Walk into the ancient city of Sakya
If you come to Tibet for the first time, you may think that the appearance of the 318 route is Tibet.
If you go to Lhasa for the first time, you may think that the Potala Palace is a pattern of Tibetan Buddhism.
150 kilometers west from Shigatse, Tibet, the loess of the plateau is directly exposed to the scorching sun.
There is a thousand-year-old city here called Sakya.
Sakya County is located between the Himalayas and Gangdise Mountains, with a high terrain in the north and south, low in the middle, and the highest peak in the territory is 6092 meters above sea level.
The ancient city of Sakya is 4,300 meters above sea level. This is a veritable plateau city.
Sakya means "grey and white soil" in Tibetan.
In the 11th century AD, Kun Gongjuejiebu built a temple on the hillside on the north bank of the Zhongqu River in order to teach the new secrets of Buddhism, hence the name "Sakya".
The folk customs of the ancient city of Sakya are simple, maybe because of the winter, there are not many people on the road, I like quietness, so I like the atmosphere here.
The ancient city of Sakya is not too big, you can walk around all over the place,
But because the altitude is too high and the oxygen content is insufficient, you may be out of breath before you finish walking here.
I will summarize the places worth visiting in Sakya here, and I will not go wrong here.
【Travel Tips】
Climate: The climate in Sakya County is dry. It is best to carry protective milk, lip balm, anti-cracking cream and other items, and carry a thermos cup to drink hot water at any time. The oxygen content decreases at night, so you need to drink water to replenish your body moisture.
Transportation: Sakya Temple is 150 kilometers away from the urban area of Shigatse. It takes 2 hours to drive. The road is in good condition and you can see overlapping mountains along the way.
Altitude: 4310 meters, it is easy to go high, it is best to wait a few days in Shigatse before coming to Sakya, otherwise the body may not be able to bear it, friends who have not been to the plateau are recommended to buy a portable oxygen tank to make the body more oxygen.
"Second Dunhuang" Sakya Temple
The Sakya Temple is the most famous scenic spot in Sakya County. It was built in 1073 AD by the Tubo noble Kun family, and then gradually formed the Sakya Sect. Sakya Temple means "grey and white soil" in Tibetan, because there is a piece of gray and white rock on Mount Bo, where the temple is located, which has been weathered for many years and looks like soil. After the 14th century, due to religious activities, it was transferred to the Saganan Temple, that is, we are now visiting the main temple. The original temple was called Sakya North Temple.
Tickets for Sakya Temple are 50 yuan/person, free for Tibetans. It is known as the "Second Dunhuang", because Sakya is more of a cultural landscape, so it is suitable for sightseeing all year round. Compared with the snow-capped mountains and lakes in Tibet, Sakya is more humanistic and Buddhist. When you come here, you not only appreciate the beautiful scenery with your eyes, but also deeply understand the real Tibetan culture and history with your heart.
Walking into the Sakya Temple, you can see a square square surrounded by the main body of the red temple. There is a copper furnace in the center of the square, where Tibetans will burn paper and burn incense to pray for Buddha. The Sakya Temple mainly has the red color symbolizing Manjushri, the white color of Guanyin Bodhisattva and the blue color symbolizing Vajrapani Bodhisattva to paint the temple wall, so the Sakya sect is also commonly known as "Flower Sect". With red walls and blue sky, it is filled with the atmosphere of Buddhist belief.
Entering from the main hall, the two huge stone lions at the door are extremely solemn. In the aisle, there are prayer wheels of Tibetan belief on both sides, and the wooden handles have been smoothed. This is the belief and symbol of Tibetans. Although I have no religious beliefs, I do as the Romans do, and it is not the first time I have come to Tibet. I will also immerse myself in the cultural beliefs of the Tibetans, to feel the breath of the places I go, so that I can understand it more deeply.
Coming out of the aisle of the prayer wheel is a small square square. The walls here are no longer pure red, but colorful patterns and architectural designs, which are much richer and the pictures are very beautiful. You can walk in from here The main hall of the temple.
In the main hall, you can see totems, prayer flags, and Buddha statues that are very typical of Tibetan Buddhism. Hold your breath here and pray for yourself with your heart. There is a mage inside who is blowing the conch horn, which is called Tongga in Tibetan. Tongga was introduced to Tibet in the seventh century AD, and its decorative part was formed in Tibet. Tongga can only play one sound, and it is a widely used teaching aid or musical instrument in monasteries of various sects in Tibet. According to Buddhist scriptures, the sound of the conch trumpet represents the voice of the Buddha when he preached, and the sound of the conch trumpet symbolizes the sound of Buddhism, which is grand and penetrating. Therefore, many Buddhist believers will listen carefully to the sound from the conch beside the master.
There are a large number of rare treasures and scriptures in the temple, and the scripture wall here is a must-see. Whether you regard this place as an internet celebrity attraction or as a presentation of history, so many books are really breathtaking. Every book is carefully preserved, and under the dim light, this wall records the history of thousands of years.
From the main hall to the square, there is a side hall on the right, with red walls and black window eaves. It is still a solemn Buddhist temple. People in Tibetan costumes pass by the door from time to time. I like the corner of this temple. Clean and full of faith, I looked up at the blue sky, the sky here is really transparent.
There is also a long row of prayer wheels next to the main hall. Many Tibetans will turn around from the beginning to the end. There are some lamas passing by in the temple. They wear dark red lama robes. They are practicing Buddhism. What I saw was human history.
From the left side of the square, there is a tall and vertical staircase. There are always many narrow and long stairs in Tibetan temples. I have seen them in the Potala Palace. From here, you can reach the second floor of the temple. The scenery on the upper floor is really different. Suddenly, you can see the appearance of the square below and the majestic hillside in the distance.
The second floor doesn't seem to be so lively, and occasionally people pass by here. I leaned against the wooden pillars on the second floor and basked in the sun. The sun in Tibet in winter seems not so hot, and I feel a little comfortable. Because of the cold weather, the sunshine looks very warm.
Dusty Stories - Sakya History Exhibition Hall
50 meters next to the Sakya Temple, there is a Tibetan Sakya History and Culture Exhibition Hall. Some people like the scenery, and some people like the museum. In short, they are all here, and the distance is not far away. Take a stroll around the exhibition hall here, and you will learn about the entire history and humanities of Sakya here.
Walking into the historical exhibition hall, there are many exhibition halls, each of which tells about different historical periods and different types of historical products. There is a sand table of the Sakya Temple at the entrance. You can see the entire appearance of the Sakya Temple and the Buddhist Academy here like an aerial photo. The architectural pattern is the same and you can clearly see it. When you go to these places again, you will not get lost.
No matter in the history exhibition hall or other places in the ancient city, you can often see the portrait of Kublai Khan, the ancestor of the Yuan Dynasty. At first, I was quite surprised. Later I learned that the history of Sakya originated from the Yuan Dynasty, and the regime was established in Sakya during the Yuan Dynasty, so walking in the streets of Sakya, it is not so strange to see portraits and sculptures of Kublai Khan in some places.
Bronze ware is also a commonly used item for Tibetans. It can be seen everywhere in every household in Tibet or in some Tibetan restaurants. The patterns on the copper ware are very exquisite. Because they are all handmade, there are few repetitions. Bronze wares are mostly used for daily necessities, such as jugs, wine glasses, spoons, chopsticks, bowls and other items.
The unique prayer wheels of Tibetans are also displayed in the exhibition hall, not only in Tibet, but also Tibetan people in Qinghai and western Sichuan also have Tibetan cultural beliefs. There are also some small Buddha statues, Thangkas, etc. inside. It represents an important symbol of Tibetan totem and culture.
The Spread of Buddhism-Sakya Buddhist Institute
At the foot of the north mountain of the Sakya Temple, there is a Sakya Buddhist Academy, the full name of which is the Auspicious Sakya Temple Mixubu Buddhist Academy.
In the desolate Tibetan plateau, a Buddhist academy of this size is still very spectacular, with red walls on all sides, golden bricks and yellow tiles, it is very spectacular.
The Sakya Buddhist Academy has a history of more than 900 years. After Kublai Khan unified the country and established the central government of the Yuan Dynasty, he named the fifth-generation patriarch of the Sakya Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, Bhaspa, as the "Emperor Teacher" and bestowed the jade seal "Desire to rule the world." Buddhism". With the efforts of the two generations of Sakya patriarchs, Sakya Pandita and Phagpa Dharma King, Tibet completely ended the 400-year split, and only then did the Sakya Monastery and Sakya Buddhist College come into being.
On September 5, 2010, the Tibet Sakya Buddhist College held a grand consecration ceremony for the completion of the new site. The new site of Sakya Buddhist College officially started construction in May 2005, which lasted five years, with a total investment of more than 9.62 million yuan. The new site of the Buddhist Academy covers an area of 12,000 square meters, with a construction area of more than 5,000 square meters. The building materials are all composed of Sakya local stones, and the entire architectural style presents a strong Tibetan style without losing the elements of modern architecture.
Entering from the Buddhist Academy, you can see the solemn hall, surrounded by mountains behind, and some pigeons fly inside from time to time, whether it is ecological or symbolic, it has a very good meaning. There are also some temple buildings and pagodas on both sides of the Buddhist Academy. These buildings, together with the Sakya Temple, the Sakya Buddhist Academy, etc., constitute the most beautiful Buddhist landscape of Sakya.
The murals on the walls of the main hall are also very colorful. A variety of colors make the gods in the paintings come alive. A blue plaque hangs above the entrance of the main hall, which reads "The source of all merits is auspicious. Dayuan, ten directions and three generations all wish to prosper."
Walking into the main hall, the lama masters from all over the world really listen to the songs seriously, and the hall is very solemn. Everyone is also listening carefully. At present, Sakya Buddhist College has three branches of elementary school, middle school and high school, and four retreat schools of Tantric Buddhism. There are more than 200 student monks from monasteries in Tibetan areas such as Qinghai and Sichuan.
Sakya Buddhist College has a long history. Many Buddhist masters have emerged here, such as Master Pengmao Zhiba of the Kagyu Sect and Master Tsongkhapa of the Gelug Sect. They are not only famous in Tibet, but even overseas. At the end of the class, all the monks took off their clothes and went out, bowed down to pay respects, and waited for the lecturer to go out.
Singing and Laughing - Sakya Sol Dance
In the Sakya Buddhist Institute, we were fortunate to see the famous Sakya dance. The Sakya So dance originated in the Yuan Dynasty. At first, it could only be performed at the enthronement ceremony of the Sakya Dharma King and when visiting abroad. Sakya So dance will also be performed when there are foreign distinguished guests. It is the highest standard for Sakya to welcome foreign guests. If it has changed It has become a dance to pray for good weather, auspiciousness and peace.
The performance costumes are very Tibetan. The actresses have a lot of gems on their costumes to dress themselves up. When you come to Sakya, if you are lucky enough to enjoy the Suo dance, it is also very interesting.
The actors are all members of the Sakya Art Troupe. Before the performance, they all put on beautiful national costumes. In fact, they also usually wear Tibetan costumes, but the performance costumes are more complicated and colorful. After all, hundreds of years ago, Suo Wu was only performed for His Holiness the Dharma King. The girls put on makeup, and there were a lot of clothing elements on their bodies, and the boys were joking and joking around.
Wait for the actors to change their clothes and finish their makeup. The cable dance performance began. Suo dance does not require any musical instrument accompaniment, and the number of people is not limited, but the ratio of men and women is equal. The dancers sing and dance by themselves, with loud voices. After all, they are people living on the plateau. The dance will form a circle at the climax. Then dance around. If someone is willing to dance together and interact, you can also join the dance team and feel the enthusiasm of Salaso dance.
Tibetan incense making experience
My first impression of Tibetan incense was that once I went to Tibet, my friend asked me to bring some Tibetan incense. I thought to myself, is there a big difference? But I still brought some back for her. Until this time, I experienced the production of Tibetan incense in Sakya, and I didn't understand why many friends like Tibetan incense.
There are many raw materials of Tibetan incense, mainly saffron, snow lotus, musk, Tibetan Kou, rhodiola, clove, borneol, sandalwood, agarwood, nard pine, etc. Dozens of precious Tibetan medicines and vanilla are handmade, so Tibetan incense is not only Not only the taste is very pleasant, but also the ingredients inside are very healthy, which is very beneficial to the body.
The production process of Tibetan incense is not very complicated. Dozens of precious medicinal materials are crushed into powder, and water is added to the powder, kneaded into mud, and the mud is kneaded into the shape of Tibetan incense, and then it becomes the shape of Tibetan incense. The shape of Tibetan incense varies from big to small, and is not fixed.
Tibetan incense has many effects, such as detoxification, sterilization and anti-virus. Cleans pathogenic microorganisms in the air and purifies the air. Prevent flu, moisturize skin, and enhance disease resistance. Prevent the onset of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, joint pain, relieve nervous headaches, and improve sleep quality.
In Sakya County, I know that there are two places where you can experience Tibetan incense. After experiencing one, I went to another one to visit. It's almost done.
The finished Tibetan incense workers will put it on the shelf inside. In addition to this shape, there are many other shapes of Tibetan incense in different types. Friends who like Tibetan incense must feel it and experience the customs of Tibet. You will have a deeper understanding of Tibetan culture.
Painting Tibetan Humanistic Colors - Experience Thangka
Thangka is also an artistic expression of Tibetan culture. Thangka is also called Tangga, Tangka, which is transliterated from Tibetan. It is a unique painting art form in Tibetan culture. With strong religious color and national style, the pigments are precious mineral gemstones such as gold, silver, pearl, agate, coral, turquoise, malachite, cinnabar, and plants such as saffron, rhubarb, and indigo. These pigment components can make the picture bright and bright for hundreds of years.
In Sakya County, I know that there are two places where Thangka can be experienced, and the teacher here is also very famous in Tibet. When you arrive at any experience place, you can see the teachers are seriously painting, and the works presented are very delicate and exquisite. It is said that the teachers paint from 11:00 noon to 11:00 pm, which hurts the eyes very much, because the sun sets late in Tibet, so 11:00 Start working, and those who go to Tibet Sakya to experience Thangka can draw on a blank board and be guided by a special teacher.
I was an art student in high school, and I am no stranger to these painting tools. I also tried to draw thangka once. I think there are two difficulties in Thangka. One is to draw the frame, make the shape out, and the proportions are appropriate. This is very difficult. The second is persistence. Although the second part is coloring, which is very simple, it takes several months to complete such a huge painting, and the even application of paint requires great patience.
Thangka in Tibet has also spawned many styles of painting schools, mainly including Miantang School, Qiwu School, Qinzi, Karma Gachi, Miansa and other schools.
In addition to experiencing one studio, we also visited another studio.
The painters here are very serious about drawing the paintings, and the drawing boards here are hung with ropes. Perhaps this is more convenient for painting. There are older and younger people who paint. Thangka is a cultural art that needs to be passed on by young people, so I pay tribute to young Tibetans who are willing to learn Thangka culture.
There are different kinds of finished products of Thangka, ranging from large to small. But regardless of the size, it can be seen that it is very delicate, with a hook and a line. What I see is that it takes great patience to complete such a masterpiece.
Between the Cliffs - Jilu Monastery
In addition to the various Buddhist buildings and cultural experiences gathered in the ancient city of Sakya, there is a temple called Jilu Temple, more than ten kilometers south of the ancient city of Sakya, because it is extremely small and lacks information. At present, the floor plan of the ancient city of Sakya is written as "Jilie Xiuyuan", and the Tourism Bureau informed that it is called Jilu Xiuyuan, and it is also called Jilin Xiuyuan locally. So the name may be transliterated from Tibetan.
The Jilu Temple is about 20 kilometers away from the ancient city of Sakya. The main body of the temple is built in the mountain stream, with a river passing by in front of it. I especially like it here, maybe because it is quiet and not disturbed by the world, maybe because of the Buddhist belief exuded by aloofness.
It doesn't take a few steps to climb from the foot of the mountain to the temple, but due to the lack of oxygen on the plateau, I was out of breath after climbing the not-so-high steps, but since I'm here, I must go to the high platform to take a look.
There are 5 white pagodas on the mountain. The White Pagoda was brought by Songtsan Gampo when he introduced Buddhism from Nepal during the Tang Dynasty. It is mainly used to store scriptures, relics of sages, and the ashes or remains of living Buddhas.
The temple is mainly composed of blue-gray and red, the stairs are winding, and it looks very steep from top to bottom. This kind of architectural form is really very special.
Tibetan food
In Tibet, Sichuan cuisine is actually the most popular. There are many Sichuan people in Tibet, and the main food is Sichuan cuisine. During the few days in Sakya, I tasted Sichuan cuisine and Tibetan hot pot. Many people think that Tibetan food tastes strange, and Han people are not used to it. But many Tibetan meals taste good. The taste of Tibetan hot pot is not particularly strange. You can choose the sauce according to your own needs, and the taste is very good.
For breakfast, I found a place to have morning tea in the ancient city. There are quite a lot of Tibetan guests here, and many people come here for breakfast in the morning. We ate a bowl of noodles, a hidden egg, a pancake, and a plate of shredded radish. There is also refillable Tibetan milk tea. So many things only cost more than ten yuan per person, and a cup of milk tea seems to only cost 2 yuan. Really cheap. And it tastes amazing.
live in sakya
The best hotel in the ancient city of Sakya at present should be the Yuanfu Hotel. The conditions in Tibet are not as good as those in the mainland. I can adapt to any environment I live here. I think the environment here is good with such conditions. New hotels are also under construction.
There are many Tibetan items in the lobby of the hotel, which is a typical Tibetan decoration style. The room environment is not bad, with air conditioning and electric blankets, and a paid oxygen machine is also provided. If you have a high reaction to hypoxia, you can scan the code to inhale oxygen. Tibet is dry at night and the oxygen content is low, so you must prepare moisturizing and sunscreen items.
In the footsteps of Sakya
This is a trip to explore the humanities of Tibet.
This is a journey to purify the soul.
Red walls and golden roofs, Buddhist beliefs. The voice of a lama chanting scriptures can be heard in my ears.
If you have been to National Highway 318 and Lhasa, if you like Tibetan culture and beliefs.
Shigatse is a place you must come to, and the ancient city of Sakya in Shigatse will give you a better understanding of Tibet.
This is the 'Second Dunhuang', where a large number of Buddhist scriptures and treasures are stored.
Sakya County, an ancient city surrounded by mountains.
Not far away, you can see the top of Mount Everest.
The scorching sun shone and slowly set.
Listen to the voice of history echoing in the air.
Walk into the ancient city of Sakya and explore the cultural journey of Tibet.