The century-old Rock Line, the spirit of human exploration is everlasting
The Rock Line starts in Muli and ends in Aden. The scenery along the way is stunning, with views of the Three Snow Mountains. It is China's top hiking route and attracts a large number of outdoor enthusiasts every year.
How did the Locke Line appear? This goes back to the early 20th century, an American named Joseph Locke.
From 1924 to 1928, Joseph Locke led a team that visited Muli four times. Under the reception of King Muli at that time, we inspected, explored, and took photos in this mysterious Shambhala Kingdom, and went deep into the Gongga Mountains area.
Joseph Locke's travel notes and photos such as "China's Yellow Sect Lama Muli Kingdom" and "Gongga Ridge Shambhala, the Holy Land of Utopia" published in the American "National Geographic" magazine were used by James Hilton as the inspiration for the novel "Lost Horizon" Material, from which the famous word "Shangri-La" was born.
The Rock Line is hidden deep in the mountains. It takes two or three days just to get to the starting point of the hike.
Chengdu is 430 kilometers away from Xichang, which takes a day's drive. Xichang is 230 kilometers away from Muli County, and finally it is 200 kilometers away from Dulu Village in Shuiluo Township, and the entire journey is mountainous.
After traveling all the way, we arrived at Dulu Village on September 30th. This is also the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival. I stayed at a Tibetan home in the evening and watched the Tibetan family having dinner. It felt very warm.
The Tibetans built a new house this year and wanted to entertain tourists. After dinner, I taught them how to attract tourists on foot at platforms such as 8264 and Two-Step Road.
There are no mooncakes in the mountains, only a bright moon in the silent night sky, a stranger in a foreign land.
Joseph Locke was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1884, and immigrated to the United States in 1905. He has taught himself Hungarian, French, Chinese and other languages. He likes botany very much and is keen on outdoor adventures.
In early 1922, Locke was dispatched by the United States Department of Agriculture to search for virus-resistant chestnut tree species in Yunnan, China, and began his long-awaited trip to China. In 1923, the American "National Geographic" magazine provided him with financial support, and he began to collect specimens and write travel notes in Yunnan.
In Lijiang, Yunnan, Locke formed a "National Geographic Society Expedition Team" and recruited many Naxi members. He heard people say that starting from Lijiang, passing through Lugu Lake and Yongning, deep in the Hengduan Mountains, there was a mysterious Lama Kingdom called Shambhala Muli, led by a chieftain. There are unknown snow-capped mountains, forests and grasslands with majestic scenery and gold production.
Muli means beautiful, vast and profound place in Tibetan language. In 1922, Locke wrote a letter to King Muli in the name of "Joseph Locke, Commissioner of the United States Department of Agriculture and Forestry", saying that he was going to visit and collect plant specimens. However, King Muli declined in reply, "Don't come. Muli Mountain is high and the road is far away. Bandits are rampant. If you come, your life will be in danger."
The expedition plan ran aground, and Locke was unwilling to do so. At the beginning of 1924, he once again put the plan to go to Muli on the agenda, regardless of whether the King of Muli was willing or not.
"In January 1924, just about a month before the Chinese New Year, I decided to complete the postponed visit before returning to our distant civilized world." Locke wrote at the beginning of "The Kingdom of the Yellow Sect Lama Muli in China".
The official hiking started on October 1st, starting from the Shuiluo River in Dulu Village and heading into the mountains from the Shuiluo Gold Mine a few kilometers north.
The Baishui River Valley has gathered a large number of outdoor enthusiasts, and we were the first group to enter the mountains during the National Day. There was no cell phone signal from here, and the satellite phone signal I brought with me was also very weak.
Baishui River is also called Milk River. The water is clear and white. It rushes all the way down. It is extremely dangerous and extremely beautiful.
Winding up the river from a low altitude of 2,300 meters, the journey is easy and the weather is sunny all day long.
It is a long and difficult journey from Lijiang to Muli. The route is off the beaten path, passing through the Golden Sands Canyon and climbing over many mountains. Locke planned to set off during the cold winter, and the roads in high-altitude areas were covered with ice and snow.
"We set out on a cold winter morning, with howling winds and large clumps of dry snow blowing from Yunfeng Mountain, hundreds of feet high in the sky." Locke wrote that their group traveled from the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang. Depart from Xuesong Village and head to Muli. The team was escorted by 10 Naxi soldiers and had 11 mules and 3 horses to transport supplies.
"We climbed over hills and crossed dense forests." Locke and his party first passed through the steep and narrow path of the Jinsha River Gorge and passed through the dark spruce forest. It took them five days to arrive in Yongning. Then, bypass Lugu Lake from Yongning and continue to Muli.
When he arrived in Yongning, the chieftain told Locke that the old King Muli who had written to reject him had died of edema four months ago, and his younger brother had taken over. King Xinmuli is kind and more hospitable than his elder brother. This news made Locke feel relieved and accelerated his pace.
"When the snow stopped, we were already at an altitude of 15,000 feet (4572 meters). At this time, the sun had come out and shone on me. It was warmer than before. To our right, there was a cliff with ice The pillars hang down from the cliff, like strings of pearls, shining in the sunlight."
The journey from Lijiang to Muli was rugged and difficult, which made Locke find it incredible. He said in his travel notes that when he traveled overland from Siam (Thailand), passed through Myanmar, and entered Yunnan, he had never encountered such a difficult journey as the journey from Lijiang to Muli, through the Jinsha River Gorge and over the peaks of Lijiang. journey.
Then we crossed the Baishui River, walked into the forest, and started climbing up the mountain.
The team marched for about 11 days and arrived in Muli. One team member pointed to the north and told Locke that that was Muli.
Locke described Muli at that time like this: King Muli ruled an area of 9,000 square miles with only 22,000 residents. There is a lack of arable land here. Muli City consists of 340 houses and is home to 700 lamas. The center is Muli Temple. In addition, there are 18 affiliated monasteries within the territory, with as many as a thousand monks.
The photos taken by Locke show that the Muli Temple at that time was located on a slope, just like today. There were other houses and buildings around it, and below the mountain was the Litang River rushing through it.
After walking a short distance on the bare mountain road, we entered the dense primeval forest. When you hear the sound of flowing water, you have arrived at the famous Bodhisattva Cave.
The gurgling water pours down through the moss, and it is dotted with little bits of sunshine, which is wonderful.
Continuing to climb along the rugged mountain road, today's camp, Newton Cattle Farm , is in a forest at an altitude of 3480 meters. When we arrived at the camp, many tents had been set up here, which was quite lively.
Locke was warmly welcomed by King Muli. Locke entered the palace and presented a rifle and 250 rounds of bullets as gifts to King Muli.
In a bedroom in the palace, Locke finally met King Muli, who was called Zhaba. King Muli was about 30 years old, over 1.8 meters tall, tall and slightly fat, wearing a red robe and embroidered velvet feet. Hidden boots, "noble temperament, kind expression, soft laughter, elegant gestures."
King Muli, who had lived in a deep palace for a long time, didn't know much about the places outside his jurisdiction. He asked Locke: Is it possible to ride a horse all the way from Muli to Washington? Is the First World War still going on? He also asked Locke to calculate how long he could live. He's even interested in Locke's glasses: can they see through the forest at a glance?
After a few kilometers, we passed the Mancuo Cattle Farm, and then continued through the woods. There were various plants in the mountain forest , and the trees were hung with usneas, which are common on the plateau.
Locke was amazed at the exquisite Tibetan wood and stone buildings he saw. He took pictures of King Muli, the palace, war horses, monks, etc. King Muli also invited him to have a "hot pot" meal: "In a steaming iron pot inlaid with silver, there is a thick layer of meat slices, and underneath are various vegetables. The food is also served in a golden bowl."
Locke believes that in addition to the beautiful scenery, Muli is actually a prosperous place. There are gold mines in the Litang River, but Muli King does not mine much.
After staying in Muli for three days, Locke returned. The enthusiastic King Muli sent his entourage far away, and also asked people to arrange the campsite in advance. Locke was reluctant to let go, "The oily and fragrant fir branches set up a beautiful camp, and the fragrant branches covered the frozen land. Here, I let my sweet dream take me back to the incredible place in the Muli mountains. Mysterious wonderland.”
At two o'clock in the afternoon, we walked to the Zangbetsu Cattle Farm at an altitude of 4,050 meters. The cattle farm is located in a valley. The river here is winding, the land is flat, and the alpine meadows are golden. It is really a good campsite, so I set up camp.
Starting from the Zangbie Cow Farm, there is a camp not far ahead. There is a Tibetan cabin selling things. The owner is making milk tea and can't help but go in and have a fire.
I ate a bucket of instant noodles and drank two bottles of Coke at the cabin, which was very satisfying.
It started to rain as we continued to Wanhuachi Cow Farm.
At Wanhuachi Cattle Farm A commercial team was sitting in a big tent to avoid the rain, but unexpectedly the rain got heavier and heavier and continued for two or three hours.
After returning to Lijiang, Locke could not forget Muli. He had not yet gone deep into the hinterland of Muli and had close contact with three snow-capped mountains.
Locke wrote a travelogue about his adventure in Muli and published it in the April 1925 issue of National Geographic magazine, which attracted great attention in the United States.
At the end of March 1928, Locke entered Muli again. King Muli was particularly cordial when he met him. Locke took out the National Geographic magazine, which had a photo of King Muli, and King Muli was very happy.
During a previous inspection, Locke had seen from a distance that in the Gongga Ridge area northwest of Muli, three snow-capped mountains formed a "pin" shape. This time, he asked King Muli to help them inspect the Gongga Ridge area.
At three or four o'clock in the afternoonthe rain stopped, and we set off to the next camp - the camp below Zabala Pass. On the way, you can see the mist-shrouded Zabala Pass (above the black rocky mountain like a wall), and Shanuoduoji, one of the three sacred mountains of Daocheng hidden in the clouds.
King Muli was a little worried when he heard that Locke said he was going to Gongga Ridge. That place is called Gongga Risong Gongbu, and bandits are rampant. Fortunately, King Muli had a good relationship with the bandit leader Tashi Zongben there, so he wrote a letter to Tashi Zongben saying that an expedition team came to inspect and asked not to be embarrassed.
On June 13, Locke and his party left Muli and headed for Gongga Ridge, which he had always dreamed of. The team consisted of 21 Naxi members and guides, and brought 36 mules.
When we arrived at Garu Temple on the way, 10 armed guards were sent to follow us. They crossed the Shuiluo River, crossed Mizhuga, and walked through magnificent primeval forests and alpine meadows full of flowers.
Locke and the Naxi expedition team
Another morning, the weather was good, and we set out to cross the Zabala Pass. Before we even got to the top of the mountain, we saw During the National Day holiday, a huge group of people hiked along the Rock Line, forming a Z-shaped curve on the mountain wall.
The vegetation on the side of the pass close to Shanuoduoji is lush and colorful. I thought this was the most difficult pass to climb in the trip, but I was mentally prepared, but it was very easy to climb .
Climb the Zabala Pass at an altitude of 4,700 meters.
Standing at the pass and looking back, the side of Shanuoduoji was exposed with clouds, piercing the sky like sharp blades.
The three sacred mountains in Daocheng are pronounced Gongga Risong Gongbu in Tibetan. In the eighth century AD, Master Padmasambhava consecrated the three snow mountains and named them after the three lords in Buddhism: Avalokitesvara, Manjusri and Vajrapani, so they were called the Three Lords Snow Mountain. The Lord of the Father means the protector, the protector, the one to rely on. The three Lords of the Father are divided into the masters of great wisdom, great compassion, and great strength.
Xiannairi is the north peak of Sanzhu Snow Mountain, with an altitude of 6032 meters. The peak name means Guanyin Bodhisattva; Yangmaiyong, which means Manjushri Bodhisattva in Tibetan, is the south peak of Sanzhu Snow Mountain with an altitude of 5958 meters; Xianuo Dorje, which means Vajrapani Bodhisattva, is the east peak of the Three Fathers Snow Mountain, with an altitude of 5958 meters.
There are rugged rocks on the Yangmaiyong side of the pass. At this time, Yangmaiyong Peak was hidden in the clouds. The scenery of the huge U-shaped valley was shocking - the black rocks looked like they had been burned by fire, the clouds were so low that they could be touched, and the white quicksand poured down from the mountain. , golden vegetation is scattered among the valleys.
Locke once wrote to a friend: "I would rather die in this beautiful mountain than in a cold hospital bed." What I said must also include the spectacular desolation before our eyes.
I thought it would be easy after climbing over the Zabala Pass, but it turned out that many of the subsequent passes were difficult. After coming down from the Zabala Pass, we started to climb the Yangmaiyong Cross-cut Pass. From here we can clearly see the large quicksand cross-cut section that we will walk tomorrow.
Braving the rain, we climbed over the cross-cut pass, and then we saw the Xinguoniu Farm in the distance. It was a small flat grassland formed by the accumulation of quicksand under the huge black mountain. It looked shaky on the steep mountain wall, and a strip of grass hung on the mountain wall. The path on the top extends diagonally upward, leading to the direction of Big Quicksand.
After walking for a few days, a snow-capped mountain suddenly came into view. "Night fell at our high mountain camp. I sat in front of the tent, facing the great peak called Sharang Dorje. At this time, the clouds dispersed. It was a flat-topped pyramid-shaped peak, like a pair of huge giants. Bat wings. The mountain is covered with ice and snow, and the glacier reaches the foot of the mountain, forming a huge moraine accumulation like a garden theater. "
After that, the group of people started a difficult journey again, and met Tashi Zongben on the way. Locke was shocked. However, Tashi Zongben said, don’t worry! With a letter from King Muli, we will not harm you.
When I woke up in the morning, the surroundings were shrouded in clouds and fog, indicating bad weather for the day.
The brief sunshine gave people a little hope, and the Yangmaiyong Mountain was clearly visible for the only time. Soon after, the sky began to be shrouded in clouds and mist again.
People look very small under the huge mountain. Looking at the team that has set off at the bottom of the camp, the people and horses are only the size of a pixel.
The beauty of scenery is no longer limited to quiet time, small bridges and flowing water. To a large extent, it also depends on surprises, dangers and difficulties. The beauty of the Locke Line lies here. Standing at the foot of Yangmaiyong Mountain and looking at the huge rocky mountain, if there were no dangers and difficulties along the way, there would be no surprise and shock at this time.
Cutting all the way along the mountainside of Yangmaiyong, we came to the famous big quicksand of Yangmaiyong. The big quicksand looks very dangerous. There is only a trail trampled by people and horses hanging on it. It seems that it may slide down at any time. For a long way, people and horses are very small on it.
Recalling this section of the road, there were only long cross-cutting passes, and it was raining heavily and the wind was blowing. It was all black along the way, with black clouds, black mountains, and black stones. It was eerie and strange in broad daylight, like a doomsday scene. The idea that even if you put on all the clothes and it's still cold, you'll feel warm when you walk, that doesn't hold true on the rainy plateau.
In desperation, I climbed over the last Black Lake Pass with an altitude of more than 4,700 meters, and saw the legendary Black Lake in the distance. The lake is as black as ink. It is a few kilometers away from the hiking route and is so calm that there is no wave.
In the early morning of June 26, Locke was woken up after a heavy rain. The three sacred mountains of Sharang Dorje, Yangmaiyong and Xiannairi stand in front of you, so close that you can reach out and touch them.
"There are no clouds in the sky, and the unique pyramid-shaped Jiangbaiyang (Yangmaiyong) stands in front of me. She is the most beautiful mountain peak I have ever seen. The snow-covered peak originally appeared gray-white, but she and Chengrui The top of the mountain suddenly turned golden, and the sun's rays were kissing them! "
Seeing such a beautiful scene, Locke almost went crazy. In August of the same year, he went to Muli again to search for the three sacred mountains. However, the rainy season has come, and the sacred mountain has been shrouded in clouds and mist, refusing to show its face.
After going around Yangmaiyong and turning around to the north, we found a large section of stone slabs and gravel roads, deserted, extremely windy and with no place to take shelter.
Further ahead is Xiadu Niuchang, where the famous Butterfly Rock is located. Butterfly Rock is the landmark of the Locke Line. It is the place where Locke's expedition team once took a group photo. It has remained unchanged despite the wind and rain for hundreds of years.
Time goes by, things change, and the human spirit of adventure is everlasting.
Wave after wave of people from all over the world follow the footsteps of their predecessors, climbing over snow-capped mountains, crossing rivers, walking through dense forests and rocks, and walking into the depths of the Hengduan Mountains to arrive at the secret land of Shangri-La.
By the end of the year, Locke was preparing to go to Gongga Ridge for the third time. When preparing to set off, King Muli suddenly sent a letter saying that after Locke went there last time, Gonggar Ridge was hit by hail, and large areas of highland barley were affected. Tashi Zongben turned his back, saying that Locke had angered the gods. , vowing to kill Locke. Locke's trip to Gongga Ridge stopped here.
During the inspection in Muli, Locke collected many animal and plant specimens and wrote a travelogue called "Shambhala in Gongga Ridge, the Holy Land of Paradise". “In the whole world, there is no place where the scenery is waiting for photographers and explorers. The fresh air, the colorful rhododendrons, and the peonies and primroses looming in the trees make this place like a fairyland. ’s garden, a wonderland no one knows about.”
After crossing the small pass in the rain, the last bit of energy was exhausted by the difficult Snake Lake Pass with an altitude of 4,720 meters. When we crossed the pass, the clouds and fog briefly dissipated.
Snake Lake is like a green snake lying across the valley. It is hard to imagine that there is a lake with such a color in the world. It is worth all the hardships.
At the Snake Lake Pass, the Xiannairi Sacred Mountain opposite is in the clouds and mist, and only the Songduo Pass opposite can be seen, which is the Aden Scenic Area in the past.
On the last day, we crossed the Songduo Pass in the direction of Xiannairi Mountain, which is 4,650 meters above sea level.
There is a scenic spot going down from the pass. The Milk Sea is at an altitude of 4480 meters below the pass. Arriving at the scenic spot also means that the Locke Line is about to complete its journey.
After the founding of New China, Xiangzha Basongdian served as a member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC of Sichuan Province and vice chairman of the CPPCC of Muli County. He died of illness on May 12, 1965.
When Locke returned to Yunnan, he began to study Naxi culture with great concentration. Without financial support, he later lived in poverty. After returning to the United States, he could only rely on support from his friends. Locke died in Hawaii on December 5, 1962. "The Kingdom of Ancient Naxi", which he spent more than 20 years completing, was published after his death.
From the Milk Sea to the Luorong Cattle Farm at an altitude of 4,170 meters, it took one or two hours to reload at a high altitude of more than 60 kilometers and return to the world step by step. The mobile phone also had a signal.
Today, thousands of people follow Locke’s footsteps every year, traveling from Muli to Aden to visit the Three Gods Mountain. "Shambhala" has been mentioned again as a local tourism brand, and Muli has also become the core area of the Greater Shangri-La Tourism Circle. When tourists marvel at the beautiful scenery here, they may think of a man named Joseph Locke more than 90 years ago.
——"Explorer Joseph Locke and the Last Kingdom of Shambhala Muli"
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