A hidden paradise, waiting for the last secret realm in western Sichuan

Western Sichuan has always been a place favored by God. From a geographical point of view, it is the intersection of the first-level Tibetan Plateau and the second-level Sichuan Basin. The crisscrossing mountains contain the most beautiful and mysterious mountains in China. scenery.

In Jinchuan County, 400 kilometers away from Chengdu, there is such a hermit's paradise, hiding many beautiful scenery that few people know about!

For those who have never set foot here, please follow the shots of Yirui and Xiaoqiang from "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" to explore this pure world together.

Heading west from the Chengdu Plain, as the altitude climbs, the increasingly attractive scenery will eventually lead you into the snow-covered plateau.

After 6 hours, we arrived in Jinchuan County, the "Aba Xiaojiangnan" on the upper reaches of the Dadu River. Every March, the spring breeze blows across the valley, and pear blossoms bloom all over the mountains and plains, like snow and clouds, decorating the red cliffs on both sides. .

In Sawajiao Township, 40 kilometers away from the county seat, there is an ancient and mysterious Yongzhong Bonji Temple waiting for curious visitors.

Following the village road all the way up, there are twists and turns, and an open high valley appears on the mountainside. In the distance, the magnificent temple is located in the valley with an altitude of more than 3,000 meters.

It is early summer, and the flowers all over the mountains and plains complement each other with the red brick and gold roof of the temple. This scene is comparable to a fairyland on earth.

The rolling hills embrace the mountains and sea, and the meandering streams quietly flow through the skirt of Mother Earth.

Looking up, you can see the boundless blue sky and white clouds. Under your feet, you can see a vast sea of ??green grass and flowers. Far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, our mood seems to have flown to the clouds.

The character of the temple grows in this vast mountain, hidden in the colorful Tibetan architecture.

Chamdo Temple consists of a stone and wood structure sutra hall, a five-story golden-roofed Tibetan-style building built on the mountain, a main hall and residences scattered around. The sutra corridor is like a dragon lying quietly on both sides.

The five-story stepped building houses the monks' residence, classrooms, library, etc., with a canteen on the left.

Follow the footsteps of the red-robed monks and enter the prayer path. The wooden prayer wheel is painted with six-character mantras. Turn the prayer wheel with your hands. Each turn is equivalent to chanting the scripture once. .

At the end of the prayer path are neatly arranged piles of gold and silver manis;

They are surrounded by the majestic white pagoda, and the bright colors are reflected in the scorching sun. Extraordinarily eye-catching.

Climbing up the geometrically distributed saffron stone railing stairs, those who are attentive will say silently that there are 131 steps in one step.

The thin air and strong breathing could not withstand the shock of the majestic main hall in front of you when you reached the top. The golden dome of the Buddha shone brightly and the main hall was solemn and solemn.

This is the center of the entire temple. Open the main hall door with a history of thousands of years. The dark hall is full of carved beams and paintings, and the prayer flags hanging from the top naturally hang down. Walking through it is surrounded by hidden incense, which is quite mysterious. feel.

Hidden deep in the hall are huge murals and the smile of the Buddha. Various forms of Buddha statues, either sacred or solemn, can't help but make people feel awe.

Looking out from the highest point of the hall, the forests in the distant mountains and the nearby grasslands are scattered and echo each other.

Everything in the world is illuminated by the sun, and the clouds are rolling and relaxing. Watching the goshawk disappear, time seems to stand still at this moment.

Because it is far away from secular society, Qamdo Temple has always maintained a pure environment for practicing Dharma. The young monk saw us holding the camera, and after several exchanges, he finally entered the camera with a shy smile.

Suddenly bursts of chanting came from the Buddhist hall downstairs, and following the figure of the monk, we entered the residence of Master Li Xi Xinjia Danzhen.

Passing through the historical, heavy and exquisite wooden door, in the corner of the Buddhist hall, Master Li Xi is reciting sutras with firm eyes and concentration, accompanied by the dull and penetrating echo of the ancient conch. A moment of shock that struck straight into the soul.

After the chanting, Master Li Xi stood up and gave us a detailed introduction to the history of Qamdo Temple. Qamdo Temple originated thousands of years ago and was once an official temple in the ancient Chuosijia area. Later, it suffered serious damage. But the fire of Buddhism will always be passed on here.

When Master Li Xi first arrived here decades ago, the temple was still in a dilapidated state. With his efforts, he personally organized and rebuilt it, brick by brick, to become what it is today.

To this day, the temple still preserves precious cultural relics from the second century AD, such as the Zhangzhug stone scriptures, ancient architectural structures, etc.

The Dapeng golden bird on the roof beam is also called Qiongniao. Qiongniao means Elangshung in Tibetan. The Dapeng golden-winged bird that can be seen everywhere in temple buildings hides the culture of Elangshung. The connection with Jinchuan.

Zhangzhong was an ancient civilization that flourished on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for more than 3,500 years. It was later destroyed by the rise of Tibet. But it has not disappeared. Nowadays, a large number of ancient Zhangzhug civilization relics have been discovered in Jinchuan on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. As the ancient civilization moved eastward, Qamdo Temple should naturally shoulder the important task of inheriting and carrying forward the ancient Zhangzhug culture.

The forest resources around Changdu Temple are rich, and this area is currently mainly populated by Jiarong Tibetans.

In order to resist the extreme climate of the plateau, most of the residences of the Jiarong Tibetan people use a mixture of wood and stone building structures.

Architecture grows from nature and grows in harmony with nature, just like the way of Buddhism and nature, the unity of nature and man.

As our ancient Tibetan primitive religion, the Yongzhong Bon religion has always worshiped nature. The temple has become the golden key to open the treasure house of spiritual civilization and traditional culture, and it thrives in this magical place. The essence of wisdom accumulated by the people on this land throughout their lifetimes.

After a few days of contact, Master Li Xi has infected each of us with his actions. He is gentle, thrifty and environmentally friendly. The prayer wheel used by the master in practice is actually a prayer wheel used in the 1990s. It was repurposed as a tea barrel and has been in use to this day and I don’t want to replace it with a new one.

Master Li Xi, who grew up on the Jinchuan grassland, is more able to live in harmony with nature. He has developed a tough character through practice and experience in a difficult environment; all Difficulties are all part of cultivation in his eyes, and only by constantly overcoming difficulties can you gain anything.

I think the reason why the environment around Qamdo Temple is so beautiful is probably because the Yongzhong Bon Religion believes in and advocates the way of nature!

With the joint efforts of Master Li Xi and believers from all over the world, Changdu Temple has begun to take shape more than a thousand years ago. The master also established Changdu Temple, the first Buddhist academy in Jiarong area, which is also the first Buddhist academy in Jiarong area. Currently, it is the only free public welfare Buddhist college in Tibet.

Today's Qamdo temples are magnificent and have many monks. They have become one of the most important cultural landscapes with the most historical and cultural relic value after the ancient Zhangzhung civilization moved eastward.

When Master Li Xi stepped out of the door of the sutra hall and walked into a natural place, that scene seemed to lead us into a perfect realm of unity between man and nature! Changdu Temple has always been here, guarding the blue sky and white clouds, guarding the dense forest, and guarding the pure heart!

On a slightly sultry afternoon, the dark clouds coming from the mountain behind the temple blocked the scorching sunshine, and a heavy rain was coming. When we were disappointed that there was no sunset, a ray of sunlight suddenly shined directly on the distant mountain outside the mountain, scorching and hot. Warm, the double rainbow that suddenly appears in the clouds is like a gorgeous actor, so beautiful that it brings endless surprises into your arms.

Seeing this scene, we are all impressed by the rapid changes of nature. When we look at the distant mountains and forests, we are grateful to nature for giving us such a beautiful world. Use your sunshine and wind and rain to redeem the city. The haze originates from the heart, warm and sure!

In the next three days, the sky was sometimes clear, sometimes heavy rain and foggy, and the colors under the sky were gorgeous!

Perhaps if you live here for one summer, you will see more rainbows than you will in your lifetime!

After the rain stops, the sunset glows like fire, and everything in the world is bathed in a faint golden light, like a miracle; the sunset on the plateau is always unreserved, and my heart is inexplicably moved.

In a trance, I felt that this foot of soil was just one foot away from heaven! Suddenly I understood why people in the plateau area believe in the existence of gods more. It is because the sky is closer here.

When the sunset fades, the night view of Qamdo Temple is also very beautiful, especially in summer. On a clear night, you can camp on the meadow by Haizi. The sky is filled with stars. When the new moon comes, the Milky Way will definitely be there. Boundless.

Away from the lights of the world, the silent world is getting closer to all the good things I can think of!

Everything in Qamdo Temple gave me a similar feeling of déjà vu. I saw the mountains and rivers, walked around the pagoda, let go of my impetuosity, regained my faith, and every scene I saw when I looked back was an appreciation of nature. of awe!

Heaven is not far away, Jinchuan Changdu Temple is waiting for the last piece of pure land in western Sichuan!

Tips:

1. May to October every year is the best time to travel around Jinchuan Changdu Temple. The beautiful natural scenery will definitely make your trip worthwhile. !

2. It is 400 kilometers to drive from Chengdu to Changdu Temple in Jinchuan County. The entire journey is on asphalt roads and the road conditions are good.

3. In summer, the weather on the plateau changes rapidly and ultraviolet rays are strong. Please prepare sun protection and warm clothes before traveling.

4. Changdu Temple is 3,000 meters above sea level and has lush vegetation. Please do not exercise strenuously. Altitude sickness generally does not occur.