After leaving Zada, the return journey seemed dull and uninteresting, with no one paying attention to the scenery on the side of the road, and everyone sleeping soundly in the car. Soon after we passed the arch again, I saw the words on it changed into "Xizang's secret place, Ali in the sky, welcome back", and I couldn't help but feel a little reluctant
After more than 20 days of experience, I have found that my body has completely adapted to the Tibetan environment. Eating spicy food, drinking alcohol, and binge eating are no longer taboos for me. Even the stubborn cold cough unexpectedly healed when I walked out of Ali!
At 8:30 pm, we arrived at Payang Town after traveling without rest. We went to that Sichuan restaurant again and continued our last four dishes and one soup. After drinking and eating, the driver calculated that there was still more than 300 kilometers to reach Saga, which meant we had to run continuously for four hours, and it was already early morning.
After sitting in the car for a whole day, everyone was a bit tired, especially the girls who immediately collapsed upon hearing this news and said they didn't want to continue walking. They suggested staying nearby for now, resting well, and leaving early tomorrow. I asked the landlady if there is any place nearby where we can stay? The landlady said no. As the Spring Festival approaches, people are returning home for the holiday and all the hotels that need to be closed are closed. Even the nearest hotel can only be found in Zhongba County
The girls were like deflated balls, enduring exhaustion and sitting in the car for over an hour before arriving in Zhongba County. We walked back and forth on the streets of Zhongba County and found that all the hotels here were closed. We had no choice but to spend a lot of money to live in the Zhongba County Guest House, which was the most expensive room we had ever lived in Xizang. The money was spent, but the facilities it provided were very outdated. There was no heating in the room, only an electric blanket. The most frustrating thing was that the sheets were not even washed.
In this situation, the driver also frowned and proposed to persist for another two hours, directly to Saga to live better and at a cheaper price. But by now it was already 10:30 in the evening, and without any unexpected circumstances, it would still be after midnight in Saga. The girls strongly opposed it, and with no choice but to make do with it here for the night
The next morning before dawn, we quickly packed our bags and left this haunted place. After driving for another whole day, we finally arrived in Shigatse before sunset. Everyone took a breath and went out to have a big meal. During the dinner, we discussed where to go to play? At present, we only know about the Tashilhunpo Temple in Shigatse, and it seems that we can't think of any other decent places to go
Tashilhunpo Monastery is the largest temple in Shigatse and the residence of Panchen Lamas from the fourth generation onwards. Zhashilunbu Temple, also known as "Jixiang Xumi Temple", is fully named "Zhashilunbu Baijide Qinqu Tang Jielenan Bajiwalin", which means "Jixiang Xumi gathers blessings and wins over all regions." It, along with the "three major temples" of Lhasa, Gandan Temple, Sera Temple, and Zhebang Temple, are collectively known as the "four major temples" of the Gelug school. The four major temples, as well as the Kumbum Monastery in Qinghai and the Labrang Temple in Gansu, are listed as the "six major temples" of the Gelug Sect.
In 1447, the youngest disciple of Zongkhapa, who was later traced back to the first Dalai Lama, Gendun Juba (Gendun Lord), initially built the Tashilhunpo Monastery with the support of the then Tibetan nobles Quxiong Langba Sorangbaisang and Qiongjeba Sorangbanjue. The temple was initially named "Gangjian Dianpei", which means Xingfo Temple in the Snowy Regions. It was later renamed by Gendun Zhuba and took 12 years to complete.
In 1600, during the reign of the fourth Panchen Lama, Luo Sang Queji Jianzan and Ren Zha Shilunbu, the temple underwent a large-scale expansion. The Fourth Panchen Lama was the first Panchen Lama to be conferred the title of Panchen Lama, and from then on, Tashilhunpo became the residence of Panchen Lamas throughout history. Throughout history, Panchen Lamas have expanded the Zhashilunbu Temple.
The most magnificent buildings in the temple are the Maitreya Hall and the Panchen Lama Pagoda Hall throughout history. The Tibetan name of the Maitreya Hall is "Qiang Ba Kang", and in the middle is the gilded bronze Qiang Ba Buddha, cast under the leadership of the 9th Panchen Lama Qu Jinima in 1914. Qiangba Buddha is the Maitreya Buddha of Chinese Buddhism. In Tibetan Buddhism, Qiangba Buddha is the future Buddha who governs the future and is highly valued by believers. The spiritual pagoda of Tashilhunpo Monastery is the relic pagoda of the Panchen Lama throughout history. The seven ancient Panchen Lama pagodas vary in size, some enshrine several Panchen Lamas, while others only enshrine one. Inside the tower, there are relics and corpses of past Panchen Lamas, including the tenth Panchen Lama Queji Jianzan.
The Tibetan people who come to Zhasi for pilgrimage are like the Potala Palace, with a sea of people. In addition to the Tibetan people, there are also believers from Qinghai, Sichuan, and Gansu. Every entrance to the Buddhist temple is already crowded with people, and a huge copper bell hangs on the hanging beam at the entrance. Every believer passing by knocks three times, with a constant jingling sound in their ears. The floor in front of the Buddhist temple is also inlaid with various gemstones, among which there are "swastika" characters composed of gemstones.
In the temple, believers walk and worship around the Buddha in the center along the planned route, some offering Hada, some offering butter, and some donating money. And at the exit of the main hall sat a row of lamas, reciting Buddhist scriptures in their mouths, organizing the money left by each believer when they passed by, and occasionally checking their phones, balancing work and rest
I met a friend in the Buddhist temple. He is a travel expert who has traveled all over the country and is also a "splitting expert". He always splits and commemorates every place he is interested in. He is very enthusiastic about learning about folk culture and culture. He quietly told me that during the visit to Zha Temple, when he encountered some Buddha statues that he couldn't understand, he would casually ask the Tibetans around him, and they would often tell him they didn't know!!! I don't believe it, so he randomly selected a lama and pulled me over to ask a question, but surprisingly, he was really responded with "I don't know"!!!
A very unpleasant emotion spread throughout my body. I sat on the steps, watching the Tibetans coming and going, each with a simple face and a devout heart. Do they really know what their purpose is for coming here? I don't know how these Tibetans view their faith and their Buddha? At least I started to look down on the lamas in the temple because their way of counting money is really vulgar.
I have never believed in religion all along, because these are superstitious products like ghosts and snakes. But I also deeply know that humans will encounter various setbacks in the process of exploring the height of life. Frustrations can be big or small, they are like a wall blocking the inevitable path. What can truly overcome setbacks is having a resilient heart, and those who cannot bear it always need to find some spiritual support.
I try to understand Tibetans, who have been living on the roof of the world since ancient times due to hypoxia, severe cold, inconvenient transportation, resource scarcity, and harsh climate. Suffering has become a daily part of their lives. Perhaps because they have tasted the inexplicable roar of nature, mountains, lakes, and rivers will all become creatures that devour them. Therefore, they revere mountains, lakes, heaven, earth, and ghosts. To express these feelings of reverence, they choose to turn mountains, lakes, and pagodas.
This unique culture and belief is a way of survival and spiritual sustenance for Tibetans in harsh environments. It gives them strength to maintain inner peace and determination in the face of life's difficulties. This belief also instills a sense of awe in them towards nature, making them cherish and protect the surrounding environment even more.
Although we may have different views on their way of belief, we should respect and understand their choices. Everyone has their own spiritual pursuits, which are often based on their environment and experiences.
After visiting the Zha Shilun Bu Temple, I felt as if I had been taught a long lesson. This temple is solemn and mysterious, with every building and every Buddha statue containing profound historical and cultural heritage, as well as concealing a secular like myself.