost knows what we have experienced in this hour. Taking the bus in the scenic spot, we can’t count the upslope amidst shouts and screams. How many 180-degree super corners are there?
Turning is a U-turn, and driving is so difficult, let alone road construction. Even road surveying experts are daunted by the terrain, and such a road has been created alive. Dingzhu couldn't stand it anymore, the pressure was too great, he drove to Lijiang, turned off his mobile phone and rested for more than ten days. God knows what unimaginable things he experienced in those few years.
Although the climbing process is difficult, the most beautiful scenery is always on the road. We are driving in the picturesque natural picture scrolls and feel the magical power of nature.
This may be God's test for us before meeting the pagoda. The area currently developed by Balagezong is only 1/10 of what we have seen, and there are more beautiful scenery hidden deep in the mountains, hidden in the unknown If you want to have a deep understanding of Balagezong, a month's walking time is probably indispensable.
【The mountain is the tower, the tower is the mountain】
At an altitude of 4,200 meters, after more than an hour, we finally came to the pagoda. This is a plateau pasture. It is impossible to go up the regular one-day tour route. It takes two days to travel, so there are very few tourists here. Several of us also contracted this plateau pasture.
The mountain is a pagoda, and the pagoda is a mountain. This is a natural pagoda. I feel that nature has such magical powers. It has carved out such a lifelike mountain peak. The sun shines through the blue sky and white clouds, and sprinkles light and shadow on it. On the mountain, there are clear layers, and the hard peaks have witnessed the vicissitudes of life. The sculpting of time has made them what they are now, and I don’t know how long this process will take.
Tranquility and eternity, time seems to have stopped here, everything is so sacred to us, it is very quiet here, the air is thin, breathing is a little difficult, so quiet that you can hear your inner voice, so quiet that you can isolate yourself The hustle and bustle of the world.
People always seem very small in front of nature. Looking up at the towering peaks, listening to the sound of the wind blowing prayer flags, gazing at the eternal Shambhala Pagoda, the words sounded in my ears, Shangri-La is so beautiful, and Balagezong Freeze in the center of the painting.
[The glass plank road at the highest altitude in China]
After watching the Shambhala Pagoda, we went down the trend and came to the glass plank road. This is a viewing platform, which can overlook the depth of the Grand Canyon from a high altitude, which is very shocking.
The plank road is simply built on the cliff, halfway up the mountain, among the lush forests, you may not feel much when walking on it, but you can see that you are walking around the mountainside, and the bottom is more than 3000 meters deep of the Grand Canyon.
My cousin’s pious kneeling may seem exaggerated to you, but real Tibetans are all walking on such a pilgrimage road. Opposite the viewing platform is Gezong Snow Mountain, which is the highest mountain in Shangri-La County, with an altitude of 5,500 meters. Left and right, covered by clouds and snow all year round, it is difficult to see its true face of Mount Lu, and this sacred mountain is not allowed to climb up.
When we get to the glass plank road, it is the best place to watch the Grand Canyon. It’s nothing to look up from a low place, but it’s extremely thrilling to look down from a high place. It’s hard to imagine that we were drifting at the bottom of such a narrow valley yesterday. However, the biggest charm of Balagezong lies in the ups and downs of the terrain, which can easily cause emotional fluctuations. You will be inadvertently surprised by one natural miracle after another.
The glass plank road here is the glass plank road with the highest altitude and the highest vertical height in China. The transparent glass is engraved with the purest blue sky and white clouds. It is simply a high-altitude version of the sky mirror. Zhang, please ignore your cousin's ecstatic expression.
The Grand Canyon under the projection of light and shadow has an incomparable charm. The hard mountains and the beautiful river curve are perfectly combined. I don’t know how many shots I changed to telephoto along the way, but the number of shutters can’t express my love for it. Deep love for the Grand Canyon.
【If you are disobedient again, I will throw you into Bala Village】
This is the hometown of Sina Dingzhu. It is more than 3,000 meters above sea level and hidden deep in the mountains. This place has not been found on the map for a long time. How do outsiders evaluate this village? Children are disobedient, and they often threaten them: "If you are disobedient again, I will throw you into the village of Bala"! It takes a full seven days to walk to Shangri-La County from here. This is a mysterious village blocked by mountains.
More than 1,300 years ago, in order to avoid the pain caused by the ruthless war, a tribal leader in the Batang area led his men to find the Shambhala Kingdom recorded in the Tibetan scriptures. He came to the foot of Gezong Snow Mountain and established his own ancient village - Bala Village. Since then, he has lived a peaceful life like a paradise.
Today's Bala Village still continues the tranquility and simplicity of more than 1,300 years. It is surrounded by high mountains and canyons, and you can see the snow-capped mountains when you look up. The villagers here are hardworking and simple, with men farming and women weaving. A happy life of self-sufficiency.
Every household here does not keep dogs. This is an unspoken custom, because keeping dogs shows that his family is hostile to outsiders. This is not allowed in Bala Village, which has a strong Buddhist belief, so the cattle and sheep here are completely It is an unattended stocking state, and basically they do not close the door, because they firmly believe that if they do bad things, they will be punished. The villagers are honest and honest, and no one will lie.
The villagers use a Tibetan dialect. Because they have been isolated from the outside world for a long time, they speak differently from other villages in Shangri-Li. Their language is also of great research value, and is known as the "Khamba Tibetan dialect". living fossil". Slow down, choose a Tibetan dwelling, sit down, drink a cup of buttered tea, and enjoy a period of uninterrupted time.
Of course, if you want to eat meat, you can also enjoy local delicacies in Bala Village. You can catch all kinds of delicacies such as yak meat, Tibetan pig, and matsutake. I still miss the small meal in Bala Village. hot pot.
The villagers in Bala Village live in Tibetan-style houses. The buildings here are all civil structures. If you look closely, you will find that the walls are made of big stones one by one. This architectural style is also combined with the local climate. This kind of building is warm in winter and cool in summer, and has good earthquake resistance. The roof is sloped, which can reduce the impact of rain and snow on the roof. The house is generally divided into three floors. The basement floor is used for raising cattle and sheep, while the second floor is used for living by oneself, and the third floor is used as a warehouse.
And halfway up the mountain, there are also a group of high-end hotels. We visited the Tusi Manor here. What kind of feeling and experience would it be like to stay in such a cloud-shrouded mountain for one night?
In addition, there is a Tibetan Culture Expo Center. The Tibetan people have created a splendid national culture and left a very rich cultural heritage in literature, music, dance, painting, sculpture and architectural art. The superb carving skills and Tibetan medicine are important heritages of mankind.
[Balagazong on the tip of the tongue]
Many people may think that Balagezong is located deep in the mountains, so it must be very simple to eat, but this is not the case. The catering of Balagezong Tibetan Ecological Hotel has refreshed our concept. They use local fresh and fragrant ingredients Moved to the table, the food is well-prepared in color and fragrance, and the presentation is also very good. It looks delicious. I have to praise the level of the chef here.
You can often see Tibetan pigs and yaks walking on the road in Shangri-La. Tibetan people are very religious and believe that there will be retribution for doing bad things, so cattle and sheep are never kept in captivity. Go home, and the beef and mutton produced by this feeding mode are very firm and delicious, and the original ecology is pollution-free.
If you can’t accept the high concentration of highland barley wine, you can also try Shangri-La beer. It is said that you can only see it in bars in first-tier cities. The taste is really good. Even people like me who don’t drink beer think it’s delicious. Seven The colors represent 7 different concentrations, and it is said that if you collect them all, you can summon the dragon!
【transportation】
There is a special bus in the ancient city that goes directly to the Balagezong Scenic Area. It departs on time at 9:15 every day. In the peak season, there will be a delay of about 10 minutes due to the crowds. Overall, it is very convenient and takes about an hour and a half.
【Tickets】
Balagezong tickets are 210 yuan per person (150 tickets + 60 sightseeing cars), and can also be purchased on major online platforms. The online shopping price is 199 yuan, of which the rafting online shopping price is 90 yuan.
【postscript】
The mysterious Balagezong always has a kind of magical power. He allows you to see the folk customs hidden deep in the mountains, and also allows you to see the majesty and magnificence standing between the heaven and the earth. It can isolate the noise of the world here. Known as the "free" air, here is the beautiful and sacred kingdom of Shambhala.