Re-walking Princess Wencheng into Tibet, what will we meet? |China's self-driving geography

-This is the 305th original main article of Self-Driving Geography-

"The black captives have no end, the Black Mountain camp knows the dragons and snakes. Since the master and the husband, half of the Hu Feng resembles the Han family." , the great poet Chen of the Tang Dynasty These few sentences in Tao's "Longxi Travel" praised that since the marriage between Princess Wencheng and Tubo Zanpu Songtsen Gambo, Han and Tibet have become friendly and have become close brothers.

More than 1300 years ago, in the Tang Dynasty, where the traffic was far less developed than the present, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the inland exchanges became closer after it governed the Western Regions.

is located in the Nagqu grassland in the hinterland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Pictured by VIP member Zhang Xiang

was more difficult to enter Tibet than to climb to the sky. Therefore, the family sending team far from the Tang Dynasty did not dare to follow the terrain of mountains and rivers. The Jindu River in the river forcibly opened up a route into Tibet, which was later the Z1z Tangzhu Ancient Road.

A large part of the current Qinghai-Tibet traffic route still follows the direction of the Tangzhu Ancient Road.

(The Tangzhu Ancient Road is the general term for the two ancient commercial roads, the Tang-Tibet Road and the Fanni Road. It is the only way for the inland of the Central Plains to reach Qinghai, Tibet, Nepal, and India since the Tang Dynasty. The blue part is Princess Wencheng’s entry into Tibet. The route taken is pictured by "China's Self-driving Geography")

1. West out of Chang'an First Town

Calculated at the current speed of self-driving, it takes four or five hours to reach Chang'an, the first one on the Tangzhu Ancient Road The important town- Tianshui, is derived from the legend of "Tianhe Water Injection" in the Han Dynasty Emperor Wu period.

Tianshui was called Qinzhou in ancient times, and is the "Hometown of Emperor Xi", one of the important birthplaces of Chinese civilization. It had relatively complete living facilities in the Tang Dynasty, so it became the first important supply station for the family sending team after they left Chang'an. .

　Tangbo Ancient Road from Xi’an to Tianshui, pictured by "China's Self-driving Geography"

Tianshui has the Maiji Mountain Grottoes, one of the four major grottoes in China, Maiji Mountain is a typical Danxia landform, because it is shaped like a farmhouse wheat pile Named after. On the almost vertical cliff wall, the cave is "dense like a honeycomb." From the Sixteen Kingdoms Qin Dynasty to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the cave sculpture has never stopped.

There are 221 existing caves in Maiji Mountain. has collected more than a dozen large and small statues and stone sculptures 7200 from the Post Qin, Western Qin, Northern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. More than 1,300 square meters of murals .

Think of the scene where craftsmen risked their lives to sculpt Buddha statues on this cliff. It is really touching. Picture by Lao Miao

Maijishan Grottoes is famous for the exquisite statues, so even if not People who know carving and clay sculpture can still feel the miracles created by ancient people under the guidance of faith.

2. The last journey in the Tang Dynasty

According to the cultural relics of the Neolithic Age, Ledu has already had the footprints of ancestors in this fertile soil more than 4000 years ago. During the Tang Dynasty, Once became the political and economic center of the Northwest region.

So Princess Wencheng stayed here for a while while passing by Ledu, and at the same time, for the next long journey, she re-adjusted the structure of the family-sending team and left many accompanying court ladies.

The section from Tianshui to Xining on the ancient Tang-fan Road, pictured by "China Self-driving Geography"

After leaving Ledu, the next journey will be Princess Wencheng's last journey in the flourishing Tang Dynasty.

Xining is an important town in the northwest, and Riyue Mountain is located in its territory. Z2z is the border of Datang. Crossing this mountain is the boundary of Tuyuhun. Historically, it was an important node of South Silk Road and Tangbo Ancient Road. A place where ethnic alliances, marriages, wars, and "tea salt" and "tea horse" exchange markets.

The road to Riyue Mountain by self-driving is better, and the scenery we see now is very different from when Princess Wencheng entered Tibet. The rolling brown mountains face patches of grassy beach and wasteland.

Riyue Mountain, pictured by Feilong lfg

Riyue Mountain, formerly known as "Chiling", belongs to the Qilian Mountains. The geographical position of this mountain is very important, it is the inner river of QinghaiNatural boundary line with the outflow river, my country's monsoon and non-monsoon areas, and agricultural and pastoral areas.

The geographical location of Riyue Mountain, pictured by "China's Self-driving Geography"

and the name Riyue Mountain is related to Princess Wencheng. According to legend, for the sake of the stability of the country and the peace of the people, she married far away and got married. Looking back at hometown.

In grief, Princess Wencheng took out from her arms the "Sun and Moon Mirror" given by the queen before leaving. Z2z didn't want the bustling Chang'an City to appear in the mirror. Maybe she was in a bad mood. She missed the treasure. The mirror fell into two halves, and the shattered precious mirror half fell into the shape of a golden sun, and half resembled a silver moon. This is the origin of the name "Sunyue Mountain".

When Princess Wencheng arrived at Riyue Mountain, Princess Z1z Honghua who married Tuyuhun a year earlier, , had already greeted her at Yamaguchi. Two princesses of the same age and experience had a special relationship, so they were in the royal city of Tuyuhun (now Gonghe County). Chapcha Town), Princess Wencheng of stayed for one month.

The statue of Princess Wencheng erected in Daotanghe Town, Riyue Mountain, pictured by VIP member·Double pupils

According to the records of "New Tang Book" and "Old Tang Book", Datang married 16 princesses. Princess Honghua is the luckiest one of them. The country of marriage is not far away, and she is the only princess who has ever returned to Tang Dynasty.

3. Start the Tubo career

Crossing Riyue Mountain is Qinghai Lake, departed from the capital of Tuyuhun to Tubo, Princess Wencheng changed all the carriages to horses to increase the speed of travel.

China's most beautiful lake-Qinghai Lake, pictured by member Chunguang's brother

This arduous journey, the altitude suddenly rose from 2850 meters to more than 4600 meters, even if the road conditions are good and modern, it is also overwhelming.

According to the "Old Tang Book · Tubo Biography", Songtsen Gampo was to welcome Princess Wencheng from afar on the edge of the border Zhaling Lake between Tubo and Tuyuhun.

Zhaling Lake, one of the source of the Yellow River, pictured by a member of the half beast

Zhaling Lake and the next Eling Lake are the two largest plateau freshwater lakes in the source area of ​​the Yellow River, formerly known as Baihai, between the two lakes The Bull Head Stele on the Corigaze Mountain is engraved on the base of with the words "Yellow River Source" in Chinese and Tibetan. The Tibetan language was inscribed by the late 10th Panchen Lama.

The bull head stele on the peak of Cuorigaze Mountain, pictured by the member half beast

Songtsan Gambo in Bohai, according to Tubo custom, pays homage to Li Daozong as his son-in-law, and at the same time pays tribute to the wife of Datang with a grand wedding, Princess Wencheng He reluctantly worshipped his relatives by the lake and started his Tubo career.

4. Pursuing the footsteps of Princess Wencheng

It is said that after receiving Princess Wencheng, Songtsen Gampo returned to Z1z through Yushu (now Lhasa).

The Tang-Tibetan Ancient Road from Yushu to Lhasa, pictured by "Geography of Self-driving in China"

Yushu belonged to a plateau tribe on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau called Subi before the Tang Dynasty. It was later included in the territory of Tubo, so there are many related The relics related to Princess Wencheng, such as the famous stone carvings of Buddhist culture at Lebagou , are said to have been left by Princess Wencheng and Princess Jincheng on their way to Tibet.

"Leba" in Tibetan means beauty and auspiciousness. According to local legend, Princess Wencheng and her entourage climbed the dangerous Bayan Har Mountains and crossed the Tiantian River. She believed this was the blessing of the gods and expressed her gratitude to the gods. , Personally led craftsmen to carve dozens of Buddha statues and many stupas on the rock wall.

Lebagou rock paintings, picture by Geji

When you are about to walk out of Lebagou, you can see the famous Wencheng Princess Temple, , but it is not a temple dedicated to Princess Wencheng, but the princess expresses her respect for the Great Buddha Built by the heart of awe.

According to local legend, Princess Wencheng walked through here and dreamed that the Great Tathagata Buddha appeared to bless her, so she ordered people to build a white pagoda in the place where she dreamed of the Great Tathagata Buddha as a commemoration.

The historic Princess Wencheng Temple is not dedicated to Princess Wencheng! Figure byVIP member·Taishan

It is rumored that the Princess Wencheng Temple was the place where Princess Wencheng stayed the longest on her way to Tibet. At that time, the Tibetan leaders and the masses held a grand welcoming ceremony for her, which made her quite moved, so she decided to stay more. Days, and carefully teach the locals farming and weaving techniques. After

left Yushu, there were more options for entering Tibet. According to the Qinghai Museum, Princess Wencheng traveled from Jie Kubatang in Yushu to Nierong and Jiali counties in Nagqu through Zaduo County, and finally arrived in Lhasa.

5. Accompanied the construction of the Ramoche Temple

In the Tibetan legend, Princess Wencheng and her party arrived in a flat and beautiful river valley from Nierong County in Nagqu. The place

has a poetic name called Mozhugongka, which is the only place to pass through the Sichuan-Tibet line to enter and exit Lhasa. When you come here, you have entered the boundary of Lhasa.

Zhigongti Temple in Mozhugongka is the central monastery of the Zhigong Kagyu Sect. It once held a very glorious position in the political and religious history of Tibet.

Zhigongti Temple leading to heaven, pictured by VIP member Zhu Miao

Lhasa River Valley, not far from Zhigongti Temple, is the main farming area in Tibet. It is said that Princess Wencheng and the send-off team are the first in this valley. This time I drank water from the Mother River in Lhasa.

The Mother River of Lhasa, pictured by "Chinese Self-Driving Geography"

On the way to Lhasa, legend has it that when Princess Wencheng walked to Burning Muqi, she was carrying the 12th Shakyamuni that Tang Taizong gave to Songtsan Gambo. The cart with the Buddha statue stuck in the car. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't lift it out.

So people simply built houses in the place where the car was trapped, and enshrined the twelve-year-old Buddha statue of Sakyamuni. This was later Ramoche Temple, Tibetan Buddhism Gelug School Tantric School, Tibet’s most One of the ancient Buddhist temples, (later due to various historical reasons, this Buddha statue is now enshrined in the Jokhang Temple).

Ramoche Temple in Lhasa, pictured by Li Guanyun

Princess Wencheng continued to follow Songtsen Gampo to a hill called Hongshan. After moving the capital from Yongbulakang, Songtsen Gampo decided to build one here The new Zao palace.

The "Ming Jian of the Tubo Dynasty" records that Songtsen Gambo built this new palace to marry Princess Wencheng. However, there are too few historical data about it, and there is no record of its appearance. With the demise of the Tubo Dynasty, the palace was destroyed .

Until 300 years ago, the fifth Dalai Lama rebuilt the current Potala Palace on its original site.

The majestic Potala Palace, pictured byVIP Rubicon

6. The impact on Tibet

Legend, Songtsen Gampo ordered the construction of a Buddhist temple to house the eight Sakyamuni brought by Princess zun of Nepal When he waited for the Buddha statue, he was flooded many times.

Until the arrival of Princess Wencheng, she planned a new location based on geomantic and , and then the Buddha Hall was built. After successive expansions, it became the famous Jokhang Temple.

In Tibet, you can often see the statue of Princess Wencheng and hear her legendary stories. The classic history book "Tibetan Kings" compiled by Sakya His Holiness Sonam Gyatzan records many deeds of the princess.

Nowadays, there is still an endless stream of people going to the Jokhang Temple for pilgrimages. Pictured by "Chinese Self-driving Geography"

In Tibetan Buddhism, Princess Wencheng is known as the "Green Tara", is the incarnation of the Avalokitesvara who saves suffering, 20 The head of the first Tara (this enjoys a high status in Tibetan Buddhism). Princess Wencheng

has a deep influence on Tibet. In addition to her contribution to marriage, she has promoted the development of the relationship between the Han and Tibetan races in Tibet for several decades. Especially under her influence, the Han Chinese textile and pottery Advanced technologies such as, papermaking and wine making, as well as calendars, medical classics, poetry, and Buddhism have been introduced to the plateau areas.

To a large extent, Princess Wencheng's entry into Tibet changed the route from Datang to Tianzhu at that time. Eight years before she entered Tibet, the Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang had traveled to Tianzhu through the Western Regions to obtain Buddhist scriptures.

went to Tianzhu via Tubo, greatly shortening the journey and reducing the danger on the way.

Xuanzang's westbound route map, pictured by "Chinese Self-driving Geography"

After this, the envoy of the Tang Dynasty Wang Xuance "Four Ambassadors Tianzhu" opened up the Sino-Western corridor, Padmasambhava from Tianzhu showed miracles all the way, Go to Tibet to teach Dharma.

So far, the Tangzhu Ancient Road has become the link of political, economic and cultural exchanges between China and South Asia.

Tangzhu Ancient Road, this millennium corridor carries too many moving legends, magnificent natural beauty and rich historical and cultural relics.

Today, it is on the snow-covered plateau, waiting for the world to discover and feel its beauty.

-Part of the picture source network-

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