Shangri-La, the snowy plateau, the roof of the world, is a mysterious land hidden behind the Himalayas and the Hengduan Mountains for centuries. With the development of the domestic and international economy, improved transportation, and the popularization of travel in recent years, people are increasingly talking about Tibet, and traveling to Tibet has become a fashionable trend.
Tibet is a beautiful place. From canyons to cliffs, from forests to grasslands, from snow-capped peaks to glacial lakes, from the clear blue sky to the thick fog that obscures the sun, it offers breathtaking vastness and timeless silence. Its desolate yet tender, harsh yet vibrant beauty can transport you to a state of spiritual reverie, leaving you entranced and forgetting your way home.
Tibet is a sacred place. The magnificent temples scattered throughout the mountains and lakes cast a halo of holiness over the snowy plateau, shrouding the Tibetan land in mystery. In this rich religious atmosphere, within the temple halls illuminated by butter lamps, the unfathomable Buddha, the serene compassion of Avalokiteshvara, and the terrifying ferocity of the guardian deities, all shine with extraordinary divine power amidst the flickering incense. Devout men and women throng the temples, offering their prayers with utmost devotion and respect. On this land, one can see everywhere the people's profound sincerity towards Buddha.
Tibet is a peaceful place. Illuminated by the Buddha's light that penetrates the soul, the Tibetans, beneath their accepting and optimistic expressions, also embody the emptiness, void, and nothingness derived from Buddhism. It is a vast and unrestrained "nothingness"—no self, no other, no intention, no action, no concern, no intention, no desire, no activity, no action, no way, nothing is right or wrong.
Tibet is also a secular place. Barkhor Street, right next to the monasteries, exudes a serene worldly joy, seemingly unchanged every day without interruption. People circumambulate the prayer wheels, wander about, and trade. The heavy sound of pilgrims prostrating themselves on the ground, weathered by the elements, is deeply moving, yet it doesn't stop pairs of brightly dressed travelers from laughing and joking as they pass by. Although the magnificent Potala Palace is so splendid and opulent, the earthen walls and beds of Makye Ame are equally memorable.
All of this has destined Tibet to become a paradise for travelers. The purpose of this book is to explain how travelers can more easily immerse themselves in this experience, set foot on lands they have never been before, witness lives they have never imagined, meet people whose lives are completely different from their own, and thus touch that mysterious culture and experience the realm of Buddhism and Zen.
For a self-guided travel enthusiast, this book provides ample information to help you design your own routes and manage everything during your trip—a journey that is free, proactive, profound, and filled with both challenges and poetry. It allows you to fully utilize the conveniences of modern civilization while remaining unburdened by commercialism. True self-guided travel also means deeply immersing yourself in the local life, experiencing authentic local culture and society. It allows you to experience multiple lives in one lifetime, enjoying different experiences within a limited timeframe.
