Changdu Zizhu Temple | The City in the Sky after Snow

This City in the Sky is definitely one of the temples not to be missed on the northern route of Sichuan-Tibet. Zizhu Temple has a history of three thousand years. In the Bon religion, there is a belief in four sacred mountains, and Zizhu Mountain in Changdu is one of them. When we arrived at the foot of Zizhu Temple, I told my crazy friend that it might be difficult to get up to Zizhu Temple today. Our car didn't have enough power, and the gravel road to Zizhu Temple seemed quite treacherous. Sure enough, as I was shouting 'Come on!' I watched helplessly as our car slid, couldn't move, lost power, and got stuck in a ditch. We were only a few turns away from the top of the mountain, but we just couldn't make it. In winter, not many people pass through Zizhu Temple, so we had to rescue ourselves by jacking up the car with a jack. The wheels were stuck by stones, so we deliberately wedged more stones around the wheels to create a makeshift road. We started the car, reversed, and after a while, we successfully escaped the trap. Stubbornly, we tried several more times to take that bend but still couldn't make it. After all, the tires had been stationary for too long and had iced over. We had to carefully turn around and prepare to go down the mountain. It was already snowing again on the distant mountains, so we let the drone go to take a look at Zizhu Temple for us. However, the eagles in the sky made me fly cautiously, always feeling that I hadn't found the angle I wanted the most, but I was already very satisfied. The last time I came to Zizhu Temple was five years ago. Time really disappears in the blink of an eye. Although we didn't make it to the top, I have no regrets. It's enough to have been here. Zizhu Mountain is 4,800 meters above sea level, and there is only a 12-kilometer road from the foot of the mountain to the top, all of which are unpaved gravel roads. In winter, the high mountain roads are slippery, making it really difficult to reach. It is precisely because it is located in steep mountains that Zizhu Temple has preserved many aspects of the Bon culture. It is one of the largest temples in the Kang region with the most complete preservation of Bon rituals. The most special event at Zizhu Temple is the once-every-twelve-years Rooster Year Grand Ritual Dance. The 'Bliss and Hell' ritual dance is a very grand festival at Zizhu Temple. The next one is in 2029, and if I have the chance, I would really like to see it with my own eyes.