Tibet, here I come (17)——Heroic City Gyantse

2021.6.20-22

Entering Gyantse County, you can see the Kanola Glacier in the distance. In summer, its area has shrunk, but it still hangs high on the top of the mountain. It can be seen along the approximately 10-kilometer section of National Highway 349.

Canola Glacier on National Highway 349

While still looking up to admire the glacier, we inadvertently came to a gate on the road, where a uniformed man directed our car to enter the side road. I didn’t pay much attention, thinking it was another police checkpoint. Because almost every county you enter in Tibet will have such a gate, and there are often public security checkpoints. Uniformed men asked us to buy tickets. "What kind of tickets should I buy?", "We are a scenic spot here, we need to buy tickets." Only then did I see that the other person was not wearing a police uniform, but a security guard's uniform. Only then did we find out that the uniformed person directed us to enter the "tourist bus passage", and then we saw clearly that the sign on the gate did not say "Welcome to Gyantse County" but "Welcome to Kanola Glacier Scenic Area in Gyantse County." . Damn it, since when did national highways become tolled scenic spots? "I'm going to Gyantse County and I won't enter your scenic spot, so why should I buy tickets?", I said. The other party put on a posture of "I drive this road" and would not go on without paying the money to buy the road. After negotiating for a while, our car was allowed to leave. There are people on the road past this gate, and you are not allowed to park without buying their "ticket".

"Canola Glacier Scenic Area" on National Highway 349

I don’t know when the natural resources that belong to the whole people will be chartered by certain departments, enclosed and turned into "scenic spots", and become the money printing machine of some self-interested groups. National highways built with taxpayers' money will also be set up to collect taxpayers' purchase money. If your boss invests in building scenic facilities, and I use your facilities, you should charge a reasonable fee. But this "Canora Glacier Scenic Area" is so strange. The glacier is right on the roadside. It is naturally formed and not made by you. I stopped to watch the glacier on the national highway built with taxpayers' money. What right do you have to deny it? But sadly, the public has become accustomed to this strange phenomenon in the Tang Dynasty.

Fortunately, the glacier is too high and too big for them to build a shed to cover it (laughing). There are many places on National Highway 349 where you can appreciate this generous gift of nature to all people. We have a clear view of this glacier , Besides, it is raining, the weather is extremely bad , I Entering your "scenic spot ", just brave the rain to climb a plank road . Is it worth ?

Canola Glacier isnature’s generous gift to all people

After passing the Canola Glacier for about 40 kilometers, we passed the Simila Pass with an altitude of 4352 meters. In addition to the prayer flags that are common in mountain passes in Tibet, this mountain pass is a bit unique because there is a lake below the pass. The weather was not good, and for only a moment, the sun shone on part of the lake. The lake responded immediately and took on an emerald green color in time.

The unique Smilla Pass

After passing the Simila Pass, watching the small scenery along the roadside, we arrived at Gyantse County in 40 minutes.

Roadside scene

Before entering the city, pass through the public security checkpoint in the eastern suburbs of Gyantse. A medical staff member checked our body temperature and said "thank you" for our cooperation. I was a little surprised. It had been a long time coming! I immediately said to her, "This is the first 'thank you' I've heard since I came to Tibet, and I want to thank you for this!". She smiled.

I once wrote in my travelogue "A Trip to the Western United States (16) - Final Chapter. Essays" that "Thank you!" is one of the sentences I heard most in the United States.

Gyantse Eastern Suburb Public Security Checkpoint

Arriving at Gyantse County, we parked the car and went to Gyantse Castle. Gyantse Castle is located on Zongshan Mountain, also known as Gyantse Zongshan Castle. The castle is high on the top of the mountain and is quite impressive. Its appearance is very similar to the Potala Palace, especially the night view. But its altitude is 400 meters higher than the Potala Palace, which is 3,700 meters above sea level.

Gyantse Castle was originally a palace of the last generation of the Tubo Dynasty. Later, Gyantse Castle was built on its former site. Later, the Tibetan area under the Naedong Dynasty was divided into 13 major sects, and a castle-style building was built on the hill where the government of each sect was located (this mountain was called Zongshan ) , which has the functions of both temple and government. In Gyantse, this old castle was transformed into a temple and government palace.

Gyantse Castle perched high on the top of the mountain (2021.6.20)

Gyantse Castle is very similar to the Potala Palace

Gyantse Castle (2021.6.21)

On the Zongshan Square below Gyantse Castle stands the "Gyantse Zongshan Heroes Monument", which was built to commemorate the Gyantse people's fight against the British invading army in 1904.

In April 1904, the British invading army invaded Gyantse.The soldiers and people of Gyantse resisted desperately. One night in early June, more than a thousand soldiers and civilians successfully attacked the British camp and almost annihilated the British army. In late , the British army counterattacked and captured Gyantse City again. In July, they besieged Zongshan Castle and bombarded Zongshan Fort with artillery. The anti-British warriors launched a desperate struggle with the British army using native cannons, native guns, broadswords, spears, slings, etc., and held their position for three days and nights. In the end, they lost their position due to running out of ammunition and food, being outnumbered, and suffering huge casualties. The remaining warriors would rather die than surrender and jump off a cliff to die for their country. The Battle of Gyantse wrote a very tragic page in history.

The movie "Red River Valley" starring Ning Ning was based on this historical fact.

Standing in front of the monument now, I stand in awe of the warriors who fought against aggression in the past. Gyantse is a heroic city!

Gyantse is a heroic city!

P.S.:

When I arrived in Gyantse, I parked my car temporarily on the street and returned from Zongshan Square. I wanted to find a parking place, but I found that the county government was next to it and the gate was open, so I drove in and passed here. One night. The county government compound is probably the place with the best conditions in the county, with boiling water available 24 hours a day.

Parking location on June 20, 2021