Self-driving in Tibet, last night (April 3) we took G349 to Qamdo (the latter part is G214). Today we left Qamdo and went to Sichuan along G317. The return journey is still very fast. In fact, my first trip to Tibet in 2013 started with G317. I went from Dege to Tibet through the Jinsha River, and then to Qamdo via the river. Today I went in the opposite direction. Although the directions are different, but the same road is completely the same, but there is no memory. This is because there have been too many changes. The major changes in Tibet in recent years are mainly in two aspects. One is the improvement of the road, which is completely after the expansion. Asphalt roads, there are no narrow and difficult winding mountain roads. The second is the difference in buildings. Almost all of them are newly built buildings, which are not visible in the old city. The city has spread over a large area, and the houses in the countryside have also been greatly changed. The gap between Tibet and the mainland is narrowing. The highway from Qamdo to Chengdu is under construction, and it will soon be accessible. The high-speed rail from Chengdu to Linzhi is also under construction. In a few years, it will be easier to come to Tibet. 1. Different from the previous G317 For the highway to Tibet, many people are familiar with G318. In recent years, it has been labeled as “must drive in this life”. However, I have always liked G317. Since 2012, I have traveled five or six times. Of course, most of the national highways are in the western part of Sichuan. I have traveled 317 many times because of the scenery here and the Tibetan customs here. I think the customs and folklore of Ganzi Prefecture are particularly rich. The Tibetans here have very distinctive regional characteristics, and they also have deep connotations in Tibetan culture. . I have been to Luhuo, Seda, Ganzi, Baiyu, Xinlong, Dege, Shiqu many times over the years, and I especially like it here. The G317 in the past was particularly difficult to walk. The first time I walked this road in 2012, I was almost vomited. Later, the road began to be repaired one after another, but there are always one or two sections that are particularly difficult to walk. Even off-road vehicles are bumpy all the way. In a blink of an eye, I haven’t left for four or five years. This time I found a big change. Not only was the road easier to walk, the winding road was also replaced by a tunnel. The mountain road that had been around for a long time was passed through in a few minutes. The most typical one is Queer Mountain. It was originally the highest mountain crossed by G317, with an altitude of more than 5,000 meters. Now the mountainside tunnel runs through, and the moat has become a thoroughfare. 2. Lu meets devout Buddhist worshippers, they will go to Lhasa for the first three years There are not many vehicles using G317. First, there are not many people entering Tibet this season. Second, people still like to choose National Highway 318. But on National Highway 317, you can see many people worshiping Buddha. They are walking hurriedly to the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet. Some of them are three to five, and some are in groups. They still walk very fast, they can walk 40-50 kilometers a day, because the road is easy to walk, and there are logistics support vehicles accompanying them, it doesn’t have to be hard. Every day, there is a dining place for lunch. In the morning and evening, the logistics personnel will pull the tents and cooking utensils with the vehicles. Some will set up the camp in advance and prepare the meal. Someone may ask: Why do they go instead of taking the car? This is a form of worshiping the Buddha, expressing devotion and respect to the Buddha, and walking the foot itself is also a kind of practice. Devout Tibetans have to go to Lhasa once in their lives. But in addition to walking, there is more difficult and pious, that is, kowtow all the way to the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. People with long heads usually take three steps, kowtow, then kowtow again, then kowtow again. I used to see them pulling the trolley, kowtow for a while, then pull the trolley when they come back, and then continue to move forward. Go, it usually takes a year or two to arrive. Today, I saw two people on the G317 national highway who kowtowed their heads to worship Buddha in Lhasa. They said they were from the Red Plains of Aba Prefecture. They have been out for a year and a half, and it will take two years to reach Lhasa. Their method of kowtow is different. It is seven steps, seven consecutive kowtows, and another seven kowtows. They say that they can only travel two kilometers a day. They were accompanied by a tricycle, which carried their luggage and supplies. I lived in it at night, parked the car about two kilometers in the morning, and then walked to the position where it closed the day before and kowtowed. Some people will give them money on the way. This is called “Buddha”. It is both a subsidy to them and a respect for the Buddha. But they all refused. They just accepted some fruits or daily necessities. I took the remaining two in the car. An apple was given to them. After being out for a year and a half, I asked them if they encountered any difficulties? Have you ever been sick? They said no. Obviously, I met a lot of people who were interested in or sponsored them along the way, so they are very friendly and talkative. This may be the change and harvest of them on the journey! When they talk about Lhasa, it will take another two years. Some people may not understand this. The great youth doesn’t do anything, but kowtows to worship Buddha every day, but what is the significance of this journey to their lives? They have not read books, but they have traveled thousands of miles. Their knowledge and experience and communication with others are much greater than those of many people who call themselves “travelers”. In short, I have seen their health, sunshine and self-confidence. , And the enthusiasm and calmness of people. They don’t live broadcast, accept charity, don’t disturb the people, don’t traffic, they just walk calmly, and they are the real walkers on the road. Old Xu told me that, regardless of the two of them, it may represent a village or a family who went to worship Buddha. Tibetans are not poor now, and some are still very wealthy. When they come out to worship Buddha, sometimes they are funded by everyone, so on the way They basically don’t want other people’s money, and they will be very respected when they return to their hometown after worshipping the Buddha. This is also a major event in their lives. 3. Eat fish before leaving Tibet Many people say that Tibetans do not eat fish or catch fish. The fish that Tibet eats are transported from the interior, not local fish. We arrived in Jiangda County at noon, and Old Xu asked me if I would eat fish? There is a “Laoguan Yuzhuang” here that makes very delicious fish, and he eats it every time he comes. Laoguanyuzhuang is located on the edge of the county town, close to Jiangda Zangdong Hotel. In a very shabby courtyard, there are a few tables randomly placed, and soon it is full of people. It seems that business is good. In addition to eating fish, there are also stewed chicken, which are all specialties of local ingredients. The boss and the old Xu Tong are very familiar with his father and his son. They ordered a fish of more than two catties. The boss said that this fish is a local cold-water fish and grows very slowly. This two catty fish will take four to five years, and it is wild. Winter comes. Can’t eat. The fish is really delicious, the skin is thick and tender, and the taste is good. The boss said that the fish was caught by a local, and he sold him 60 yuan a catty, and he sold 90 yuan a catty, plus some sauerkraut and tofu. It was very popular, not only for outsiders, but also for local Tibetans. . 4. There are monkeys in Tibet Unexpectedly, there are monkeys in Tibet who “block the way” to eat! Leaving Tibet and walking on the 317 line, more than ten kilometers out of Jiangda County, I suddenly saw a lot of monkeys appearing on the side of the road to eat with the passing tourists. There were twenty or thirty monkeys in this group. They were waiting on the side of the road, and when they saw visitors stopping by, they leaned forward to beg for food and drink. Some monkeys were anxious and even snatched the plastic bag before opening. They tore their mouths, opened them skillfully, and then ate them with relish. This is the first time I saw a monkey in Tibet, and the altitude here is also above 3,500, which belongs to the plateau… 5. Go to Zhuqing Temple in Western Sichuan in the evening We did not stop after entering Sichuan. After passing through Dege, we continued to travel along National Highway 317, and after passing through the Queershan Tunnel, we went all the way downhill and soon arrived at Mani Gange. Here we left 317, but turned left and walked west as I requested, heading for the road to Shiqu. I’m going to Zhuqing Temple, where there is a monk I know Tenzeng, and I want to visit him. I met Tenzin when I passed by Zhuqing Temple in 2015. With his consent, I photographed the Buddhist temple and his portrait. When he left, he also gave me prayer beads, leaving his phone and WeChat. (The photo below was taken in 2015) But he doesn’t speak Chinese, and he has always liked me over the years, and sometimes he even sent me pictures of doing Buddhist things. This time I contacted him in advance. He has been waiting for me to arrange accommodation for us, invite us to dinner, and find an interpreter. He offered us khatas and gave each of us a picture album of Buddha statues. Let me see, it was edited by Tenzin. He is a prestigious master here. (Photographed in 2021) Old Xu said that Zhuqing Temple is a Buddhist academy like Seda, but it is much more advanced. If Seda is a middle school, Zhuqing Temple is a university. But Tenzin said that he can’t go into the Buddhist hall to take pictures now, he can only take pictures outside, and wait for me to take pictures later. Many changes are unpredictable. In the early days, photography in temples was not a problem. Now, due to various factors, photography has become a problem
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