A Trip to Cover Tibet
(ctibet.org)
Updated: 2005-08-22 14:06

On July 10, 2004 a 12-member journalist delegation left Beijing for Tibet by air. The plane landed at Chengdu Shuangliu Airport at 13:00, and took off again at 15:10. At about 17:00 we arrived at Lhasa Gonggar Airport. Following a journey of some 90 km after leaving the airport, we reached Lhasa, and stayed at Lhasa Tibet Hotel.

At 9:30 on the 11th, we left Lhasa only with some personal belongings to travel to Nyingchi by way of Dagze and along the Nyang Qu River Valley. Close to noon, we arrived at Milha Mountain Mouth at an altitude of 5,000 meters. As it was the first time for us to be at such high altitude, the discomfort aroused by anoxia really made us uneasy. But we got off the vehicles, and had our pictures taken with scenes including yak sculptures and Mani stone mounds against the background of the Milha Mountain Mouth in rain and snow. After crossing this area, we found Nyingchi lying before us. Along the way, tall and dense forests covered the mountains to the horizon, and valley streams poured into the Nyang Qu River.

The first scene we stopped to view on the way was Conggo Lake. In Tibetan, Conggo has the meaning of green water. It is over 50 km from Gongbogyangda County and is a well-known holy lake. The lake is about 12 km long and its width is from several hundreds to thousands of meters. The depth is over 60 meters at most, and the total area is 400 hectares. The lake water is so limpid that one can even see the bottom, and it looks very tranquil with the surrounding snow mountains reflected in the water. On Zhaxi Islet in the middle of the lake, there is Cozong Gongba Monastery constructed at the end of the Tang Dynasty. It is a two-story wooden structure that offers sacrifices to Qamba Buddha and the 1,000-Hand Goddess of Mercy. To the south of the monastery there is a peach and a pine tree whose branches interlock. With the coming of spring, brilliant peach blossoms flourish beautifully along with green pines. There is a huge stone in the southwest of the lake, and at its heart, there is a hole which is big enough for a person to pass through, which is said to be beneficial in dispelling illness and disaster. On the islet, rocks are all carved into unique shapes of animals and Buddha figures. Conggo Lake has become a tourist attraction for all visitors to Tibet.

When visiting the monastery what impressed us most deeply are two genital totems before the monastery. In our youth, we learnt that phallic worship originated from a matriarchal clan society. At first, it was the female genitals that were worshipped and later people began to worship coition and the male organ. Mr. Liu, head of Tibet People?ˉs Publishing House, told us that, in Tibet, the ancient custom of phallic worship and the ceremony of making and placing genital totems have been preserved until today, which implies the hope of ?°giving birth to many and soon.?±

Nyingchi County is located in the southeast of Tibet, on the northern bank of the Yarlung Zangbo River and on the lower reaches of the Nyang River. It covers an area of 10,238 square km with the population of 26,000. This county lies in the middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River. The terrain here is steep along with valleys and plains. The average altitude is 3,000 meters, within a range of 2,200-3,700 meters. Gyarabaile Peak, on the border of Nyingchi and Mainling, is 7294 meters above sea level. It is in the climatic region of plateau temperate zone semi-wet monsoon. The climate here is temperate with plentiful rain. The output of apples and tea in Nyingchi is top in Tibet.

In the morning on the 12th, we left Nyingchi?ˉs Bayi Town for Lhulang. On the way, we looked at overlapping green forests that stretch endlessly, and returned to Bayi Town in the afternoon. In the evening, we went to the Shangri La Theater to watch Tibetan opera, a first for me.

In the morning of the 13th, we left Bayi Town and returned to Lhasa along valley of the Nyang Qu River. When we stopped to take a rest, I found a round stone of some 25 cm long in the brushwood beside the road. On its face there was a figure of an ancient character vividly depicted and almost complete. I was so excited that I opened my camera immediately to take pictures of this magical stone. It is not easy to see this figure on the remote plateau in eastern Tibet. Others of our party expressed their astonishment.

Our intention of visiting Tibet this time was to hold a ceremony of building a monument for Beijing?ˉs work in forestation in the region around the Nam Co Lake. On July 14, we left Lhasa heading north along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, stopping for a rest at Damxiong at noon, and arriving at the Nam Co Lake in the evening. In Tibetan, the Nam Co Lake has the meaning of ?°Heavenly Lake?±. It is one of the three great holy lakes in Tibet. The lake surface is 4,718 meters above sea level, is 70 km wide from east to west, and 30 km from south to north. It covers an area of 1,920 square km and is the largest lake in Tibet, second largest salt lake in China, and the highest great lake in the world.

It came into being from Himalayan geological movement. In the beginning, the area of the lake was very large, but it gradually shrank in the dry climate. Three ancient lines showing the old lake bank are still preserved. The highest one is 80 meters above the current lake surface. The lakeside is very wide with broad wetlands and sand.

Nam Co Lake is a deep-water lake. The water is very clear with high limpidity. The surface is a deep blue. In winter, the water freezes, only thawing in the following May. The lake abounds in fish. On the nearby plain, float grass flourishes. There are wild donkeys, yellow goats, foxes, bears, wild rabbits, and other wild animals living there. The Nam Co Lake is a well-known pilgrimage place. On Zhaxi Peninsula in middle of the lake there is Zhaxi Monastery, where incense smoke rises into the air and the morning bells and evening drums echo far and wide. At Tibetan New Year, thousands of disciples make a pilgrimage disregarding the long, arduous journey. The next morning, I went out to the lake without bothering about breakfast. It is said that some tourist found a heavenly gemstone valued at millions of Yuan beside water. Standing beside the lake, I had a strong, mysterious feeling about the holy lake, and didn?ˉt want to leave despite pangs of hunger.

On the way back, I picked up some strange stones. I gave some to others of our party and brought some back to Beijing. These plateau stones are still kept in my book cabinet.

At 10 am, the ceremony for the monument. All members of the Beijing delegation, representatives of Tibet People?ˉs Publishing House, and lamas attended and had a group photograph. Afterwards, our party said goodbye to the lamas and returned to Lhasa.

On the 17th, our party paid visits to the Potala Palace and Jokhang Monastery that we had longed to see. Sitting on the Potala Palace Square and looking up at the holy Buddhism hall lying on the world?ˉs highest ridge, I felt my heart being purified.

The Potala Palace was constructed in the period of Songtsan Gambo in the 7th century. After being reconstructed during the period of the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century, it became the residence and government office for succeeding Dalai Lama?ˉs. Now, the main buildings include the Red Palace and White Palace. The main building has 13 stories, is 115 meters high and 703 meters wide. It is composed of residences, Buddha halls, holy stupa halls and monk dormitories, etc. A great many figures of Buddha, murals, sutras and other cultural relics are treasured there.

On the 18th, we left Lhasa for Shannan to visit Yongbulakang and Changzhu Monastery. Yongbulakang is located in the hinterland of the Yarlung Valley, with the meaning of palace like a doe?ˉs leg on a mountain slope. Niechi Zanpu, the first king of Tufan, constructed it in the 2nd century B.C. Some historical records state: ?°No village was earlier than Yalongsuoka, no king was earlier than Niechi Zanpu, no palace was earlier than Yongbulakang, and no sutra was earlier than Banggongqiajia.?± This place occupies a significant position in the origins of Tibetan history and culture.

On the morning of the 19th, we arrived at Samye Monastery. It was constructed by Tibetan King Trisum Detsan in middle of the 8th century for receiving Santideva and Padmasambhava, two Indian Buddhist masters, and it is the first normal monastery that was complete with Buddha, Dharma and monks altogether in Tibet. The construction structure adopted the form of Buddhism cosmology, and combined Han, Tibetan and Indian architectural styles. It is very grand and splendid. It is a listed as cultural unit subject to State protection.

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