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Tibet trip XI ZANG XING

Because it is a high altitude area and the distance is long ,

Therefore, I had doubts about whether I could go to Tibet and see it in this lifetime.

 

01

 

  • Basongcuo

Basongcuo is a plateau lake in Nyingchi Prefecture, also known as "Caogao Lake", which means "green water" in Tibetan. This lake is the smallest lake I have seen in Tibet. Although Basong Co is not big, the scenery is very beautiful. The lake is as green as jade, and the trees on the green hills beside the lake are lush and lush. Unlike the aforementioned Namtso - there are basically no trees, and even grass is rarely seen - Very different. It was noon when we arrived here. The sun was strong and the weather was relatively hot. But when we saw the beautiful scenery in front of us, we no longer cared about the hot weather. As soon as we got off the car, we rushed to the lake with great interest.

Seeing Basongcuo, I couldn't help but think of Tianchi in Xinjiang. Whether it's the blue sky and white clouds above, the mountains beside the lake, or the clear lake water, the size is roughly the same. If it weren't for the small island in the lake, I would simply regard it as a replica of Tianchi in Xinjiang. It is this small island that is like the finishing touch, which suddenly brings Basong to life and eliminates the hollowness of ordinary lakes due to the vast water surface. What’s even more exciting is that the management has built a bridge to the island with steel beams, and the two bridges are side by side, which not only allows tourists to go deep into the center of the lake to enjoy the surrounding beauty, but also can board the Go visit the island and avoid the cost of taking a boat.

After boarding the island, we climbed up the stairs and turned to the front of a building. We discovered that it was a small temple. There were probably no monks living there, so its door was closed. Surprisingly, there are two wooden sculptures of the lower bodies of men and women placed beside the steps in front of the temple. The wood carving is very crude, but the genitals are clearly visible and very exaggerated. The tour guide unabashedly introduced tourists to the fertility cult in local religion. At the same time, the tour guide also introduced some precious trees on the island, letting us know about the unique ancient trees on the island that are thousands of years old. On these trees, some people hung hadas, and some tied red cloth strips with blessings written on them. Apparently they regarded the trees as gods to pray for disaster relief and good fortune.

 

02
  • Brahmaputra Grand Canyon

The Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon is the canyon with the largest drop in the world, like the deepest wrinkles on the earth. There are towering mountains and lush trees on both sides of the strait, and snow-capped mountains appear and disappear in the clouds and mist. The Brahmaputra River roars and flows at the bottom of the valley, with loud waves and spectacular momentum. This is my general impression when I come to the Grand Canyon.

On July 13, the tour group I joined organized us to visit the Brahmaputra Grand Canyon. This tour includes two parts: boat and car. We first boarded the rubber boat. This orange rubber boat can carry about 30 passengers. The rubber boat first went upstream. Walking against the current is still relatively fast, and it really makes people feel like "walking on both sides of the towering green mountains". On the boat, although we are seated in a closed cabin, the cabin windows can be opened. In this way, we can not only enjoy the scenery on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, but also extend the camera out of the window to take pictures of natural scenery. Not long after the rubber boat sailed, the tour guide reminded us to pay attention to the small island in the river. This small island is not big, and is shaped like a fish. The head of the fish is against the current, but the tail is not unfolded. It is probably appropriate to describe it as "anticlimax". There are some trees growing on the island, and there is a small house, but I don't know what it is used for. The rubber boat traveled for 15 to 20 minutes and stopped at a beach. Stepping onto this beach feels like coming to the seaside. The sand by the water is so fine and soft. If the river hadn't been so fast, I would have taken off my shoes and socks to wade in the water. The beach is not big, only about 10 meters wide and about a hundred meters long. Looking across the beach, we can see the lush grass, and beyond that are the tall trees. Our view is blocked, and we don't know what other scenery is behind the trees. On the right side of the beach is the round stone formation. These stones are as big as an elephant, and as small as a basketball, most of them are irregularly round. The Brahmaputra River comes from the left side of the beach, but there is also a river on the right. Although we can't have a panoramic view of the scene behind the beach in front, we can judge from these two rivers that this is probably a larger island in the river. Tourists boarded the beach, walked through it, and then walked through the bushes to the trees. Some people also went to the boulders to look for something. But no matter where I go, the camera in my hand is always busy.

After staying on the beach for about half an hour, we returned to the rubber boat one after another amidst the greetings of the tour guide, and then returned to the dock where we boarded the boat. Then we took a tourist minibus and traveled along the river bank. The most noteworthy sights along this journey are the following: First, the starting point of the Brahmaputra Grand Canyon. After driving along the right bank of the river near the car and boat dock for about 10 minutes, you will arrive at this scenic spot. The scene here is not that the words "Start of the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon" are engraved on a stone as tall as a person, nor is it that many people take photos in front of this stone to commemorate it, but that it lies in walking around this stone and moving forward. Walking, you can avoid the trees and overlook the beautiful scenery at the bend of the river. It really feels like overlooking it from an airplane. The rushing river, the beautiful fields, the dark green barley, the golden rapeseed flowers, the gray houses, the roads that wind between the fields and the houses, the drifting clouds and mist on the mountainside across the river, the white Tibetan The pagoda and the colorful wind-horse flags form a charming, majestic and gorgeous Tibetan landscape painting.

After passing this scenic spot, the car drove forward for a while and stopped in a not very spacious open space. After getting off the car, we came to a huge rock according to the tour guide's introduction. This boulder is two to three meters high and basically in the shape of a cube. What makes it unique is that there is a crack of tens of centimeters in the middle of the stone, and a thick peach tree grows out of it. The tour guide also told everyone: "As long as you go around this boulder in a clockwise direction and make a wish to the peach tree, you will have good luck." I don't know if everyone believed the tour guide's words, or just found it interesting, and everyone was interested Swirled around the tree vigorously. When everyone followed the tour guide carefully, especially when some tourists even clasped their hands in front of the peach tree, closed their eyes slightly, and muttered something, I felt that the tour guide looked more and more like a kindergarten teacher. I held a point-and-shoot camera to take this rather strange stone and tree into my lens.

After passing the scenic spot of this huge rock, the car continued to drive forward, taking us to the bend of the Grand Canyon. The river flow here is rapid, the water is roaring, and the water is white. Following the guide's instructions, we walked through a dozens of meters long steps that were densely populated by small vendors and came to the observation deck. The observation deck is often located in the best position to enjoy the scenery, so there are so many people here that it is difficult to take a personal photo with the scenery as the background. Everyone had no choice but to make do with it. Almost all the photos we took were of you and me, and because the territory was so small, the people in the photos were often very large and the scenery was blurry. I felt a little regretful. This makes me often leave the tour guide alone and tour by myself in a different order than the tour guide’s explanation and guidance, so as to avoid crowds as much as possible.

After staying at the observation deck for a while, I walked through the vendor area to the road. Looking to the other side, I saw an iceberg showing its shy face from the thick clouds, and it was looming, looking very mysterious. At the foot of the mountain is a green grassland, with several winding creeks drawing several dynamic lines on the grassland, as if they were drawn by naughty children. There are still a few stones scattered by the stream, much like the rubber balls scattered on the ground by children after playing with each other and forgetting to take them back. There are only a few black and yellow cows and white and black sheep licking on the grass. Xi Wenwen seemed to be chasing the scent of butterflies. There are a few scattered houses stuck into the heel of the mountain, with blue-gray roofs that complement the green grass. A half-person-high fence was built around the house, which was irregular. The scene in front of us made people never imagine that this was Tibet on the snow-covered plateau, as if they had returned to an ancient pastoral.

03
  • Namjagbarwa bee

Namjagbarwa Peak is a famous snow-capped mountain peak in Tibet, more than 7,800 meters high. Because it is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, its appearance is rarely revealed and it looks very mysterious, thus attracting a large number of tourists to come and watch it.
On the tour bus, the tour guide had already introduced Namjagbarwa Peak to everyone and told various legends about it, which can also be found online, so I won’t go into details here. Our tour bus stopped at a parking lot in Lulanglinhai. As soon as the driver opened the door, many people rushed out, saying they wanted to take advantage of the lack of clouds in the sky to see Namjagbarwa Peak. I heard that the opportunity was rare, and I was infected by the atmosphere. I quickly joined the running team, completely ignoring the advice given to me by a friend before Tibet: "Move slowly when you go to the Tibetan plateau, otherwise you will suffer from severe altitude sickness." . We quickly ran to the viewing platform along the 100-meter-long plank road composed of dozens of steps.
By the time I came to the observation deck panting heavily, there were already many people here. Everyone opened their eyes and looked toward the eastern sky. Heaven pays off. The mysterious Namjagbarwa Peak finally revealed its pointed summit in the light clouds and mist, standing like a crystal clear pyramid in the middle of the sky, with the white clouds and mist wrapping around its head like a flying hada. Seeing Namjagbarwa Peak reveal its true appearance, tourists couldn't help but cheered, pointed their fingers to share their luck and joy with their traveling companions, and took photos one after another. After a short time, Namjagbarwa Peak was indeed hidden in the clouds and mist.
Back on the tour bus, the tour guide showed us a postcard of Namcha Barwa Peak printed by the local tourism department. The Namcha Barwa Peak on the postcard is truly stunningly beautiful. The evening sun paints Namjagbarwa Peak and its sister peaks with a layer of golden color, making them look like a girl lying on her back. The Namjagbarwa Peak in the picture was obviously taken with a high-end camera at a specific time and angle. I don’t know how many places the photographer searched to find the best place to take this picture, and I don’t know where exactly he was. How long did it take to find the best shooting time? It is precisely because of the hard work of the photographer that such a beautiful shooting effect was achieved. Therefore, the Namjagbarwa Peak he viewed should be the highest level, which was a reward given to him by God. In comparison, what we saw of Namjagbarwa Peak was only mid-range. Half of it was due to our sincerity and constant prayers to God; half of it was luck. Just when we arrived, the weather was very good. Let us see her beauty. And those who came from afar but didn’t even see the shadow of Namjagbarwa Peak could only leave with great regret and look forward to good luck next time they visit.
I feel lucky that we not only saw Namjagbarwa Peak illuminated by the setting sun in the Lulang Forest Sea, but also saw her again on an observation platform in the Brahmaputra Grand Canyon. At this time, it is noon. Namjagbarwa Peak is closer to us, occupying half of the sky. You have to look up to see her figure in the clouds and mist. Moreover, at this time, she is like a crystal sculpture, so holy. , so clear that people have the desire to fly over and get close to it.
04

  • Mani stone pile and wind horse flag

If you see colorful wind-horse flags hanging on mountains, trees and bridges or stacks of Mani stones on the ground, steps or between tree branches, there is no doubt that you have arrived at a place where Tibetans live. It can be said that these two things constitute the most significant signs of the areas where Tibetans live.
Mani stone piles are relatively round small stones stacked into the shape of a tower. Those stones are as big as basketballs, and the small ones are only as big as broad beans. These round and irregular stones were stacked up by the Tibetan people's exquisite hands, and they were stacked on the spot, and they actually stood there firmly. What impressed me most was that when I came back from a trip to the Brahmaputra Grand Canyon, after lunch, I saw several piles of Mani stones on the steps outside the tourism management hall. They were so big and small and had different shapes. The oval stones were stacked into small bonsais. This pile of stones has no base and is just on a flat table. Looking at this pile of stones, there is actually a pavilion made of three or four small stones, and a long and flat stone is used as a bridge between the two piles of stones. Seeing this, I couldn't help but admire the ingenuity of the Tibetan people. The Mani stone piles here not only enshrine religious ideas, but also form exquisite art.
Mani stone piles are the same as temples, holy pagodas, holy lakes, etc. among Tibetans, but they are very sacred. After the relatively large Mani stone pile is completed, the six-character mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum Oh" must be written on the stone in Tibetan, and the wind horse flag is hung on the Mani pillar in the middle. It is said that when Tibetans build a pile of Mani stones, they should circle it in a clockwise direction, chant sutras, and pray for peace and happiness for themselves and their loved ones.
On the tour bus, the tour guide introduced us to the Fengma Flag, which is an important folk custom in Tibet. Regarding the five colors of the Fengma flag and their meanings, we can all look it up online, so there is no need for me to talk about them here. What I want to say is that wind and horse flags are often hung on high mountains, halfway up mountains, and on big trees, and the ropes used to tie the flags are very long, some reaching hundreds of meters. I really admire the bravery and wisdom of the Tibetan compatriots, who can climb to an altitude of five or six thousand meters to pull ropes and hang flags. We can imagine that the wind is very strong on the mountain at that height. People not only have to climb up the mountain with ropes, wind horse flags and other tools, but they also have to fix the ropes in good positions on the hard rocks and tundra, and then string them evenly. It’s not easy to build a flag with good color matching! I believe that when Tibetans go up the mountain carrying various tools, ropes, and flags, they must not be thinking about anything else, working very attentively and devoutly. At the same time, they may also pray silently in their hearts for the blessing of the gods. The wind horse flag is pulled up, and the wind blows from all directions. I keep reading the scriptures on the flag, praying for peace and happiness for the people who live here and those who pass by.
05
  • paradise

It is said that there are 7 places in Tibet known as "Utopia". Since Tao Yuanming wrote the famous "Poetry of Peach Blossom Spring", people often refer to places that are isolated from the world and have beautiful scenery as "Utopia". There are scenic spots called "Utopia" in Xiangxi Hunan and Guangxi Yangshuo, which reflect the good wishes of people in modern society to escape from fierce competition and cruel struggles, return to the harmonious and prosperous countryside, and live an pastoral life. However, since many places called "Utopia" have received large numbers of tourists, the tranquility and innocence they should have gradually disappeared, and the smell of modern society has gradually penetrated in, so they are no longer "Utopia". . However, during our travels in Tibet, we saw a place full of poetry and painting, which can be said to be a "paradise". According to my memory, this place should be called "Xiangba Village". She was what we saw on the way from Jieba Village to Lulang Forest Sea.
"Shampa Village" has only existed in our sight for a while. We got off the car at a relatively wide and flat area beside the road, but we did not enter the village. We just went up to an artificial viewing platform near the roadside. This observation deck is a three-story building. The second floor is flush with the road. From the balcony in front of the second floor, you can overlook the village. If you want to climb higher, it would be better to climb to the third floor for a distant view. Although the viewing platform only has three floors, it is halfway up the mountain and has a panoramic view of Xiangba Village, which is located on the small plain between the mountains.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the Xiangba Village in front of me is a very beautiful pastoral painting. Many tourists traveling with me also feel the same way. Everyone was stunned by what they saw. This is a picture with emerald green as the background color. In the middle of the picture is a jungle, with white houses in twos and threes and roads as thin as clues that connect the houses. The road intersects with the winding river. The river runs roughly from southwest to northeast, with green lawns and a square sandwiched between it and the road. Probably because it was relatively far away, I couldn't see the pedestrians above, I could only see the vehicles crawling on the road like little bugs.
Judging from the topography of the entire village, it is centered on the river, with slight slopes on both sides. Most of the houses are on the left bank of the river. Behind the village, there are dense woods. The woods follow the mountains and evolve into dark mountains. There are snow-capped mountain peaks looking at each other in the distance; on the right side of the river, a large area of ​​farmland spreads out, covered with green crops, extending to the foot of the mountain. The mountain on the right makes the green of the woods appear darker due to the sun behind it, which is in sharp contrast to the brightness of the sunny slopes on the left.
Opposite the valley is the blue sky and white clouds lightly stained with yellow. Since there is no wind, these clouds are like the sheep of herdsmen roaming around leisurely, reflecting the tranquility and leisure of Xiangba Village.
Facing the beautiful scenery in front of them, the tourists kept taking pictures and talking at the same time: Some said they really wanted to live here for ten days and a half to recuperate here; some said it was really wonderful to live here after retirement. It couldn't be better; some said they would be willing to die here;... At this time, I want to dedicate a poem to this beautiful mountain village, but unfortunately I haven't found the right language to describe it yet. I can only lament that my talent is too shallow, maybe I have experienced a classic saying - "Great beauty is speechless".
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