Roaming the vast grasslands of China's Inner Mongolia, you're sure to come across more than a few Aobao, Mongolian for "heap". Now romantic meeting places, these stone mounds with willow branches stuck on top used to serve as signposts for locals. Last week, a grand ceremony was held to celebrate a massive Aobao erected in the Greater Xinggan Mountains area in Inner Mongolia.

Located in Ulan Hot in the Greater Xing'an Mountains area, this Aobao is 88 meters high and 48 meters wide, which is the biggest ever in China.

Mongol expert Man Zhilin said: "It's the custom of the Mongolian ethnic group to organize ceremonies to celebrate Aobao. Aobaos used to serve as landmarks on the vast grasslands in ancient times, when people there could get lost without an Aobao. They would pick up stones and put them together at a certain place in the grassland when passing by. As time went by, another Aobao would be formed."

Accompanied by local dances and chanting lamas, Living Buddhas from Beijing's Lama Temple and Tibetan temples placed a Precious Bottle filled with Buddhist scriptures, along with twelve pure white scarves or hadas in the center of the Aobao and permanently sealed them there. The grand ceremony attracted more than 3,000 people.
 
(CCTV.com September 3, 2003)