[At the beginning of 2021, he said, we must believe in the light.
Life is worth living and the future is promising. The world is worthwhile, and the future can be expected. 】
The past 2020 was a huge disaster for me. Work, relationships, and the pace of life are messed up by uncontrollable factors.
It is said that travel is the best medicine to heal wounds.
I have never been a person who is used to escaping, but it is also the first time that I want to find the meaning of continuing life during a trip.
Even if it is just a glimmer of light, it also gives the future a possibility of happiness.
Looking back on this journey, fortunately there is it
I saw the endless starry sky
I saw the first ray of sunlight in 2021
Seeing the white snow on the top of the snow mountain
I also saw the light of many beliefs
Before the trip - fantasy about Litang
The obsession with Litang arose from the overwhelming discussions on the Internet at the end of the year. They say that this is a city closest to the sky.
Yes, with an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters, the county with the highest altitude in the world is a veritable city in the sky.
I guess in my heart, such a place must be sunny and the wind is smooth.
If Litang is the closest city to the sun, then in my mind, self-driving is the closest way to travel freely. With a car, a few people, a few boxes, and the engine started, it has the momentum to go to the end of the world with a sword.
So, a few days before the end of 2020, I drove an ice-blue Beijing Hyundai seventh-generation Elantra, starting from Yibin, bumping all the way to Litang, the city of the sky.
I don't have much research on cars, but the appearance of the seventh-generation Elantra hit my heart immediately. The icy sea blue is like a deep starry sky, and it is also as vast as the sea. Such depth makes people feel at ease.
Seven-day travel, this is my partner who depends on each other.
The first station! Yibin!
It was late in the evening when the plane landed in Yibin, and the name of Wuliangye Airport was a bit weird and interesting.
In the plan before the trip, Yibin was only used as a transit station for the journey, but it was only when I came here that I realized that in this unknown small city, there is a scenic spot with a great background-Shunan Bamboo Sea. As the largest natural bamboo forest scenic spot in the world, it is not to be missed due to its large area and the charm of the bamboo forest.
So, I took the car first, and drove the seventh-generation Elantra all the way into the bamboo sea.
In the middle of winter, there are signs of decay everywhere, only pines, cypresses and bamboos, the green appearance makes people feel like spring and summer. In this bamboo sea, there are not only green bamboos that are evergreen all the year round, but also waterfalls that flow straight down, and five elements and eight trigrams full of mystery.
Stopped on a small road surrounded by bamboo. This is also the first time I have carefully looked at this loyal travel companion beside me.
Blue has always been my favorite color, and the fastback design of the rear, the penetrating H-shaped taillights, and the geometric line design are lively and full of power, which breaks the depth of blue and adds a lot of dynamic temperament.
The large capacity of the trunk is 474L, and the humanized design can be laid down in 6:4. It is more than enough to stuff a 28, a 24, a 20-inch suitcase, and a bunch of snacks on the road.
Located in a low-lying area, compared to Litang, a destination with an altitude of more than 4,000 meters, the small city of Yibin is only a few hundred meters away.
Not long after strolling, the damp and cold air that belongs to the land of Sichuan and Sichuan enveloped the whole body. It happened to be cloudy, and there was no sunshine at all. Quickly hid in the warm embrace of the seventh-generation Elantra, drove to the B&B, and had a special bamboo feast.
The bamboo fungus soup that invigorates qi and nourishes yin, the creative scrambled eggs with bamboo flowers, and the decoration of bamboo elements that can be seen everywhere in the homestay, seem to have broken into the kingdom of bamboo.
Rilong & Yajiang ｜Morning in a small town
In the middle of 2020, when I was most depressed, my friend said, let’s go to the vegetable market, where the steaming fireworks are the best cure.
Yes, the pyrotechnics of secular life are the most vital.
On the night not long after departure, I stayed in Rilong, a well-known small town, where there is also a famous mountain called Siguniang Mountain.
In the morning when the sun was shining, I woke up naturally after sleeping, and climbed a big uphill to have a simple breakfast. After eating meat buns and porridge, the air around me suddenly became warmer. The city has not yet officially awakened, and the quaint houses on Fengqing Street are still shrouded in shadows, while the slightly higher hills have been bathed in light.
Take a walk at leisure, without turning on the navigation or looking at the map, just walk casually with a feeling of being lost, turn into the cafe you met by chance, and order a cup of hot latte. This cafe is called Salad Yard, and the barista here is a deep Cantonese man who loves Siguniang Mountain. He traveled to Siguniang Mountain 11 times in 10 years, and finally settled down altogether, bought a shop, and made a homestay and coffee.
The landlord's children kept coming to play, and there were many children's toys in the store. Perhaps compared with the first-tier cities, there is a lot less convenience here. "The courier has not been delivered for a week," he complained.
But such a leisurely slow pace can also be addictive.
The coffee is simple to make, the milk foam is too thick, and there is not even a garland, but in this cool air, guarding a sleeping cat, this is the most comfortable coffee I have ever had.
In the next few days, we ate all kinds of Sichuan dishes, including chicken, duck and fish, but the most memorable thing was the breakfast in Yajiang.
This small town is also special. On one side is Xindu Bridge, which is more than 3,000 meters above sea level, and on the other is Litang, which is more than 4,000 meters above sea level. Thanks to its altitude of more than 2,500 meters, passengers traveling to and from Western Sichuan can get a little respite in the face of high resistance.
Yajiang in the early morning is black, and it is still hidden from the sun after 8 o'clock.
The shops on the street have just opened, there are small Tibetan robe shops, fruit shops that have just opened their stalls, and a variety of grocery stores.
There are also stalls in the morning market along the river, cute sweaters, buy one get one free home appliances, this morning is noisy.
Climbing up to a high place and looking down, there is a vast river with rows of houses along the banks. Although there is no sunlight, the scenery is very beautiful.
Morning is the time that brings people the most hope.
Everything just woke up, as if everything could start from scratch, everything was brand new.
On the road｜The magnificence of Danba Tibetan Village
I have never been a skilled driver, and I am often trembling when I go to a strange city, but I have always loved the self-driving way of travel. I don’t have to be limited by public transportation, and I don’t have to compromise on other people’s travel arrangements.
In my heart, self-driving is the closest way to travel freely, if you want to stay, then stay.
Fortunately, the safety factor of the seventh-generation Elantra is high enough, and there are 23 ADAS configurations to escort me all the way.
The height and width of the driving field of vision are excellent, and the blind spot display system can effectively reduce blind spots in the field of vision. The anti-collision assist function predicts the risk of collision in advance and intervenes in the vehicle. The 360° panoramic image can always pay attention to the surrounding environment, so that I can move forward with confidence.
Between the cliffs, I feel the freedom of trying to jump.
Passing through the eighteen bends of the Tianlu Road, I marveled at the twists and turns and dangers of the road.
Passing through the continuous green hills and wilderness, I saw the magnificence in the desolation.
After passing the Kazila Pass, which is as high as 4715, I got acquainted with the biting wind and the moon climbing up the mountain.
Later, I drove through the winding mountain road, with continuous mountains and cliffs on one side, and exotic houses lined up on the other. It was only when I was in it that I realized it, but I broke into a village?
White roofs, exquisitely carved wooden windows, and black embellishments, white, yellow, and black complement each other, and looking into the distance, hundreds of similar houses stand in a row, blending with the surrounding green hills.
The beautiful picture in front of me is called Danba Tibetan Village, which was once rated as the most beautiful ancient town and ancient village in China by China National Geographic magazine.
The sky is blue, and eagles fly by occasionally.
It is said that eagles are lonely animals, but this group of eagles flying together adds a touch of magnificence to the sky.
It's already midwinter, but here is full of vitality.
On the road｜Go to an alien planet for a while E.T
If you want to count the wonders along this road, Moshi Park is indispensable.
The mountains and rivers are magnificent, and the unique geological function of this Moshi Park has made it a new favorite of western Sichuan travel in recent years.
Regardless of the geological effects, the scenery in front of you really seems to have traveled to an alien planet, so here, will you meet E.T?
This plateau stone forest landscape full of strange stones is known as "the eighth most beautiful landscape avenue in China".
This continuous scene of strange rocks, close your eyes and experience it, is like a vast expanse of blue waves, suddenly they seem to flow. Touching the rocks and walking in, the road narrows gradually. Jumping up on the rocks and looking down, the bottom looks like a forest of ten thousand swords, and the sharp rocks are transformed into sharp swords at this moment.
I never thought that going up the mountain is easy and going down the mountain is difficult. Walking down the rock, you only realize when your feet slip. You can only walk down slowly and carefully until the soles of your feet touch the ground before you feel relieved.
The stone forest landscape of Moshi Park dates back to the Triassic period. The crustal fracture activity, the erosion of flowing water, the shoveling of wind and snow, and the collapse of gravity have formed a stone forest. And this kind of rock is weak and calcareous, and under the erosion of wind, rain and water, it is sculpted into the majestic and majestic earth stone forest landscape we see today.
The years in units of hundreds of millions of years, what a vast and vast time, it turned into all kinds of things in front of us today, and I can only feel shocked in my heart. The powerful force of nature has been changing the world with patience every year.
On the road｜Encounter with a group of yaks
"Then one day, I saw yaks in the sunset. Their ears drooped and they strolled in the wilderness. Even the cars honking their horns from afar didn't alarm them at all. Facing the direction of the sunset, they carried their destiny No matter the speed or direction, we have never been disturbed by our group of tourists from afar."
If you want me to tell the story of the encounter that day, it should look like this.
Yaks are creatures on the Tibetan plateau, and they are also the adventures of our trip.
I rode the seventh-generation Elantra past a herd of yaks, galloped on the Tagong grassland, and stayed until night to watch a starry sky far away from the city. Even the freezing temperature of minus 16 degrees did not scare me away.
Drawing a perfect star trail with a camera all night is the most memorable thing at the end of 2020. In the cold late night, there are friends by my side, the warm wind of the seventh-generation Elantra, and the silent prayer in my heart, the expectation and yearning for 2021.
Even hiding in the car and waiting, I didn't feel bored at all.
Convenient wireless charging of mobile phones, voice recognition to play music, radio, navigation and other functions make staying in the car more interesting. The central control screen is also very sensitive, with three fingers to touch the overall menu, four fingers to the home page, and five fingers to turn off the screen, the degree of intelligence is very high.
On the road｜The light of faith
On the Tagong Grassland, there is a long turning path. There are pious Tibetans passing by at all times beside the scriptures, silently reciting the six-character mantra, praying for "health and peace".
Not far from the sutras is the well-known Tagong Temple.
Tagong Temple, whose full name is "Ruyi Jietuo Temple at First Sight", is one of the famous temples of the Sakya sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Many devout Buddhists have traveled thousands of miles.
What shocked me the most was not the elegant demeanor of this historic and respected temple, but the light in the eyes of the Tibetans who came from thousands of miles away.
For this pilgrimage, they drove over mountains and ridges, and they also hiked from day to night and then to day. Some people bring their families with them, while others call for friends and companions. Perhaps, in their world, coming to worship together is a big thing in faith, but it is also as common as afternoon tea with friends.
It's like it's carved into your life, and it's also carved into your daily life.
They like to joke around, watching me raise the camera and not avoiding it, they even come up to him to make fun of me. When entering the store to worship Buddha, the backpack was thrown on the bench outside the door, and there was no worry about losing luggage.
Compared with us, they live more freely and fearlessly. Perhaps, this is the power of faith.
Destination Geopond｜First Light in 2021
On the New Year's Eve from 2019 to 2020, I was alone at home, listening to the New Year's Eve parties of various David TV broadcasts on TV, and I was still busy with unfinished work in 2019, waiting for the takeaway that had not yet been delivered.
On New Year's Eve from 2020 to 2021, I spent it with many people in Litang, Sichuan, more than 2,000 kilometers away from home. Order a table full of dishes, and that fish dish is a kind gift that is more than enough every year.
Everything here is different.
Different heights, different climates, different ethnic groups, different houses, and different scenery. The difference is that as soon as he arrived at the border of Litang, Gao Fan came to report, and was so sad that he was sent to the hospital to see a doctor and receive oxygen. It was the first time in my life that I was sent to the hospital against a high-level reaction, which was too unforgettable.
Diarrhea, acute gastritis, and body aches all followed one after another, and various medicines piled up, occupying one-fifth of my suitcase.
However, I have never regretted this journey.
Because, I saw the first ray of sunlight in 2021, in this place closest to the sky.
At around 7:00 on January 1st, we drove the seventh-generation Elantra to the hillside. The potholes and narrow mountain roads never stopped us. And the power combination of the seventh-generation Elantra Kappa 240T GDi high-power engine + 7DCT transmission makes it full of power, and the shock absorption ability also ensures a certain degree of comfort. The minimum fuel consumption per 100 kilometers is about 5L, which makes the whole journey more diligent and thrifty.
Its immersive cockpit design and oversized body design expand the space and make our journey more comfortable.
From 7 o'clock to 8 o'clock, first everything around was polished, I saw the smoke rising in the morning, and saw the red, yellow houses showing their original colors little by little, finally, the sun finally slowly climbed up from behind the hill.
Is this the leisurely West of Sichuan? Everything is not rushed.
The radiance is dazzling, mixed with the unique dryness of the western Sichuan plateau, which makes the sunlight even more dazzling.
The first ray of sunshine in the new year just sprinkled on my body frankly and unsparingly, warming up my whole body and dispelling all the haze.
I began to believe that the first ray of dawn in 2021 has the power to heal people's hearts.
On the other side of the hillside is the already open Litang Temple. I turned around and wanted to go in for a stroll, but I didn't expect to join a party by chance.
In the courtyard of Litang Temple, many Tibetans gathered to share the beef and pastries in their hands.
Hungry and growling, I asked a tentative question, and then there was an enthusiastic elder sister who forgot to stuff cakes and snacks in her hands, and the elder brother turned around and took a knife to cut the beef.
Boys and girls are not shy, they call sisters and sisters, come and chat with me. The sincerity in their eyes made me feel that I was not an intruder, but a partner who had already known them.
Litang Temple, also known as Changqingchun Keer Temple, is the largest Gelug Sect (Yellow Sect) temple in Kham District, and is known as "Kangnan Buddhist Holy Land".
Litang Temple in winter has a quiet atmosphere. I saw monks rushing by in groups, and they also went to pay homage to the precious Buddhist murals.
It is only 1 km away from the Litang Temple, and it is detoured to the ancient town of Letong.
It is said to be an ancient town, but it is more like a lively ethnic neighborhood. It is a Tibetan area composed of more than 4,000 Tibetan houses in 13 Tibetan villages, and has become the largest Tibetan village group with a thousand households.
There are many shops here, all kinds of goods are dazzling, and this place has become one of the must-see places in Litang.
The most eye-catching one is the turning path. Starting from clockwise, the prayer wheel also rotates clockwise. After walking around, it is regarded as a serious turn around.
In 2016, I lived in Lhasa for 3 months, adjacent to the Jokhang Temple Square on Barkhor Street.
In the evening, it is common to see Tibetans turning prayers, holding a small prayer wheel, chanting in their mouths, and walking silently. If you kowtow at the same pace, it will take a long time to travel a short distance.
But they are happy, the fatigue and pain of the body are not important, only the faith in the heart will last forever.
If you want to feel the lively fireworks in Litang, you must go to Baita Park. The entrance of the park is one of the most lively commercial streets in the county. People came and went, shoulder to shoulder, speaking Tibetan, which I couldn't understand, and their hearty laughter couldn't be stopped.
Passing by the gate of the park in the seventh-generation Elantra, the excitement will spill into the car through the car window. The lane is crowded. Fortunately, the seventh-generation Elantra's L2+ intelligent assisted driving system is powerful enough. Based on Baidu maps, it can realize functions such as speed limit and automatic deceleration when turning, making driving in the busy city easier.
Entering the door is another world. Hundreds of white pagodas form a magnificent Tallinn, and there is an endless stream of people who come to worship every day.
I don't know much about Tibetan culture and beliefs, and I have traveled thousands of miles, and I am just a spectator of their lives.
However, this part that is integrated into their daily lives is precisely the brilliance in their lives.
Written at the end｜2021, I also have a beam of light
Drive more than 1400 kilometers in 7 days
Take pictures of the stars at night at minus 16 degrees
Kazila Mountain Pass with the highest reaching 4715 meters
Destination Litang The highest altitude is more than 4,300 meters, and the average is over 4,000...
Thinking about the journey that has just ended, these numbers have strung together the highlights of the journey.
Although the various illnesses brought about by the high-defense test made me seriously doubt whether I would die here, but it also made me bravely go on a journey of chasing the light. In 2021, which has just arrived, it is the best meeting gift.
"Trust in the Light"
This is what my friend said to me when I was downhearted.
From now on, I am willing to believe that those faint lights in life are the hope that blooms in the barren life, and the warmth that bursts out in the freezing weather.
Chasing the first ray of dawn in 2021, I am eager to go to a distant place to meet the brilliance of the future.
