Along the northern route from Sichuan to Tibet, the visitor passes snow-covered Buddhist temples and voyages across the high Tibetan Plateau with its majestic mountains, feeling like a bird flying free in the blue sky.

The northern route of the Sichuan-Tibet highway passes through Garze and Dege before crossing into Tibet.

Looking out of the bus window on the way to Daofu, a county in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, we were impressed by the golden leaves of Chinese little-leaf box swinging in the breeze, reflecting the tender lights of sunshine and making a gentle and tranquil picture.

A great number of Tibetan-style houses can be seen, all of them made of wood and painted a deep red, a frequently seen color in Tibet. In the sunshine, these huge wood-built houses seem like toy bricks made by the goddess. Colourful curtains hang from the windows and exquisite carvings on the eaves add to the cozy appearance of the houses.

Tall and strong Tibetan men ride horses slowly and leisurely on the prairie that stretches to the horizon.

Crystal Water

It takes the visitor a few hours to reach Garze, the first stop on the northern route.

Garze Temple is built on a hillside. Houses, colored deep red for monks, climb tier upon tier up the slope. There, hospitable monks invite passers-by to share tea with them and give conducted tours around their temple.

Riders on horseback wear splendid deep-red cloaks and carry Tibetan knives at their waists. They all look like characters out of western movies.

As the bus continues driving westwards the visitor cannot miss the next holy sight - Xinlu Sea. Hidden behind a hill, the dark-green sea appears suddenly. The water is encircled by forests of tall, straight dragon spruce, fir and cypress and, in the background, grassy marshlands stretch away into the distance. Many huge stones rest on the banks of the lake and snow-capped mountains can be seen mirrored in its crystal-clear water.

Sacred Sites

Saying farewell to this quiet lake, the journey to Tibet continues and the next stop is Dege, the last county on the Sichuan-Tibet northern route.

The town, a major source of Tibetan culture, has more than 217,000 engraved blocks from various sects of Tibetan Buddhism preserved in the Dege Scripture Printing House along with ancient books on Tibetan culture, covering science and technology.

The Dege Scripture Printing House is recognized as a vital library in Tibet - 70 percent of Tibetan culture is stored there. It is no wonder that it enjoys a high reputation in Tibetan eyes as a cultural repository.

The Tagong Temple is another attraction worthy of a visit on our Tibetan journey along the Sichuan-Tibet highway. Tagong means Buddha's favourite place in Tibetan. It is 113 kilometres from Kangding city in Sichuan Province. Tagong Temple has existed for more than a thousand years. The architecture of this temple is unique. Four towers, coloured white, yellow, red and green, were set up separately all around.

It is said that the Temple's image of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, is 1,300 years old. Therefore, many people come to the Temple to pay their respect to Sakyamuni.

Stepping outside the view that attracts the eye is of the Tagong Grassland and more distant snow-capped mountains. In the skies birds circle above the high plateau looking down on a highway that takes visitors on an unforgettable journey.

(Shanghai Star November 15, 2002)