2018 New Year’s Eve Trip (1) – Seda and Yaqing Temple

The scenery in western Sichuan is beautiful, but it’s a pity that it’s so far away. Every time before going to western Sichuan, I have to go through the boring G42 Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway to Chengdu.

On the first day out, the situation was different💪. I drove from Jingzhou to Yingxiu in one go, had food and accommodation, and recharged my batteries. 😄

The scenery begins! Walking on China's Panda Avenue, there is no scenery without the pandas. To be on the safe side, I honestly passed through the Balang Mountain through the tunnel, arranged accommodation in Siguniang Mountain Town, chatted with the guide, the Tibetan brother Maru Changsheng, and watched some of his proud horses that can ride at high altitudes. The good horses carrying heavy loads in the area met a college student who came to climb Siguniang Mountain alone in winter, and then went straight to Maobi Bridge to wait for the sunshine of Jinshan Mountain.

At the foot of Siguniang Mountain, I basked in the sun with my Tibetan brother Maru Changming and talked about the changes in Siguniang Mountain over the years. Mr. Maru Changsheng often leads groups to climb mountains into Tibet. He said that the flowers and plants on Mount Siguniang are the most special. Every summer, many Japanese people come here to see the flowers. There are more and more climbing teams, the narrow paths have been turned into broad roads, and the flowers, grass and snow lines have also degraded. Maru Changsheng also enthusiastically pointed out the places to watch the sunset and starry sky in Siguniang. He also pointed out several routes to Seda and repeatedly emphasized the safety of driving in high mountains in winter. [Hold fist]

I got my wish and saw the Rizhao Jinshan Mountain in Maobi Bridge

December 24th, Christmas Eve, is also someone’s birthday. After eating the yak soup pot, we followed the instructions of our Tibetan brother Mr. Maru Changsheng, and together with a young couple from Chengdu who met by chance at Maobi Bridge, we drove into Changpinggou Scenic Area in the middle of the night to find the best place to enjoy the starry sky at Siguniang Mountain. . Today's weather did not disappoint us. The North Star was on the west side of Yaomei Peak and the Milky Way was at its peak. It was a fun birthday. In the Changpinggou Scenic Area, where the stars were dimly lit, we encountered two false alarms in one night: 1. A pair of red eyes flashed in the dark night, which scared us so much that we thought we encountered a beast. When we shined a flashlight, we discovered that it was a yak. A false alarm. 2. The person on duty at the scenic spot was very responsible. When he saw that our car lights did not move for a long time, he thought that our car had encountered a breakdown and needed rescue. He drove an off-road vehicle and rushed over to prepare for rescue. After asking about the situation, he told us "pay attention to safety." Then we turned around and returned. The second false alarm was heartwarming. The Tibetan brothers still showed their simplicity and enthusiasm. [powerful]

Look at another person’s record: cold wind, cold night. Under the guidance of the Tibetan guide during the day, we drove into Changpinggou Scenic Area (charged during the day) at 9pm to reach the best spot for Siguniang starry sky shooting. It was pitch dark all around, with a few free-range yaks and Tibetan horses wandering around. When I got off the car and looked up, the image of the feast of stars filled my eyes. Instead of being reserved during the day, the elf at midnight, passionate and unrestrained, rushed towards my face. I was caught off guard and could only stare blankly. An off-road vehicle came from a distance and asked if we needed help. It turned out to be the administrator of the scenic spot. Seeing that our vehicle had not moved for a long time and it had reached 23:00, he braved the cold of minus 8 degrees to come out to help us. After understanding the situation , cared about "pay attention to safety" and drove away, so simple and warm, the best gift for the festival.

After leaving Siguniang Mountain, according to the instructions of Tibetan brother Maru Changming, we climbed over Mengbi Mountain, which is slightly easier to walk. Tibetan brothers have repeatedly warned that when driving in mountainous areas in winter, no matter how good the weather is, you must drive slowly. You must drive slowly to ensure safety on dark and icy roads.

At the pass of Mengbi Mountain, I met several young people praying with wind and horse flags. Wandering in the sunshine at the pass of Mengbi Mountain, it is as warm as spring. Get in the car and set off. According to the instructions of the Tibetan brother Maru Changsheng, use the D1 gear and slowly slide down the mountain for 20 kilometers.

Just after crossing the Mengbi Mountain pass, at the turn, I met a Chengdu Weifang vehicle asking for help. Their car was going too fast when going downhill and encountered dark ice on the road. The vehicle lost control and hit a roadside drainage ditch. The tire blew out, but the jack on the car was broken, so I was in a hurry. As it happens, the jack on our car came into play for once. I'm afraid, but I'm also glad that, had it not been for Maru Changshou's advice, we probably wouldn't have spent 20 kilometers gliding in such good weather.

Spend one night in Marcon. Markang is the hometown of Tibetan writer Mr. Alai. It is clean and tidy. There are no tourists in winter, and accommodation and meals are relatively cheap.

Finally we arrived at Seda. We left the car in the parking lot and got on the bus. As soon as we entered the mountain, we were stunned by its magnificence. The valley stretching for several kilometers was filled with dense red wooden houses, lamas and monks in monk robes. Mu came and went, his face filled with peace and vitality. In the middle of the house, there are several splendid halls surrounded by stars, which are the famous Seda Buddhist Academy.

This morning, the Buddhist academy was filled with warmth under the sunshine. The steps of Juemu’s sutra room were full of people, reciting loudly. After class, the little lamas are joking with each other. There are students in clothing stores, bookstores, and supermarkets choosing their favorite products. Having faith brings happiness.

Students at the Buddhist College are studying

Everything in the world, except life and death, is a trivial matter, and Dakini's merits are immeasurable.

Went through the rows of exaggeratedly large teeth into the Skeleton House, felt Tibetan Buddhism’s attitude towards the physical body of life and death, and then watched the sky burial on the hillside. Stepping into the celestial burial platform and approaching the core of the celestial burial, I saw that the celestial burial master was feeding the dakini with a skeleton, and several other dakinis were fighting for a piece of human tissue. I didn't feel scared at all, probably because I saw something. Let someone be dedicated to reciting sutras to save all sentient beings.

To understand the sky burial is the main purpose of going to Seda. Climbing up the steps and arriving directly outside the fence of the sky burial platform, a group of condors were standing close at hand, their heads covered with blood, tearing each other for human flesh. The sky burial master dragged a complete skeleton to the table aside, raised his knife and dropped it. Skillfully chopped into sections and thrown into a large bucket aside, the Sky Burial Master picked up the skeleton and fed it to the Dakini——Condor, as if doing something sparse and ordinary. matter. Everything was presented in front of my eyes without any precautions. There was no fear or nausea as imagined, nothing at all, and my mind went blank. When I returned to the hotel, I was left confused and puzzled. What kind of piety could lead me to travel thousands of miles from all directions to the largest charnel ground in Tibet to worship the condor with my body for the last time after my death? This life, the happiness of being connected with the Dakini, the soul leads to the next reincarnation. Human beings are not nobler than any other creature in the world, everything is just that. What is the meaning of life? Never let go of passing by. (To be continued)

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