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Siguniang Mountain and Shuangqiao Valley
Written by Laopi.
Photographs by Laopi.
A retired old man on a road trip: the first stop for autumn in Sichuan was Siguniang Mountain. From Dujiangyan the mountain road wound beside a rushing river, clear waves tumbling. As altitude rose, snow peaks suddenly towered into the clouds, majestic and visually overwhelming. Overnight in Siguniangshan Town.
The next day, Shuangqiao Valley: quiet ravines, colourful autumn woods, high snow peaks and clear dammed lakes. We walked wooden boardwalks and open country. Despite a little altitude sickness, our spirits remained high.
To the tune of Shuidiao Getou: Siguniang Mountain
Deep gorges and still valleys; quiet woods red, yellow, green.
The mountains of Shu rise sharply; Yaomei shows her graceful form.
Potala Peak looms high, Sigulacuo is clear,
Splendour fills a painted screen.
Silver falls seek reflections, mist curls round the slopes.
Nianyuba, Longzhucuo, Canguoping.
Meadows cover ridges; boardwalk steps wind through nine turns.
Glaciers, snowy wilds, cool streams; blue sky, soft clouds, light wind.
Prayers rise from mani stones.
White stupas settle into meditation; snow mountains stand in thought.
Zhonglu Tibetan Village
After Shuangqiao Valley, we drove on and stayed in Danba’s county town. Next morning we visited Zhonglu Tibetan Village. The mountain road twisted endlessly, another experience of almost setting the steering wheel smoking. From the White Stupa viewpoint, an abrupt open terrace above the gorge lay below us, filled with Tibetan houses and towers, cooking smoke curling up: human life in full warmth.
Zhonglu Tibetan Village
Eighteen bends on mountain roads, stepped stones laid high.
Towers stand on the terrace, clear water murmurs through the pass.
Fine grain trembles in green plots, wildflowers dance by low fences.
Wind touches the bright dawn clouds; cooking smoke rises from Tibetan homes.
Via Xinduqiao to Yajiang
Leaving the village, we passed Xinduqiao’s Ten-Mile Gallery and stayed in Yajiang. Autumn colours, water and mountains, quiet woods turning red: beauty all the way. We also saw Yala Snow Mountain shining in sunlight, an astonishing sight.
Yala Snow Mountain.
National highways 318 and 227
From Yajiang, following national highway 318, I finally understood ‘Drive 318 once in your lifetime’. Through the Eighteen Bends of the Heavenly Road and Xiongzongka, snow mountains accompanied us, with colourful woods and alpine grassland like a painting. We turned onto national highway 227 through Tu’er Mountain and Haizi Mountain. As altitude increased, the engine rumbled deeply. Beautiful though it was, altitude sickness left no time to stop for photographs. Beyond Shihe Park were rushing streams, yellow firs, golden temples and scattered Tibetan villages. Overnight at a guesthouse in Shangri-La Town.
To the tune of Jiangchengzi: travelling national highways 318–227
Step by step through the Heavenly Road’s eighteen bends.
Across passes, over grasslands.
Ridges stretch away; wind strokes sleeping snowy peaks.
Blue skies and drifting clouds keep company.
They teach distance, a gaze across ten thousand li.
Mani stones pile into mountain walls.
Rabbit ears point, lakes shine blue.
Autumn woods blaze, clear streams ripple and flow.
Mountains and rivers unfold like a painted scroll.
The journey is long, yet onward we go.
Daocheng Yading
Our western Sichuan autumn journey ended in Daocheng Yading. We queued before seven in the morning, took a bus for fifty minutes to Zhaguanbeng, walked to Chonggu Temple, then transferred to a scenic-area vehicle directly to Luorong Pasture, close to the snowy peaks of Jampelyang and Chanadorje. Down to Shengshuimen for reflections of snow mountains, then to Chonggu Temple and Pearl Lake: golden larches, solemn Tibetan temples and the grandeur of Chenresig. Above 4000 metres: the body in hell, the eyes in heaven.
To the tune of Ding Feng Bo: Daocheng Yading
Boardwalk steps wind through nine turns.
Quiet woodland shade, half yellow, half green.
Chonggu’s meadows and circling stream path: a hidden realm.
Ancient temple chants tug at the heart’s banner.
Seeking reflections at Shengshuimen, the mountain wakes.
Rolling ridges hold white snow.
Holy mountains inspire meditation and reverence.
Looking up to immortal peaks, lost in thought.
Closing thoughts
Closing words: the western Sichuan autumn journey ended beautifully. Several days of travel brought us fully into autumn: colourful hills, clear streams, old Tibetan villages and national-highway scenery. Close encounters with snow mountains shook the soul. Although altitude sickness appeared now and then, the beauty was deeply satisfying. Magnificent western Sichuan: we will return.
(Author: 户外老丕)
