Itinerary: Guangzhou—Chengdu—Panda Breeding Research Base—Chengdu—Yingxiu 5.12 Earthquake Site—Ganbao Tibetan Village—Zhuokeji Tusi Village—Jinchuan Guanyin Bridge—Seda—Dongga Temple—Ganzi County—Gesar King City—317.com Red Old Man—Xinluhai—Dege County—Dege Sutra Printing House—Tibet Jiangda—Chamdo—Chambalin Temple—Zishu Temple—Dingqing—Bujia Snow Mountain—Baqing—Zandan Temple—Sap God Mountain—Ru County —Such as the Skull Wall—Naqu City—Sacred Elephant Tianmen—Dangxiong—Roaming in Lhasa——Drepung Monastery—Night View of Potala Palace—Xining—Guangzhou
The Northern Sichuan-Tibet Line, namely National Highway 317, is a human landscape avenue, and it is another route from Sichuan to Tibet after National Highway 318. Because National Highway 318 is too famous, National Highway 317 is completely covered under the glory, and it is rare to hear or see travel photography on this route. When I was traveling in western Sichuan in 2016, because my master took the wrong route, I detoured 317 and walked more than 100 kilometers. I happened to meet a local Tibetan event in Rangtang, and felt a little bit of Tibetan culture on this route. Until 2020, the idea of taking the 317 Northern Sichuan-Tibet Line was firmly rooted in my heart because of the successive exposure of Internet celebrity attractions such as the Zishu Temple, the Shaman Mountain, and the Holy Elephant Tianmen on this route. don't go. Hurry up and go, while you still have this urge, while your physical condition is still good, hurry up. I am worried that as I grow older, I will not dare to walk such a difficult plateau route in the future. This is my second visit to Tibet this year and my fifth visit to Tibet. Tibet has always held a magical power for me!
The original plan was to charter a car, but it was not enough for three people, so I changed it to join a group. A colleague recommended a line on the Internet. Although it was not ideal, it was finally a trip! Three people in one car, plus the driver and guide, exactly four people, the best match!
May 21 Guangzhou-Chengdu-Panda Breeding Research Base
The morning flight took us from Guangzhou to Chengdu, and the ground temperature was predicted to be 22 degrees, cloudy with light rain.
I remember that the last time I went to Chengdu was in June 2016 when I went to the west of Sichuan. What a pleasant trip it was! Everything is vivid. The time is just right, the scenery is just right, and the people are just right. Now that I have come to Chengdu again, I can no longer find that kind of joyful mood.
Today is cloudy in Chengdu. The driver who picked us up told us that the weather in Chengdu is basically the same, and the sun rarely shines. Arranged at Bijia Hotel Apartment (Chunxi Road Branch), No. 53-57 Taisheng South Road, Jinjiang District, the conditions are not bad.
We only have half a day in Chengdu, so we chose to go to the Panda Breeding Research Base. Although I have been to Chengdu many times, this is the first time I entered the Panda Base. The environment here is very good, with green bamboos and forests, and the lovely giant pandas are really happy to live here. Some pandas happily ate bamboo feasts on their own, some climbed up trees, and their plump bodies seemed to have no effect on their climbing up trees, and some fell asleep. No matter what actions it makes or what sounds it makes, people love it for its silly appearance, no wonder it is a national treasure.
At this time, the news of a positive case of a new crown nucleic acid test from Guangzhou broke our mood of continuing appreciation. We know what lies ahead on the road ahead. Immediately took a taxi and flew back to the urban area, and went to the Third People's Hospital of Chengdu for a nucleic acid test before getting off work, in order to deal with possible accidents that may occur later. At this time, it was reported that Xinjiang imposed a 14-day quarantine on citizens from Guangzhou, and all tourists who took the opportunity to travel to Xinjiang that day were persuaded to return.
Our journey begins at such a special moment.
Eating local delicacies is an indispensable thing during travel. That night, I found a restaurant in a nearby alley—Huifu Xiaoyuan. Several special dishes were really good: special glutinous rice duck: the upper layer is crispy duck skin, the bottom layer is fragrant crispy rice, and the middle is sandwiched with soft The glutinous rice is mixed with a few peppercorns; braised pork and taro pot: the aroma of meat and taro perfectly permeates each other; handmade tomato gluten, tomato and cucumber soup is fresh enough, and the noodles are chewy enough. Eat to your heart's content, sleep well, and hit the road tomorrow.
May 22 Chengdu—Yingxiu 512 Earthquake Site—Ganbao Tibetan Village—Zhuokeji Tusi’s Village—Jinchuan Guanyin Bridge
cloudy to sunny
The driver Jiang Wei picked us up at the hotel before 8:30. The car was a Nissan Chery 2.5t. The travel agency changed from Prado, which was originally attracting tourists, to Pajero, and why did it change to Chery? Fortunately, the driver is a very attractive handsome guy, the car is relatively spacious, and more importantly, it satisfies our three senior beauties. Four people in one car is the best match.
This weekend, the traffic jam on the expressway was serious. It is said that most of the city people went to Wenchuan to pick cherries. It is the cherry season.
【Yingxiu 512 Earthquake Site】
The Wenchuan Yingxiu 512 Earthquake Site was added temporarily. I just want to see the ruins left by the Wenchuan Earthquake, which was the most destructive, widest-reaching, and disaster-relief disaster since the founding of the People’s Republic of China on May 12, 2008. It is located in Yingxiuyuan Xuankou Middle School.
Walking into the ruins park, my breathing stopped instantly. The big clock that froze time forever recorded the moment when the earthquake happened. Most buildings on the campus have collapsed. a national flag.
The ruined school buildings are unbearable to look at, crooked, some completely collapsed, some half collapsed, and some cracks are all over the walls. What a tragedy it was! The earthquake not only brought damage to the houses, but also took away many precious lives. Clouds and mist shrouded the green hills, and there was a silent mourning for the dead compatriots. The dead are dead, the living should move on!
Visiting the ruins, cherishing the memory of compatriots, and recalling the condolences after the Wenchuan earthquake 13 years ago, what I saw at that time. The big blue clock in the distance in the background is the prototype of the big clock that has frozen time.
Lunch was settled in Xuecheng Town, and it was almost a little closer, only one third of the way.
[Ganbao Tibetan Village - an ancient village with a history of more than two thousand years]
There are three villages in today's itinerary: Taoping Qiang Village, Ganbao Tibetan Village, Zhuokeji Chieftain Village, each with its own characteristics, covering the three major Tibetan architectural features in Tibetan areas. Because of time constraints, we chose the latter two.
Ganbao Tibetan Village, located in Li County, Aba Prefecture, is a Tibetan village with a history of more than 2,000 years. It was restored to its original appearance.
When I came to the gate of the village, I was immediately attracted by the unique architectural style of the ancient village. The mountain gate made of mountain stones is a scene in itself, solemn and magnificent, facing the green hills. Through the mountain gate, there are layers upon layers of typical Tibetan dwellings, connected to each other and connected to each other, like a huge stone castle. It is known as "the first village in Jiarong Tibetan area". "Ganbao" means "village on the hillside" in Tibetan. The local residents used local materials to build this thousand-year-old village with stones.
Climbing up the stone steps, I saw a couple of Jiarong Tibetans and a statue of a puppy, waiting in front of the prayer wheel. First gently turn the semicircular prayer wheel to pray for our trip; a sculpture of "two oxen carrying a bar" describes the characteristics of the local yak farming. Looking up at the front stone wall, a huge gold-leaf portrait praising King Gesar is shining in the sun; looking at the flying prayer flags on the top of the mountain, a watchtower protrudes above the mountain houses.
There are very few tourists in the Ganbao Tibetan Village, and no tickets are charged. It is worth savoring slowly.
[Zhuokeji Tusi's official village - the Red Army passed by here]
This is my second time here. The last time was in October 2015, when I participated in the Autumn Photography Daocheng Yading group, but because the arrival time was too late, it was just the appearance, so I couldn't go in and visit.
Today's weather is particularly good, the sun has not set at 5 o'clock, and there are few tourists. We can take a closer look at this official village.
This is a very majestic and imposing building standing on a hill with an all-wood structure and unique ingenuity. It was built in 1718 during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. This stockade is very famous, because in addition to its complete preservation, it is also the prototype of the story of the work "Dust Settled" by the famous Jiarong writer Alai who won the Mao Dun Literature Award and the location of the filming of the TV series. The novels and TV series let more people People knew about the chieftain, and put a mysterious color on this official village. More importantly, the Red Army passed by during the Long March, and an important Zhuo Keji meeting was held here. Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Zhang Wentian all lived here, and red stories happened here.
In June 1935, the Central Red Army crossed Mengbi Mountain and entered the Zhuokeji area through Maerkang during the Long March. In the end, the chieftain agreed that the Red Army could repair here and vacate the house. On July 3, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhang Wentian and other central leaders and central agencies entered Guanzhai and stayed for a week. In 1988, Zhuo Keji Guanzhai was listed by the State Council as the third batch of national key cultural relics protection units. In the official village, the meeting room of the Red Army and the room where Zhou Enlai lived are still preserved.
Climb a section of stone steps and come to the gate of Guanzhai. This is a distinctive gate with a screen with a tiger behind it. There is a legend here. It is said that when the construction of the first Zhuokeji Chieftain's official village was about to be completed, a tiger came down from the mountain. It sat by the gate of the official village for a day and a night, and finally left quietly. Tigers are very rare in the area. Therefore, in addition to the meaning of top and supreme, the place name Zhuo Keji also has the saying of "hidden dragon and crouching tiger".
In front of the gate is a tall Tibetan-style flagpole with a sun and moon air support on the top, and a long mani prayer flag on the flagpole flutters majestically in the wind to resist the invasion of all evil spirits.
Zhuokeji chieftain's official village has a large scale and fine structure, which almost includes the artistic characteristics of Jiarong Tibetan architecture. It is not only the residence of the chieftain and his family, but also the office of the chieftain. Wood, stone, and clay are the three major elements of Tibetan traditional architecture. The main body of the official village is composed of four groups of tall stone and wood buildings without using a single nail. Through the typical architectural features such as stone walls, corridors, and flower windows, the exquisite architectural art of the Tibetan and Han peoples are integrated into one, and it is a model of the high integration of the architectural arts of the Tibetan and Han peoples.
This is a courtyard structure imitating the Chinese style. The main house in the north is false six-story, the east and west wing rooms are five-story, and the middle is a courtyard. There are 63 large and small rooms in total. Standing on the dam of the patio, looking up at each floor, there is a majestic and gloomy feeling! The first floor is mainly Jiarong culture, the second floor is mainly red culture, the third floor shows Tusi culture, and the fourth floor shows religious culture.
It is not easy to go up to the Tibetan buildings. You have to hold on to the round wooden handrails to go up. The stairs are narrow and steep, so be very careful. I browsed slowly from room to room, at least 40 rooms. The chieftain is the chieftain, and there are quite a lot of treasures in the family, including Jiarong Tibetan-style treasures and Han classics.
This is really a treasure land, and I have seen colorful auspicious clouds appearing in the sky many times inside and outside the Guanzhai.
On the same day, I stayed at Guanyinqiao Miaoxin Lotus Hotel, a small hotel located by the Suomo River, with a three-person room. Because Seda is closed and closed to the outside world, Guanyinqiao Town, which used to be bustling and bustling, has become deserted now. Only the newly opened saffron-themed inn still has a little taste. At night, I fell asleep under the rushing river water.
May 23 Guanyin Bridge - Seda - Dongga Temple - Ganzi County
light rain turned cloudy
Open the window in the morning, a big river has wide waves, and the mountain is shrouded in clouds and mist. The most famous local Guanyin Temple is on the top of the mountain. There is a large prayer wheel on the mountain opposite the river, and Tibetan houses are on the bank.
off again. It is a great pleasure to walk 317 along the green mountains and green waters along the Chengna line. Last night’s rain made the green hills on both sides more lush, and the Zhuosijia River jumped happily on the side. White clouds and mist appeared from time to time in the mountains in the distance, and Tibetan-style dwellings kept flashing on the side of the mountain. Occasionally, the road surface painted in different colors can be seen, that is the Rainbow Road.
We stopped in front of the beautiful No. 1 Bridge in Shangzhai Town. This is a Tibetan-style bridge. It is full of Tibetan flavor from the bridge body to the pier, and it is extremely beautiful. love it. I happened to meet two Tibetans walking across the bridge and gave me a chance to take pictures. Outside the bridge is the colorful Rainbow Road, sit in the middle of the road and record this beautiful moment.
So far, the whole road condition of National Highway 317 is not bad, only a few places encounter landslides and road repairs.
The intersection of Rangtang County and Luhuo County is a scene. The huge Rangtang County propaganda wall on the entire wall of the mountain is particularly eye-catching. The colorful roads and the colorful high-speed guardrails all attract you to stop.
Going forward, a magnificent temple in the distance comes into view, especially the long prayer corridor on the bottom floor, which is estimated to be 200 meters long. This is the Golden Goose Temple in Wengda Town, with a viewing platform. There are also temples on the Golden Goose Temple. The temples on National Highway 317 are one after another, each one is resplendent and resplendent, and the people in Tibetan areas really put all their money into the temples.
Not far ahead, we saw a pile of prayer flags and a white pagoda, which is not unusual in Tibetan areas, but a group of Tibetan macaques attracted us, so we stopped immediately. It turns out that this is a protected viewing area for Tibetan macaques. Dozens of Tibetan macaques jumped and chased excitedly. Several female monkeys jumped from here to there with their little monkeys. The little monkeys hugged their mother tightly and went around the mother. It's funny! Some big monkeys came running towards us and yelled at us as if we had violated their territory. These Tibetan macaques are so interesting.
The next stop is Sertar. Sertar Larung Wuming Buddhist College was arranged in the itinerary, and it is also a place that the two companions especially want to go. Xiaowei inquired in many ways, and heard that people can be brought in with money, but will they be repatriated after being discovered? Not guaranteed.
Passing through Seda County, a small modern town that has risen due to the tourism industry driven by Wuming Buddhist College. Because the Wuming Buddhist Academy is closed and closed to the public, this small town that used to be bustling is now deserted.
Passing by an artificial scenic spot, quite spectacular, but did not stop. ·
Seeing that the two companions were so obsessed with the Seda Wuming Buddhist Academy, Xiaowei took us to the Luoruo viewing platform to overlook the Sertar Larung Wuming Buddhist Academy. From a distance, you can see the white pagoda in front of the gate in the depression, and the red house on the hillside in the distance, but you can't enter it. We fully understand these measures taken during the epidemic, for the safety of everyone and the safety of these practitioners.
[Dongga Temple - a magnificent temple built on the mountain]
Knowing in advance that Wuming Buddhist College is closed, the alternative is to go to Dongga Temple. Dongga Temple is about 10 kilometers away from Seda County, and it will arrive soon. This is another magnificent temple built on a mountain. The temple faces an open grassland and mountains, and the view is very good. A rectangular prayer wheel wall on the ground decorates the grassland, and various wild flowers bloom on the grass in summer, what a beautiful picture it should be.
From a distance, the temple is quite large. This temple built in 1686, due to its remote location, not many people go to the temple to offer incense. In addition, Sertar Monastery is holding a Dharma meeting these days, and it is said that they all went to Sertar, and I saw a lama in the temple. When I walked to the gate of the temple, I saw that the temple was very quiet, except for the sound of water dripping from a leaking place. After obtaining the lama's consent, I walked in quietly. Suddenly there was an unusual tranquility and a sense of detachment in my heart, all distracting thoughts were swept away, and I couldn't help clasping my hands together in front of my chest.
The architectural decoration in the main hall is the most beautiful and brilliant among all the temples I have been to. The gorgeous and exquisite beauty has never been seen in other temples. It is indescribable and I feel at a loss for words. I walked around the hall layer by layer from low to high alone, admiring every exquisite object in the hall under the dim light.
I met Juemu, a monk outside the main hall of Dongga Temple, and went around the hall twice with her. Listening to her tell her story of becoming a monk, the common principles of entering Buddhism, it seems that the deep-sea Buddhist theory seems to be more effective. accepted by ordinary people.
There is a circular mani pile next to the big temple, and several Tibetans are turning scriptures. Leaning on crutches in one hand, shaking Jinglun in the other, bowing deeply, step by step, he walked slowly around the mani pile over and over again, for the unchanging belief in his heart.
There seems to be a lama school across the road from Dongga Temple. I saw a few young lamas playing basketball. When they saw us taking pictures, they waved their hands to tell us not to take pictures. Well, respect the wishes of the other person.
Leaving Dongga Monastery, we went to Ganzi. Because Seda Larung Wuming Buddhist College cannot be entered, we asked the travel agency to adjust the accommodation for the night, changing from Seda County (3980 meters) to Ganzi County (3200 meters). The most important reason is that the altitude of Ganzi Biseda has decreased Hundreds of meters! This is very important for companions who have already experienced high resistance. Passing through the pass of Nailong Mountain, the altitude is 4580 meters.
On the way, I saw a red house similar to Seda. Maybe here will become the second Seda in the future?
Stay that night, change from Seda to Ganzi Yongkang Hotel, the altitude drops several hundred meters.
May 24 King Gesar City - 317 internet celebrity old man - Xinluhai - Que'er Mountain - Dege County
cloudy to sunny
[Gesar King City - a platform to display Gesar culture]
"The Epic of King Gesar" is known as the last epic still sung in the world today, and Ganzi is the birthplace and inheritance place of it. The King Gesar City is a display window of Gesar culture and a platform to experience Gesar culture. When you come to Ganzi, of course you have to see it. The King Gesar City is located in the southeast of Ganzi County. When we arrived early in the morning, the palace had not yet opened. Tickets are not charged, but no one explains it.
As soon as you walk into the gate, you will see a sheepskin map depicting the legendary ruins of Gesar. Gesar represents the highest achievement of ancient Tibetan folk culture. She has a complete inheritance, a long history, voluminous volumes, profound and broad, magnificent scale and rich content. Although I may not be able to understand it, I still have a deep curiosity about this ancient Tibetan culture.
This is an antique architectural landscape area, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, built on the site of Gesar's epic "Huoling War". Restore the original appearance of the royal city in all dimensions, magnificent, simple and elegant. The entire Wangcheng is divided into Wangcheng Cultural Area, Wetland Leisure Area, Grassland Experience Area, and Epic Sightseeing Area. It is said that the cultural elements extracted from epics can be traced in the form of epic stories in the royal city.
The most conspicuous architects in the city are the main palace of King Gesar, the protagonist of the epic, "Senzhu Dazi Palace" and "The Village of Thirty Generals". The most worth seeing is the Royal Palace Museum. Unfortunately, there is no one to explain it, and I missed the opportunity to deeply understand the legendary story of King Gesar.
King Gesar is a brave and omnipotent national hero in the hearts of the Tibetan people. There are statues of him, buildings and squares named after him in many places in Tibetan areas.
In front of every house in the stockade in the scenic spot, you can see a statue of a warrior standing on horseback.
There are many small scenes in the scenic area that reflect Tibetan culture, and you will gain a lot from walking around and observing them carefully.
This area may be the wetland leisure area and grassland experience area in the scenic area. The sun is very good, bringing us a small surprise.
Some people say that this is a commercial district, where food, housing, transportation, travel, shopping, and entertainment are all complete, so no tickets are charged. But because there are very few tourists on Monday and early in the morning, we haven't been able to fully experience the charm of this antique building. After the museum opened, we walked around and left in a hurry.
【Internet celebrity old man on National Highway 317】
Driving to the Yalong River near Ma Village, Xiaowei stopped the car. I saw an old Tibetan with a white beard sitting on a small mountain bag, shaking a big prayer wheel in his hand. Xiaowei said that it is an Internet celebrity on National Highway 317, and it turns here almost every day, 365 days a year. Rare to meet today.
We jumped out of the car immediately, took a few photos from a distance, then boarded the hill, talked with the old man up close and took pictures.
The old man, surnamed Wang, is 63 years old and lives in a nearby village. He has been praying here for 23 years. Except for heavy rain and snow, he comes here almost every day to pray. Cross the Yalong River and drift to further snow-capped mountains. After 23 years of exposure to the sun and rain, the old man has a dark face, a tough body, and a hearty voice. He even showed us his ID card. It is really rare to be able to accomplish one thing in a lifetime and let everyone remember you.
After obtaining the consent of the old man, we took photos with the old man at close range, took a video, and took a group photo with the old man.
Keep going, the next stop is Xinluhai.
On the way, we passed a large-scale temple building, built against the mountain, with red walls and golden roofs, which is of extraordinary momentum. I only know that this place belongs to Ganzi Autonomous Prefecture, but I don't know what it is? What temple is it?
The layers of white pagodas surround the temple, which is quite spectacular.
【New Road Sea——Like Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang】
Xinluhai didn't go in because it was closed for maintenance, so I took a few photos from a distance by the side of the road. This is the only lake we encountered along the way. From a distance, the lake under the snow-capped mountains is blue, surrounded by green pines and cypresses. It is very beautiful and has a taste of Xinjiang Tianshan.
In the river flowing outside the lake, the large and small Mani stones have been washed by the river for many years, and the colorful patterns have gradually faded, but the prayers in the hearts of Tibetans still flow slowly to the distance with the water.
【Queer Mountain - The Whip Beats the Sky】
After passing through the Queer Mountain Observation Deck, the altitude is 4300. In the past, it took more than an hour to drive on the winding road to cross the Queer Mountain. Now with the Queer Mountain Tunnel, it only takes 7 minutes to cross it easily.
Queer Mountain is a well-known mountain name. It is located in Dege County. The pass of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway is 4,889 meters above sea level. It is the highest highway pass in Sichuan and a famous dangerous pass on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. The highest peak of Queer Mountain is 6168 meters, and there are 3 peaks with an altitude of more than 6000 meters! Therefore, there is a saying in the local area that "climb to Que'er Mountain and hit the sky with a whip". Now that the Queershan Tunnel has been opened, the tunnel has become one of the landscapes, with an altitude of only 4330 meters.
Queer Mountain is covered with snow all the year round, majestic and majestic, the most peculiar thing is its jagged peaks and jagged ridges.
Moving on, a sign of a tourist attraction told us that we should enter Dege in Ganzi. This may be a niche scenic spot, because the car guide can't tell where it is. The signs indicate: Dama Cave Observation Deck, Bona Great Stupa, and the statue of Sakyamuni. This is a canyon, a very peculiar Buddhist building stands tall on the side of the mountain peak, two long crimson pillars stretch to the top of the cliff, propping up the resplendent roof. There are several beautifully carved and painted Buddha statues on the rock wall.
The Bona Great Stupa across the river looks very much like the Boudhanath Stupa in Nepal. The pair of Buddha eyes on the pagoda seem to be able to see through all the emotions in the world.
[Dege County - the last county in Sichuan]
We arrived in Dege County less than 5 o'clock in the afternoon. This is a small county town built on the hillside, the narrow streets, the houses on both sides of the street seem to be the same, and the street lights on the street, all of which made me full of curiosity.
It was half an hour before the closing of the Dege Sutra Printing House. We drove directly to the Sutra Printing House and took a look around. The Sutra Printing House is located in the county seat. It is a sacred place in the minds of many Tibetans, and its status can be compared with that of the Jokhang Temple. It is said that if you can not go to the Jokhang Temple in this life, but can go to the Dege Sutra Printing House to worship, it will be considered a consummation of merit and virtue.
That night I stayed at the Dege Shandi Hotel, which is another hotel surrounded by mountains and rivers. The gable wall looks like a granite-like ink painting under the sun; the river is rushing and rushing. It should be a newly opened hotel with good facilities.
Dege County is the last county in Sichuan during our trip. After passing Dege, we will transfer to Tibet.
May 25 Sichuan Dege Sutra Printing House - Tibet Jiangda
clear
【Mysterious Dege Sutra Printing House】
Today's focus, and also the focus of this trip, is Dege Sutra Printing House. After breakfast, we came here again, and the crowds turning around outside the cinnabar-red high wall were almost shoulder to shoulder, many, many people. Turning scriptures is a major event in Tibetan people's life, from morning to night, no matter it is windy or rainy, it never stops. As long as you enter a Tibetan area, as long as there is a Tibetan landmark building, there will be people praying there.
Dege Sutra Printing House is known as "Encyclopedia of Tibetan Culture", "Bright Cultural Pearl in Tibetan Areas", and "Treasure House under Snow Mountain". This is a treasure of Tibetan culture. Almost all scriptures and scriptures in the entire Tibetan area come from here, and the most primitive engraving and printing techniques are still preserved. In 2009, the engraving printing technique of Dege Sutra Printing Institute was included in the representative list of human intangible cultural industries by UNESCO.
This Dege Sutra Printing House, which took four generations of chieftains to build for 30 years, has always attracted me, and it has always been a mystery in my heart. I have been wanting to visit Dege Sutra Printing House for many years, and this trip has fulfilled my wish.
Gazing at this cinnabar red building from a high place in the distance, the golden roof on the building glistens in the sun. Rows of red houses scattered on the hillside behind the Sutra Printing House seem to bring people to Seda. Perhaps, this is the characteristic of the Tibetan-inhabited area. There is an endless stream of people turning scriptures, which adds to the dynamics of this mysterious scripture printing house.
Walking into the gate of the Sutra Printing Institute, where there are two big iron rings hanging on the gate of prayer flags, a manager told me that cameras are not allowed inside, and asked me to put the camera in the safe deposit box. But mobile phone photography is allowed. What a strange rule!
The first thing I saw was to wash the sutra printing plate. Several staff members washed the sutra printing plate in front of the flowing water, rinsed off the ink, and recited scriptures while working.
Climbing up the almost 90-degree wooden stairs to the second floor, there was darkness in front of me, and I couldn't see anything. After a short period of slow adaptation, I found that this is a library of collections, like a library, with a shelf full of printed scriptures. Under the weak light, I can identify those books that I will never see. Stacks of scriptures that are impossible to understand are neatly sorted and filled with plates. Each appears to be the same length, with the slender scripture having a handle. The staff moved the scripture plates up and down, I really admire them, I don't know how to find them.
After going up another floor, the hall in front of me immediately became much brighter, and it turned out that I had arrived at the scripture printing room. It's an open space with lots of light. Several groups of people are busy. When printing, one person runs back and forth to pick up and deliver the book blocks, while the other two sit facing each other, one high and the other low. , Peel it off, and a page of the book will be printed immediately. It's a bit like the woodcuts I saw in the past.
The printing paper is specially made according to the ancient hand-made papermaking technique of the Han nationality. It is said to be made of chamaejasma chamaejasma as the raw material. Because it contains a little toxin, it will not be eaten by moths or rats, and it will not be damaged for a long time.
The printed scriptures come in two colors of ink, cinnabar red and black. The Sutra Printing Institute stipulates that the Tripitaka should be printed in vermilion ink (cinnabar is finely ground, mixed with glue, and turned into red ink) to show respect, and the rest should be printed in black ink.
Turned to the engraving and printing studio, where three craftsmen were engraving with tools. The wood used for carving is very particular. According to the book "Tibet, Tibet", you must use Qinggang wood, which is hard in texture. A craftsman told me that he was repairing. He showed me a piece of scripture. There was a red tick on it. The engraving was wrong and needed to be corrected and repaired. This craftsman is really interesting, where do I come from? Tell him: Guangdong. He immediately took out two engraved seals from a plastic bag, one was engraved with the 6-character mantra, and the other was engraved with Tashi Dele, and said that he could sell it to me. I politely refused, because I am not a Buddhist, so I don't know much about these things.
The small room opposite the corridor for printing scriptures is the place where scriptures and paintings are stored. The two craftsmen sat in front of the window, and under the natural light, they printed one picture after another. I looked at it for a while and wanted to leave, but a craftsman suddenly said: How did you leave? Don't watch for a while. Stay and chat with them again. He told me that more than a thousand paintings are printed every day, and these paintings are used on the White Tower. During the year, I worked here every day except in November and December when I entered the winter. He has been here for 20 years.
The most beautiful places in the Sutra Printing House are the rooftop and the promenade where the scriptures are printed. Under the sun, the whole building is colorful and resplendent. I linger and don't want to leave.
The Dege Sutra Printing House is really a mysterious place. Although I walked to every corner, but I didn’t listen to the explanation, it is still so mysterious in my heart.
【Goodbye Sichuan! I am comingTibet! 】
At about 12:00 noon, we passed through the tunnel and crossed the Jinsha River Bridge. We left Sichuan and entered Jiangda, Tibet. A large stone engraved with the word "Tibet" stands beside the tunnel entrance in Sichuan. Goodbye, Sichuan!
The Jinsha River is the natural dividing line between Sichuan and Tibet, and the G317 Jinsha River Bridge on the Sichuan-Tibet North Line is an important passage linking Sichuan and Tibet. It is connected to Dege County, Ganzi, Sichuan to the east, and Jiangda County, Qamdo, Tibet to the west. This is the throat fortress entering Tibet from Sichuan. When the car was driving on the bridge, I saw a big and special billboard in front of me from a distance, "Welcome to Jiangda, the main gate of Tibet". It's not going through the front door. We came to Gangtuo Village, the gateway to eastern Tibet, known as "the first village liberated in Tibet".
Close to the village, the first thing that catches the eye is the gate with the plaque of "the first village liberated in Tibet". On the left side of the gate are carved three brown and red flags. On the flags are pictures of the eighteenth army entering Tibet and the Tibetan people celebrating The watchtower standing next to the gate seems to be guarding this beautiful village where Tibet's first five-star red flag was raised. Everything tells me that this is a place with a history and a story.
In the autumn of more than 70 years ago, the Eighteenth Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army was ordered to enter Tibet. When the Tibetan government refused to negotiate peace talks and Chen Bing along the Jinsha River, it decided to strengthen the Jinsha River. In the early morning of October 6, 1950, when the peaceful road was blocked, the Eighteenth Army forcibly crossed the Jinsha River and fired the first shot in the Battle of Qamdo. In the evening of that day, Gangtuo Village was liberated and became the first place in Tibet where the five-star red flag was raised. Unexpectedly, this time we entered Tibet along the road of Tibet's liberation.
After crossing the Jinsha River Bridge is the Jinsha River Checkpoint in Tibet. The three of us from Guangdong were seriously asked to register and take pictures. Pass big data + ID card + nucleic acid test report. Fortunately, the nucleic acid was done in Chengdu on the 21st, and the report was taken on the 22nd, which is still 3 days away from being valid within 7 days. It seems that before entering Lhasa, another nucleic acid test is required. Lhasa requires that the nucleic acid test be valid within three days.
【to be continued】
