Zada
-Shiquanhe Accommodation: Local standard room/elevation 4279 meters, trip 250 kilometers
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know for the first time
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There is a mysterious ruins of the Guge Dynasty, a picture I saw in a magazine, a group of ruined and decaying castles… At that time, I wanted to witness it if I had the opportunity, so this was the main reason for taking this route.
At 6:30 in the morning, we set off to the Guge City ruins to take pictures of the sunrise. Wangwang planned to take pictures of the sunrise and come back for breakfast. It was still dark outside, so I drove there in the dark. Master Peng muttered, “The sunrise will be after 8 o’clock, so what’s the point of going so early.”
The ruins of Guge City are located in Tibet
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area
Zada
19 kilometers west of the county seat, on a mound about 300 meters high from Zaburang Village on the south bank of the Xiangquan River, the existing ruins are the remains left behind when the ancient style was destroyed. It took half an hour to drive there. We arrived a little early. It was very cold outside, so we had to hide in the car and wait for the sunrise.
At 8:30, the sun has not yet appeared, the clouds on the horizon have been dyed red, and the silhouette of the white tower on the mountain looks outstanding and lonely. Share to:
The sky gradually turned white, and the small soil slope we were on was in the best position. The outline of the high loess slope facing the west gradually became clearer. The majestic castle was surrounded by soil forests far and near. Because of the ancient The Kingdom of Ge was built from the clay soil of the surrounding soil forest, so the ruins of the ancient castle are integrated with the soil forest at its feet.
At 8:35, the sun gradually rises in the east. At this time, everyone is facing the loess slope in the west, which is the ruins of the Guge Kingdom with a history of more than 700 years. It covers an area of ​​about 180,000 square meters, from the foothills to the top of the mountain. More than 300 meters long, the castle is ingeniously built, with a wide view of the mountains and water. The buildings are built against the mountains, with layers of dense structures like a honeycomb, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack. Viewed from the north, it looks like a pyramid, giving it a solid and stable feel. There are more than 600 houses, pagodas and caves scattered all over the mountain, forming a huge ancient building complex.
I mingled among the crowds carrying long guns and short cannons, staring at this magical, vast and tragic ruins, my heart was filled with excitement. At this time, the morning light had already reached the top of the earth forest mountain in the south of Guge City. Share to:
Everyone was waiting for the moment when the morning sun shone on this mysterious ruins, and focused on the top of the mountain. Come, come, the palace on the top of the mountain started to turn red, and a big brother with a tripod next to him shouted excitedly. At this time, the rising sun shines on the top of the ruins, and the dim mountaintop suddenly becomes alive, warm and bright.
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In just a moment, the warm sunshine decorated the palace at the top of the Guge Kingdom in gold. The dazzling light added a mysterious atmosphere to the mountain, and I suddenly felt that the mountain city was full of vitality.
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Gradually, the sun shines on Guge, who is sleeping quietly here, and the entire mountain changes from dark to golden, a dazzling golden color. The mountains and earth forests surrounding the Guge Dynasty, illuminated by the sunrise, have sharp outlines and uneven textures, giving people a visual and sensory impact.
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In the end, the rays of light shone on the entire Guge Castle on the majestic hill. With the blue sky as the background and the sun shining, even after nearly four hundred years of wind and rain erosion, you can still feel this majestic appearance from its majestic appearance. The majesty and grandeur of the Western Dynasty in the past.
The soil forest in the distance and the mountains nearby were all given the power of regeneration and were covered with golden glow. We waited in the cold morning to witness this moment. All the hard work of traveling across thousands of rivers and mountains was worth it. Share to:
The once glorious Guge Dynasty has suddenly changed. Share to:
The joys and sorrows are gathering and dispersing, but the mist and rain of the world are not over. They are all changes in the world. At 9 o’clock, the sun has illuminated the entire valley, and everyone has been feasted on the visual feast despite hunger and cold. Master Peng was waiting in the car for us to go back. I told him that we were going up the mountain to visit the ruins. He thought that this activity should not be included in the itinerary. I saw that the itinerary was indeed very vague. But I feel that after traveling thousands of miles to get here, no matter whether it is in the itinerary or not, I hope to go up and have a look. Fortunately, Wangwang had bought the tickets and was waiting to take us up the mountain. While walking, Wangwang briefly explained the history of the Guge Dynasty to us. After returning, he checked various information. Although it was impossible to verify it, it was roughly the same.
Some people compare the ruins of this ancient city to the ancient city of Pompeii in southern Italy. The two have one similarity: they were both suddenly destroyed during the heyday of civilization. It was precisely because of the sudden change that everything was preserved. Came down. In the following centuries, mankind was almost unaware of its existence. There was no human activity to destroy its buildings and streets, modify its writing and religion, tamper with its murals and artistic style. They even preserved the scene of its destruction. I have been to Pompeii. Although they are somewhat similar, the circumstances of their destruction were different. The ancient city of Pompeii was swallowed up by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which swallowed up the entire city, including all living things. The Guge Dynasty was destroyed due to foreign invasion. However, archaeologists believe that the massacre and plunder caused by the war were not enough to destroy the entire Guge civilization and life. What was the reason that reduced the city to ruins? In the following centuries, humans were almost unaware of its existence. They His descendants also disappeared and ceased to exist. How all this happened is still an unsolved mystery!
It is said that the first person to investigate the ruins of this ancient city was the British Max Young in 1912. He traveled up the Xiangquan River from India and came here to conduct an investigation. Since then, explorers, travelers, photographers and artists have visited the place. The actual inspection of Kechi was carried out by an expedition team organized by the Tibet Autonomous Region Cultural Management Committee in 1985. According to their on-site measurements, the total area of ​​the site was approximately 720,000 square meters, with 445 registered houses, 879 cave dwellings, and 58 bunkers. There are 4 secret passages, 28 pagodas of various types, and 1 cave burial. One weapons warehouse, one stone pot warehouse, 11 large and small granaries, 4 Buddhist caves, 1 wall burial and 1 wooden coffin burial were discovered.
The majestic Guge Kingdom is located in
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It is on the south bank of Xiangquan River northwest of Tuolin Town in Zabudang District, Zada ​​County, 19 kilometers away from the county seat. The predecessor of the Guge Dynasty can be traced back to the Shangshung Kingdom. The establishment of the dynasty probably began in the 9th century. The last dynasty of the Tubo Kingdom in Tibet, Zampulang Dama, was killed by monks because he opposed Buddhism. The Tubo Kingdom split and began to fight among itself. One of Langdama’s descendants fled to
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area and established the Guge Kingdom. The Guge capital city is built on a mountain and is very majestic. Its residents are all devout Tibetan Buddhists. By the end of the 17th century, 16 hereditary kings had been hereditary for nearly 700 years.
Descendants of the Tubo royal family in western Tubo
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A local government established in a local area. At its peak, its jurisdiction spanned
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All over. It is not only the continuation of the Tubo lineage, but also enables Buddhism to regain its foothold after the collapse of Tubo, and gradually reach its heyday. Therefore, the Guge Dynasty is of great significance in the history of Tibet. Guge occupies an important position in the history of Tibet’s economic and cultural development. Many important Buddhist teachings from ancient India were introduced to the heart of Tibet from here. It was also one of the important commercial ports for ancient Tibet’s foreign trade.
In the 17th century, there were already missionaries from the West in Guge. The conflict between the king of Guge and the religious leader of Guge at that time was actually the king’s younger brother. In order to consolidate his power, the king of Guge began to use The power of Western missionaries weakened the influence of Buddhism. In 1633, the monks launched a rebellion. The younger brother of King Guge colluded with the Ladak royal family (uncle) who had the same clan as Guge. They used the Ladak army to attack the Guge capital in an attempt to overthrow the Guge dynasty. This led to a brutal battle. It starts here. The Guge Palace built on the mountain is the most defensive building in Tibet. There is only one tunnel in the entire palace that leads to the mountain. It is absolutely impossible to attack from here, and the other places are all cliffs. The battle lasted for a long time, and then Ladakh began to drive the people of Guge to build a stone building halfway up the mountain. Their idea was that when the building was built as high as the top of the mountain, they could finally take it. It’s out of style. Because the Ladakhi people forced the people of Guge to build stone buildings day and night, the people sang very miserably below. The king heard it and the king was very sad and made a decision. In order to save the people, King Guge surrendered… The above statement is quite reliable from the perspective of historical records. According to Yang Gongsu’s “History of China’s Struggle Against Foreign Aggression and Intervention in Tibet” and Wu Kunming’s “History of Early Missionary Activities in Tibet”, the last king of Guge and The whole family was taken back to Leh, the capital of Ladakh, and imprisoned by the Ladakhis.
Judging from the results of records and investigations, the massacre and plunder caused by the war was not enough to destroy the ancient civilization. But in fact, the Guge Kingdom quickly turned into a huge ruin after the smoke cleared. How did the hundreds of thousands of Guge people disappear without a trace that day? What kind of natural disaster or plague happened here after the war that caused the prosperous and powerful civilization to suddenly disappear completely? Why did the ancient civilization disappear without a trace? To this day, very little is known about the Guge Kingdom. A small number of historical documents and incomplete and conflicting records have not only failed to reveal the mystery of the Guge Kingdom, but have only increased its mystery. Share to:
Guge City covers an area of ​​about 200,000 square meters. The buildings are divided into three floors: upper, middle and lower floors, which are the royal palace (summer palace and winter palace), temples and residences. It also has military facilities such as bunkers, secret passages and city walls. There are more than 400 houses and cave dwellings for ordinary residents, which are stacked on top of the mountain until the top of the mountain. The royal palace is on the top of the cliff, most of the temples and monks’ houses are on the mountainside, and most of the residents are at the foot of the mountain. Except for a few temples, the roofs of other buildings have collapsed, leaving only ruins.
We walked uphill along the gravel road. There were many stone caves on the low mountain on the right. We thought they were accommodation for the residents. When we asked Wangwang, he was told that they were used to house livestock or for sacrifices. Share to:
When we arrived at the main gate to the east, the staff of the scenic spot was waiting at the door. She took us to visit and explain this part of the temple. Each individual visitor was charged a 10 yuan explanation fee.
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Enter the mountain gate, go up the stairs, and follow the guide to visit the Buddhist buildings of the Guge Kingdom. Temples are the most prominent buildings in the Guge Kingdom, with 6 existing ones. The first thing you pass along the path is the Tara Hall, which is only a few square meters in area. Only a few people can enter in turns. White Tara is enshrined inside. There are tall statues of Buddha, Vajra, and eminent monks painted in the hall. The lower layer is painted with long scrolls of Buddhist stories and images of living beings, including Tsongkhapa, Rinchen Zangpo, Atisha, etc. In order to protect the murals in the temples and prevent wind and solar eclipse, the temples at the Guge ruins are generally not open to the public. Only when tourists need and pay for a tour guide to explain, the local tour guide will open the door with a bunch of keys. After a brief introduction, they will Locked it decisively. Photography is not allowed inside the temple. The guide’s Mandarin, which has a Tibetan style, is unclear and speaks very quickly, which is quite difficult to listen to. Even though he recorded the audio, it was very troublesome to listen to it.
Continuing to move forward along the steps, the oncoming building is the solemn and solemn White Hall. The White Hall covers an area of ​​about 400 square meters. The hall is in a regular square shape and is supported by 36 square beams and columns. The commentator said that these 36 beams and columns were transported from India. Due to transportation needs, the entire The beams and columns were cut and then spliced ​​together, but the splicing was so clever that the gaps were hard to find. The arrangement of these thirty-six beams and columns in the main hall is very wonderful. No matter from which angle you look at the murals on the wall, it will not block your view.
In the middle of the white hall, there used to be a huge statue of the main Buddha, surrounded by various statues of Arhats, Tara and Bodhisattvas. But now there are only fragments of the Buddha statue scattered on the ground (the commentator pointed to the fragments on the ground). From the remaining severed fingers and arms, we can infer the grandeur and exquisiteness of the Buddha statue. Walking here, you will feel breathless. The broken Buddha statues and blurred murals truly show the traces left by the years… Share to:
The Red Hall is adjacent to the White Hall, slightly one table higher and similar in size to the White Hall. The gates of the Red Hall are two beautifully carved wooden doors, which are intact and amazing after thousands of years of war. In Tibet, only the Guge has preserved much of the Tubo wood carving tradition. For example, the door frames, lintels, pillars, and supports of various halls are architectural decorative wood carvings. The carving techniques include relief, round carving, etc., and the carving work is fine and skilled (at the door). Photography is allowed).
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The main hall is square in shape, and the top is still supported by 36 square beams. Like the White Hall, there are painted patterns and Buddha statues on the pillars and ceiling. The center is dedicated to Sakyamuni, surrounded by various Arhat, Vajra, and Tara statues. , but they are all Buddha statues with missing arms, legs or heads. The walls are covered with murals of various themes. The most eye-catching one in the Red Hall is a 1038
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The mural of Wang Yixiwo welcoming the ancient Indian Buddhist master Atisha truly recorded the lively scene of the Guge celebration that year. In the picture, a group of dancers dance gracefully, and beside them there are people beating gongs and drums, dancing lions and monkeys, and running horses and playing trumpets. It is a lively scene, vivid and lifelike.
The murals also depict horses, donkeys, oxen, and porters carrying offerings, as well as pilgrims wearing long robes, girdles, and holding wooden sticks. Some of them are carrying baskets, as if they have come from afar and look tired; The lady painted above them is looking at the pack team leisurely and contentedly.
The Red Hall celebration picture vividly shows us the group portraits of Buddhist believers, envoys, and businessmen from different regions and different nationalities. The figures on the murals are very dynamic, and the thousands of figures are rarely the same. These patterns are rich in color and have smooth lines, drawing on the expression techniques of Indian and Nepalese art, and fully embodying the unique artistic temperament and style of the times of the Guge Kingdom. It truly records the close cultural relations between the Guge Dynasty and neighboring countries such as Kashmir, India, Khotan, and Nepal in history.
According to statistics from archaeologists, there are more than 620 types of Guge mural patterns and ceiling paintings, which are comparable to the decorative patterns of any ancient building in the world. Even in the Dunhuang Grottoes, which have the richest decorative patterns in my country, it is difficult to find hundreds of patterns of different styles in the same cave. This cannot but be said to be a miracle of Guge Buddhist art. The continuously rotating floral bodhisattva decorative shape composed of honeysuckle flowers and single-necked lotus rhizomes has an ingenious composition and unique style. However, this decorative theme does not originate from Tibet, but comes from traditional decorations in ancient Central and West Asia. It is said that this type of floral decoration style first appeared on Byzantine buildings and utensils. Later, this pattern spread to the Tibetan culture in the Himalayas through the Central Asian peoples after the rise of Buddhism. The decorative patterns in the Guge murals are extremely rich and colorful, with many types, large quantities, and beautiful shapes, which are very rare in monasteries in the entire Tibetan area (excerpted from query information).
Fifteen meters southeast of the same platform as the Red Hall is the Hall of Majesty, who is one of the most important protectors in Tibetan Buddhism. Regrettably, the original statue of the Great Majesty Hall dedicated to the temple no longer exists and is now an empty hall. Share to:
With its ocher roof, bright yellow walls, and golden deer-supported Falun and prayer pillars, in this devastated land, only the temple is still relatively well-preserved. Describe this ancient Buddhist country in detail and vividly. It can be inferred from the murals preserved in buildings and temples that the Guge Kingdom was already a quite civilized country.
The local tour guide explained it to us, and it was up to us to do the activities on our own. The Guge Palace is a large palace standing in the mountains and forests. From the fortifications to the simple residences of the common people, from the temples to the luxurious imperial palaces, there is only one road in front. In order to prevent enemies from attacking, there are steep cliffs on the back of the palace, and there is a secret passage to the top floor of the palace.
Going up further, the slope is steeper and the altitude is higher. At this time, I am hungry and cold, so it is not that easy to go up. It is estimated that it is still two-thirds of the way up from the temple. In order to see these ruins and feel the secret passage, even though I am out of breath every time I walk, it is still worth it. The terrain of the entire castle of the Guge Dynasty is particularly steep, with caves, pagodas, watchtowers, temples, and royal palaces arranged in an orderly manner. They are built from bottom to top, built on top of mountains, reaching into the sky, and are magnificent and majestic. These buildings, which are the same color as the earth, are mostly residential buildings and are densely packed all over the hillside. Climbing up is the lowest building of the entire site, which is the residence of the common people, which is relatively well preserved. Basically, they are mainly grotto buildings, large and small, high and low. The buildings have one room or two floors. Generally speaking, they are relatively simple. These are the traces of life left by the Guge people. Share to:
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There are city walls built around the site and watchtowers at the four corners. These dwellings are built in the original rocks, with some caves dug out to live in. They fully utilize the terrain and are huge in scale. Above the middle height are the residences of some dignitaries or monks at that time, which are much better than the residential buildings at the lowest level.
They built their homes in this barren land, where there was nothing but drought and dust, heat and cold. Zeng Jin lived such a life here, which is unimaginable.
Incomplete, tragic…
The glorious ancient dynasty hundreds of years ago was once prosperous, but disappeared overnight. The remaining history and vicissitudes can only be found from the broken soil under your feet or the ruins of the ruins… Share to:
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The remaining murals among the ruins have left behind the glory and grandeur of the past, as well as the wall-to-wall history.
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Further up is the palace. The palace is high up, and the Summer Palace at the top is an excellent place whether it is for protection against danger, to show the supremacy of the royal power, to enjoy the sunshine and freshness, or to enjoy the scenery from a high position on the cliff; Summer Palace The Winter Palace a little lower is a good place to enjoy the sunshine and avoid the cold winter wind; further below, there is a “guard” defense fortification guarding the “ladder” leading to the palace on the top of the mountain. There are city walls built around the site and watchtowers at the four corners.
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The last thing we want to explore is the king’s secret chamber, which is only led to by this secret passage. When we bent down and walked through the twists and turns of the tunnel, the ancient Guge City looked like a huge maze. You can imagine what level it took to go up.
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Entering the entrance of the secret passage, these secret passages are winding and winding. If you bend down and climb the steps, you can go straight to the palace on the top of the mountain.
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Finally I climbed out of the secret room and reached the top of the mountain. Standing at the top and looking around at the bottom of the mountain, I saw the majestic ancient city and the magnificent scenery. The Xiangquan River meandered through the earth forest, but the water had dried up. In the distance is a stretch of soil forest. From top to bottom, the entire site is grand in scale and has distinct layers.
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The riverbed at the foot of the mountain has dried up. Standing on the top of the mountain, you can overlook the landform of the earth forest in front of the ruins. I think this is what the king saw when he was on the palace on the top of the mountain. In front of the earth forest is the Xiangquan River, and with the castle’s own defense design, This castle was supposed to be strong and durable.
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Stone caves are used as windows in the secret passage, both for lighting and for defense. Surrounded by cliffs, the shadow of the peak taken from the entrance of the cave lies in the dry Xiangquan river bed.
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The mandala hall at the top is hung with prayer flags, as if to commemorate the lost past. All the roofs of the surrounding houses have collapsed, leaving only a series of earthen walls. The eyes are full of desolation and vicissitudes of the past. The glory of the past is no longer there. This scene only has a sense of desolation, which makes people sigh that the prosperity of the past has become a smoke. . A huge country that arose in the tenth century, performed a splendid historical political drama for seven hundred years, experienced 16 hereditary kings, and had more than 100,000 people, was completely wiped out in the war of Ladakhi invasion in 1635. Leaning against these ruins, I can’t help but marvel at the tremendous changes in the world!
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On a cliff more than 600 meters north of the Gugedu City ruins, there is a famous “mummy cave”. It is said that this is the last relic left after the demise of the Guge Kingdom. The cave is dug into a ravine cliff nearly 3 meters above the surface. The entrance is very small, 0.8 meters wide and only 1.2 meters high. It is said that during the war between Guge and Ladakh, the king of Guge could not bear to see his people suffer, so he reached a city-wide alliance with the Ladakhi people-agreeing to surrender, but not to harm the people! After the Guge king and the soldiers laid down their weapons, the treacherous Ladakhis escorted them all to the mummy cave and executed them. They dumped their corpses in the cave and plundered all the captured Guge people to Ladakh. The Guge army was brutally destroyed. However, from the perspective of archaeology and folklore, it seems that this is another type of burial with certain rituals for the body of a young woman found in the mummy cave. Are these corpses from the Guge Kingdom period or after the Guge Kingdom? Are they nobles, warriors, or ordinary civilians? Was this mass burial of corpses in a cave a special burial style at that time, or was it a punitive method? These are all mysteries of the Guge Kingdom.
Some people say that in addition to the war, the rapid deterioration of Zada’s geographical environment is the main reason. Indeed, the degree of desertification in the Guge ruins area is now very serious. There are not many oases left that could support 100,000 people back then. But the question is where those 100,000 people went. If they migrated, their descendants would know the subsequent history. There are also many speculations, such as natural disasters, plagues, etc., but they are not enough to cause a prosperous and powerful civilization to suddenly and completely disappear, and no convincing evidence is left. Today, there is only a small Zhabrang village with more than 10 households next to the huge ruins. The villagers have also migrated here. They are not descendants of the Guge people. The Guge people who once numbered 100,000 disappeared suddenly and completely.
It was already 11 o’clock when we came out of the mountain gate. I originally wanted to see the “Mummy Cave”, but considering that Master Peng was still waiting in the car and had not eaten two meals, I gave up. Share to:
Among the majestic earth forest landforms, a sculptural ancient city ruins are inlaid on the huge Yadan Mountain. This is the famous Guge Dynasty ruins on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The disappearance of the Guge Dynasty is still a mystery to this day, and it has since become a mystery within a mystery in the magical region of Tibet! It is urgent for future generations to explore, discover, and decipher…
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at noon
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We ate Lanzhou Ramen in the county seat and then went to Tuolin Temple. It’s very close, just on the bank of Xiangquan River in the northwest of the county, and it’s only a few minutes’ drive away. Tuoling Temple was built in 996 AD (Northern Song Dynasty). It was designed and built by King Yixiwo of the Guge Dynasty and Rinqin Zangbu, the master of Buddhist scripture translation, imitating the Samye Temple in front of Tibet. Since the Guge Dynasty believed in Buddhism, Tuolin Temple was the first Buddhist temple in the dynasty and also the royal temple of the dynasty.
Due to its unique geographical location and historical environment, Tuolin Temple has many unique features in architectural art. Tuolin Temple was built in the Guge Kingdom (10th to 17th centuries AD).
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The first Buddhist temple built in the region. Tolin means flying in the air and never falling.
Due to the vigorous efforts of the Guge Dynasty to promote Buddhism, Tuolin Temple gradually became the center of Buddhism at that time. Over the past hundreds of years, Tuolin Temple has experienced various natural and man-made destructions. It was once glorious, but now it is decayed and dilapidated. The temple is surrounded by earth forest valleys. The inside of the temple is uneven and the debris is piled up in disorder, making it look even more depressed.
Wangwang asked the guide to take us into each hall to visit. The original building of Tuolin Temple was relatively large, including three main halls such as Langbarangze Lakang, Lakang Gabo, and Dukang, as well as nearly ten small and medium-sized halls, as well as temples. The abbot’s private residence, monk’s residence, sutra hall, pagoda, pagoda wall, pagoda forest and other buildings are large in scale. Due to historical reasons, especially the impact of the Cultural Revolution, the temples were damaged to varying degrees. Nowadays, it is difficult to get a glimpse of the original scale and pattern from the remaining broken walls and towers. There are only three main halls and one pagoda that are well preserved.
We followed the guide into the Dukang Hall (a large hall second only to the Ghasa Hall). It is called Zulakang in Tibetan, which means the hall of gatherings. There were two lamas inside, smiling at us with kind eyes.
Dukang Hall is composed of two parts: the porch and the hall. From the left side of the entrance, we listened from the outside to the inside as the commentator explained the murals and Buddha statues on the wall one by one. The main murals in the hall include the main images of Buddha, Bodhisattva, Buddha Mother, Tara, Vajra, eminent monks and great virtues, etc., with various small images painted around them as a foil to the picture. Among them, the more precious murals are the historical scenes of King Ward of Guge and Master Atisha, the famous monk Yesiwo, the great translator Rinchen Zangbu, Lhazun Jiangjiuwe, etc., which are of great historical value. The King of Guge and his wife made mudra, sat cross-legged, with respectful expressions, facing opposite great sages such as Atisha and Rinchen Zangpo who sat cross-legged and held Dharma seals. The king wears a high red crown and a yellow robe. The princess wears a robe, a shawl, and a horned hat on stilts. She looks happy. Behind her are royal women wearing red and yellow robes with their hands clasped together. Venerable Atisha is wearing a red cassock and has a peaceful expression. Judging from the layout of the picture, the painters focused on the figures of the Guge King, Princess, Venerable Atisha, Rinchen Zangbu and others, and their proportions are slightly larger than those of other characters in the picture. On the left and right below them, there are drawings of foreign monks, nobles and monks who came for pilgrimage. The characters have different shapes, vivid expressions, and strict composition, but they also pay attention to the agility of the picture and the solemnity of the ritual scenes. The painters handled the proportional relationship between important figures and ordinary monks very exquisitely. The figures were arranged appropriately, the priorities were clear, and the scenes were vivid. They perfectly combined the sacred space with the secular scenes very vividly, reflecting and depicting the A.D. The history of the Guge Dynasty and Tuolin Temple around the 12th century reveals a rich flavor of real life and is of great historical and artistic appreciation value. In addition, the Tibetan inscriptions under the murals in the temple also have important documentary value for studying the history of the Guge Dynasty and Tuolin Temple. (Note: Combined with my own impressions of viewing, and excerpted from the researched information, for appreciation and understanding.)
There is a complete picture of the birth of Buddha Sakyamuni painted in the hall. The painting is exquisite and meticulous, the colors are bright and eye-catching, and the characters are lifelike. because
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Close to Nepal and India, the murals here combine the styles of Indian Kashmir, Ladakh and Nepal to a certain extent. At first glance, they are very different from the mural styles in former Tibetan temples. The more typical ones are like “ The image of “Flying Fairy” has a slender figure with a slim waist, a graceful form, and a sense of elegance and movement, which is absolutely not seen in the murals of Zenzang temples.
Visiting from the left to the right, there is a large black lava stone enshrined in a Buddhist niche. There is a clear footprint indented on it, which is an inch deep into the stone. The palm prints are very clear. It is said that this is the Thirteenth Venerable Atisha. The footprints left by age. It is said that this is one of the three treasures of Tuolin Temple and Zhen Temple.
The murals in Du Kang Hall are well preserved. It is said that the hall was used as a commune granary during the Cultural Revolution and avoided disaster. Because photography is not allowed in the hall, no pictures can be left. The picture below is of the Dukang Hall. Gesang flowers and hibiscus flowers were planted at the entrance, adding a ray of vitality and vitality to the place. Share to:
The Ghasa Hall is the most important and earliest building in the temple. It is located at the west end of the hall area. There is an earthen Bodhi Pagoda directly in front of the temple. Legend has it that the ashes of the great translator Rinchen Zangbu are buried in the pagoda. To the east, south, west and north of the pagoda are Dukang (red hall), Lhakang Gabo (white hall), Sekang (yellow hall), Nirma Lakang (turning wheel hall), Azayalakang, They include Lakang (Arhat Hall), Gongkang (Dharma Protector Hall) and other buildings.
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For some reason, the commentator did not take us into the Gaza Temple to visit. The picture below shows the appearance of the Gaza Temple. The outside of the temple is surrounded by solid walls, which are multi-layered and folded. Four small towers stand symmetrically around the four corners of the temple. The Ghasa Temple is not a single Tibetan-style building. It integrates various types of buildings such as palaces, pagodas, and porches. There are many individual buildings, which are combined into a large-scale composite group building. It is the largest among the buildings in Tuolin Temple. According to the introduction, the overall concept of the Ghasa Temple is designed according to the cosmic diagram of Tantric Buddhism - Mandala. It organically combines 24 halls and 8 pagodas into one, and its layout and shape embody an abstract concept, which is the idea of ​​mandala representing the universe.
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Then we went around the back of Dukang Hall and visited another hall (perhaps Rinchen Zangbu Translator Hall), which was about ten square meters in size. There were only a few low tables and suitable chairs inside, and there was nothing else besides these. things. The commentator pointed to the walls, which used to have exquisite murals, but have now been destroyed.
Entering another hall next door, there are many offerings placed inside, mostly white wine (mostly highland barley wine). Someone curiously asked, how can Tibetan Buddhism offer wine? It turns out that in Tibetan Buddhism, wine is offered to the Dharma protector. In the innermost right of the entrance, there is a glass cabinet covering a large antler, with two large light black antlers spread out. The commentator said that these are the thousand-year-old antlers, one of the three treasures. Some say that Atisha brought it from India. What came here is also said to be an elk antler from the place where Buddha lectured. There must be a reason why such a precious treasure of the temple is stored in such a small sutra hall.
I didn’t see the last treasure of the temple. I asked the commentator and she said that I couldn’t see it today. It was the ivory Five Buddha Crown (the crown symbolizing the Five Wisdoms Tathagata). It is said that it was worn by the first Khenpo of Tuolin Temple and spread. In later generations, every khenpo of the temple wore this crown during Buddhist activities. It was probably stored in the Gaza Temple.
After a quick look at this 1,000-year-old temple, it is a participant and witness of the prosperity and decline of the ancient style. The original scale and pattern can be seen from the remaining broken walls and towers. Get up close to the Tibetan Buddhist murals in the existing temple, look at the fine lines of each painting, distinguish the bright colors of each painting, and imagine the story behind each painting. Most of the murals inside are related to the story of the origin and development of Buddhism. People call murals visual historical materials, and that is true. Through the various colorful pictures on the wall, what you see are stories, and what you feel is a period of history. Share to:
The prayer wheel outside the temple shared to:
Many buildings and Buddhist statues in the temple were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and precious cultural relics were lost, which is a pity.
Zada
It’s incredible that this place is so far away from the mainland and was severely damaged by the Cultural Revolution. This “Cultural Revolution” is really hateful!
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Simmering Mulberry Furnace and Prayer Path 33
Tonight’s destination
Ali
The seat of the Regional Administrative Office - Shiquan River,
Zada
It is 220 kilometers away from Shiquan River. Drive along the X705 County Road that we walked yesterday, all the way back to Baer Military Station, turn to G219 National Highway, and head towards Shiquan River.
On the way, Master Peng told us that there was the Shiquan River Kunsha Airport on the plateau in the distance, and that it was about 20 kilometers away from Shiquan River. Master Peng reminded us to come down and take a picture of “the sky.”
Ali
“The iconic building (picture below). In fact, along the way, we had quite a problem with Master Peng (mainly because we thought he was not willing to stop for us to take pictures of the beautiful scenery). Master Peng is the oldest driver in this team and does not talk much. . When sorting out the photos now, I think back on the scenes along the way. In fact, he was quite good. For example, every time we arrived at a hotel, he would help us carry the suitcases. He would put the suitcases away for us when we set off in the morning; he would get off the bus every day Already “disgraced”, But he took good care of the car the next day. Of course, compared to other vehicles, we may have stopped less to see the scenery, but the most important thing is that he drove very steadily, no matter whether it was a smooth asphalt road or a rough gravel road. On a road or dirt road, when you see a pothole or uneven road in front of you, you will go around it from the grass or a relatively flat place next to it. Well, we must feel and be grateful with our hearts, learn to deal with things gently, and think more about the good things of others. Too much space to complain about… Share to:  
Arrived around 7 o’clock
Ali
capital
Gar
In Shiquanhe Town, County, we will officially cross the uninhabited land tomorrow and the food and accommodation conditions will be difficult in the second half of the trip, so we all made an appointment to have a big dinner tonight.
Shiquanhe Town is called Shiquanhe Town because it is located beside the Shiquan River in the upper reaches of the Indus River. As the seat of the regional administrative office, Shiquanhe Town seems a bit small, but it is the transportation hub and border trade center of western Tibet. It is the intersection of the Xinjiang-Tibet Highway and the Hei-A Highway. It goes to Xinjiang and Central Asian countries in the north and to Xinjiang and Central Asian countries in the south. Kailash Mountain, Holy Lake, Nepal and India; go east to Nagqu and Lhasa; go west
Zada
Tulin and Guge Dynasty ruins.
Ali
The plateau is so vast that it is difficult to find a few inhabited places within tens or hundreds of kilometers. For nomadic or semi-settled Tibetans, it is a place where they can rest on their nomadic journey. It is the place where we come.
Ali

The stopover point for tourists is also a supply station for “food” after entering the no-man’s land.  

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