Exploring Aesthetics

1930, the pencil sketch of Swiss cartographer Edward Emhoff is drawn on the southwest side of the main peak, and the northwest ridge is on the left. Triangulation sketch ▲

There are so many Gongga.

Gongga Mountain comes into our sight in such a special way. When you open the map of Asian peaks, you will be surprised to find that Gongga Mountain is located in a very special geographical position: not to mention that it is the highest peak of the entire Hengduan Mountains, most of the peaks over 7,000 meters in the world are concentrated in the Himalayas and Karakorum Mountains in Central Asia, and Gongga Mountain proudly stands thousands of miles away and becomes the easternmost 7,000-meter peak in its class. ?

Gongga Mountain belongs to the main peak of Daxueshan Mountain, the secondary mountain system of Hengduan Mountain. It lives in the middle of Sichuan Province. Anthropologists and sociologists tell us that Gongga Mountain is at the dividing point between Tibetan areas in the west (Qinghai-Tibet Plateau) and Han areas in the east (warm and humid climate) in terms of culture and geographical environment.

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1930 national geographic magazine Gongga mountain feature ▲

Today, in the vast area around Gongga Mountain, some place names are often named by western explorers, who ignore the local aborigines who have been born and raised in Sri Lanka for thousands of years. However, the place names recorded in the Museum Map compiled by modern comprehensive research and the English map published in India mostly reflect the local people's understanding of this land. As William Cronon said: … Even English and Indian have different naming purposes for a landscape feature. Naming a place in English is usually a random creation of a place name, which either evokes the uniqueness of hometown or is related to the name of the landlord, while Indians use the characteristics of ecological environment to describe how a place can be used. ?

In Tibetan, "Gongga" means "white snowy mountain". We have noticed that in the vast Tibetan areas, many mountain names and place names are dubbed "Gongga". For example, "Nyainqen Gongga Risong Gongbu" in Yading Mountain is the title of three holy mountains, and the Gong Ling Temple at the foot of the holy mountain is called Gongga Langjiling Temple, which is named after the holy mountain. Mr. Ren Naiqiang, who specializes in the investigation and study of historical geography of Kangzang, said in Kangdao Monthly that there are hundreds of snow-capped mountains around the main peak of the Great Snow Mountain, such as Qibulong Gongga, Huxi Gongga, Zhexi Gongga and Nianbo Gongga. ?

Tibetans living in the area where Gongga Mountain belongs are mostly Kangba people in Kangqu, one of the three geographical and cultural areas in Tibetan areas. They are a group with great personality and outstanding achievements among Tibetans. Strictly speaking, Kangqu refers to the vast areas of western Sichuan, eastern Tibet, northern Yunnan, Gannan and southwestern Qinghai. Located in the Hengduan Mountains, it is not only a corridor for northern nomadic tribes to go south, but also a ladder for the earth to gradually uplift from east to west. Therefore, Kangba area is a place of multicultural integration.

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Gongga Mountain Area Map Drawing/Nakamura Bao ▲

They are famous for their bravery and professional ability-from the chivalrous man who assassinated Tubo Zampa, the uprising soldier who swept the plateau to the anti-British hero, from the tea-horse exchange in the Sino-Tibetan corridor to the cultural scenic spots in many places; From the prestige of modern Bangdachang to the commercial community of Barkhor Street; From the pious crowd on the pilgrimage to the humor of Kangba artists. In the blood of Kangba people, there are both the roughness of northern nomadic tribes and the sadness of southern poets; This is why I can sing the lyrics: "A wandering woman in the world makes me wander in love, and a wandering man makes you wander in begging". ?

So what kind of cultural symbols does Gongga Mountain represent in Kangba area? ?

"Gongga" is "white snow mountain" in Tibetan. White is the color of mountain gods, and what Tibetans worship most is white. In their minds, white is the most beautiful and sublime color. Therefore, among many myths widely circulated in Tibetan areas, mountain gods are mostly mighty gods of white tigers. There is even a legend that Gongga Mountain is the aunt of the three goddesses Zhumulangma, which shows its extraordinary magic. ?

1930 Joseph Charles Francis Rock, who visited Gongga Mountain, felt the Millennium bitterness and awe of the holy mountain in the Lama Temple at the foot of Gongga Mountain.

"Everything is so quiet. I am lying in the temple left by the monk, and the curtain is facing its niche. The glaciers outside the house roared and the rocks shook. The temple of God presents a magical shadow in this different valley. I'm shaking. Today, here, in the Golden Body Dojo of the Lama Temple, I listened to the storm thunderbolt of the Gongga Ice Peak ... Did the time go back to 1000 years ago? Dream? Is it realistic? "

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Sketch of Gongga Temple drawn by Emhoff ▲

Endless exploration?

What is the motivation to explore the unknown? J·K· Wright's words seem to explain everything. ?

Unknown territory: these words stimulate the imagination. Over the years, people have been attracted to many unknown places by the singing of the sea banshee Sai Ren. Today, when we see places marked as "undeveloped", rivers marked by intermittent lines and islands marked as "suspicious" on modern maps, the echo of Sai Ren's songs echoes in our ears. ?

Like many famous mountains and rivers on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Gongga Mountain has long attracted the attention of the world. It is a matter of recent years that ordinary people have stepped into Hailuogou Glacier, but it has been discovered and studied for more than a hundred years, and the name of Gongga Mountain has appeared in the articles of geographical explorers many times. The special geology, landforms and various rich resources in Gongga Mountain area have always attracted the attention of scientists and explorers. ?

The earliest scientific investigation in Gongga Mountain mainly focused on topographic survey, surveying and mapping and height measurement. 1877, Captain Jill, who wrote the immortal book Jinsha River, marked Gongga Mountain on the map for the first time and described the little Gongga Peak. A year later, Austrian Lauzel conducted an in-depth investigation. 1879, Sisini, the Hungarian Earl, measured the main peak of about 7,600 meters (24,963 feet), which is a relatively close measurement data. From 1889 to 1890, British natural scientist Pratt came to the east slope of Gongga Mountain twice in a row to collect animal and plant specimens, and took the lead in noticing Hailuogou Glacier. ?

1890 to 1923, naturalists mainly investigate the eastern foothills. 1923, the height of theodore roosevelt is10000m. 1930- 193 1 year, Swiss geographer Emhoff drew a sketch of the main peak of Gongga and measured the height of the peak at 7590 meters by triangulation. Later, people learned about Joseph Charles Francis Rock's in-depth investigation in the Gongga Mountain area through National Geographic. He measured the Gongga Mountain as high as 30,250 feet (9,500 meters).

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During the period of 1930, the Chuanbian investigation group of Sun Yat-sen University went deep into Gongga Mountain area, and Swiss Heim and China scholar Li Chengsan made a special investigation on Hailuogou Glacier. During 1934, Swedish botanist Smith and Botanical Garden of China Western Academy of Sciences visited Kangding. In September-65438+February of the same year, Brown, a researcher at Carnegie Institution in the United States, cooperated with the Institute of Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences to carry out research on geomagnetic projects.

1932, the American Xikang expedition climbed the western slope to the northwest ridge (traditional route) for the first time, with a measuring height of 7589.5 meters. ?

After the 1960s, the Gongga Mountain, including Hailuogou, was investigated and surveyed in the disciplines of geoscience, surveying and mapping, and biology in New China. Since then, Gongga Mountain has been a hot spot in earth science and biology research. 1965- 1968, China academy of sciences organized a comprehensive investigation of Hengduan mountain in western Sichuan, and in 1970s, Sichuan province made an investigation of the western regions and Gongga mountain. 198 1- 1986. More than 250 people from more than 30 units and more than 40 majors of China Academy of Sciences participated in the comprehensive scientific investigation of Hengduan Mountain, focusing on the formation reasons, geological history, natural geographical characteristics, natural vertical zone structure, biota composition and natural resources development and protection. ?

1988, with the approval of the State Council, a national Gongga Mountain scenic spot and a national nature reserve with an area of 10000 square kilometers were established. 1988, Chengdu Mountain Institute established the "Gongga Mountain Alpine Ecosystem Observation Experimental Station", which was later included in the Qinghai-Tibet project of the climbing plan, and scientific research became a routine work of Gongga Mountain. ?

In fact, human exploration of Gongga Mountain is a history of scientific exploration.

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Locke's footprint

Speaking of the discovery of Gongga Mountain, we have to mention the Austrian exotic explorer Joseph Charles Francis Rock. Joseph Charles Francis Rock is a legend who has an indissoluble bond with Gongga Mountain. We can still see Locke's classic exposition in National Geographic: "Today's map has no secrets-some people repeat it like irresponsible parrots. But who knows about Tibet or the west of China? Even local residents only know their own windy peaks and canyons all year round. " This is the prologue of the article "Visiting the Mysterious Qingfeng Mountain in Anima" published by Locke 1930 in February. ?

Inspired by Richthofen, president of Berlin University, Locke yearned for the East. Richthofen is a noble family, and the prototype of Lady Chatterley in Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover comes from Richthofen's daughter that Lawrence snatched from the teacher. Richthofen, a flying hero, is also a descendant of Richthofen, president of Berlin University. Now, I search Richthofen's name on the Internet, and all I get is the later romantic generation in this big family. Old Richthofen, the first geographer who proposed the Silk Road, is little known. Probably only Zhang Chengzhi used it once in The River in the North. ?

Locke left his spiritual pillar and partner for most of his life in the mountains at the junction of Sichuan, Tibet and Yunnan provinces. His long documentary articles published in National Geographic brought readers the exotic ethnic customs of Sichuan, Tibet and Yunnan and the breath of snow-capped mountains and ice peaks, which attracted the attention and interest of westerners, including the famous British writer james hilton, and inspired him to create the artistic conception of Shangri-La. Walking in the mountains of the Asian rainforest all the year round gives Locke an instinctive love for mountains. In his diary, he recorded in detail the hardships of climbing Yulong Snow Mountain and Meili Snow Mountain (also known as Prince Snow Mountain or Kawagebo). So far, it is not easy to climb Meili Snow Mountain, and the highway at Yamaguchi can only pass in summer. Carrying a heavy camera and a large piece of glass film, Luo not only crossed the mountain pass, but also risked being buried in rapids and deep valleys and went to the Dulong and Nu areas. Adventure is a dream, and there are not many people in the world who can really put their dreams into practice and persevere. ?

From 1924 to 1937, Locke published more than 10 articles and a large number of photos in National Geographic during his exploration in the northwest of Yunnan Province. However, these explorations are not as romantic, poetic and heroic as most people think, but actually more arduous and meticulous.

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1930, Gongga Mountain, National Geographic ▲

At the turn of 1923 and 1924, Locke published the first article on Dongba culture of Naxi wizard in National Geographic, and won the title of Yunnan expedition of this magazine. He began to turn his energy and time to the study of Dongba characters and Kangzang Bonism, and began his trek to Sichuan and Yunnan. /kloc-in the winter of 0/924, Locke walked through the mountain pass at an altitude of 4000 meters and reached the kingdom of Muli. During the Spring Festival, Prince Muli, who rules over 22,000 Tibetans, entertained him. The explorer who risked his life entered a little-known holy land. 1925- 1926, Locke returned to China with more than 60,000 plants and 1600 bird specimens collected in Gongga Mountain area. From 65438 to 0928, Locke took 243 color photos and 503 black and white photos for the magazine in Muli Gongga Ridge. 1930 When the Spring Festival approached, he came back here again and took the first photo of Gongga Mountain in the world. The article "Glory of Gongga" about Gongga Mountain introduced Gongga Mountain to Americans and countries in East and West Europe, and the American mountaineering team of 1932 came from here.

Locke is often accused of being full of loopholes in measuring the height of mountain peaks. In fact, this is understandable. 1930 On February 27th, he telegraphed National Geographic that "Gongga Mountain is the highest mountain in the world, with a height of 30,250 feet (9,500m)", but it was 25,600 feet when it was measured again in June 1930, but it was still far higher than the actual height. At that time, Locke was not equipped with theodolite, but used boiling point thermometer, aneroid barometer, goniometer, prism compass and his own inference to measure the height of the mountain peak. ?

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Coincidence of novels

Shangri-La is a hot topic, and many places are eager to say that they are the real Shangri-La, the last Shangri-La, and demonstrate this proposition from many angles. However, the human heart is blind. Secularity is full of utility. A sober and rational person will not have a heart. Isn't it? The novel "The Lost Horizon" finally wrote: "I finally asked: Do you think Conway can finally find Shangri-La?" ?

The author's question was deafening. There is a very cunning and philosophical saying: everyone has his own Shangri-La in his heart; The real Shangri-La is in our hearts. ?

No one knows where Shangri-La is now. However, the creativity of the mysterious paradise in the novel has real realistic materials-Locke's articles and photos. The "Karakal Mountain" in the novel can find its realistic prototype according to the descriptions and hints in the novel.

The original novel "Lost Horizon" wrote: "First of all, it is a golden pyramid, a nearly perfect cone-shaped snow-capped mountain, with a height of more than 28,000 feet ... but these peaks have never been accurately measured, and there are even some legends that the mountain has actually surpassed Mount Everest ... But an American traveler who tried to climb these peaks said that he suspected that no mountain in the Karakorum Mountains was more than 25,000 feet high." These descriptions of the shape and height of "Karakal Mountain" are actually the descriptions of some snow-capped mountains in southwest China in a series of articles published by Locke in National Geographic. The data used are Locke's measurement data of pyramid-shaped snow-capped mountains such as Gongga Mountain in Sichuan and Animaqing Mountain in Qinghai. ?

1933, the novel "Lost Horizon" was published, and the background was similar to Gongga Mountain. The novel was a sensation as soon as it came out, and Shangri-La was fascinating. 1937 On the New Year's Eve, the British-American co-production film The Lost Horizon began to be released, but Locke, who was far away in Lijiang, Yunnan, silently wrote "unspeakable loneliness" in his diary. Hilton and Locke have very different careers. But both of them have one thing in common, that is, they are always inseparable from the tempering and nourishment of real life. Hilton's novels and Locke's documentary articles also describe those magnificent natural landscapes very closely.

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Hilton wrote to Mount Karakal: "His eyes were irresistibly drawn to the front of the valley, where a magnificent mountain rose high into the sky and shone in the moonlight. In his mind, it should be the most beautiful and lovely mountain in the world ... a pale triangle formed in front of it, and this pyramid-shaped mountain appeared again, first gray, then silver. ?

Locke wrote in "Glory of Mingya Konka" published in National Geographic on June 1930+00: "Walking into the cold and gloomy dawn, but under the cloudless sky in Wan Li ahead, an unparalleled pyramid-Yaboya Peak stands proudly. This is the most wonderful mountain I have ever seen. Under the dark green sky, the snow pyramid was gray and then turned silver, but later, when the initial light of the sun kissed, the peak of Yaboya was painted with a touch of gold. " ?

Exactly the same. How can there be such a coincidence in the world? But we can't say that "Karakal Mountain" is "Muya Gongga", because there are more than one pyramid-shaped snow mountain, Gongga Mountain and Animaqing Mountain, which Luo introduced in National Geographic, but in any case, Gongga Mountain is worthy of the title of greatness and glory.

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Photo taken by Luo in Gongga area ▲

Climb heaven

Mr. Nakamura Bao, who has studied the Hengduan Mountains for many years, described the steep peaks of Gongga Mountain as "a country that has been deeply eroded". When geologists explain the Kangdian fold transition zone, they often take the peculiar landform of Gongga Mountain as the representative.

Gongga Mountain is the highest peak in the transition zone from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to Kangdian Fold. The main peak of the pyramid is a smooth slope with great steepness on three sides, and only one side is a slightly gentle concave conical surface, which is the only way to climb Gongga, and it is here that Gongga Glacier is the most developed. Because of the steep slope, it is often due to careless sounds, which leads to avalanches at high places and climbers are buried by the impact of avalanches. At the same time, because Gongga area is close to the edge of Sichuan basin, the moisture in the humid basin makes the ice and snow accumulate very thick, so avalanches occur very frequently. ?

Geologists have well explained why Gongga Mountain is steep —— Professor Chen from Chengdu Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, who put forward the theory of "cross-cutting movement", put forward in his book "Cross-cutting event: a major structural event in the late Cenozoic in eastern Asia" that Gongga Mountain was uplifted in a major structure 3.6 million years ago.

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Looking through the history of modern climbing, it is not difficult to find that Gongga Mountain was the highest mountain that human beings could climb 193 1 years ago, and Kameite Peak with a height of 775 1 meter was considered to be lower than Gongga Mountain at that time. Westerners learned about this strange place, and mountaineering and exploration followed. Nearly 20 mountaineering expeditions from Britain, America, Italy, Canada, Japan and other countries have successively entered this area. Where else can countless legends and magic be hidden like Gongga Mountain? 1930, Locke couldn't help sighing after looking up at Gongga Mountain: "This is one of the last areas known by modern civilization. The scenery there is like a dream, quietly waiting for people who love nature, but they need to pay the price. " ?

Unfortunately, Locke's words turned out to be correct. 1957, the mountaineering team of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions struggled to reach the summit in order to prove that China could reach the summit above 7000m independently, but it paid the price of four lives. In order to complete the route of Northeast Ridge, 14 Japanese mountaineering team died here one after another. A total of 22 people climbed to the top of Gongga Mountain, but 2 1 person was killed. Behind beauty is boundless danger.

1932 the American Xikang expedition photographed the hump, the difficulty of the traditional route. ?

The great Gongga Mountain is also related to some historical events. Luding County, southeast of Gongga Mountain, was the starting point of Zhuge Liang's journey of crossing the Lushui River in May and going deep into the barren land about two thousand years ago. During Xianfeng period of Qing Dynasty, Wang Shidakai, the wing of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, was destroyed in Zita of Dadu River, and the Red Army Long March 1935 won Luding Bridge of Dadu River. This is a miracle place where heroes are created and destroyed at the same time.

? "The priest's drum, green deep and remote mulberry smoke, whose wish? So real, whose desire. Unsolvable snow-capped mountains, uncultivated grasslands, whose home? Flowers bloom and fall, and flowers eventually fall. " ?

When this song, which has been sung for thousands of years, rang in my ears, I knew it was time to visit this melting snow-capped mountain, the great Gongga.

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History of exploration in Gongga area

1877 Captain Jill, who wrote the immortal book Jinsha River, described Konka in a small day for the first time); To the outside world. ?

1878, Austrian scientist rauzer visited the mountainous area?

1879, Sisini, the Hungarian Earl, measured that the main peak was about 7600 meters (24963 feet); ?

1890, the British scientist Pratt entered the Donglushan Village and visited the Mola Snake Peak. ?

At 19 1 1, the naturalist Captain Bailly visited the Donglushan Village. ?

The height measured in theodore roosevelt at 1923 is10000m; ?

1929 British scientist Herbert Stevens drew a simple topographic map?

1929 Joseph Charles Francis Rock drew a map of the area and investigated photography in the west foot; ?

1930- 193 1 year, Swiss geographer Emhoff drew a sketch of the main peak of Gongga, and measured that the height of the peak was 7590 meters. A delegation from Kawabe, Sun Yat-sen University, visited the mountainous area, while Heim and Li Chengsan, a scholar from China, visited Hailuogou glacier and geography.

1932, the American Xikang expedition first climbed the main peak along the western slope and turned to the northwest ridge (traditional route), and the height of the main peak was 7589.5 meters. This figure was published in China Journal on June 28th, 1932. ?

1934 Swedish botanist Smith and China Western Academy of Sciences Botanical Garden visited Kangding.

1934 September-65438+February, Brown, a researcher at Carnegie College in the United States, cooperated with the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to study the geomagnetic project.

1957, six members of the all-China Federation of trade unions mountaineering team climbed to the top along the west slope and turned to the northwest ridge. Three people died from sliding down the mountain, and another 1 person died from an avalanche. ?

1965- 1968 China academy of sciences organized a comprehensive investigation of Hengduan mountain area in western Sichuan; ?

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198 1- 1986 comprehensive scientific investigation in Hengduan mountain area, involving more than 250 people from more than 30 research institutes, universities and production departments of China Academy of Sciences, focused on the causes, geological history, natural geographical characteristics, natural vertical zone structure, biota composition and natural resources development and protection. ?

1980, the American team failed to climb from the south slope and the north slope respectively, and 1 person was killed in an avalanche; ?

198 1 year, the Japanese army climbed along the northeast ridge, reaching 7450 meters, and 7 people were killed in an avalanche; For the first time, the Swiss team climbed Zhongsheng Peak (6,886 meters), Taishan Mountain (64 10 meters) and 6,652 meters; The British team reached the top of Xiaogongga for the first time (Honorary Gongga, Konka in Japan, 5,928 meters); ?

1982, the US team climbed the top of Jiazi Peak for the first time (Konka, Rudsjoo, 6540 meters); The Japanese army failed to climb along the northeast ridge, reaching 7500 meters, and 1 person was killed; The American team climbed to the top of the mountain along the western slope and turned to the northwest ridge; ?

1983, the Swiss team turned to the northwest ridge along the western slope, three people climbed to the top, 1 people slipped down the mountain and died; ?

1984, three German troops climbed to the top along the western slope and turned to the northwest ridge; ?

1985 hong kong mountaineering team failed to climb along the northwest ridge; ?

1988, the State Council approved the establishment of a national Gongga Mountain scenic spot and a national nature reserve with Gongga Mountain as the center and an area of over 1 10,000 square kilometers. ?

1988 Gongga Mountain Alpine Ecosystem Observation Experimental Station established by Chengdu Mountain?

1989 French team failed to climb along the northwest ridge; ?

1990 the Japanese team failed to climb along the northwest ridge; ?

199 1, the Japanese team failed to climb along the northeast ridge; The American team failed to climb from the west slope to the northwest wall and reached Tuparu (5,464 meters); ?

1994 the Japanese team failed to climb along the northeast ridge, and four people were killed; ?

During 1997, two Japanese sapporo teams climbed the summit along the western slope and turned to the northwest ridge, which was the first time in spring.

1998, the south Korean team landed for the first time along the northeast ridge route, 1 people were killed; ?

1999, the Japanese team first boarded the red field of Rodman (6 1 12m); ?

200 1, two Germans reached the summit; ?

In 2002, two French teams climbed to the top along the western slope and turned to the northwest ridge; ?

20 16 10, the Czech team failed to climb Gongga Mountain;

17, 17,1October 7 15. Six Czech climbers successfully climbed the Gongga Mountain in Sichuan at an altitude of 7556 meters and safely withdrew to the base camp. The last summit record dates back to 15 years ago.

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