Where is Garze County, Garze Prefecture, Sichuan Province?

Located in: Garze County, Garze Prefecture, Sichuan Province

Garze County is located in the northwest of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, on the upper reaches of the Yalong River. It is located at 99°08′-100°25′ east longitude and 31°24′-32°54′ north latitude. "Ganzi" is the name of the temple, which means a white and beautiful place. It has a history of 1,300 years. It was named after the disciple of the 5th generation, Huo Quji Angweng Phuntsok, founded the first Geluppa temple here. For thousands of years, throughout the past and present, Ganzi has been blessed with the "right time" and "good geographical location", with beautiful lands, numerous heroes and outstanding people. Connected to Kangding, Chengdu internally, and Qinghai, Tibet, and Gansu externally, as a transportation hub in Kangbei, merchants have always gathered and business has flourished, making it the economic and trade center of Kangbei. Ganzi has a vast territory, fertile land, endless pastures, abundant water and luxuriant grass, plentiful crops, fat sheep and strong horses, and is called the "Pearl of the Snowy Land".

"Ganzi" in Tibetan means white and beautiful. The natural scenery there is beautiful, with Liangge Mountain, Bayan'ela Mountain, Guolalang Mountain and Shaluli Mountain towering all around. The Yalong River flows slowly through the vast fertile fields like a green ribbon. There are beautiful scenery here. It is said that it is one of the 24 sacred mountains enlightened by Master Padmasambhava in Tibetan areas. The Nailong Holy Mountain and the mysterious Zharyongkang Holy Mountain are also there. The Zaqu River, a good place for adventure tourism, is also vast. , the pastoral and melodious scenery of Datongma grassland.

Ganzi is a place of outstanding people. For thousands of years, the industrious and brave Tibetan people, who have lived and multiplied on this land for generations, have used their amazing wisdom and extraordinary creativity to compose a splendid history that is worthy of the pride and pride of the entire Tibetan nation. There are 43 ancient and famous temples such as the simple and solemn Garze Monastery, Shwedagon Monastery, Degongbo Temple and Donggu Monastery, which add even more splendor to the splendid pearl of Garze; the five major sects of Tibetan Buddhism and the unique style of temple architecture , folk architecture, as well as Tibetan paintings, handicrafts, folk dances with simple charm, literature and art, etc., especially the world-famous Garze tap, which has laid a profound cultural heritage for Garze, and Garze can be called the cultural capital.

Ganzi is full of talented people and bright stars. There are legends and ancient ruins of Gesar there. That ancient and magical land gave birth to Dusong Khyenpa, the founder of the Karma Kagyu sect, Aung Ung Phuntsok, the Dharma king of Drepung Monastery who advocated the construction of thirteen temples in Hor, the famous patriot Ngawang Gyatso, The famous religious patriotic figure, the 5th Gedda, composed the eternal ode between the Commander-in-Chief and the 5th Gedda of "the army loves the people and the people support the army". Garze County also gave birth to the first Tibetan general trained by New China, General Yang Shixi, and gave birth to the first Tibetan doctor, Dr. Gele.

Customs

Jue Anqinba means "fifteen offerings", also known as "butter flower". It is a superb handmade oil sculpture art with a long history, using ghee as raw material and with characters, flowers, birds, animals, trees and other people and things as its themes. It is said that more than 1,300 years ago, when Princess Wencheng, the daughter of Emperor Taizong Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty, married Songtsen Gampo, the 32nd generation Tubo Zampo, the Tibetan people paid tribute to a statue of ten that Princess Wencheng brought from the capital Chang'an. A bunch of butter flowers were offered in front of the statue of the two-year-old Buddha. From then on, it became a custom of the Tibetan people. In the early days, butter flowers were mainly lotus flowers, with a relatively single theme. Later, this custom spread to major temples, and the theme and craftsmanship of butter flowers have developed newly, becoming a superb oil sculpture unique to major temples in Tibetan areas. Art.

The production of butter flowers in Ganzi County is unique in Tibetan areas. Its production technology is exquisite and sophisticated, the creations are lifelike, and the expressions are diverse, involving people, flowers, Buddha statues, trees, birds, animals, etc. It is all inclusive, and pays attention to the renovation of the content every year, using various shapes to form various storylines, integrating artistry, appreciation, storytelling and fun, which can be called a unique masterpiece in Tibetan areas.

One month before the Spring Festival every year, the artists who make butter flowers will rub pure butter with various dyes and start making butter flowers. At the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month every year, the artists will make the carefully made butter flowers. Butter flowers are displayed in the courtyard in front of the main sutra hall of the temple. It is an annual event and becomes a grand event. Because these butter flowers are vivid in shape, lifelike in expression, novel in pattern, and colorful, they are deeply loved by people of all ethnic groups.

Tibetan opera is a comprehensive performance form in which Tibetan people express literary content and real life in the form of songs and dances. It is formed on the basis of Tibetan religious rituals, worship of gods and ghosts, folk songs and dances, rap performances and other artistic soils. of.

1. The germination, prototype, revival and popularization process of Tibetan opera

According to Tibetan historical records, before the establishment of the Tubo Dynasty, the earliest primitive religion - Benbo - appeared in Tibet teach. Judging from its content, it is a belief in the gods of all things. The activity mainly uses wizards as the incarnation of gods and an intermediary media to communicate the relationship between people and gods. Shamans use dance to make the gods bless all living beings and avoid disasters. In this way, various rituals such as sacrifices, prayers, and shamanism are formed to pray to the gods. The shamans naturally become dancers in Benbo religion who perform religious ceremonies and divination prayers. With the advancement of society and the development of religion, Tibetan folk arts that have entered slavery have continued to develop and improve, such as the "Lu" style folk songs combined with dance and the Benbo religious "drum-shaking" religious dance to worship gods. "Witch Dance" has continuously developed and changed, forming the "Qiang Mu" to entertain gods, drive away ghosts, and ward off disasters and welcome good fortune.

In short, "Qiangmu" is a religious dance evolved from folk dances based on the Tibetan primitive religion "Benbo", which involves praying to the gods and shamanic rituals by beating drums.

In the eighth century, Zampu Trisong Detsen (718-----785 AD) of the Tubo Dynasty sent ministers to Afghanistan to welcome the eminent monk Padmasambhava to Tibet to promote Buddhism. In the Year of the Earth Sheep (AD 779), the first temple of Tibetan Buddhism, Samye Monastery, was built in Shannan. After Master Padmasambhava arrived in Tibet, he vigorously promoted Buddhism and tried his best to integrate Buddhism and Ben religion. According to Buddhist scriptures, he combined Buddhist teachings with Ben Bo teachings, wizard prayer rituals and folk dances, and adapted it into a new Tibetan Buddhist sacrificial dance. form. Although this kind of religious dance has a strong Buddhist ritual character, it is a vivid embodiment of many thoughts, emotions and wishes of people at that time. It is the original representative form of Tibetan folk songs, dances and folk performances. It is recorded in the "Biography of Padmasambhava" that "after the translator (Pamphlet Padmasambhava) completed the translation of the scriptures at Cishizhou in Samye Temple, the elders held the translated scriptures and walked around the Wuzi Hall for three weeks, lined up, put on masks, and struck Dance with drums to consecrate the translated scriptures." After that, this ceremony was followed and formed the so-called "God Dance" held in Tibetan temples today. It is recorded in the Tibetan history "Bashe" that "when Tubo Zanpu Trisongde built the Samye Temple, Master Padmasambhava took the lead in using a dance in his rituals to tame evil spirits." This is the beginning of the Tibetan dance "Qiang Mu". The forms and content of these dances are recorded in the Tibetan medical book "Yase" by Disi Sangye Gyatso; "At the inauguration ceremony of Samye Monastery, the subjects performed cultural activities such as 'Zhuo', 'Lu' and 'Xie' "Zhuo" means encouragement while wearing a mask; "Lu" means singing but not dancing; "Xie" means singing and dancing at the same time. The actors at this time were all monks, and the performances were sometimes accompanied by chanting, which formed the formation. A new form of pantomime dancing to gods, chanting Buddha and praying.

It is recorded in the Tibetan history "History of the Sakya Lineage": "-In the Year of the Wood Dog (1034), there was a large temple fair in Zhuodi (near the present Sakya Monastery in Tibet). Among the acrobatics, there are many wizards and twenty-eight free women, wearing masks and holding weapons, and there are also women with long braids playing drums and dancing to it, which is a spectacle... "This is to say. In the 11th century, the art form that mainly focused on religious ritual dance was mixed with acrobatics and other content. Scenes of men and women dancing together officially appeared, and drama characters such as free women and wizards appeared. This further illustrates that "Qiang Mu" has developed from a simple religious ritual into an art form that both flatters gods and entertains people, and is closer to secularization.

According to legend, in the 14th century, the Kagyu monk Tangdong Jiepo (1385-1464, a legendary figure who appeared among the people in the Houzang area) was a reformer and innovator of Tibetan opera. ” and other religious rituals were introduced from temples to the people. Tang Dongjiebo wanted to benefit all living beings and determined to build cable bridges on various rivers in the snowy area. In order to raise funds for the construction of the chain bridge, he absorbed folk art performances from various places at that time, and invited seven sisters from a family called Baila's family in Qiongjie County, Shannan, who were good at singing and dancing, to form a performance team. Prince, two people pretend to be fairies, and one person plays a cymbal. Tang Dongjiebo personally wrote and directed the program, designed the singing and lyrics, and used the dance form of the dancing gods in the temple to intersperse the stories and folklore of the Buddha's "Jataka" as the content. The song and dance drama with a simple storyline performs in villages and alleys to raise funds and educate sentient beings. The "Bindun Sherpa" composed of seven sisters is the earliest white mask sect of Tibetan opera. This gradually dramatized the relatively simple sacred dance "Qiangmu" in the past, and speaking and singing began to appear in the mime-like plot dance. With the continuous strengthening of performance methods, this new form of artistic performance was gradually separated from religious rituals, forming the prototype of Tibetan drama art. This reform complied with current events and was generally welcomed by the people. As a result, the artistic performance forms after the reform became more popular, completely realized the transition of Tibetan opera from monasteries to the folk, and made it completely a secular song and dance art in Tibetan areas.

The fifth Ngawang Lojong Gyatso established Ganden Phodrang (the local government in Tibetan areas at that time) and after unifying Tibet, a song and dance team from Ladakh was sent to Lhasa to congratulate. The graceful dancing and sweet music made him intoxicated, so he selected a boy (little Zhaba) aged 12 or 13 and sent him to Ladakh to learn singing and dancing. When Emperor Wu of the Qing Dynasty met Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty in Beijing, he often attended banquets, played games, and was inspired to some extent by Han nationality's dramatic art and court songs and dances. Five generations after returning to Tibet, on the basis of Tibetan folk operas, the content and expression forms of Tibetan opera have been enriched and improved, making Tibetan opera a kind of unique performance independent of religious activities and various folk arts. form of Tibetan performing arts. In order to professionalize Tibetan opera performances, the Fifth Dynasty separated the actors from the monasteries and became full-time artists, and formed the first professional Tibetan opera troupe in Western history - Juemulong. At the same time, the songs used by artists were developed from a narrative style to a speaking style, which formed the performance "script" seen later. After the popularization of Tibetan opera performances in Tibetan and Shannan areas, professional theater troupes sprung up in various places. According to Tibetan historical records, at that time, there were as many as twelve performing troupes participating in the Shoton Festival organized by the Kashag every year, thus forming the white and blue mask schools of early Tibetan opera.

2. Types and Origins of Garze Tibetan Opera

Garze County is known as the "hometown of singing and dancing". "If you can talk, you can sing, if you can walk, you can dance." It is a true portrayal of the Ganzi people who are good at singing and dancing. Tibetan opera performances are very popular in the county. At present, Tibetan opera in the county can be divided into Qiangmu, Ajielam, Xie, Xiazhuo, etc., which are briefly described below; 1. Qiangmu: means temple dance. It is the product of the combination of religious consciousness and folk dance. It originates from the ritual dance of the early Tibetan Benbo religion. The Qiangmu of various sects in Ganzi were introduced from Tibet in about the eighth to ninth centuries AD. The time and number of dances are determined according to the specific conditions of each temple. The location is generally in the square in front of the main hall of the temple. It is a dance art with strict procedures. Regardless of the combination of lifting movements or the changes in formation, each temple There are certain standardized procedures, which are passed down from generation to generation through dancers who are specifically responsible for dance training, according to the guidance of the dance music and their own words and deeds. The main musical instruments include bass drum, cymbals, trombone, conch, bells, suona, etc. Drumming is the most important rhythm indicator in dance. From the content and expression form of dance, it can be roughly divided into dance to exorcise evil spirits and disasters, dance to bless people, dance to bless and eliminate misfortune, dance to offer sacrifices and entertain gods, dance of divine birds and beasts, etc. 2. Xie: Also called "Xianzi". In Ganzi County, there are Kongsa Xieqin, Zhongsa Xie, Geda Xie, Langzha Xie, etc. Among them, Baili Temple's Fifth Geda - Geda Xianzi, which was founded in the 1930s and 1940s, is particularly famous. At first, this song and dance was used to worship the souls of the dead, save the souls, and avoid famines. Later, its content was gradually enriched and spread among the people. There is no accompaniment during the performance. When dancing, the male and female teams take turns singing and dancing, forming a circle and standing opposite each other. The male actor raises his head and the female lowers her head, along the arc, first slowly and then quickly, singing and dancing at the same time. His footwork is vigorous and has the charm of "Xia Zhuo". It is said that Geda wrote twenty-four poems and taught actors to sing, thus forming a unique folk dance with Geda strings and singing. 3. Xia Zhuo: Commonly known as "tap dance". Ganzi tap dance was a dance form first introduced from Tibet. It was learned from Shigatse, Tibet by monks from Garze Monastery and Dajin Monastery about 300 years ago. Initially, its content was mainly in the form of poems to praise teachers, parents, local officials and pray for good luck. When Xia Zhuo was first introduced to Ganzi, it was controlled by temples. The performers were all men, and they usually performed in autumn every year. Later, after it became popular among the people, there were no time and gender restrictions. There was no limit on the number of tap dance performances, ranging from one person to more. There are hundreds of people. During the performance, the dancers wear costumes but do not wear waist knives. A string of bells is hung on their feet or waist to add color to the sound. After liberation, tap dance continued to learn from amateur and professional dancers, and widely adopted the rhythmic advantages of various steps, forming the unique skills of "Ganzi Tap" such as graceful step rotation, sideways leaping, etc., which enriched the performance of dance. The force formed the "Ganzi tap" with local characteristics. Ganzi tap dance was invited to Beijing in 1964 to participate in the National Ethnic Minority Amateur Art Performance and won the Outstanding Program Award; in 1980, it participated in the National Farmers Amateur Art Performance and won the Outstanding Program Award; in 1990, it participated in the province's first Ethnic Minority Art Festival , won the first prize for performance; also won many awards from the state and county. 4. Ajie Lamu: That is Ganzi Tibetan Opera. -In the Year of the Iron Rat (1780), it was introduced from Tibet. At that time, Aba Zhacsang Galolepa of Garze Monastery went to Gaden Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet, to study the Tibetan opera of "Jiuba" sect, and brought back the script and "Gar" (sacrificial dance). ) music scores and the craftsmanship of making exquisite and realistic masks, and taught the Tibetan opera art they learned to the Abaza Cangzang Opera Troupe of Ganzi Monastery. The following year, the local government believed that this behavior revealed the secrets of the world and ordered the Tibetan Opera Troupe to stop performing. -In the Year of the Iron Dog (1790), the third generation of Ganzi Monastery, Langzha Xiangbakzhu, rebuilt the troupe. -In the Year of the Water Monkey (1932), Rijia took over the troupe and performed the Tibetan opera "Lang Sa Wenbo". Since then, Tibetan opera has developed in Garze, forming Garze Tibetan opera with its own unique style. Before liberation, in July every year, after a large-scale Buddhist event was held in the Garze Monastery, the Zeni Dracang Theater Troupe and the Aba Dracang Troupe of the temple performed Tibetan operas based on the eight major Tibetan operas for 3 to 7 days respectively.

Ganzi Tibetan Opera has made important contributions to enriching the cultural life of the people and inheriting excellent traditional culture. In Ganzi, Tibetan opera is one of the must-performed repertoires in the cultural activities during every festive occasion. In addition to performances in the county and villages, Garze Tibetan Opera has also participated in many performances inside and outside the province:

In 1986, Garze Tibetan Opera participated in the "Autumn of Paoma Mountain" in Garze Prefecture;

In 1989, Garze Tibetan Opera was invited to participate in the "China Shanghai International Dance Art" performance;

In 1990, during the second theatrical performance of Garze Prefecture and the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the founding of the state, Garze Tibetan Opera The performance team won wide acclaim with its outstanding performance;

In September 1991, Ganzi Tibetan Opera participated in the China Sichuan International Television Festival;

From August to October 1993, The Ganzi Tibetan Opera Troupe performed in Badaling, Beijing and other places for two months.

In 1994, Garze Tibetan Opera participated in the Second Sichuan Province Ethnic Minority Art Festival;

From June to November 1995, Garze Tibetan Opera was performed in Beijing, Beidaihe and other places;< /p>

From June to October 1996, Ganzi Tibetan Opera participated in performances at the Dalian and Zigong Art Festivals.

The Ganzi Tibetan Opera Troupe has won high honors with its unique and wonderful performances every time, and has received praise and praise from guests and audiences at home and abroad, provinces, states and brother counties.

Datongma Prairie is located in the northwest of Garze County, where the sky is clear, the air is fresh, and the sun is bright. Looking around, the vast expanse of prairie is like a huge green carpet under the blue sky. The herds of cattle and sheep are like flowers dotted on them. The vast and distant beauty makes people intoxicated and forget to leave. In addition to the beautiful scenery, the prairie also has famous ancient temple wonders, mysterious religious customs and little-known folk customs, waiting for people to discover and explore.

1. Wonders of ancient temples

Because Datongma is located in the hinterland of the Sichuan-Tibet Plateau, it has had few interactions with the outside world for thousands of years. Therefore, religious activities are fully developed here, and many ancient and mysterious religious cultures are still preserved. The famous Zala Temple in Tongma Grassland is the most famous of the eleven Nyingma (Red Sect) temples in Garze County. The temple is located at the seat of the Chalong Township government in Datongma District, at an altitude of 3,980 meters, 100 kilometers away from the county seat, and connected by the Ganda Highway.

The name of Zhala Temple comes from the fact that there are two ditches, Da and Zha, in Datongma, and the temple is built in the branch ditch of Zha ditch. From this, the name "Zhala Temple" is derived from " It means "Zhigou Temple". According to the "Records of Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries in Garze Prefecture": There is a sacred mountain of Gajia in Datongma, and two Benbo temples (black sect) were built on the top of the sacred mountain. One is called Dela Temple, and the other is called Zharao Renzhagar Temple. The latter temple was founded by Qu Jiema, a disciple of Kaizhu Qiangpo Langjue (died in 1130). The benefactor at that time was Su Rigoba (Mongolian). , to this day there are still descendants of the Surigoba family from the Datongmaha genus). In the Year of the Fire Pig (1287), Wu Sheng, the younger brother, Yixi Gongbo converted Zha Rao Renzha Gar Monastery to Nyingma Sect (Red Sect) and moved it to its current location and named it "Zha La Monastery". Since then, the name of Zala Temple has been used to this day.

1. The temple building is majestic and majestic. The temple is located in a green grassland. The temple is magnificent. There is a statue of Master Padmasambhava in the temple, about five meters high and golden in color. The master has a dignified and solemn expression with a slight smile on his face. The majestic and majestic statue of Padmasambhava is located in the pure copper-colored mountain palace; the temple also houses a Tantric training and teaching hall, with its golden roof and glazed tiles shining in the sun. There are many prayer flagpoles, prayer rooms and monks' residences around the main hall. There are also a large number of pagodas built around the temple, and hundreds of herders' tents are scattered around. What is particularly eye-catching is that the sacred mountain behind the temple is filled with countless prayer flags, and the breeze When blown, the flag hunts and hunts, giving people a sense of majesty and solemnity, making them involuntarily stand in awe.

2. The source of classics and teaching characteristics of Red Sect: In terms of the source of classics, Nyingma Sect can be divided into two types. One is called "Gama", also known as oral transmission. This oral transmission of classics is mainly based on the Tantric classics translated since the eighth and ninth centuries AD and passed down among the people from father to son or master to disciple. The other is called "Dema", also known as terma. It is said that Master Padmasambhava and others buried the Tantric classics underground at the end of the eighth century, and they were dug up and taught hundreds of years later. Unique teachings: The main teachings practiced by the Nyingma sect are: 0, which advocates that the human mind is pure and the essence of the mind is "away from dirt"; it emphasizes esotericism and neglects revelation, and practices hard work to purify the mind. They are very special in their practice methods. They are used to setting up tents in deep mountains and dense forests or choosing secluded caves to practice Tantric Dharma alone. They practice qigong to control the mind and body, nourish the body with qi, and reduce their food intake month by month, trying to achieve a state where they can maintain life by just holding a few grains of highland barley in their mouths. In addition, practitioners also intend to be naked in the snow in the middle of winter and under the scorching sun in summer, and practice hard to keep their minds in one place, and get rid of all kinds of desires and thoughts, in order to achieve the ultimate result.

3. Unique Buddhist activities: In addition to monks gathering in the main hall to chant sutras, the Datong Maningma Dharma Assembly also organizes monks to dance. The God Dance is a dance that matches the teachings of the classics. At the same time, it is also a festival activity that combines religion and national customs. The monks who perform the God Dance are mainly young monks and have been specially trained in the temple in advance. There are complete sets and systematic dance movements and an accurate and distinctive dance vocabulary. When performing the dance, you must wear masks of domestic animals and wild beasts such as horses, cows, deer, monkeys, rocs, and lions. Every year from June 10th to 15th, the dance is held in front of the main hall, accompanied by the temple band. The main instruments include white conch, tuba, trumpet, suona, gongs, drums, cymbals, etc. "Sangdong" means burning incense in Tibetan. - From June 10th to 15th, Zala Monastery is particularly lively. Incense smoke fills the mountains and plains. People have blue sky above their heads and face the sacred mountain. They burn highland barley, butter, and other ingredients on cypress branches. The meaning of the fire of rice, tsampa and other things is to make offerings to the gods and pray for the gods to bless them with peace and prosperity. The faithful men and women seemed to see the majesty of the gods and the solemnity of heaven and earth. At this moment, the power of the gods seemed to replace personal will. On the vast grassland, in such a unique atmosphere, people achieved psychological balance and satisfaction. Tibetan Buddhist dance is not only a religious activity, but also a folk festival. When an auspicious festival approaches, people flock to the temple in an endless stream. Devoted men and women light butter lamps, burn incense and worship Buddha, and donate money and gifts in order to seek blessings from the gods. Later, a divine dance will be held in the temple. The faithful men and women watch it attentively, immersed in the ups and downs of the plot. At this time, with the collision of good, evil, beauty and ugliness in the plot, people's souls are truly baptized and purified.

During the God-Tiao activity, young men and women dressed in colorful costumes talked about love and made couples, which became another highlight of the God-Tiao party. With the development of the times, new content has been injected into the traditional religious ceremony. It is not only a religious ceremony, but also a traditional national festival that is loved by the people.

2. Mani stone piles, prayer flags, and prayer walls that bless peace

When you come to the Datongma Prairie, you will find that you will encounter Tibetan Buddhist scriptures engraved everywhere. Wen's stone pile is called "Mani" in Tibetan. It is the abbreviation of the six-character mantra of Tibetan Buddhism "Amama Ni Padme Mo". It is said that often reciting the six-character mantra silently can ward off disasters and ensure a safe life. Therefore, Tibetans must express this wish no matter where they go, thus forming a religious landscape with piles of Mani stones everywhere in Tibetan areas. In order to pray for peace, people will take the initiative to carve Mani stones and pile them up. Through the accumulation of devout believers from generation to generation, the piles of Mani stones will get bigger and bigger. People usually take the initiative to add stones when passing by the stone pile. By reciting the six-character mantra orally and walking around it several times from left to right, it can be said that the Mani Stone Pile has become a place for Tibetan people to engage in daily Buddhist activities. Prayer flags: Countless prayer flags can often be seen flying in the green mountains and green spaces deep in the Datongma Prairie and on the banks of the holy lake and clear streams. In particular, tens of thousands of prayer flags are piled on top of each other on the sunny slope of the sacred mountain behind Zala Temple. The prayer flags surrounding the Jiarentang prayer wall are supported by multiple yak ropes or nylon ropes. Dozens of layers of ring-shaped ropes covered with prayer flags tightly surround the prayer wall, forming a A large pyramid made of prayer flags. In the vast grassland, the appearance of such a huge thing with flying prayer flags will naturally shock the wanderer. If you come here and hang a prayer flag, you will make a wish for yourself to pray for peace. Standing under the prayer flags on the prayer wall or sacred mountain, people seem to feel the existence of a mysterious and unpredictable power.

3. The place where the soul can be sublimated -----Taiwan

-. There are different opinions about its origin. It is generally believed to be a manifestation of the spirit of dedication in life. -Tai is a place used to hold funerals after death in Tibetan areas. -The platform is usually located on the sunny slope of a mountain. There are no special signs around. It is the last stop in life. The deceased will be sent here. The deceased will chant sutras and point the way to heaven. Soon, the vultures, who are the incarnations of gods, fly in groups and eat up the corpses of the deceased. , and then fly to the distant sky. According to legend, this can bring the deceased into heaven and allow his soul to enter the realm of the afterlife. But the platform at Tongma is unique. The platform is located at the southern end of 1 kilometer away from Zha La Temple, more than 350 meters away from the foot of the mountain, in a green hillside. Thick green grass and various wild flowers exude a refreshing fragrance. . The place is empty, quiet and solemn. The prayer flags here are the best in Tibetan areas. They are densely packed, overlapping and covering the sky and the sun. The strip-shaped Mani Sutra wall, pyramid-shaped prayer flags, and spiritual pagodas seem to create a paradise world, which makes people feel a kind of spiritual shock and a kind of imagination from this life to the next. This is an ancient legacy of nomadic culture. .

4. Clothing

The Tibetan clothes of herdsmen generally have the characteristics of long sleeves, large lapels, and wide waists. According to the different materials used, it can be divided into three types: sheepskin Tibetan robe, fur Tibetan robe and cloth Tibetan robe. Fur Tibetan robes are made from tanned old sheep skins, and the sewn fur coats are called "Zaba". The skirts of women's leather jackets are decorated with three-pattern Pulu decoration, and the Pulu are inlaid with red and black plain cloth. When wearing a leather jacket, a brocade-edged shirt with a half-high collar and slanted placket is worn under the robe. Most of the shirts are sewn with purple, brown, yellow and white satin. The waist is tied with a long red cocoon silk, and a knot is tied behind the waist. A silver nipple hook inlaid with coral is hung on the side of the belt. The nipple hook was first used as a working tool, and later gradually evolved into a decoration. Lambskin Tibetan robes are made from lambskin after being tanned and sewn. The surface of the garment is usually made of red, yellow, green and other brocade materials. This type of sewn Tibetan robe is called "Chari". Women's Tibetan robes are trimmed with otter skin. Men's Tibetan robes are edged with tiger or leopard skin. It looks beautiful and elegant. There are two kinds of fabric Tibetan robes, single and clipped, which can be changed at any time according to climate changes. When tied with a belt, a large pocket can be formed around the waist. Wear a white or other colored shirt with your underwear. When the weather is warm or you are working, you can tie the sleeves around your waist, which is very convenient. Both herdsmen and women wear wide-brimmed hats in summer. In winter, fox fur hats are generally worn. The fox fur hats are cylindrical, with a slit at the back, an upward brim, exposed fur, and a top made of colored satin. After wearing it, it shows the free and easy bravery of grassland herdsmen. Women in pastoral areas usually comb their hair into hundreds of thin braids, connected with black silk threads, and decorated with agate, amber, coral, turquoise and other jewelry.

5. Diet

Herdsmen usually eat tsampa, butter, milk, yogurt, beef, milk residue, etc. as their staple food. Tea is an indispensable drink and cannot be separated from every meal. Open tea. The herdsmen are hospitable and can dine as soon as the guests arrive. Treat the distinguished guests with delicious food such as butter soup and ginseng fruit, yogurt with sugar, steamed buns, Tibetan eight-treasure porridge, butter tea or milk. During major festivals and various rituals, fresh butter, ginseng fruit, and brown sugar are combined to make cubes, and butter is used to make various auspicious patterns, which are called "ti" in Tibetan. They are used as precious gifts to entertain and give to distinguished guests.

6. Folk sports event - horse racing

The annual horse racing event is the most important mass entertainment activity in Datongma. Herdsmen believe that horse racing is a way to avoid disasters and solve problems. It is a major event to bring prosperity and bring peace, so everyone actively participates in it. Before the start of the horse racing, the riders have to lead their horses three times around the pile of cypress branches. At the same time, they recite blessings - and shout "Rasolo" and "Zahide". "Le" to express blessing. The riders are usually young people around fifteen years old. The elder who presided over led the horses and riders to the starting point of the racetrack. After arranging them in order, a bell rang and the riders rushed to the finish line. The top three riders in the horse race will receive a khata and different amounts of tea. The remaining riders will also receive a khata to express congratulations and chant good luck. There will also be competitions on difficult movements such as shooting on horseback and picking up khata. During the competition, sports competitions including yak dance, lion dance, wrestling, tug-of-war, weightlifting and other performances will also be held. Horse racing is a grand event for grassland herdsmen to demonstrate their bravery. During the horse racing, the entire grassland will be immersed in a warm, auspicious and joyful atmosphere.

7. The beautiful Datongma Grassland is rich in resources

The Datongma Grassland has precious medicinal materials such as Cordyceps sinensis and Fritillaria fritillary. Sexutang, which means "gold basin treasure land" in Tibetan, is rich in gold reserves. The vast Datongma grassland is also home to wild animals such as horses, bears, deer, sheep, deer, and yellow sheep. It is known as "beating deer with a stick and scooping fish with a gourd".

In April 2021, Garze County was selected into the 2021 Second Top 100 Chinese Cultural Counties.

In April 2021, Garze County ranked 97th on the 2021 Top 100 Counties and Cities with Chinese Specialty Food list.

In January 2021, Garze County was recognized as the third batch of food safety demonstration counties (cities, districts) in Sichuan Province.

In June 2020, Garze County was included in the second batch of areas and counties for the protection and utilization of revolutionary cultural relics (Long March Area (Second Red Front Army), Long March Area (Fourth Red Army)).

In February 2018, Garze County was included in the list of counties (cities, districts) with basically balanced development of compulsory education nationwide in 2017.