During the long journey, the biggest test is not the physical fatigue or the unpredictable weather, but the gradual disintegration of the mind.
June 15th Zhongba County-Aliplan County-Talqin Town 335 kilometers
Compared to the previous day, today’s 336-kilometer drive was simply too friendly. There are few people along the way, and the sky is like a mirror floating on the hills. The scenery outside the car window passes by in the wind, and every frame is wallpaper. From Zhongba County to Talqin Town, cross Mayuramu Mountain with an altitude of 5211M, and the first stop is the holy Lake Manasarovar.Manasarovar Lake, Namtso Lake and Yamdrok Lake are also known as the three holy lakes in Tibet. In Tibetan, Manasarovar means "eternal jasper lake". It is the highest natural freshwater lake in the world and the second largest water storage capacity. The lake surface is 4,288 meters above sea level. It is also the freshwater lake with the most transparent water in China. .
The best place to view Manasarovar Lake is on a small hillside. Standing here overlooking the open lake, you can see the snow-capped mountains in the distance, thick clouds low in the sky, and the blue and green lake, which is calm and deep.Mani stone piles engraved with the six-character mantra surround the pagoda on the hillside. A complete yak skull lies quietly on the Mani stone pile. Heidegger said that if we can live toward death, acknowledge and face death, we can get rid of the anxiety about death and the triviality of life. Only in this way can you be free to be yourself. In Tibet, it seems that we can better understand the meaning of this kind of life towards death.According to legend, Manasarovar Lake is the nectar given to the world by the Great Lord Shengle. Master Xuanzang also called it the "Western Yaochi" in "Records of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty". The lake water is described as being like pearls, refreshing and sweet. After drinking it, you can It is a very, very special lake to wash away "the sins of a hundred generations".However, Laangtso, which is across the road from Manasarovar, is not so "good luck". Laangcuo is the sister lake of Manasarovar Lake. It means "poisonous black lake" in Tibetan and is commonly known as "Ghost Lake". Unlike the freshwater Manasarovar Lake, Laangtso is a saltwater lake that is not drinkable by humans and animals.The two lakes were originally one body. Later, due to more and more debris accumulated after the glaciers melted, coupled with global warming, a hill slowly formed in the middle of the lake, dividing the large lake into two. As for why the water in "Ghost Lake" is salty, it can only be explained by magic.It is said that "Ghost Lake" has waves three feet high without wind. I walked to the lake with a truth-seeking mentality, and sure enough, the waves were so rough that I shivered with fear due to deep-sea claustrophobia...I was very excited to see Manasarovar and Laangtso. Of course, the most exciting moment was when Mount Kailash appeared in front of me. Thank you God for the beauty. Far opposite Mount Kailash is Namunani Peak. Weige told us that Namunani Peak is the "wife" of Mount Kailash, and Manasarovar is the "love" between two people. Mistress".Okay, such a bloody story, I need to tell it in detail...According to legend, the Himalayas and the Gangdese are two very prestigious families, and Namunani is a beautiful and outstanding woman in the Himalayas. One evening, Namunani was driving her grazing sheep home on the grassland. She heard a melodious song coming from afar. She gradually realized that it was a love song sung to her, and she unconsciously walked in the direction of the song. I walked towards him and saw that he was Kailash.So, the two spent a beautiful and sweet night. The next year, Kailash went to the Himalayan family with heavy gifts to propose marriage, and married Namunani, forming a happy marriage.Not long after this, the annual horse racing festival began. Hundreds of riders from the Gangdise Mountains, Himalayas, Kunlun Mountains and Tanggula Mountains participated in the horse racing. Kailash won the championship with his superb riding skills, and the audience cheered his name. Just as he was accepting the flowers presented by the girls, he was suddenly fascinated by the beautiful eyes of a girl. From then on, he could never forget those eyes again and thought about her day and night.One evening, when Kailash was sitting by the lake and feeling sad about missing him, this woman appeared. It turned out that this beautiful and enchanting woman was called Manasarovar. She was the daughter of the Tethys Sea Dragon King. She was tired of the life in the sea. , liked Kailash's burly and handsome appearance, and exerted all his charms on him. Later, they often met by the lake. Namunani has always been considerate to her husband, loving her deeply and being loyal. At first, she didn't care about her husband going out every night. However, during this time, she found that Kailash was depressed and looked ugly.Until one night, she went to search for a lost sheep and came to the lakeside, where she found Kailash embracing a strange woman. At first, she didn't believe the facts before her. She suddenly felt dizzy and heartbroken.Namunani moved him with her sincerity, but Kailash could no longer control herself. Namunani could not restore her husband's heart, but her love for him did not diminish at all. She was born in extreme pain. I have this belief: to run away, go back to my parents’ home, and go back to the big family in the Himalayas. However, you must pass through the Bagar Prairie at night. If you have not left the prairie at dawn, the God of Dawn will use the acupuncture method to take away her soul and turn her into a mountain to restore her original appearance.Just when she turned back step by step on the Bagar prairie, tears welling up in her eyes and reluctant to leave, the sky gradually became brighter. Namunani felt that her limbs were stiff and unable to move, her chest began to be surrounded by ice and snow, and her whole body turned into stone and solidified. She returned to a snow-covered mountain peak, standing alone between heaven and earth. To commemorate her, people built This mountain is named Namunani Peak.Kailash found that his wife was not with him early in the morning, and when he was looking for Namunani, he was also transformed into a mountain shape. Looking across the Bagar Prairie from Namunnani Peak, it seems to be calling his wife, and also seems to be telling his regrets. Manasarovar did not escape the bad luck and turned into a lake, namely Manasarovar Lake. She was between Namunani Peak and Mount Kailash Snow Mountain. She really wanted to attract the attention of Mount Kailash, but Kailash, who had woken up, ignored her and just stared at her intently. He looked at Namunani Peak who ran away from him because of his own fault.Therefore, fairy tales about princes and princesses living happily together do not exist. Cherish the people around you...Arrive at Talqin Town in the evening. Before entering the town, you need to go to the visitor center to buy Kailash Kailash tickets. Accommodation in Talqin Town is convenient and the conditions are average. Most hotels can take hot baths (considering the high altitude and susceptibility to cold, it is recommended to take a bath after walking around the mountain).We had dinner at a Sichuan restaurant in the town. The owner and his wife had been running the restaurant for many years and had already visited the mountain many times. It was probably the kind of thing where they would close the restaurant for a day and go wandering around the mountain when they had nothing to do. I was really jealous.June 16th-17th Talqin Town-Kang Rinpoche-Talqin Town 55 kilometers
Kailash, the "Great Pyramid" standing on the Alipuran Plateau in Tibet, is a sacred mountain recognized by many religions in the world. According to the records in the "Little Dictionary of Buddhism", Kailash, also known as "Xumi", is the center of a small world; during the pre-Buddhist era of Xiangzhong and Yongzhong Bonsect, Kailash was called "Nine Levels" "Swastika Mountain", it is said that 360 gods live here. Hinduism believes that Kailash is the residence of Shiva and the center of the world; Tibetan Buddhism believes that Kailash is the residence of Chakrasamvara and represents infinite happiness.In short, as the center of the world jointly considered by Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, and Bon religion, it attracts countless pilgrims to Mount Kailash every year. It is said that if a pilgrim makes one turn around the sacred mountain, he can wash away his life's sins; if he makes ten turns, he can avoid going to hell in five hundred reincarnations; if he makes one hundred and eight turns, he can become a Buddha in this life.Regardless of religious significance, Kailash with an altitude of 6,656 meters is also a fascinating place for outdoor adventurers and mountaineering enthusiasts around the world. Kailash is one of the three 6,000-meter sacred mountains in the world that has not yet been conquered by humans. One of them.
We set off from the hotel at 6 a.m., and the entire town of Talqin was still shrouded in the pre-dawn night. Mount Kailash is divided into an outer ring and an inner ring. We chose the outer ring route, which is about 55 kilometers long and can be completed in two days. Wei Ge originally wanted to stay at the hotel and wait for us, but then he probably thought "he's here", so he decided to come with us on the spur of the moment. Fortunately, we had Viagra with us, otherwise the second half of the second day would have been like "the heavens are not responding and the earth is not responding".After more than an hour from pre-dawn to sunrise, we have just arrived at the starting point of Mount Kailash! To be honest, I was really tired, but what could I do? Of course I had to finish the road I chose without crying... On the way, I met an old woman who was walking around the mountain with her head bent. It was easier than walking for us, and we soon walked. surpassed us. Oops! The Tibetan people were really happy and relaxed walking around the mountains. The Tibetan guy who helped the tourists with their backpacks even sang happily and couldn't help but follow them for a while, which was quite a load-reducing effect.
June has gradually entered the most comfortable season for hiking. During the first half of the journey, there is a supply tent set up by Tibetans almost a few hundred meters away. They mainly sell hot milk tea, instant noodles, ham sausages and other snacks. When you are tired from walking, I got into a tent to rest and drink a pot of milk tea. The sky was getting clearer and clearer, the temperature of the sun was just right, and the pace was comfortable. It made me feel that I was not climbing Mount Kailash, but climbing Xiangshan Mountain./ Birthday noodles at an altitude of 4887 metersHowever, in the end, I still underestimated the difficulty of climbing the mountain and overestimated my physical strength. When we arrived near the Zhuomala Pass on the first day, it was already stormy and dark. We did not book accommodation at Zhire Temple in advance. The only hotel under the Zhuomala Pass was also booked by a company that came to build a team (come to Gangren). I didn’t expect the Pozzi team building. It is said that the team had to use off-road vehicles to take them down the mountain due to severe altitude sickness the next day). We randomly found a tent with a decent environment to stay. The boss lady was very happy. He was young and didn't understand much Chinese. He just silently brought us a pot of hot milk tea and sat by the stove near the tent entrance to chant sutras.This kind of tent is not suitable for sleeping outdoors, but maybe it was because we had just entered the pilgrimage season, the quilt was quite new and clean, so I was lucky. After nightfall, the wind and rain outside became louder and louder. I didn't know whether it was raindrops or hail hitting the tent, but even I, who usually sleeps very deeply, was awakened. I could also hear the sound of chanting. I think it was the old man. The proprietress, Silently rejoice in her progress.The mountain climbing season is held in Kailash, which is one of the few sources of income for Tibetans. It only lasts for 4 or 5 years every year. Their world is quiet and pure, practical because of "ignorance", and also because of their firm belief. And fearless. This kind of life may be poor, boring, or lonely, but being able to have such peace of mind in this already very noisy and noisy world is probably what many city people have longed for, at least I have thought about it.I slept in a daze until dawn, got up and got out of the tent. When I looked up, I saw the main peak of Mount Kailash. It was so close and so beautiful. I suddenly woke up a little. I asked Wei Ge and my friends to pat and pat together. As I watched the rising sun light up the snow on the peak little by little, only one word came to my mind: worth it!
It was already past 7 o'clock when we set off after taking photos of the sunrise. The road to Zhuomala Pass was almost long among piles of rocks. It reminded people of Mr. Lu Xun's famous saying, "There is no road in the world, but there are so many people walking on it." It has become a road." It was all uphill before crossing the pass. As the altitude gradually increased, the air was thin and cool, and breathing and footsteps began to become heavier. Fortunately, the weather was great. There was a violent storm last night. The sky was like a washed sapphire. The sun was dazzling but warm, and it continued to provide energy to the body. On the plateau, you must cherish this kind of sunshine. The ghost weather after passing the pass can simply seal people in place.The closer we get to the pass, the more Tibetans are turning up the mountain. From time to time, they make way for the Tibetans who are overtaking us, allowing us to walk step by step on the arduous road up the mountain. It is like walking on flat ground under the feet of the Tibetans. It is said that most Tibetans walk easily. Being able to complete an outer circle of more than 50 kilometers in one day is like running a marathon. It is indeed a gift.You can see many items deliberately left behind by people on the piles of stones on the roadside. According to local Tibetans, this is also a custom. They place the relics of the deceased under the Mount Kailash, praying to help the souls of the deceased to wash away their lives. Sin, rebirth in bliss. Before I went to the mountain, I also heard a saying that if family members or friends cannot come to the mountain in person, as long as they bring a piece of clothing or supplies with them, it is almost as if they have also gone to the mountain. I believed it, so I placed the little bear I carried with me on the pile of stones on the roadside. This little bear was once the light of my spirit, but it also caused me to fall into darkness. I used a very ceremonial farewell to let myself accept that meeting someone is lucky, and leaving someone is inevitable. All learning and growth are for the purpose of not falling into a bad realm again in a game called reincarnation.A fat orange cat suddenly appeared from nowhere, weaving around the pilgrim group, not afraid of strangers at all. Judging from its light cat steps, it must be an old cat who has no altitude sickness. Compared with it, we humans are more like intruders who accidentally strayed into the wilderness among the gray and white cold mountain cliffs. And no one can refuse a cat that actively approaches, and finally I couldn't help but hold the fat orange cat in my arms. I rubbed it hard enough.This fat orange seemed to be an elf sent by God to cure fear. The closer we got to the pass, the steeper the road under our feet became, and the gravel kept sliding down. There is a cliff on one side of the mountain road. Below the cliff is a glacier lake that has not yet melted. The green of the lake is vaguely visible, like a piece of uncut jade. In the distance is a huge glacier standing in the middle of a bare valley, vast and lonely. With Fat Orange's short-term company, some of the insecurity about the unknown future dissipated.As expected, the road over the pass became narrower and narrower, and only one person could pass at the top. We supported each other and walked down, taking every step carefully. When I reached the bottom of the valley and looked back, I realized that the way down the mountain was almost 90 degrees, making it the most dangerous part of the entire mountain climbing journey.The first time I lacked experience, I underestimated the length and difficulty of the journey after crossing the pass, and also overestimated my foot strength, which directly led to a complete lack of time! The changeable weather on the plateau really taught us a lesson. From clear skies to strong winds and hail, coupled with the "desperation" of climbing one slope after another, it was a great challenge to both physical strength and mind. My friends and I joked and cheered each other up. Every time we met a Tibetan who passed us, we would ask: How far is it? Almost all the answers I received were: Just climb a few more slopes and you’ll be there. In this long journey, the biggest test is not the physical fatigue or the unpredictable weather, but the gradual disintegration of the mind. The sutras and mantras I recited silently began to become scattered. The more I recited them deliberately, the more restless my mind became.For the last ten kilometers around the mountain, I was walking completely in darkness. The weak light of the flashlight made the surrounding darkness appear deeper, and the shining stars filled the sky like dandruff. I was already on the verge of collapse from exhaustion, and I had no time to appreciate the scenery in front of me. The speed of reciting the Guanyin Mantra on my lips was getting faster and faster, just like the steps under my feet. The lights of Talqin Town seem so close yet always seem to be out of reach. The physical strength is strong and the mind is strong. Looking back now, I applaud myself for being determined and determined not to give up.I am really grateful to the two Tibetan young men I met halfway and chatted with me all the way until I returned to the hotel where I stayed. By the way, these two Tibetan young men are also very magical. They passed through Talqin Town on the way to deliver goods, and spent a day walking around the mountains. At first, they turned in the wrong direction (Buddhism goes clockwise, Bon religion goes counterclockwise). ), I didn’t expect that the progress was the same as ours. I once again admire the Tibetan people’s strength.When I returned to Talqin Town, it was almost midnight. I originally wanted to treat my two Tibetan friends to a meal. After all, if it wasn't to accompany me, they could return to the town at 7 or 8 o'clock. However, I was so tired that I just wanted to go back to the room and lie down. It was also because of this thought that when I got up the next day to invite them to lunch, I found that their car parked in front of the hotel had disappeared. It was such a pity.According to the friend who took a ride back to the hotel in advance, I returned to the room and sat down on the bed without saying a word, which was a bit scary. Hahahahaha, it’s not that I don’t want to talk, I’m really too tired to speak anymore. After taking a shower, I finally regained my composure. I felt that my legs no longer belonged to me. I lay down and fell asleep instantly, without a dream.
