This year's long-distance trip is arranged in summer, and I wanted to go to Xinjiang for fun, but who knew that there was a cluster of new crown epidemics in Urumqi in mid-July. I have been to most places in China, where is the best place to go this time? Thinking of the trip to Tibet at the end of last year, the natural and cultural landscapes in Lhasa and Nyingchi are unforgettable (see Ctrip Travel Notes "Winter Tibet: Blue Sky and Green Water, Sunshine Jinshan, and Scenery on the Road"), and decided to take another trip to Qinghai-Tibet plateau.
The main purpose of this trip this year is to experience the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. For this reason, full preparations have been made in the itinerary. The "Tianlu" sightseeing consists of three train journeys. The first section takes train Z164, from Nanjing to Lhasa via Xining, which is recognized as the best train for viewing the scenery of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In the extended section, you can enjoy the scenery of the front Tibet and back Tibet; in the third section Golmud-Xining, you choose the daytime train to make up for the scenery that the Z164 train missed during this section of night travel.
In general, this giant steel track stretches from Xining, Qinghai in the east to Lhasa, Tibet in the south, with a total length of 1,956 kilometers. It has the highest altitude in the world, the longest plateau line mileage, and the harshest natural environment. It is a great project in the history of human railway construction. Let's experience it firsthand.
Diverse natural landscapes, magnificent landscapes, strong religious atmosphere, and changing weather conditions will definitely leave an unforgettable impression on you.
【schedule】
★First, second, and third days: Nanjing-Lhasa train, Z164 (23:01-19:35+2), transfer to plateau oxygen train in Xining (the number of trains becomes Z165). Enjoy the scenery of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
★Day 4: Take a one-day tour to Yamdrok Yumcuo and Karola Glacier to enjoy the scenery of lakes and mountains. Return to Lhasa to enjoy the scenery of the Gongga section of the Yarlung Zangbo River and the night view of the Potala Palace Square.
★The fifth day: Lhasa-Shigatse train round-trip on the same day, Z8801 (8:30-11:25), Z8804 (18:40-21:33). Visit Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, see Sangzhu Zizong Fort (Little Potala Palace) from a distance, and taste special fried potatoes and sweet tea.
★Day 6: Watch the sunrise of the Potala Palace, visit the Sutra Printing House of the Tibetan Buddhist Association (Muru Temple), and the Buddha Exhibition at the Shoton Festival in Sera Monastery. Lhasa to Golmud, West Air PN6294 (17:40—19:20). Tour Jiangjun Building Park in Golmud City.
★Seventh day: Golmud-Xining train, K9898 (7:42-15:22), continue to enjoy the scenery of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, passing through Qinghai Lake, the largest saltwater lake in my country, Guanjiao Tunnel, the longest plateau tunnel, and the largest freshwater in Gannan Lake Gahai. Visit Xinning Square, Dongguan Grand Mosque, Nanguan Mosque, night view of Xining Station in Xining City; taste the neck of expensive sheep.
★Eighth day: Visit Nanshan Park, Nanchan Temple, and visit the Memorial Hall of the Chinese Workers and Peasants Red Army West Route Army. From Xining to Nantong, DZ6284 of Donghai Airlines (15:55-20:40, stop in Zhengzhou).
【cost】
★Transportation fee: 3300 yuan. Among them, 4 trains, 1192 yuan (Nanjing-Lhasa, hard sleeper lower berth, 809.5 yuan; Golmud-Xining, soft sleeper upper berth, 301 yuan; Lhasa-Shigatse, hard seat round trip, 40.5 yuan x 2); 2 planes, 1872 yuan ( Lhasa-Golmud 1051 yuan, Xining-Nantong 821 yuan); bus and taxi 236 yuan.
★Accommodation fee: 1108 yuan (5 nights, member price)
★ Ticket fee: 446 yuan. Yamdrok Yongcuo + Karola Glacier Group Day Tour is 296 yuan, Sera Monastery ticket is 50 yuan, and Tashilhunpo Monastery ticket is 100 yuan.
★Meal fee: 430 yuan
★Others: 221 yuan (purchase "Qinghai-Tibet Railway Commemorative Book")
Total: 5505 yuan
【Sentiment】
1. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is worth experiencing once
The first time I went to Tibet was by plane, this time I took the train. Comparing the two times, I feel that taking the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is an unforgettable experience. Not to mention the impressive plateau scenery along the way, I took more than 1,000 pictures and videos with a capacity of about 7G; not to mention hot rods, sand retaining walls, bridges instead of roads and other road construction technologies to solve the problem of plateau permafrost, witness China's miracles and great achievements; it is more than 40 hours of train life with food, lodging, transportation, and getting along with strangers. All kinds of discomfort, and spending money to buy sins are also a unique "limited edition" experience.
For example, the bedding is narrow, the vehicles are shaking, the children are noisy, and the passengers are noisy at night; the climate is dry, the altitude is high, and the dizziness is dizzy; the food quality is not high, some trains serve meals, which are expensive and unpalatable, while Lhasa— There are no dining cars on the Shigatse, Golmud-Xining trains, and there is no box lunch if you want to eat; the 4G signal is sporadic along the way, and you have to rely on luck to pass the time by surfing the Internet; there are many kinds of smells mixed in the compartments, including instant noodles, cigarettes (ordinary Smoking is not allowed on the train), shoes and socks, the smell of the toilet, and so on.
Even so, tickets in peak seasons such as July and August are still extremely tight, especially for the Z164 trip. Don’t think about this at all for soft sleepers, and you have to rely on your character to grab hard sleepers. This time I personally feel that the lower berth is the best, the space of the middle and upper berths is very cramped, not free and uncomfortable. In addition, the direct trains with the prefix Z are different from the bullet trains and high-speed trains with the prefixes D and G, and there is a possibility of being late. This time, due to continuous torrential rains in Henan and other Central Plains, the train stopped and stopped all the way, and arrived at Zhengzhou Station 70 minutes late, and finally arrived at Lhasa four and a half hours late. I thought it was very miserable, and then I visited Golmud and found that the Z164/165 time was delayed by 7 hours! That is to say, you should arrive in Lhasa after 7:00 p.m. on the third day, and arrive in the early morning of the fourth day, so all your travel plans will have to be adjusted.
2. The plateau area has special features
One is climate change. When the Z164 train passed through the Nagqu area, we witnessed drastic weather changes in just 2 hours, from dark clouds overwhelming the environment and covering the sky, to clouds clearing and fog clearing, the sky was clear, and then cloudy to overcast with heavy rain. Although the air conditioner in the cabin is basically constant temperature, it still feels different changes in temperature. If you are not prepared outside, it is probably very embarrassing. Ultraviolet rays are strong, the air is dry, drink plenty of water. Five days after I came back from the Tibetan area, the blood clots in my nasal cavity were completely eliminated. Just think about how terrible it is.
Second, the temperature difference is large. In Lhasa in mid-August, the sunrise time is around 7:30 in the morning and the sunset is around 8:30 in the evening. The temperature in the morning and evening is lower than 10°C, and when the sun comes out, it will be twenty-seven or eight degrees. On the morning when I was waiting for the sunrise of the Potala Palace on Yaowang Mountain, when the mountain wind hit, how I wished I had a thin padded jacket on me.
The third is to pay attention to altitude sickness. When I went to Tibet last year, I basically didn’t suffer from high fever, but this time on the way to and from Yamdrok Yongcuo, at an altitude of 4,500 meters, I vomited twice. It is estimated that it is not enough sleep, motion sickness + high reaction. The train to Lhasa was late the first day, and I only slept for 4 hours at night. I went on a day trip with the group early the next morning. The winding mountain road twists and turns, which makes my stomach full and uncomfortable. At the Karola Glacier Observation Deck, at an altitude of 5,000 meters, the young people in the company played for nearly an hour, and we waited for nearly an hour. The altitude of 5,000 meters is called the forbidden zone of life, and this heart from the plain protested. Ah, what a pain to comprehend. When traveling in plateau areas, the most important thing is to prevent altitude sickness, and the most important measure is to take adequate rest, adequate rest!
3. Urban construction is a long-term accumulation process
This time I visited Lhasa, Shigatse, Xining, and Golmud. I feel that Xining is the most prosperous, with a large built-up area, many high-rise buildings, wide streets, well-developed transportation, and a strong commercial atmosphere. Urban construction in plateau areas has a long way to go. It will take a long time to build the "desolate frontier in the hearts of inland people" into "the prosperous inland in the hearts of frontier people".
The following eight-day trip to the plateau will be presented one by one in order of tour. Because it is the second time to enter Tibet, the freshness has been reduced, and the aesthetic fatigue of the plateau scenery is inevitable. Some content may be relatively brief. If you need to learn more, you can search on Baidu yourself.
Train Z164 (change to Z165 to Xining) is a direct train departing from Shanghai and ending at Lhasa, running along the Beijing-Shanghai Railway, Longhai Railway, Lanqing Railway and Qinghai-Tibet Railway, passing through Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan , Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Tibet and other 8 provinces, the whole journey is 4373 kilometers.
This train passes through the third, second, and first steps of my country's topography. Along the way, you can see a variety of natural landscapes, from the evergreen broad-leaved forest in the Yangtze River Delta Plain, to the bluestone loess in the Taihang Mountains, to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Gobi Snow Mountain is full of beautiful scenery along the way.
This time I was fortunate enough to see the rippling Cuona Lake, Tuosu Lake, Chumar River, Tuotuo River, Qinghai Lake, Gahai Lake, Nianchu River, the world's longest highway and railway tunnel Guanjiao Tunnel, and the highest frozen tunnel. Earth Tunnel Fenghuo Tunnel, endless alpine desert grassland, shrub meadow, swamp wetland, Kunlun Mountains covered in silver, Yuzhu Peak, Gela Dandong Peak, Naiqin Kangsang Peak, changing clouds, dazzling after-rain Rainbows, leisurely yaks, Tibetan antelopes...
In order to show the whole picture of the scenery along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, this article compares the Golmud-Lhasa section of the Qinghai-Tibet Line that the Z164/165 train passes during the day, the Golmud-Xining section of the K9898 train, and the Lhasa-Shigatse (the extension section of the Qinghai-Tibet Line) of the Z8801/8804 train. Pictures are posted together.
On the first day, I got on the train from Nanjing Station at 11 o'clock in the evening, and passed through Bengbu Station and Xuzhou Station at night.
When it arrived at Zhengzhou Station the next morning, the train was 70 minutes late.
Henan and other places continued to rain, and trains passing by were delayed in large areas. This year, there has been a lot of rain across the country, which has had a certain impact on transportation, production and life.
Occasionally encounter a "give way" train
From Baoji to Lanzhou, the number of tunnels began to increase. There is a distance of 2 hours, one tunnel after another. Sometimes there is no 4G signal, and sometimes there is no 2G signal at all.
From Kipshi Town, Jintai District, Baoji City, Shaanxi Province to Chánkou Town, Anding District, Dingxi City, Gansu Province, the train traveled along the Wei River for more than two hours.
Train box lunch, 30 yuan/serving
Change trains at Xining Station. All passengers get off with their luggage and transfer to the oxygen-increased train on the opposite platform. The original seats and berths remain unchanged.
The aerobic train has more power, better facilities and equipment, and is more suitable for the plateau environment.
Scanning the health code with a mobile phone and filling in the report truthfully is a "standard action" for epidemic prevention and control in various places. However, filling in the passenger health registration card is a special requirement for entering Tibet by taking the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. On the front of the registration card are information such as the passenger’s name, age, ID card, and home address, and on the back is a reminder: “According to the opinions of the health department and doctors, it is recommended that passengers take a medical examination before traveling to the plateau. Only when the doctor confirms that they can travel to the plateau You can travel to the plateau."
company culture
Waking up on the morning of the third day, the train entered the Golmud area, and the magnificent picture of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau gradually spread out.
Breakfast is 28 yuan per serving, including 8 yuan for highland barley yogurt, which is very sweet and thick; porridge is not sold separately.
There are many such road guards along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway
Xiaonanchuan is located in Guolemud Town, Golmud City, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province, near the Sanchahe Bridge, the highest bridge along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.
kunlun snow mountain
Mount Yuzhu is on the left side of the train's direction of travel, and most of the scenic spots along the way are on the right side.
The capitalized slogans: "Soul, ability, blood, and morality", "Spirit without oxygen, higher morale at high altitudes", "Take root in Kunlun, youth without regrets, guard the road to heaven, and fulfill the mission". pay tribute! The years are quiet and good, just because of you!
The "hot rod" developed to solve the problem of plateau permafrost is officially called coreless gravity heat pipe and thermosiphon.
Tashi Inn, near the tourist attraction Budongquan
quma river
The Chumar River, one of the three sources of the Yangtze River, originates at the eastern foot of the Hoh Xil Mountain. The three sources of the Yangtze River refer to Chumar River in the north, Tuotuo River in Zhengyuan and Dangqu in the south.
The crescent-shaped sand dunes in the valley basin are a major feature of the natural landscape of the Chumar River.
Hoh Xil scenery along the way
tibetan antelope
"flatulence"
Continue to eat box lunch, still 30 yuan.
Fenghuoshan Tunnel, the highest permafrost railway tunnel in the world, has a total length of 1338 meters and a single-track railway in the cave.
The altitude here is more than 4,800 meters, the reaction is not very obvious, a little dizzy, and the eyes are swollen.
The Qinghai-Tibet Railway commemorative book recommended by the flight attendant, a set of 3 books, 221 yuan. It is said that it is only sold on the trains of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, and it cannot be bought on the market. The commemorative album includes: 1. "Snowland Bead Chain· Qinghai-Tibet Railway Commemorative Platform Ticket Collection", 98 yuan, introduces 34 stations on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from Xining to Lhasa, and each comes with a station scenic platform ticket; Qinghai-Tibet Railway Commemorative Platform Ticket Collection Book, 98 yuan, introduces the main rare animals along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and the efforts made by the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Company in animal protection. 3. "Beijing·Lhasa Passenger Train Commemorative Platform Ticket", 25 yuan, introduces Beijing West Railway Station, Golmud Station, Tanggula Station, Lhasa Station, Yangbajing No. There is also a blank space on the bridge for passengers to put in memorable train tickets.
Tuotuo River, the source of the Yangtze River.
Yanshiping Town, a plateau town in Anduo County, Nagqu City, Tibet Autonomous Region, but its actual location is near Tanggula Mountain Town, Golmud City, Qinghai Province. Therefore, when searching on the map with a mobile phone, sometimes two results will appear. Don't be surprised, this is caused by historical reasons. In the winter of 1962, Amdo County was hit by a severe snowstorm. Tibet asked Qinghai for emergency help. Qinghai Province agreed to temporarily borrow some pastures from Tanggula and other places to temporarily resettle the affected herdsmen and livestock in Amdo County, and gradually settled down. Cross-grazing and cross-grazing continue to cause disputes. Four consultation meetings were held in Qinghai and Tibet provinces. Finally, in May 2001, the State Council issued the "Reply on the Division of Some Areas on the Border of the Tibet Autonomous Region and the Administrative Region of Qinghai Province and Related Issues" (Guohan [2001] No. 51 ), clearly demarcated the direction of the legal boundary between Qinghai and Tibet, basically taking the traditional customary line of the Tanggula Mountain main line as the boundary, and at the same time confirmed that the townships and herdsmen established by Anduo County in Qinghai north of Tanggula Mountain are still under the actual jurisdiction of Tibet . Yanshiping Town, as the administrative section of Anduo County in Tibet in Qinghai, does not change its geographical ownership because it accepts disaster victims. However, management rights such as personnel and finance (for a certain period of time) still belong to Anduo County.
The altitude here is not as high as the wind volcano tunnel, but the headache has worsened, and the eyes are swollen and don't want to open them.
Buqiange is located in Tanggula Town, Golmud City, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province (Tanggula is an enclave of Golmud). After passing here, the alpine desert grassland gradually turns into shrub meadow and wetland grassland.
Zhajia Zangbo, the largest inland river in the Tibet Autonomous Region, originates from the modern glacier in the southwest of Gaila, Tanggula Mountain.
Gela Dandong (also known as Gela Dandong), which means "pointy mountain" in Tibetan, is the main peak of the Tanggula Mountains and the birthplace of the Tuotuo River.
Insert 3 pictures of the snow-capped mountains at the junction of Qinghai and Tibet taken on the Lhasa-Golmud plane, it is estimated to be Gela Dandong Peak.
Tanggula Station, at an altitude of 5,068 meters, is the highest station on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. It is unattended and controlled by satellite remote control.
The Tanggula Mountain crossing section is the section with the worst climate, the worst geological conditions and the most difficult construction on the entire Qinghai-Tibet Railway.
Oxygen is diffused in the cabin, so at such a high altitude, we have no obvious discomfort.
National Highway G109 Jingla Line goes all the way
blue sky after dark clouds
Look, the stone grows on the mountain, and looks very individual
Pieces of green began to increase
See also road guard
Tsona Lake, located between Nyainqentanglha Mountains and Kunlun Mountains, 20 kilometers southwest of Amdo County, Nagqu City, Tibet, is the highest freshwater lake in the world, with an altitude of 4650 meters and a water surface of about 300 square kilometers.
Cuona Lake is the source lake of the Nujiang River. The lake is close to the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, and the nearest point is only 20 meters away.
Galong Lake
It's raining
Seeing this, you may be surprised that there are so many rivers along the way. Yes, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the birthplace of seven important rivers in China and Asia, including the Yellow River, Yangtze River, Ganges River, Mekong River, and Indus River. It is known as the "Chinese Water Tower". The entire "water tower" has a total area of 2.5 million square kilometers, accounting for 1/4 of my country's total land area and 1/3 of its total water storage. The "pagoda body" is surrounded by the Himalayas in the south, the Kunlun Mountains and the Altun Mountains in the west, the Qilian Mountains in the north, the Hengduan Mountains, Bayan Har Mountains and Animaqing Mountains in the east, and several mountains with a length of more than 1,000 kilometers. Inside the "water tower" are glaciers, mountains, wetlands, grasslands, forests, lakes and rivers, with a total water storage capacity of 700 billion cubic meters and an average annual melt water volume of about 36 billion cubic meters.
Flowing clouds and flowing water
There are rushing rivers, countless sacred mountains and holy lakes, vast meadows and glaciers, and changeable weather conditions. This is the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
Beautiful Omega Ω Series Photos
the Rainbow comes after the storm
Watch a few videos of clouds: dark clouds, cloudy sunrise, rainbow after rain, blue sky and white clouds, cloudy to overcast
The sky was getting dark, and Yangbajing, Lhasa River Bridge and other scenic spots could not be seen. Post two pictures of Namtso seen on the plane.
Lhasa is here
As mentioned earlier, in order to fully display the scenery along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the pictures of the Golmud-Xining section are posted together.
Alpine desert along Golmud
crook l.
Tosu Lake
Delingha is a mysterious place. In addition to the alien ruins, there are two lakes with connected water surfaces, one salty and the other fresh. Keluke Lake and Tuosu Lake are connected by the Bayin River, Keluke Lake is a brackish freshwater lake, and Tuosu Lake is a typical inland saltwater lake.
Keke Salt Lake
Along the way, I saw many oil and gas companies, some of which have dedicated railways.
The Guanjiao Tunnel is located in Wulan County and Tianjun County, Qinghai Province, on the west (Ning) Ge (Ermu) section of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, with a total length of 32.645 kilometers. It is the longest high-altitude tunnel in the world and the longest tunnel in my country. The train running time in the tunnel was 22 minutes that day.
"Guanjiao" means "ladder to heaven" in Tibetan. The construction of the Guanjiao Tunnel lasted more than 30 years. Except for the 13 years of shutdown, the official excavation and construction took 5 and a half years, and the disease treatment took more than 9 years. It can be seen that the tunnel’s geological structure is complex, the weather conditions are harsh, and the severity of the disease .
Qinghai Lake, my country's largest inland lake and largest saltwater lake
Gahai, the largest freshwater lake in Gannan
Xining is here
Next, the scenery of Lhasa-Shigatse (extended section of the Qinghai-Tibet line) will be presented.
strong local characteristics
The water in the Yarlung Zangbo River is very turbid now, and it will become clear after September.
The Lhasa-Shigatse Expressway (a part of the Sichuan Ya'an-Xinjiang Yecheng Expressway) is under construction. At present, there is a third-class highway between Lhasa and Shigatse.
dune
Dedicated road guard
Highland barley is about to mature, and the color gradually turns yellow
Yardang landform
Nianchu River, the largest tributary of the middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River
This time I was lucky on the way from Lhasa to Shigatse. I was seated next to an old comrade who was familiar with Tibet's history, geography, customs and customs. He introduced a lot of knowledge, which benefited me a lot. For example, Tibetans are hard-working and adaptable. Mosuo, Naxi, and Qiang were originally Tibetans. Qiang used to be called Supi; Tibetan seabuckthorn is rich in vitamin C, which is better than wolfberry tea, and it is not easy to get angry. ; Before 1962, Tibetan cadres were paid in silver dollars (Yuan Datou). At that time, one silver dollar was equal to 1.7 yuan; in 2010, when the Lhasa-Shigatse railway was built, many Tibetan people were relocated. It is worrisome; the overall quality of the cadres aiding Tibet is very high, and there are also a few who have a "small group" consciousness, and so on.
Shigatse has arrived
The above are the scenery along the way I took on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway in August 2020, on the Xining-Lhasa section, Golmud-Xining section, and Lhasa-Shigatse section. Vast and vast, majestic and magnificent, this trip is worthwhile.
Yamdrok Yongcuo is located between Gongga County and Langkazi County, Shannan City, Tibet, about 70 kilometers southwest of Lhasa City. Together with Namtso and Manasarovar, it is also known as the three holy lakes in Tibet, with beautiful lakes and mountains. Because it is close to downtown Lhasa, most people choose to take a half-day tour or a one-day tour with a group. The difference lies in the distance of the tour around the lake and whether to go to the Carola Glacier. Based on my experience this time, I think a one-day tour is better, "everyone is here", why not see more attractions?
It is also a holy lake, many people will be entangled between Yamdrok Yongcuo and Namtso, which one to go to? My recommendation is Yanghu Lake. The scenery is similar, you can see the scenery of lakes and mountains, blue sky and white clouds, and the reflection of snow mountains, but Namtso is farther away, higher in altitude, and the road conditions are worse. If you don’t go to the Holy Elephant Tianmen on the north bank, the round-trip distance is more than 500 kilometers. Hours, that is quite tiring; if you want to see the holy elephant Tianmen, add 4 hours, it will take 2 days. At night, I live in tents at an altitude of more than 4,300 meters. There are 6-8 people in the bunk, and men and women live together. Not to mention the sanitary conditions, most people have to inhale oxygen all night. The Holy Elephant Tianmen has similar landscapes in many geological parks such as Dalian Jinshitan and Guilin Elephant Trunk Hill.
Going to Yamdrok Yongcuo, the driver will pick up tourists at the hotel in the off-season, and gather at the White Tower around 7 am in the peak season.
At 7 o'clock in the morning in August, the sun has not yet come out, and you can see the moon and stars in the sky. If you don’t have breakfast, there are many mobile vendors around the White Tower, offering food such as egg-filled pancakes.
Early in the morning, the morning glow is all over the sky, which indicates that the sky will be clear during the day, and we can see the various blue colors of Yanghu Lake today.
Clouds over Gambala Pass
The high altitude and the winding mountain road are a big test for the heart from the plain.
There is a section of gravel road on the way, about 50 minutes by car. It had been raining heavily for the past two days, and some areas were muddy.
The highlight of Yanghu Lake is that at different angles and at different times, the lake surface under the sunlight presents different levels of blue.
first viewing platform
The snow mountain in the distance is Ningjin Kangsha Peak, which belongs to the northern slope of the Himalayas.
Yanghu Snow Mountain Reflection Video:
The Secret of the "Mirror of the Sky"
Go to the second viewing platform
Because of the filtration of the window glass, the Yanghu Lake seen on the way is light blue and light yellow.
The visual effect of the second viewing platform is better. Looking from a distance, the calm lake looks like a blue ribbon just pulled out of the dye vat, and also like a clean and bright mirror.
real crystal clear
The total area of Yanghu Lake is 590 square kilometers. Although we only saw a very small part today, we feel satisfied. Enough, blue enough to see, enough photos to go to Langkazi County for lunch.
For group meals, the standard is 30 yuan per person. Unfortunately, due to altitude sickness, my appetite was poor, so I only drank a little soup and took a few bites of rice.
In the distance is Naiqin Kangsang Peak, one of the four sacred mountains in Tibet
Karola Glacier is located at the junction of Langkazi County and Gyangze County, where the movies "Red River Valley" and "Yunshui Ballad" were filmed.
This is the glacier closest to the road in Tibet, and the viewing platform is more than 100 meters away from the road.
If the altitude is high, you will feel dizzy; if the temperature is low, it will be cold, so you should wear cotton-padded clothes in August.
As the greenhouse effect intensifies, the glacier's snow line is moving upward each year and its area is shrinking. So if you have a chance, take a look as soon as possible.
There is another arrangement in the itinerary, to visit Xia Zhulin Temple, the highlight is a bodhisattva with a body that has not rotted for a thousand years. Because some of the group members were very tired and didn't want to go, I took a few photos in the distance.
Stop and rest. Tibet has strict requirements on tour bus drivers, who must rest for 20 minutes every 4 hours.
poplar tree. In the past, my impression of this kind of cold-resistant tree was the golden color of the middle forest in the desert. This time, after seeing the lush greenery along the Yarlung Zangbo River, I realized the meaning of "tourism gives you insight, walking means reading".
stack of wheat
Gongga section of the Yarlung Zangbo River, the river is open and the water is turbulent
Beef noodles, 19 yuan.
Night view of Potala Palace Square
Potala Palace Reflection
Shigatse means "the manor with the best soil" in Tibetan. It is the second largest city in Tibet, the place where the Panchen Lama was stationed in Xizang and the political and religious center of Tibet in the past. .
Shigatse is rich in historical relics and tourism resources, including the Tashilhunpo Monastery second only to the Potala Palace, the Shalu Monastery built in the 11th century AD, the Sakya Monastery known as the second Dunhuang, the Pagoda King Baiju Monastery in Tibet and the Anti-Japanese War. Zongshan Castle, the British ruins, etc.; Rongbuk Monastery, built in 1899, is the highest temple and the best place to overlook Mount Everest.
My visit this time is mainly to visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery, a 5A-level scenic spot. Take the No. 8 bus from Shigatse Railway Station. The fare is 2 yuan. Currently, Alipay, WeChat, and cloud flash payment are not supported, and cash must be put in. Seeing many tourists exchange change with others in embarrassment after getting on the bus, I thought to myself what age it is, and it is still the same old way. At present, only Lhasa public transport in Tibet supports mobile QuickPass.
Listen to the local people's introduction on the train, and you can taste local specialties fried potatoes, chicken, and sweet tea in the restaurant of Tashilhunpo Monastery. After getting off the bus, go straight to the restaurant.
Potatoes, chicken, rice, 42 yuan. Potatoes are curry-flavored, rich in starch, very waxy and soft; chicken is a cold dish, with a light fragrance. Although I was very hungry, the amount of food was too large and I didn't finish it. I wanted to drink some sweet tea, so I decided to come back after visiting Tashilhunpo Monastery.
Here's a little episode. Many tour guides say, including those on the train, that Tashilhunpo Monastery is open from 9 am to 12 am and from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm. I saw that it was just after 12 o'clock, and the temple would not open for more than three hours. Why not go to the "Xiaobu Palace" first. In fact, this is the old calendar, and the opening hours have been changed long ago. In the peak season, it is basically open all day long, without a break at noon.
Strolling along Xuefeng West Road, Jijilangka Road, and Xigezi Pedestrian Street around Tashilhunpo Monastery, there are shops and stalls everywhere. The management is not in place, and the traffic of vehicles and pedestrians is a bit chaotic, much like the inland towns in the 1980s.
street view
Sangzhuzi Zongbao, located on Zongshan Mountain in Sangzhuzi District, is known as the Little Potala Palace in Shigatse. Originally built in 1360, it was repaired and rebuilt in 2004 due to damage and completed in May 2007. Now it is Shigatse Museum.
Shigatse used to be the political and religious center of the Tibetan area in history. Jiang Qujianzan, the "Great Situ" conferred by Emperor Yuan Shun, took control of the whole of Tibet and made it his capital. He founded the Nedong Dynasty, and the following Tibetan areas were divided into 13 major sects, each of which built a castle-style building to undertake the functions of temples and government. Sangzhu Zizong Fort was the last dzong built. Under the direct intervention of Jiangqu Gyaltsan, Sangzhu Zzong Fort was higher than other dzong castles built in the same period in terms of scale, shape, level and exquisiteness.
Due to time constraints, I did not go to the top of the mountain to visit the inside of the Dzong Castle. Some netizens said in their travel notes that the Dzong Fort is currently closed to the public.
Next is the highlight of Shigatse, Tashilhunpo Monastery, one of the six famous Yellow Sect monasteries in my country. The main attractions here are the Great Maitreya Hall and the Panchen Lama Pagoda Hall, as well as the architectural style and color of the temple. Tibetan Buddhism is divided into Red Sect, White Sect, Yellow Sect, and Red Sect, which belong to Nyingma Sect, Kagyu Sect, Gelug Sect, and Sakya Sect.
From left to right, there are three halls with red walls and golden roofs, namely the Great Maitreya Hall, the Stupa Hall of the Tenth Panchen Lama, and the Stupa Hall of the Fourth Panchen Lama.
The most magnificent building in the temple is the Great Maitreya Hall.
The swastika in front of the hall is the auspicious symbol of Yong Zhongben religion, inlaid with opal, turquoise, lapis lazuli and other precious stones.
The Great Maitreya Hall is called "Qiangbakang" in Tibetan. In the hall, there is a gilt-bronze Jampa Buddha cast by the ninth Panchen Lama Quji Nyima in 1914, that is, the seated Maitreya Buddha. The Buddha statue is 26.2 meters high, squatting on a 3.8-meter-high lotus base, majestic and majestic. There are more than 1,400 gemstones inlaid between the eyebrows, including large and small diamonds, pearls, amber, coral, and turquoise. The Buddha body consumes 6,700 taels of gold and more than 230,000 catties of brass. It is the largest copper Buddha statue in the world.
Filming is prohibited inside the temple. The pictures about Jamba Buddha in this article are all from the Internet.
I circled the Buddha three times clockwise, praying for the health and safety of my family.
The tall buildings with golden roofs and red walls are majestic and magnificent
After the visit, come to Zhasi Restaurant to taste sweet tea again.
There are two sizes of sweet tea, 5 yuan for a small bottle and 10 yuan for a large bottle. It tastes a little sweet, with a light milky aroma, like the taste of malted milk that I drank when I was a child. A little dry mouth after drinking.
Going to Shigatse Railway Station, still take the No. 8 bus. If you can’t find the platform, just wait on the opposite side of the street where you got off just now.
Because it is the second time to Lhasa, traditional scenic spots such as the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Norbulingka did not go, but went to Yaowang Mountain to watch the sunrise of the Potala Palace, and visited the Tibetan Buddhist Association’s Printing House (Muru Temple) ), Sera Monastery's Shoton Festival Buddha Exhibition.
The Yaowangshan Observation Deck opens at 7 a.m., and the key is at the gatekeeper of the public toilet next to it.
In Lhasa in mid-August, the temperature in the morning was below 10°C. Many people who came to watch the sunrise wore thick jackets and down jackets. I only wore a thin jacket, and the mountain breeze felt a little cool.
Potala Palace sunrise video:
There are pictures and the truth, the pattern on the back of the fifth set of RMB 50 is the Potala Palace
Came to the Potala Palace Square again
Tibet Peaceful Liberation Monument
free flying pigeon
For comparison, look at the photos in December last year. There are still many shades in summer.
Zongjiao Lukang Park
Potala Palace back mountain reflection
Still beef noodles, 20 yuan, this time with more vegetables.
Muru Temple, currently the only printing house in Tibet that uses block printing technology to print Tibetan Buddhist scriptures, was founded in the 7th century AD.
The temple is located at No. 15, Beijing East Road, Lhasa, and is free to visit. The whole building is low in the front and high in the back, with the monk's house in the front and the main hall in the back. The first half of the first floor of the main hall is the Great Sutra Hall, and the second half is the Buddhist Hall.
The Sutra Printing House adopts engraving printing technology, which is a table for engraving and a vat for storing ink. It may be that the timing was unlucky, and I didn't see the scene of the on-site work.
I found an on-site work photo from the Internet, and felt the ancient engraving and printing technology.
Next, go to Sera Monastery to experience the atmosphere of the Shoton Festival on the spot. According to Baidu Encyclopedia: Shoton Festival is a national festival of the Tibetan people in Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan and other provinces and regions, and is one of the national intangible cultural heritages. "Shoton" means yogurt feast. In Tibetan, "Snow" means yogurt, and "Dun" means "eating" and "feast". According to Tibetan interpretation, the Shoton Festival is a festival for eating yogurt. Because there are Tibetan opera performances and Buddha exposure ceremonies during the Shoton Festival, it is also called "Tibetan Opera Festival" and "Buddha Exhibition Festival".
The 2020 Lhasa Shoton Festival has a number of activities including the opening ceremony, Buddha exhibition, Tibetan opera performances, and investment promotion. Among them, the Buddha exhibition activities were held in Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery respectively. Drepung Monastery is large in scale and Sera Monastery is close. I visited Sera Monastery this time.
There are many people, but the management is effective and orderly
The exhibition of Buddha is to carry out the huge thangka of the Jamba Buddha statue from the temple and show it to the world. The thangka is square, about 30 meters long and wide, with Buddha Sakyamuni in the middle and Bodhisattvas and protectors around. During the Buddha exhibition, people offer hada and coins to the Buddha statues, worship and pray.
The long scrolls of Buddha statues are displayed on the mountainside, and people can worship in the distance.
The Tibet Museum is still under maintenance. Last year, this year, next year... when will it be open to the public.
The Norbulingka opposite the museum is full of tourists watching the cultural performances of the Shoton Festival
Continue to eat noodles, 20 yuan.
goodbye, tibet
"Golmud" is a transliteration of Mongolian, meaning "a place with dense rivers". Located in the west of Qinghai Province, it is a county-level city managed by Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The geographical location is important, it is the strategic fortress connecting Tibet, Xinjiang and Gansu in Qinghai and the transportation hub in the west of my country, and the starting point of the second phase of Qinghai-Tibet Railway.
Golmud is the largest county-level city in my country. The total area is about 119,000 square kilometers, more than 11 provincial-level administrative units in the country, larger than Jiangsu Province (102,600 square kilometers), 107 times the area of Hong Kong, and 3,626 times the area of Macau. Her enclave, Tanggula Town, is equivalent to half of Zhejiang Province. In terms of area, it is more like a province than a county-level city. Even if it is placed in the world, it is not inferior, with an area of more than 99 countries; if it is placed in Europe, it ranks 17th, which is equivalent to the combined area of Iceland and Bulgaria. Although the total economic output cannot be compared with that of county-level cities in the eastern coastal area, which can easily exceed 100 billion yuan, it is second to none in Qinghai. In 2019, the GDP was more than 40 billion yuan, accounting for 60% of Haixi Prefecture, ranking first among county-level cities in the province. The second place is Huangzhong County with more than 27 billion yuan.
For the itinerary in Golmud, I originally planned to take a one-day tour with the group, and choose between Kunlun Mountain Pass + Sancha River Bridge + Hoh Xil Nature Reserve, or Usut Water Yardang + Dongtai Jinel Lake one-day tour one. Considering that the distance is far away, a day is basically spent on the road, and the Kunlun Mountain Pass is 4768 meters above sea level, and Hoh Xil is 4460 meters above sea level. Thinking about the altitude sickness in the Karola Glacier, I have been "retreating". In addition, I participated in the Qinggan Grand Ring Road trip the year before last, and went to Nanbaxian, Emerald Lake, Chaka Salt Lake and other places. The landform of Yadan is estimated to be similar. So I changed the Golmud-Xining night train ticket K9900 (22:45-6:24+1) to the daytime train number K9898 (7:42-15:22), just to see that the Z164/165 train is running at night And missed the Qinghai-Tibet Railway scenery.
Speaking of Golmud, one cannot fail to mention General Mu Shengzhong and the road construction army led by him. In the early 1950s, on the Chinese map at that time, Golmud was just an uninhabited Gobi desert on the southern edge of the Qaidam Basin. Since the Tibet Transportation Corps set up the first tent on the banks of the Golmud River, successive builders have gradually laid a solid foundation for urban development with their selflessness and dedication, wisdom and sweat, life and responsibility. The most representative figure among them is General Mu Shengzhong, known as the "Father of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway".
When General Mu Shengzhong came to Golmud in 1954, there was not a single tree, let alone a single family, in the open Gobi field. The accompanying officers and soldiers asked, where is Golmud? Mu Shengzhong said that Golmud is just under his feet. Wherever the tent is set up, there is Golmud! In the face of everyone's hesitation, the general not only boldly expressed his majestic feelings of taking root in Golmud and opening up mountains and land to build roads, but also personally led the road construction army, and built the road from Golmud to Lhasa in only 7 months and 10 days, creating a new era. A miracle in the history of human road construction. At the same time, together with the road construction army, he overcame obstacles, moved soil and cultivated greenery, and built a brand new city on the vast sea of Gobi.
Although my time in Golmud is very limited, I still visited the General Building Park with admiration.
General Building Park is centered on the residence of General Mu Shengzhong and the former office building of the road-building troops, with the theme of commemorating the construction of Qinghai-Tibet Highway and Qinghai-Tibet Railway, military reclamation and frontier defense, and the development history of Golmud. More than 60 years ago, General Mu Shengzhong and the soldiers of the People's Liberation Army he led bravely marched forward bravely and used their lives and sweat to open up the "Road to Heaven".
The Tianlu Memorial Tower is 39.16 meters high, implying that the total mileage of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway and the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is 3916 kilometers.
Below the monument is a concise map, marking the major cities and regions that the Qinghai-Tibet Highway and the Qinghai-Tibet Railway pass through from the starting point to the ending point.
The sculpture "Forging a Sword into a Plow" reflects the military reclamation
The story of "Twenty-Seven Mu Vegetable Garden": After the disbandment of the Tibet Transportation Corps, Mu Shengzhong wanted to leave some people behind to build roads, but everyone wanted to leave. He thought of a way, gathered everyone and said: You go, I can't go. You open up a day for me, I want to grow vegetables here. In the end, 90 people were organized, and 10 people worked on a piece of land, each with 3 mu. Everyone was in a hurry to go home, and as soon as they worked hard, they drove out in one day. This is the earliest "27 mu vegetable garden" in Golmud. The next day, Mu Shengzhong convened everyone and said: "Some people say that labor is impossible on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and people die when they work. Yesterday, everyone opened up a third of the land, and life is not easy! Who is sick? Who died? Here is Those who can work. Now our comrades who entered Tibet are waiting to eat food. Our transportation task has not been completed, and we left the food on the way home. Isn’t it a desertion? Today I decided that one can’t leave, and the good ones stay with me to repair Road!" Under the mobilization and inspiration of Mu Shengzhong, all the personnel remained, a total of 1,220 people were organized into 6 engineering teams, with 200 people in each team, and captains and instructors were appointed; the remaining 20 people were organized into survey teams. 100 new camels were used as moving and transportation forces to go to the front line of road construction.
Statue of General Mu Shengzhong. Mu Shengzhong was born in Hejiashan Village, Wubao County, northern Shaanxi in 1910. He joined the Red Army in Northern Shaanxi in 1930. In August 1951, he served as a member of the Standing Committee of the Tibet Working Committee, head of the Organization Department and political commissar of the Tibetan Detachment. At the beginning of 1953, the Northwest Bureau of the Communist Party of China organized the Tibet General Transportation Team to deliver grain and supplies to the People's Liberation Army entering Tibet. He was ordered to lead the grain and grass team to start from Golmud and enter Tibet twice. Later, he rushed to Beijing and proposed the idea of building the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. Approved by superiors, on May 11, 1954, the Qinghai-Tibet Highway broke ground in Golmud. Mu Shengzhong led 19 cadres, more than 1,200 migrant workers and soldiers to the roof of the world, each with a pick and a shovel. There is no machine, and there is no engineer... On December 25, 1954, the Qinghai-Tibet Highway was completed.
Now we are no strangers to the place names along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, such as Xueshuihe, Xidatan, Wudaoliang, Kaixinling, Fenghuoshan, Budongquan, Hoh Xil, and Tuotuohe. But do you know, these are the names given by Mu Shengzhong during the road construction process. Mu Shengzhong's Mandarin is not standard, which caused the translators to translate some place names out of shape. For example, in Hoh Xil, Mu Shengzhong took "Huo Huo Xil", and the translator translated it into "Kek Xil"; the Tuotuo River was full of sand, and when people went down into the river, the sand immediately buried the top of their feet, like a shoe cover. , Mu Shengzhong named it "Tuotao River", but the translator translated it into "Tuotuo River". After the Lushan Conference in 1959, he was implicated and criticized. He was rehabilitated in 1979, and then served as vice chairman of the Gansu Provincial Political Consultative Conference. On October 19, 1994, Mu Shengzhong died of illness at the age of 84. According to his last wish, his ashes were scattered on Kunlun Mountain.
The former residence of General Mu Shengzhong and the former office building of the road construction troops
"Road Building Loyal Soul" Sculpture
A country, a nation, and a person must have a little spirit. One is not afraid of suffering, the other is not afraid of death, tenacious struggle, willing to be a stone on the road, the "two roads" spirit of military and civilian family, and national unity is a precious asset that inspires us to continue moving forward.
Boiled meat is 37 yuan, salty and spicy; beer is 12 yuan, and rice is 2 yuan.
Xining is the capital of Qinghai Province, the eastern gateway of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a large western city inhabited by many ethnic groups, and the starting point of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. It was called the Western Capital in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and it was renamed Xining in the Song Dynasty, which means peace in the west.
Xining Railway Station
The "Three Rivers Source" statue in the square in front of the station (Qinghai is the birthplace of the Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Lancang River).
If you want to invest in train station shops, it is recommended to take a look at Xining Station. This is an integrated high-speed railway and ordinary railway station, and many shops in the square in front of the station are empty and closed.
Xining City is also the second time. This time I visited Xinning Square, Dongguan Grand Mosque, Nanguan Mosque, Nanshan Park, Nanchan Temple, and visited the Memorial Hall of the Chinese Workers and Peasants Red Army West Route Army.
Xinning Square is the earliest square in Xining City, surrounded by Qinghai Provincial Museum, art gallery and library. I originally wanted to visit the museum to see cultural relics such as the Baoming bronze and gold-plated Guanyin statue in the town hall, but I didn't know that this place, like the Tibet Museum, is under maintenance and is not open to the public.
Then go to enjoy the distinctive mosque.
Xining City Dongguan Mosque
Xining Nanguan Mosque
Nanshan is located in the south of Xining City, with an altitude of 2419 meters. According to legend, there is a phoenix flying in Nanliang, also known as Phoenix Mountain. Nanshan Park, built on the mountain, covers an area of 1,500 mu and is the largest modern mountain forest park in Xining.
The park has a relatively high terrain, and you can overlook the whole city from the top of the mountain.
Nanshan Gongbei Mosque commemorates Abdul Rahman, the first Arab who traveled thousands of miles to Qinghai to spread Islam.
Phoenix Terrace
The Xining TV station tower - "Pearl of Puning", built by Shanghai Pudong, is 188 meters high and about one-third the size of the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower. It is the highest multi-functional sightseeing tower in my country.
There is a temple at the northern foot of Nanshan, Nanchan Temple, also known as Nanshan Temple. Founded in the Northern Song Dynasty, it belongs to the Pure Land Sect and is one of the earliest Han Buddhist temples in Qinghai. The main buildings include Daxiong Hall, Thousand Buddha Hall, Jade Buddha Hall, Sansheng Hall, Weituo Hall, Maitreya Hall, Ksitigarbha Hall, etc.
Next to Nanchan Temple is Fazhuan Temple, which is the largest Han Buddhist bhikkhuni temple in Qinghai Province. It was built in 1943. The original site of Fazhuan Temple is not here. It was relocated here to make way for the road from Xining to Kumbum Temple, so the appearance of the temple is relatively new. Due to the epidemic, it is not open to the public.
Beef and mutton in Northwest China are very famous, so you have to try it. After asking the locals, it was recommended to be the neck of expensive sheep.
Lamb neck meat is 98 yuan per catty. It is boiled and cut cold.
Ask the waiter when ordering, and they say that a catty is about the same. In fact, half a catty is enough for one person. Don’t overestimate your stomach. It’s best to try it lightly. If you eat too much, you will get tired.
Smell noodles are 10 yuan, which contains sour cabbage, potato cubes, tofu and so on. You can drink alcohol in the store, but you need to bring your own.
The Memorial Hall of the West Route Army of the Red Army of Chinese Workers and Peasants is located in the Cemetery of Martyrs in Xining City. The memorial hall was built in 1986. Through pictures, materials and real objects, it displays the deeds of more than 5,600 Chinese workers and peasants Red Army West Route Army martyrs who died in Qinghai, and reproduces the glorious achievements and heroic images of the soldiers of the West Route Army who fought bloody battles and generously sang songs.
The West Route Army is a branch of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. In October 1936, the Long March of the Red Army of Chinese Workers and Peasants ended. Facing the grim situation at that time, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Revolutionary Military Commission made a decision to order troops to cross the Yellow River westward to occupy Gansu and Ningxia areas in order to open up the lifeline of Soviet aid to China. According to the order, the 30th Army of the Red Fourth Front crossed the Yellow River westward. Subsequently, the Ninth Army, the headquarters of the Fourth Red Front Army and the Fifth Army also crossed the Yellow River, preparing to implement the Ningxia campaign plan. Later, due to changes in the enemy's situation in Hedong, the plan was terminated. On November 11, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Revolutionary Military Commission named the troops crossing the river the "West Route Army", with a total of 21,800 people. The leading body was called the "West Route Army Military and Political Committee". , the main task is to establish bases in Gansu and the West, open up ties with the Soviet Union, and seek international assistance. More than 20,000 soldiers of the West Route Army fought bloody battles in the Hexi Corridor for half a year, annihilating more than 25,000 enemies, but in the end they were outnumbered and died in the Hexi Corridor.
The main battlefield of the West Route Army is in the Hexi Corridor, Gansu. Why should the West Route Army Memorial be built in Xining, Qinghai? After the Battle of Hexi, more than 9,000 commanders and fighters of the West Route Army were captured, of which 5,600 were escorted to Xining, where more than a thousand commanders and fighters were massacred by the Ma Bufang Department of the Kuomintang. In July 1954, a martyrs cemetery was established in Xining City, where the remains of 1,776 martyrs were buried, including 517 martyrs of the West Route Army. In addition, after the Hexi campaign ended, a large amount of information about the Hexi campaign was brought back to Qinghai, which is one of the reasons why Xining set up a memorial hall.
Photography is not allowed in the memorial hall, and the above related pictures are from the Internet.
The Soviet-style gatehouse of the Qinghai provincial government office building is very distinctive, and the reliefs that set off the national emblem are very beautiful.
The city of Xining is really people-oriented. There are two details: one is that there are many public toilets, and you will see a warning sign about 1,000 meters away. The second is that there are many buses, and the fare is mostly 1 yuan, no matter how many stops you take. The lines extend in all directions, and the operating time is from 6:30 am to 10:00 pm, and Alipay can be used.
The Qinghai-Tibet Railway Company, located at No. 22 Jianguo Road, Xining City, has jurisdiction over the three provinces of Gansu, Qinghai, and Tibet Autonomous Region.
Xining Station at night looks like a train coming into the station from a distance.
Goodbye, Xining.
Arrive home safely.
Thanks for reading.
