Songs Wafted From the Tea-Horse Trade Route (II)

When we got to the Naxi ethnic town in Yanjin, it was already dark. We were taken to the Qoizeka Hot Spring, with an elevation of some 2,000 meters. The Hot Spring Swimming Poll, fed with water from 108 springs, is as large s half a football field. As it is close to the Lancangjiang River, our ears were filled with the roaring sound of the river.

We met at an academic meeting in a pavilion by the river after dinner. It was agreed that the Henduan Mountains constitute one of the three major areas where the world's plants are concentrated. As this part of the world is located in an area featuring dry weather, cold and dry river valleys and stony mountain slopes, the eco-environment is fragile. Once ruined, it can hardly be restored. Doing research and developing tourism resources calls for a sound plan centered on protection of the environment.
We visited a salt field the next day. Women of the Naxi ethnic group fetched salt water from a stone cave and left it exposed to sunlight. The salt water well lay at the same level as the Lancangjiang River. When the tide came in, river water filled the well.

There are some 3,000 people in Yanjin Township, mostly Tibetan, with only about 1,000 being of Naxi origin. However, all the salt fields were owned and operated by Naxi people. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the heads of the local Naxi tribe fought successfully for the salt fields and their soldiers settled down. Gradually, they absorbed Tibetan customs and habits, and an overwhelming majority of them converted to Tibetan Buddhism. Of the 2,000 people who are Tibetan, however, some 500 are catholic.

Catholicism appeared in Yanjin in the mid-19th century and took root. A modern church was built beside the old one.

Father Lorenti, 33, is native Naxi. He treated us to an explanation of the history of Yanjin and mellow wine brewed with technology allegedly brought there by a French priest long ago. Local Yanjin people now treat their guests to home-brew wine, instead of qingke barley wine.

Local People dig and sell Chinese caterpillar fungus. They also deal in apricots.

What is amazing is that the locals sell Gyiagyia noodles. Contained in an incredibly large bow1, such noodles are few in terms of quantity so that one needs to eat more than 20 bowls at one time.

Dongba Township

Dongba Township, located by the Nujiang River and some 20 km from National Highway 3l8, is in Zugong County A small road has been built to link it with the outside world.

It took our car an hour to traverse the national highway down the mountain ranges until we reached the township that exercises jurisdiction over a dozen villages. Generally, however Dongba
refers to a combination of three villages-Purka, Gewa and Chuyong. They speak a language known only to members of the three villages, continue to believe in the ancient Bon religion, and find spouses among themselves.

The office of the township government sits on a slope land halfway up a mountain. The villagers had already found donkeys for us to ride, each adorned with eye masks embroidered with varied patterns.
We were arranged to stay with these folks. Their houses resemble pillboxes, with small top and large bottom. Generally, the bottom measures six meters high and the second floor over five metes and third floor five meters.

Such buildings are built to have good ventilation, keep out thieves and escape the summer heat.
I stayed with the former head of the township government. The second floor is the sitting room complete with all needed furniture, TV set and cushions.

On the wall is a traditional painting of four brothers representing auspicious-ness and a painting of six men representing longevity.

We went out of the pillboxes into the village along a village street wide enough only for a horse-drawn cat to pass. A stream fed by mountain water skirts the pillboxes, where women do their laundry and men water their horses. In the center of the village is a small monastery of the Bon religion, built during the 1 5th century that enshrines statues of founding masters. Five lamas still tend it.
Below the village is the Nujiang River screened by sheer cliffs.

We had our dinner in the courtyard of the village primary school where the township government was located. It was a buffet composed of gromar fruit, sour milk, animal intestines filled with animal blood, dried meat and other food in Sichuan style, accompanied by wine from the Zugong County Eastern Tibet Winery Afterwards, we were entertained with graceful performances by charming Kamba girls.

When I returned to where I was supposed to stay it was very late. The rooms were brightly lit with electric bulbs.

"I have a small power generator I purchased at a cost of 2,000 Yuan," the former township government chief said.

"Mine uses water power Others adopt solar energy generators.

"In order to protect mountain forest from being excessively felled, the town-ship government encourages local People to use fermented gas for cooking and heating."

The tea-horse trade route extends up the river. In the past, the village had up to six large caravans engaged in the business. They boasted some l00 horses and mules, and shuttled from the
Tibetan areas in Sichuan, Yunnan and Qamdo. About seven km from the village is a giant rock carved with three Chinese characters--Flying Phoenix Hill-written by Cheng Fenxiang, who worked for Border Commissioner Zhao Erfang in the Qing Dynasty.

Legend has it that the Predecessors of the Dongba were members of the Tubo Kingdom royal farni1y When they lost favor with the Tibetan king, they moved out of the capital to stay far from
possible persecution, and settled down here 1iving as hermits.

Zezhub Monastery

We reached Qamdo on June 8 for an academic meeting. We discussed the history of the tea--horse trade route, cultural relics, pre--historic history geological structure of the area, diversified
forms of plants, and the ro1e of the tea-horse trade route can play to tourism and economic development in the Tibetan-inhabited areas in Tibet, Sichuan and Yunnan. After the meeting, we formed several groups and moved in two groups along the Northern and Southern Routes to Lhasa.
I went on the Northern Route, and, all along the way, we were entertained
with wonders, including Tang Dynasty (6l8--907) cypress trees in deep mountains, Mani stone mounds, performances by 70-year-old peasants, and King Gesar dances by l0 monks to the accompaniment of drum beating.

As we watched with great interest Chammo Dance in the Chagyimar Hall, telling of the battles Xing Gesar had fought, it began to rain. County government leaders urged us to leave for the Zezhub Monastery. Zezhub is a monastery of the Bon religion, which we visited during the trip. The monastery located some 40 km east of the seat of Denqen County is the oldest of its kind of the Bon religion.
The mountain road was dangerous indeed. Lamas with the monastery were burning aromatic plants for auspicious smoke. Facing the south, the Zezhub Monastery, with the name meaning "six
peaks", does indeed have six peaks flanking the Main Hall. Dwelling caves are spread in an orderly way.

According to histories of the Bon religion, 2nd Tubo King Motri Tsampo in 1075 Presided over construction of 37 sites for followers to meditate, and the Zezhub Monastery is one of them. In l382, the monastery underwent major reconstruction and has become the oldest monastery of the Bon religion.
Lamas showed us treasures of the monastery without any reservation. They include an alloy statue of the founder of the Bon religion and a spirit.

A sorcerer's dance was held in the spacious grounds, with auspicious smoke wafting from the giant white incense burner Two lamas stood by the gate leading into the performance ground.

Lamas wearing strange masks all had Bon religious c1ubs and bells in their hands. They jumped into the ground from the gate, performing dances to subdue demons. Amid the deafening beating of drums and gongs, one tiger and one lion jumped onto the ground to perform, as religious horns were blown and pilgrims kowtowed devoutly...

A woman working in a salt field in Yanjin County.

Kamba man who came to purchase salt produced here.

Four old people in their 70s performing Raba dance in DEnqen County.

Chagyima Hall of Roweqe Monastery tucked away in emerald mountains.