The ruins of the capital of the Guge Dynasty

The entire site was built on a small earthen hill, with hundreds of rooms stacked up against the hill and connected layer by layer until the top of the hill, forming a unique palace. Although the once glorious palace is now in ruins, the scale and layout of the site still show the glory of the Guge Dynasty.

Only the magnificent ruins are left of the huge kingdom, which is silent but shocking.

Guge Kingdom may not look high at first glance, but it is not easy to climb to the top. You should know how difficult it is to climb in such a high altitude area. Although we did not have the energy to explore every cave entrance, we were satisfied when we stood on the top of the earthen hill and overlooked the entire Xiangquan River Valley.

These caves were full of people from the kingdom 700 years ago. It was so long ago. There was no music or any entertainment. There was only the struggle to survive in the endless yellow sand and the worship of faith. Well, it was a pure good thing, but also a hard thing.

As the altitude increases, the space and murals of the caves gradually become richer and more prosperous. It can be seen that the places where the princes and nobles lived became better and better as the altitude increased.

Walking up the raised dirt road repaired by the scenic area management office is still staggering. You can imagine how servile and physically demanding it was to meet the king in those days.



These are similar to the watchtowers on the Great Wall, with a very wide view, but I don't want to go up because there are a lot of poop on them.

Maybe it was because it was the off-season, there was not a single tourist staff member there. The door of the king’s palace was locked, so we couldn’t go in to visit. We could only open Baidu on our phones and use the 2G signal to search for the scenes inside. As expected, this king could not have done a fine decoration in this barren land. There was only a very simple desk and a bed inside, not even as good as the bedroom of a county yamen clerk in the Ming Dynasty of the same era. But this is the pure power of faith.

The end of the asphalt road turns into a gravel road, and you arrive at the entrance of the scenic area. Park your car in the parking lot next to it and change to the scenic area shuttle electric car; the ticket price is ￥85/person.

The road to the ruins was rugged, and the battery car climbed up with great effort. After getting off the car and looking back, the majestic earth forest landform stretched out. Thousands of years of wind and sand have created a unique landform with thousands of gullies and ravines. The sand and gravel brought down by the strong wind piled up in groups on the open plain. The flat desert suddenly sank into ditches. The few houses and temples still stood beside the dried-up riverbed, showing the illusion of past prosperity. The view from the top of the mountain is excellent, and you can have a bird's eye view of the surrounding area for dozens of kilometers.

A high staircase winds upwards. There are countless caves in the castle, most of which were the residences of the guardians in the past. It is very challenging to climb to the top of the castle. We climbed along the stairs (which were not there originally, but were built for tourists later) and the secret passages, using our hands and feet, stopping and climbing. After many rests, Brother Dazi finally reached the top first. The top of the castle is the residence of the king and high officials.

Only after accidentally getting close to it did I feel its breathtaking grandeur and even its heart-breaking beauty.

The entire site is built on a dirt hill, like a towering island, surrounded by mountains on three sides, especially the mountains on the left hand side, which are like a screen. It is as beautiful as a picture under the blue sky and white clouds, facing the vast and fertile grassland, and there seem to be rivers flowing on both sides. Such a Feng Shui treasure land is so magnificent and beautiful as far as the eye can see!

The cave houses of the Guge ruins are built on the mountain. The mountain is the city and the city is the mountain. Although it has been severely eroded and damaged by wind and rain, its huge and regular past glory and the ubiquitous Zhangzhung culture can still be vaguely seen. The Guge ruins reflect the power and status of the residents from bottom to top. Through the long secret passages dug out from the mountain, the ruler at the highest point, under the protection of guards and subjects, surrounded by Tibetan incense and Buddhist music, overlooks his far-reaching territory. The mountains he sees are all his subjects' land.

In such a harsh and remote place like Zhada, there is such a place that carries such glory. After hundreds of years of wind and rain erosion, we are still lucky enough to touch them and feel their remaining spirit. Unfortunately, such beautiful cultural relics may one day disappear in the years and weather into a handful of quicksand.

Tips: 1. The road from the 219 National Highway Station to Zhada County Road is OK, but it is located on a plateau at an altitude of 4,000 to 5,000 meters, and there are many narrow bends and hairpins. Even when approaching Zhada County, many hairpins are hidden in the earth forest, which is very dangerous.

Before dawn, we got up early and set off to the Guge Kingdom to watch the sunrise. It was drizzling when we set out in the morning. It is said that when the morning glow rises or night falls, the Guge ruins will emit golden light against the backdrop of the earth forest, transmitting a kind of incomplete beauty and tragic beauty. When we went there, it was cloudy and drizzling. The weather was not good, which was a bit regrettable. The mysterious lost civilization, isolated from the world, was full of vicissitudes. The long journey and bumpy road were definitely worth it.

It was off-season when we came, so there were not many tourists. It seemed very quiet here, almost deserted, with a very wide view, as if this was the only ruins left in the world. At first, we went in the wrong direction and went up from the back of the Guge Kingdom, which felt difficult to get up. Later, we found that there was a road on the other side, which was the front side, and there was a small path leading to the top of the dynasty. Walking along the gravel road in front, the weathered ancient castle looked lonely and desolate. Who would have thought that this was once the glorious Guge Kingdom. Although we did not see the most glorious face of the dynasty, we felt the real existence of the dynasty as we climbed to the top step by step.

The ruins of the Guge Dynasty show almost no signs of restoration from the outside to the inside, which truly presents its vicissitudes and antiquity. Standing in the ruins, I feel very small. I really don't know why this dynasty suddenly fell 300 years ago. Such a big city was no longer prosperous overnight. The former glory has faded, and now only broken walls and ruins are left. The broken walls and ruins of the ancient castle are integrated with the earth forest under the feet, making it difficult to distinguish which is the castle and which is the earth forest. Although the weather is not good, you can still deeply feel the former dominance of the Guge Dynasty and the desolation of today. It is worth the trip.

The ruins of the Guge Kingdom are located on the south bank of the Xiangquan River, northwest of Tolin Town, Zabrang District, Ngari Zada County, 19 kilometers away from the county seat. In the middle of the 9th century, the Tubo Dynasty collapsed, and some royal descendants fled to Ngari and established three small kingdoms. Among them, Dezugun established the Guge Kingdom around the 10th century, which has been passed down for more than 700 years in this secluded place, with 16 generations of hereditary kings, and a history of 1,300 years.

The entire castle of the Guge Dynasty was built on a loess slope more than 300 meters high. The terrain is steep, and the caves, pagodas, towers, temples, and palaces are arranged in an orderly manner, from bottom to top, stacked on the mountain, and reaching the sky, with a magnificent momentum. Most of these caves are living rooms, densely packed all over the hillside. The Guge Palace is high above, on the one hand for defense, and on the other hand it also symbolizes the supreme power of the king. However, an ancient country with a glorious history of 700 years and a population of more than 100,000 people was instantly destroyed in the war of Ladakh invasion in 1635. Why did it disappear so suddenly? Why did the 100,000 people disappear without a trace? It has left an eternal mystery for future generations.

Zhada is not just a natural wonder like the earth forest, it also gave birth to two brilliant human civilizations. One is the ancient Zhangzhung civilization, a tribal alliance in the 4th century BC. It is not only the birthplace of the Tibetan Bon religion, but also the source of all Tibetan Buddhist teachings. The other is the Guge Dynasty, which was established in Zhada in the 9th century AD after the collapse of the Tubo Kingdom and then mysteriously evaporated. Therefore, the ruins of the Guge Dynasty are a must-see when in Zhada. The entrance fee here is 60, which is not expensive. I heard that it was 100 last year but later it was free. Anyway, I'm here anyway.

In fact, for most mainland tourists, it may be disappointing to visit this attraction, because it is just a pile of crumbling ruins, and it is hard to imagine the grand occasion of the heyday of thousands of Buddhas. Moreover, there is a lack of any explanations and written propaganda. Therefore, for those of us who are not proficient in Tibetan culture, most of us who come here just touch the earthen walls, climb up to the distance, take a few photos, and finally leave. But in fact, the Guge Dynasty plays a pivotal role in the development of Tibetan Buddhism. It can be said that if there was no Guge Dynasty, there might not be so many monks and believers in Tibet.

By the way, there is a corpse cave here, which was only discovered in modern times. All the corpses are headless, and it has always been a mystery. I heard that the smell there is a bit disgusting, so I didn’t go there.

The Guge Kingdom has started using eco-friendly buses since this year, which start from the ticket office to the ruins, and the last bus is at 8 o'clock. Therefore, those who want to watch the sunset or sunrise can only walk 5 kilometers into the ruins.

In 1985, after the expedition team organized by the Tibet Autonomous Region Cultural Management Committee carried out a series of archaeological work with great results, this kingdom that had disappeared for 350 years suddenly appeared in people's vision and attracted more and more travelers. The current site is more than 300 meters high from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain. There are buildings and caves with the same color as the earth everywhere. Except for a few temples, all the houses have collapsed, leaving only a series of earth walls. There are city walls built around the site, and watchtowers are set up at the four corners. The entire site is built on a small earthen hill. The buildings are divided into upper, middle and lower floors, which are the royal palace, temples and houses respectively. There are many exquisite sculptures and murals in the Red Temple, White Temple and Samsara Temple.

There are not too many tourists in this scenic area, but there are only a few trash cans inside the area. I didn't see any paper scraps or beverage bottles the entire time. Everyone cherishes this historical site.

You need to take a battery car from the ticket office to get to the entrance of the scenic spot.

The entire royal building is on the top of the mountain, surrounded by steep cliffs, which are too dangerous to climb. There is only a 50-meter-long winding and dark mountain climbing tunnel connecting the middle of the mountain with the royal area on the top of the mountain. Standing on the top of the mountain, you can have a panoramic view of the whole city, the ravines on the east and west sides, the open areas in the north, and the Xiangquan River Valley.

Standing at the highest point of the Guge Kingdom, I can feel the existence of that world. Even in the secular street scenes, there are relics of heaven everywhere. I am more like a codebreaker, deciphering the secret language of that world through scattered symbols.

The predecessor of the Guge Kingdom can be traced back to the ancient Zhangzhung Kingdom. The establishment of the dynasty began in the 9th century and ended in the 17th century. There were 16 hereditary kings. At its peak, its rule covered the entire Ngari area. It was not only the continuation of the Tubo lineage, but also revived the increasingly declining Tibetan Buddhism in the remote Ngari area, and thus developed and grew until its heyday. Therefore, the Guge Kingdom is of great significance in the history of Tibet. The most curious thing about the Guge Kingdom is that the kingdom with such a developed and splendid culture suddenly disappeared mysteriously 300 years ago, leaving behind a huge castle with no one and splendid Buddhist art.

I wonder if there will be a chance to visit the ruins of the Guge Dynasty again in the future?

Deep in the Zada Earth Forest, on the south bank of the Xiangquan River, was the center of the Guge Kingdom established by the descendants of the Tubo royal family. They developed and utilized the fertile land of the Xiangquan River, Shiquan River, and Peacock River Valley, built canals to irrigate farmland, and traded with neighboring countries with the salt from the Tibetan Salt Lake in northern Tibet and the gold deposits on the mountain. In its heyday, Guge had a population of 100,000, but in the mid-17th century, it was destroyed by Ladakh invaders and only ruins remain. You can go up to the ruins of the Guge Dynasty to visit the inner hall and the top, but when we arrived, it was the hottest time of the day at noon, and time was tight, so we were daunted. We opened the book, learned about the history of Guge and the murals inside, and then left with satisfaction.

The entire site was built on a small hill, with hundreds of rooms stacked up against the hill, connected layer by layer, all the way to the top of the hill, forming this unique palace. From bottom to top, civilians, soldiers, monks, nobles and royal family lived in it, which is the most realistic portrayal of the class system in human society. It's a pity that the former glory has long been in ruins, with only broken walls and ruins left.

Guge Dynasty

So many legends and memories are drowned in time



Guge once dominated Tibet and was a dynasty full of mystery.

In recent years, the origins of China's science fiction, fantasy, tomb-raiding, and adventure novels all come from Guge, which also brought the Guge Dynasty into the public eye.



Among the ruins today, there are 6 well-preserved temples, with clay Buddha statues and colorful murals remaining in the temples. Although they have been dormant for centuries, they are still brilliant.



The Guge Kingdom in a nutshell

It was established around the 10th century AD by Gide Nyima Gun, the great-grandson of the last king of the Tubo Dynasty, Langdarma, who fled to Ali with his followers after the collapse of the dynasty. From the middle of the 10th century to the early 17th century, the Guge Kingdom dominated the western part of Tibet, promoted Buddhism, resisted foreign aggression, and played an important role in the historical stage after the Tubo Dynasty in Tibet. The disappearance of the Guge Dynasty, which once had a splendid civilization history of 700 years, remains a mystery. It is said that in 1630, the Ladakh people, a western neighbor of the same clan as the Guge, launched an invasion war, and the Guge Kingdom perished. Legend has it that 100,000 people disappeared overnight. It was not until it was discovered by the British in 1912 that the world did not know of its existence for 300 years. No permanent residents nearby destroyed its ruins and buildings, and foreign forces did not plunder its exquisite murals and precious cultural relics, making the mysterious Guge Dynasty even more magical. As for how the Guge Dynasty suddenly disappeared overnight, there is no authoritative scientific research and academic conclusion at home and abroad.

The Guge Kingdom towers into the sky, and for an altitude of more than 4,000 meters, it is a high mountain. After piling small stones on the roadside for blessings, we started to walk up.

The Guge Dynasty shows the hierarchy of the time from top to bottom. The holes in the first floor are small and dark. As you climb the stairs, you will find that the doors are bigger and there are windows. The space of the house is bigger. It seems that the lighting is good? You can take a breath along the way. From the height, you can see the traces of the river. Now there is only a dry riverbed. I think there must have been lush grass and fat sheep here. On the top floor, you can see a wooden house painted red, which is particularly eye-catching.

We rested for a while on the top of the mountain. We chatted at first, but the wind slowly faded our voices. We looked out into the distance. What was on the other side of the mountain? We wondered if the kings of the past had ever thought about this question. And how did the dynasty disappear overnight? This will always remain a mystery, and the answer may be waiting for people in a more advanced era.

Now that you are in Zada Earth Forest, how can you not go to the Guge Kingdom?

Although the entire site is not large, it is still very artistic to stand at the highest point and look out at the vast earth forest and river valley.

There are also prayer flags fluttering in the wind.

If you have good camera skills, you can also take great movies.

There were more than 100,000 people here, but 300 years ago, it disappeared overnight in history. The most mysterious thing is that after the disappearance of such a splendid kingdom, humans seemed to have forgotten its existence for several centuries. No human activities destroyed its buildings, and its murals and artistic style were preserved. Even the scene of the destruction was preserved. How did all this happen? It is still a fascinating mystery.

The ruins of the Guge Kingdom, Dzhapurang, towering above the earth forest, stand alone, as if formed by nature, suspended 300 meters in the air overlooking the river valley oasis. The murals at the Dzhapurang ruins are large in area, with a strong Indian flavor, and can be called masterpieces, but unfortunately most of them are not allowed to be photographed.

In the earth forest of more than 900 square kilometers, the thousand-year-old Guge ruins still stand tall in the wind and sand. Although it is just broken walls and a solitary temple on the cliff, it still tells the story of the Guge civilization in the wind.

Ruins have always been a place where great films are produced. The sunrise is very beautiful. Watching the light illuminate one place after another, it will be completely bright in just one or two minutes.

The dynasty that disappeared overnight 300 years ago

The altitude is a bit high, and the climb is a bit tiring.

But when you get to the top, you feel it's all worth it.

The murals are open at certain times, so plan your time accordingly.

Be sure to hold a small handheld oxygen cylinder so that you can climb quickly and easily and ensure that you reach the top

The thousand-year-old city has experienced countless changes. Feel the atmosphere of a thousand years ago

The ruins of the Guge Dynasty are located in the deepest part of Zhada County, on a dirt hill. Now there are only many earthen houses in the ruins.

The third visit to the Guge Kingdom



Choose to visit the Frozen Throne in midwinter

Under the reflection of the earth forest, it reveals a sense of incompleteness and tragic beauty!

From afar, the ruins of the Guge Dynasty stand majestically on the steep mountain wall.

On the way to the Guge ruins, you can see many caves on the hillside.

One family lives in one cave. It can be imagined that Guge was a prosperous city hundreds of years ago.

We didn't get up the mountain until almost six o'clock. The tour bus of Guge Kingdom ended at eight o'clock. The tickets were sold by the locals at a stall. The tour bus was an electric one.

This year, a battery car shuttle service has been added, which costs 25 yuan per person. You need to transfer at the entrance of the scenic area, so if you want to take pictures of the sunrise, you must reserve enough time.

Go to the ruins of the Guge Kingdom to watch the sunset. Conclusion: This place is more suitable for watching the sunrise. The huge castle is steep. The wind is strong, so I didn't reach the top. Overlooking the ruins of the dynasty. Imagine what kind of life the subjects of the kingdom lived in the caves in the past? How about compared to cattle and horses? Visiting this place, I felt depressed.

The first sight of the Guge ruins was not shocking, but as the orange-yellow morning sun shone on the ruins, the prosperous and magnificent scene of this place thousands of years ago suddenly emerged in my mind. In this world of dust and dirt, such a brilliant culture will make you cry.

Blue sky, white clouds, yellow earth, climbing to high altitude, painful and happy.

The pigeons that appear from time to time are like butlers sent back by their distant masters, watching every uninvited guest from afar and guarding the slowly aging palace for their masters.

The ruins of the Guge Kingdom are great, with a fascinating historical background, mysterious archaeological discoveries, and slowly weathering castles.

The Guge Kingdom is great for taking portraits. Friends who are as vain as me should not miss it.

The Guge Dynasty is about 300 meters from the foot of the mountain to the top. The top of the mountain is where the king lives, the hillside is where dignitaries stay, and many caves at the foot of the mountain are where slaves live.

There was a mummy cave in the ancient dynasty. I forgot about it at that time, but only remembered it before leaving. I felt a little regretful.

The tour guide said that the murals in the ruins of the Guge Dynasty are also amazing, but I personally can’t understand them and I’m not allowed to take pictures.

In the Guge Dynasty, one could already see endless earth forests.

As you walk up the stairs step by step, you can feel the atmosphere becoming more and more majestic. Of course, it is recommended that friends who go this road walk slowly, because the altitude gradually increases. It is necessary to slow down your pace appropriately and adjust your breathing so that you do not feel uncomfortable. We all walked too fast and were out of breath after walking a short distance.

Looking at the towering broken walls, feeling the vicissitudes of history, how much history has been lost in the long river of time, how insignificant is a person's life. I think climbing the Guge Kingdom is much more difficult than climbing the Potala Palace. The wind and sand are not enough, the road is also rugged, and the steps are steep and narrow. I really can't understand how people in ancient times lived here. It's so inconvenient to go up and down, and it's still a palace! No wonder it disappeared.

Desolate beauty, unusual feeling. Not far from Zhada.

The ruins are actually a small hill. It looks small and boring from the bottom of the hill, but the higher you go, the more magnificent and spectacular it seems. Friends who are afraid of heights should be careful when walking on the top of the mountain. There are guardrails where there are guardrails in the ruins themselves, and you can jump directly down where there are no guardrails, and you are guaranteed to fall hard.

The ancient city ruins of Zhangzhung culture, the murals in the temple are very beautiful

It looks small, but there is a different world inside. It takes nearly 2 hours to climb up. It is amazing to see the engineering at that time. It is quite beautiful. In that era, there were no modern tools, and it is amazing to build a palace of such a scale.

It was really hard to climb up to the 200-meter-high royal city in the high altitude and hot weather. Some religious murals are preserved in the royal city. After thousands of years, the colors of these murals are still very bright. It's a pity that they were destroyed by invaders during the Republic of China period, and only some of them are preserved.

The Guge Kingdom has three levels: the bottom level is for civilians, the middle level is for temples, and the top level is for nobles and the royal palace. The white building on the top of the mountain is said to be the king's summer retreat.

The Guge Kingdom is very well hidden! It has merged with the mountains in the distance! If there were no red and white temples to point the way! It would be difficult to see where the kingdom is.

We spent the whole morning here, observing from afar, looking up close, climbing the mountain, and experiencing the former glory of the Guge Dynasty in an all-round and three-dimensional way.

To visit the Guge ruins, you need to have enough physical strength and no altitude sickness.

After climbing to a certain height, you can see a lot of earth forests in the distance. This is a good place to take photos. The ruins of the Guge Dynasty are really spectacular. When visiting, I was thinking: I wonder how the dignitaries lived on such a high mountain top and went up and down.

The ticket price of 60 is reasonable. But the 25 yuan for the tourist area bus is a bit of a rip-off, the road is not long. But no one will walk by themselves in the dry and sunny weather.



Scenic spots cannot expand Xinjiang.



The palace is magnificent, and I wonder if it was once magnificent. Now all that is left is a pile of dirt and stories.

Walk along the right side of the county entrance for about half an hour, and you will reach the mysterious ruins of the Guge Kingdom. The scenic area is not large, and you can visit it in less than an hour. When you return to the car and look back, it is like an isolated existence, prosperous and vicissitudes of life. The kingdom that suddenly disappeared overnight has left a thousand-year-old mystery for future generations!

The building is divided into three levels: upper, middle and lower, which are respectively the palace, temple and residents. Except for the remaining Red Temple, White Temple and Samsara Temple, all the houses have been demolished, leaving only the earth walls. There are city walls built around the site, with watchtowers at the four corners.

The most complete and numerous ancient exquisite murals are preserved in the ruins. The Guge murals are magnificent, unique in style, and fully reflect the social life at that time.

1. You can ask the tour guide to introduce the Guge Dynasty. You are not allowed to take photos with your mobile phone when visiting the palaces upstairs and downstairs.

2. In addition, the pillars in the temple are not on the same horizontal line. The tour guide said that the ancients deliberately designed it this way to avoid earthquakes.

3. The murals in the temple were made by the ancients using natural pigments. Some of them have been destroyed and cannot be repaired. Even if they are painted, they will fall off.

4. No matter from which angle you look at the eyes of the Buddha statues in the temple, it really seems that the Buddha statues are staring at you closely, which is very interesting.

5. The skylights in the temple were basically added later to provide better lighting.

6. The altitude of the Guge Kingdom is about the same as that of Lhasa, and the terrain is not high. It is more than 3,000 meters.

The highest point is the palace ground to the top of the mountain, which is 300 meters high. At that time, there were tunnels extending in all directions inside and solid walls outside, like a copper wall and iron wall. Such a solid Guge suddenly disappeared during its heyday, and tens of thousands of Guge people disappeared.

Tickets are 60 yuan per person, and students can enjoy half the price. Surrounded by towering and desolate earth forests, there is a ruined castle site, which marks the passing of a prosperous dynasty. The high altitude makes it difficult to walk up to the ancient city. There are no handrails or guardrails on the steps, so be careful. Walk slowly up the stairs, feeling the wind and sand here. Here, there is a feeling that the wind is strong and the years are ruthless.

When I first saw it, I was deeply shocked by its beauty and vicissitudes. Seeing the ruins here, it is still hard to believe that such a big city, which has experienced 16 kings, would be gone overnight. When the sun shines on this dynasty, it can no longer shine with the former glory.

Approaching this city, one can't help but marvel at the wisdom of ancient people's life and architecture. Its geographical location is very advantageous, with mountains behind and rivers in front, with a wide view, easy to defend and difficult to attack. On the mountain where we felt tired and out of breath, it is hard to imagine how the ancients built such a city. The former glory has faded, and now only broken walls and ruins are left. For hundreds of years, the ancient city of Guge has stood here quietly, silently telling the tragic and desolate loss.

Guge Dynasty Ruins: Surrounded by earth forests, the ruins of the ancient castle are integrated with the earth forests at the foot, making it difficult to distinguish the castle from the earth forest. It is said that when the morning glow rises or the night falls, the Guge ruins will reflect a kind of incomplete beauty and tragic beauty against the backdrop of the earth forests.

Climb up the steps to the top of the ruins of the Guge Dynasty. There are many caves, pagodas, towers, and temples scattered in the ruins. The top floor is the palace. There are 5 temples and halls in good condition. There are clay Buddha statues in the temples. Many of them are ruined, but the colorful murals are still beautiful and new. They are precious materials for studying the history of Tibet and the history of Tibetan architecture since the 10th century AD. The drop from the foot of the mountain to the palace on the top of the mountain is as high as 300 meters, and the cliffs are very steep.

It is only 18 kilometers from Zhada County to Guge Kingdom, and it takes about half an hour to drive there. I don't know if it was after get off work hours, but I went in at around 5 o'clock, and there was no entrance fee at that time. This is a royal city built on the mountain. In the setting sun of the summer evening, it has lost its former glory. The ruins of Guge Kingdom are also surrounded by earth forests. The kingdom was originally built on the earth forest hillside. There are stairs to climb up, but I thought it was too high, so I didn't climb.

A very cost-effective attraction, also very unique, spectacular and shocking

When the ruins of Guge appeared before us, we were shocked and trembled in our hearts. It is not difficult for us to imagine how glorious it was here, with huge palaces and hundreds of thousands of residents. There should have been abundant water and grass, herds of cattle and sheep, fertile land, and good order here. However, how did the Guge civilization disappear completely in a period of time? Today, there are only a dozen families guarding an empty city ruins in the ancient site of Guge, but these people are not descendants of Guge. It seems that the secret of Guge will be difficult to solve in the short term.

Go straight along the path from the entrance at the foot of the mountain. You will first pass by the Red Temple, the White Temple, the Tara Temple and the Samsara Temple. The White Temple is the largest of these ancient temples. There is a Mandala Temple at the top of the mountain. If you want to visit this temple, you need to ask the staff to unlock the door. There are many exquisite murals preserved in these ancient temples. The gold paint of the murals is still shining and dazzling. The characters in the paintings are lifelike and vivid. In some small caves of these ancient temples, there are plate-sized clay Buddha statues "Tsa-tsa", which were made by lamas when they came here for practice. In addition to these clay Buddha statues, there are some other holy objects.

There are two tunnels on the mountainside that lead directly to the top of the mountain. The passage on the back side of the cliff is still piled with pebbles used to defend against the enemy during the war. Walking through the passage on the cliff and heading north, you will come to a courtyard with a raised ground and only four walls left. This is the meeting palace of the Guge King.

At the top of the mountain, there is a Dharma Protector Temple with unique murals. Most of the murals depict Tantric Buddhists practicing Buddhism together, with sharp style and strong colors. Below the murals are depicted various horrific punishments, vividly showing the suffering of hell. The borders depict a long row of dozens of naked dakinis, charming and elegant, with various postures.

At the top of the ruins, we can see a small door that is not very conspicuous. There is a small sign at the door that reads "Winter Palace". There are steps leading into the mountain, but the steps can only accommodate one person. After going down for dozens of meters, the view suddenly becomes clear. There are more than a dozen houses, most of which are only about 2 meters high. They were the Qing Palace where the Guge King avoided the cold in winter. Now there is nothing here, and history has swept everything here.

Turning back to the middle of the mountain, we found more than a dozen caves around the three temples, where many ancient weapons such as shields, armors, broadswords and long swords were stored. This was the former "army storehouse". Due to the dry weather, these things are still well preserved.

It feels like entering another time and space, like what I have seen in the game Tomb Raider, or like the lost Inca civilization, the ruins have a unique flavor.

The whole picture of the Guge Dynasty shows a rare desolate beauty under the setting sun, washed away from all worldly affairs, and from then on no longer concerned with worldly affairs.

After investigation, it was found that the city had a strong defense capability, with various tunnels and assault control points. The most ruthless secret passage could reach the top of the city directly, but its disappearance has always been an unsolved mystery. I met someone who came down and said that he had just vomited. The corpse cave had a strong smell and there were some headless mummies. I advise not to go and see it.

The Guge Kingdom gave me the feeling that people were like groundhogs, running around in holes. A warm reminder, you must bring a drone when you come to the Guge Kingdom! !

Actually, it’s hard to imagine how prosperous this place was in the past when it’s so dry. We hired a tour guide for NT$10 per person (it was worth it). We had to climb the stairs at the beginning, and even the local tour guide was out of breath (and I didn’t bring any water with me. I was really lucky to be alive after walking for more than two hours in the scorching sun).

The tour guide has a key to open the temple (no photos allowed). For two of us who don’t have religious beliefs, it’s all pretty much the same. But what impressed me most was that the Buddha statue in one of the murals seemed to be always looking at you (no matter where you go). So the tour guide said we should do more good deeds and not do bad things.

The Guge Kingdom is surrounded by earth forests, and the castle is built along the mountain. From a distance, the ruins of the ancient castle have completely merged with the mountain. The terrain is steep, and caves, temples, and palaces are built from bottom to top. The most eye-catching are the caves of different sizes that appear from the foot of the mountain, densely covering the entire hillside.

The strict hierarchy of the Guge Dynasty was reflected in the distribution of accommodation: the buildings on the hillside were for the residence of princes and nobles, the hillside was for the living quarters of ascetics, and the caves at the foot of the mountain were for civilians and even slaves.

After wars and hundreds of years of wind and rain, many buildings have collapsed, leaving only dilapidated earth walls that have been weathered and merged with the mountain. However, a few temples have been miraculously preserved. There are also some exquisite carvings and murals. The temples are guarded by local people, and they need to unlock them before you can visit.

Going up the steps from the mountain gate, you will pass the Tara Hall, White Hall, Red Hall and Mahakala Hall in turn. There are many exquisite statues and murals in the halls. The themes of the murals include various Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Taras, guardian gods, eminent monks, the genealogy of the Tibetan kings, the Guge kings and their ministers worshiping Buddha, and the biography of Sakyamuni. However, after hundreds of years and some human-caused damage in modern times, they have been damaged to varying degrees. Photography is not allowed in the halls.

What impressed me most was the door of the Red Hall. According to local people, the door has a history of 800 years and was brought from ancient India. The exquisite carvings on the door have faded, but the Indian characters are still clearly visible. I gently touched the texture of the door with my hand, and I didn't expect that it has traveled through hundreds of years. The people who carved and moved it have long passed away, leaving only it to quietly guard the Buddhist temple.

Passing through the deep cave, we reached the top of the mountain. The Dharma Protector Temple on the top of the mountain has been restored and stands abruptly in the sunset, shining brightly. Standing at the highest point of the ruins, you can still vaguely recognize the former river channel at the foot of the mountain. It is seven o'clock, and the light is still bright. From the huge number of ruins, it is not difficult to imagine its former scale and prosperity.

Looking from the top of the mountain, you can see reddish-brown mountains, yellow sandstone, broken city walls, dark caves, silent Buddhist temples, and colorful prayer flags rustling in the mountain wind. The setting sun casts its afterglow over the entire earth forest. The vastness and tranquility of the land give rise to a feeling of desolation and emotion. The ancient civilization that once flourished is now scattered in this forgotten corner, silent for hundreds of years.

Guge, although I didn’t see your most glorious face, I felt your real presence while visiting the White Temple, the Red Temple and climbing to the top step by step.

The ruins of the Guge Dynasty show almost no signs of restoration from the outside to the inside, and the remaining murals and Buddha statues seem to have been covered in dust, just to show its vicissitudes and antiquity.

The disappearance of the Guge Kingdom overnight remains a mystery. The caves where thousands of people hid their bodies and the earthen fortresses that are gradually weathering do not give us any clues. The prosperity and pain of a thousand years ago have been buried in the dust. A thousand years later, only wind and clouds are still flowing.

From the broken walls and ruins left behind, we can get a glimpse of the former magnificence and prosperity of the Guge Dynasty. The vicissitudes of Guge and the grandeur of the earth forest complement each other. Standing on the ruins and looking down, it seems as if you can see the changes here for thousands of years, and even feel the scenes of fighting each other here. Ancient, mysterious, and majestic, from its heyday to its sudden demise, the reason is still an unsolved mystery. For hundreds of years, the dilapidated ancient city has stood here quietly, telling people about their pain, sadness, and expectations... After returning from the ancient city, I was thinking about a question: which is easier, prosperity or decline?

The dynasty disappeared overnight. The descendants of the Guge Dynasty can only learn about it from the data. This huge dynasty disappeared overnight just like Loulan. The already mysterious dynasty became even more mysterious. The loess castle has been in ruins for hundreds of years, but it still stands.

The once glorious Guge Kingdom is now in ruins. Who can understand its sorrow of being defeated overnight?

A very mysterious site. It feels like you can hear thousands of horses galloping. Go early in the morning, preferably during sunrise.

About one kilometer west of Zhaburang, the car turned a few bends along the mountain road and arrived at the ruins of the former Guge Dynasty. This is a royal city built on the mountain. In the setting sun of June evening, the entire mountain and the ruins were immersed in a quiet and solemn yellow. The whistling wind swirled the almost desertified soil. On the banks of the Xiangquan River, I tried to capture as much of the atmosphere of this royal city as possible.

I personally feel that this relic lacks protection, and I can't say for sure in the future. There is a shabby pavilion on the roadside leading to the Guge Kingdom, which says it is a ticket office, but I personally feel that it is useless. After buying the ticket, there is no ticket check at the Guge Kingdom, and you can enter at will. There is no administrator. To be honest, I came to the Guge Kingdom because this place is too mysterious, which attracted me. According to historical records, more than 100,000 people in the Guge Kingdom disappeared overnight, and there was no trace. It's amazing that this mountain is full of holes, but it can still be preserved for so many years.

It takes about 2-3 hours to visit. The wind and sand are very strong. It takes a long time to climb and you are a little out of breath. Some halls have closed doors and you need to find a temple attendant to open them with a key. It is difficult to feel this mysterious and strange style without seeing it with your own eyes. It feels like the Guge Silver Eyes written in "Ghost Blowing the Lamp" can really happen here.

There are four temples in this site. We spent 10 yuan each and hired a tour guide to explain. If you don't hire a tour guide, the doors of these four temples are locked, and you can't see them even if you buy tickets. Remote attractions are so capricious. The most mysterious thing about the Guge Kingdom is how a kingdom with such a mature and splendid culture suddenly and completely disappeared overnight. In the following centuries, humans were almost unaware of its existence. There was no human activity to destroy its buildings and streets, modify its writing and religion, or tamper with its murals and artistic style. It even retains the scene of destruction. The only thing that cannot be understood is how all this happened. Finally, go directly to the top of the mountain through the tunnel. And at the top of the mountain, there are tunnels leading directly to various places, and there are observation and shooting holes every other section. The houses on the top of the mountain, looking down from above, are steep and frightening.

Standing on the ruins and gazing at the earth forest, I imagine what the king at that time must have seen. He must have said something like “My great country…”

Walking in the cave leading to the palace, I couldn't help but sigh. This city has the best defense. If it weren't for the traitor, how could it be destroyed? What a pity...

The current ruins are more than 300 meters high from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain. There are buildings and caves the same color as the earth everywhere. Except for a few temples, the roofs of all the houses have collapsed, leaving only a series of earth walls. I estimate that these ruins will disappear in the future. It seems that no one is managing them. Besides, these broken walls will collapse under the rain. I hope the government will pay attention to it and leave some places for future generations to understand Tibetan history.

From the remaining broken walls and ruins, we can get a glimpse of the former magnificence and prosperity of the Guge Dynasty. Walking in these caves and ruins, looking for the footprints of the ancients, listening to the ancient wind blowing from the earth forest, it is impossible to imagine how the rulers of the time could issue orders.

The fall of the Guge Dynasty is a mystery, but considering the natural state here, it is indeed a natural destination.

I suggest you go to the Guge ruins in the morning. I went there in the evening, and the sunset was blocked by the mountains in the west. But it was really nice and a magical place. In order to catch the sunset, I almost ran to the top of the city, which is more than 4,000 meters above sea level. The mountain is not high, but I was really tired.

We actually visited the corpse cave. The entrance of the cave is not big, and the stench of corpses inside made us vomit. We took a look and left quickly. It is said that this corpse cave is for royal members of the Guge Dynasty. There are no heads, only bodies. I took a few pictures for you to see

Ruins of Guge Kingdom

First of all, the name is very eye-catching. This is the most beautiful time for adventure lovers, with many novel scenery and moving stories waiting for you to discover.

The area west of Tibet is usually called "Near Tibet". In fact, I personally feel that this is the only place where you can truly understand the history of Tibet.

Here, you can see religious culture such as murals, sculptures, stone carvings, etc. It is the best window to discover another Tibet.

Sitting on the steps of the ruins, looking at the blue sky and the earth forest in the distance, I imagine the power and desires intertwined under such a bright sun thousands of years ago...

Whenever the morning glow rises or the night falls, the ruins of Guge will reflect a kind of incomplete beauty and tragic beauty against the backdrop of the earth forest. The war destroyed the castle and the yellow sand buried the heroes. Looking at the front, there is nothing but desolation and vicissitudes of the ages. A huge country that rose in the 10th century, performed a brilliant historical drama for 700 years, experienced 16 hereditary kings, and had a population of 100,000 was instantly destroyed in the war of Ladakh invasion in 1635.