2022 Dongchuan West Plateau Self-driving Travelogue (14) - Aden

Number of days: 2 days
Time: November
Average cost: 1000 yuan
With whom: husband and wife
Updated: 2023.06.30

Aden Scenic Area is located in Aden Town, Daocheng County, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province, consisting of three sacred mountains of "Xian Nai Ri, Yang Mai Yong and Xia Nuo Dorji" and the surrounding streams, lakes and alpine meadows.

On November 21, 2022, visit the Pearl Sea in Aden Scenic Area and look up at the majestic Xiannai Ri Sacred Mountain; On November 22, we visited the Luorong Cattle Farm in Aden Scenic Area, trekled to the Milk Sea on horseback riding and walking, and admired Yang Maiyong and Xiano Dorji Sacred Mountain.

From Aden Town to Aden Scenic Area to take a scenic sightseeing bus to drive more than 30 kilometers of mountain road, the sightseeing car climbs from the foot of the mountain to the mountainside, a snow-capped mountain appears in front, this is the highest of the three sacred mountains of Aden - Xiannai Ri Peak, the silent car suddenly became lively, the driver seemed to understand the mood of the tourists very well, parked next to an observation deck, so that tourists from afar could see the majestic appearance of Xian Nai Ri from afar.

Xiannairi Peak is the fifth highest mountain in Sichuan and the highest of the three sacred mountains of Aden, with an altitude of 6,032 meters, and in Tibetan Buddhism it is the embodiment of "Guanyin Bodhisattva". Xiannai Ri Shenshan is slightly higher in the middle and slightly lower on both sides, resembling a big Buddha with a body leaning back, and it is surrounded by many ice-eroded peak forest landforms, glaciers and glacier ruins, and alpine lakes.

Leaving the Xiannai Riyuan viewpoint, the sightseeing bus passed a small village on the way, which is Aden Village, and the entire scenic spot is actually named after it.

The

end of the sightseeing bus is Zha Guanbeng, after getting off the bus, trek 500 meters of mountain road to reach Chonggu transfer station, and transfer to an electric sightseeing bus from here to Luorong Cattle Farm six kilometers away; Turn right in the direction of Sennairi, where there are Chonggu Grassland, Chonggu Temple, and Pearl Sea.

A small stream passes through the middle of the Chonggu grassland, and the figure of Xiano Dorji can be seen from a distance. Shano Dorjee is the Vajra Hand Bodhisattva in Tibetan Buddhism, it is 5,958 meters above sea level, and the main peak is triangular pyramid, which is very eye-catching.

Okiyaji Temple is located at the foot of Sennohijin Mountain, backed by the majestic snow-capped mountains, with a gurgling stream in front of it, a blue sky and white clouds, and a golden roof, white exterior walls, and black window frames.Chonggu Temple was founded in the Yuan Dynasty, nearly 800 years ago, belongs to the Yellow Sect, and the main hall enshrines the founder of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism (i.e., the Yellow Sect) - Master Tsongkhapa, as well as Buddha statues of Shakyamuni Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Vajra Hand Bodhisattva, etc.

There is a Buddha statue in front of the main hall of the temple, and it is not clear which god it is, and a white horse chicken leisurely bows its head on the field to forage.

Trek up the stairs from Okikoji Temple, and many squirrels will come to you on the way, and although they are very cautious, they still run around the visitors, attracting them to feed them When you sit down to rest, it will also run to you to find food, and the relationship between man and nature is really very harmonious here.

Finally reached the top of the stairs, only to find that this is a plateau in the middle of the mountain of Xiannairi, where you can enjoy the majesty of the sacred mountain without any obstruction.

The

Pearl Sea is on the right side of this mid-level plateau, the lake is small in size, oval in shape, and the lake water is dark green and very clear.

The next day, we came to the Aden Scenic Area again, and on the way from Chonggu Grassland to Luorong Cattle Farm by sightseeing bus, we saw Yang Maiyong's heroic posture from a distance.

Luorong Cattle Farm is located in the center of the Aden Scenic Area, at an altitude of 4150 meters, it is surrounded by the three sacred mountains of Aden, under the blue sky and white clouds, there are snow peaks, forests, and waterfalls in the distance. The nearby Gongga River passes through the middle of the pasture, and the wooden houses are lined up on the hillside next to the stream, forming a natural landscape painting.

We chose to ride to the Milk Sea, the distance from the Luorong Cattle Farm to the Milk Sea is about five kilometers, and the horseback riding can only be less than four kilometers, and the last steep slope still needs to be climbed by ourselves. However, there is Yang Maiyong by his side along the way, and he is not lonely while trekking and enjoying the scenery.

Yang Maiyong is Manjushri Bodhisattva in Tibetan Buddhism, it is 5958 meters above sea level, it is like an eagle spreading its wings on the earth, the mountain peak in the middle is straight into the blue sky, the east side of the hillside stretches out, and the Xia Nuo Dorji Snow Peak is connected, and the west side of the hillside is relatively gentle, and there is a large terrace at the waist, and the milk sea is located on this platform.

Milk Sea is located in the mountain hollow at the foot of the mountain on the west side of Yangmai Yong, at an altitude of 4,600 meters, it is an ancient glacial lake with a small area and the shape of water droplets, which is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. The lake water is clear and blue, and the lakeside is surrounded by a circle of milky white, so it is called the milk sea.

Looking at the Xiano Dorji from the direction of the Milk Sea, it does not have the image of a pointed triangle, and it is not so tall, but a rock fold under the top of the mountain is particularly conspicuous.

Returning to the Luorong Cattle Farm from the Milk Sea, I saw that the scenic spot issued a notice that from November 23, 2022 to April 15, 2023, the scenic spot will be closed due to winter ice and snow. We were very lucky to visit Aden on the last day of 2022.