Notes on Taxkorgan County

I have been to Taxkorgan County several times. Every time I come, I have a slightly different feeling. It is like marrying a daughter-in-law who has changed her face for fun. You can never see her true face clearly. This time Let’s talk about Taxkorgan County.

Taxkorgan County, referred to as Taxian County, borders Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan respectively. One county borders the three countries. Its geographical location is very important. It was an important town on the ancient Silk Road. The top of the mountain in the east of the city still stands today. Thousands of years ago in Stone City, Tang Xuanzang gave lectures and meditated here. Today, Ta County is also the only way to Central Asia by land. Senior travel enthusiasts from all over the country gather here and repair. After a short rest, they take the customs clearance documents and go to Pakistan, Tajikistan, or Afghanistan through Tajikistan. .

When it comes to renovation, we have to talk about Kaitu Hostel. This is the "den" where travel friends gather. The great masters from all walks of life left their accidents and stories here, writing about their high-spirited and inspiring people. Envy life, order a cup of coffee or make a cup of tea here, or if you don’t like any of these, just let the Pakistani brother make you a beef curry, sit down and taste it slowly, and listen to the great gods telling their stories. Stories and life. Occasionally open the window, and you can see Muztagh Peak, the father of glaciers in the world, in the distance. The comfort and understanding of life may be in the moment you open the window.

I met Lao Zhu before I opened the window. Lao Zhu is from Shandong like me. We are two years apart in age, but this does not prevent us from chatting passionately. We are both from the same place in the world. People who have fallen into disgrace, why should we meet each other before? What’s more, we are fellow villagers. Lao Zhu has a Bodhi around his wrist and looks calm.

Seeing that we kept chatting, Brother Mu made us tea, Longjing Maojian. Brother Mu’s tea is free for close friends. With the nourishment of tea, Lao Zhu and I no longer just chat.

After chatting for a while, Lao Zhu proposed to go out for a walk. When leaving, Lao Zhu told Brother Mu, "Don't touch the tea yet, come back and drink it." His momentum didn't feel like he was going out for a walk, but like he was going to kill Hua. Xiong Zai came back and continued to drink. The character of a Shandongese in his heart could not be concealed.

After leaving Kaitu, Lao Zhu and I went straight to a Pakistani jewelry store. Lao Zhu wanted to buy a sapphire for his wife. After communicating with her for a while, she didn’t seem to want it very much. If I am in a hurry to give something to someone, but they are not interested, it will be boring. But Lao Zhu is a Buddhist and is calm and composed.

Lao Zhu and I were about to leave. The Pakistani boss accidentally dropped a piece of lapis lazuli on the ground and broke it in half. Lao Zhu bought it for ten yuan. Lapis lazuli is one of the seven treasures of Buddhism. First, it can be considered as a fate with Lao Zhu.

On the way back, Lao Zhu said he wanted to treat me to a meal and asked Brother Mu to cook two dishes and we would have some drinks. It’s hard to refuse such hospitality.

Back in Kaitu, the tea was still there, and a girl sitting next to her was eating noodles. This girl was the great god-level figure Xiaoyu that Brother Mu mentioned during the chat the night before yesterday. I haven't seen his face, but I have heard of his reputation. Xiaoyu herself has been to Iran, Turkey, India, Egypt, Bangladesh and several countries in Southeast Asia. This time Xiaoyu wants to go to Tajikistan. She takes a Tajik truck from Karasu Port to Murgab, the eastern city of Tajikistan. Murgab set out across Tajikistan to Khorog, a city in western Tajikistan, and then entered northeastern Afghanistan from Khorog. Afghanistan is now in a mess. No one knows whether the port with Tajikistan has been closed. Xiaoyu said that if Khorog If it doesn't work, she'll fly to Uzbekistan and enter through Uzbekistan. If it doesn't work, she'll go to Pakistan and enter through southern Afghanistan. This girl from southern Jiangsu's plan shocked me. Give her a wormhole and she'd dare to go into a black hole. This is the true traveler without borders, the blue sky above and the underworld below, and neither place can be seen in the vast distance. So stop mentioning lack of time. Don't make excuses for yourself.

While we were talking, Brother Mu’s meal was ready. He cooked carrots and potatoes for Lao Zhu, and cooked potatoes and beef for me, because Lao Zhu is a Buddhist and cooked it at the Chinese Temple in Nepal three years ago. I have converted to not eating meat, and another one is cabbage and tofu. The dried tofu strips were brought by Lao Zhu from Shandong. Brother Mu also joined the drinking party.

Brother Mu is from Luoyang, but I always feel that what he speaks has a northeastern flavor, so I think Brother Mu has at least broken through Guandong. Whether Brother Mu has broken through Guandong remains to be confirmed, but Brother Mu has When we passed through India, Tang Xuanzang traveled to India with a purple gold alms bowl. Today, Brother Mu entered India with an iron pot. I asked Brother Mu why he carried a pot when he went to India. Muge said that all Indian food eats is curry rice, which is eaten with hands like mashed potatoes. Instant noodles are curry-flavored, and even mineral water is curry-flavored. Carrying an iron pot solves the problem of eating. Brother Mu cooked a plate of Xinjiang chicken for the Chinese tourists he met by chance in Kolkata. Those compatriots who were driven crazy by the curry rice looked at Brother Mu as if they were seeing a god coming to earth!

While we were chatting, Lao Yu came. Lao Yu was another great god mentioned by Brother Mu the day before. Brother Mu said that Lao Yu was from Beijing and had been in Ta County for seventeen years. In a lonely place, I was thinking: What kind of spiritual world is that. Or perhaps there is beauty in Ta County that I have not yet explored, or perhaps my spiritual world is not strong enough to discover its beauty, but I think I am slowly getting closer to it. I slowly started to like it.

The arrival of Lao Yu dispelled my previous curiosity. It is not an exaggeration to say that all the words about literary youth can be placed on Lao Yu.

One of the most famous tourist attractions in Kolkata is the Red Light District of Kolkata. In 2005, the Oscar for Best Documentary was awarded to the documentary "Born in the Red Light District" directed by Zena Briski. This documentary has brought tourists from all over the world to Kolkata's red light district, including Lao Yu. The red light district is controlled by many gangs. All tourists who enter the red light district must pay 100 rupees. In principle, photography is not allowed, but several people can be secretly photographed with their mobile phones. Zhang must be able to tolerate the three brothers. But Lao Yu was different. Lao Yu not only brought a camera, but also several lenses and picked up a cannon. As you can imagine, he was discovered by the three brothers. Can you imagine a group of three brothers gathered around and beat up a Beijinger? What is the scene like for young artistic people? This can be seen from everyone's laughter when Brother Mu told the story: this beating was not unfair.

There are more and more people, including couples from Beijing and young people from Hong Kong. At first, it was Lao Zhu and I’s “two-person world”, two bottles of beer and a few drinks, and later it became a big Wusu The table was full.

I was wondering what kind of charm Ta County has that makes so many people gather here. Perhaps this is the place that connects heaven and earth, where tranquility and hustle and bustle lie.

Compared with the European and American tours of tourist groups, the routes chosen by travelers are obviously different, such as Pakistan, India, Egypt...

Travelers also appreciate the scenery, but they appreciate the humanities more , and the splendid history behind the humanities. In Xiaoyu's words, Kabul is very much like the Kashgar of ten years ago. The Kashgar of ten years ago is no longer there, or it exists in another distant time and space.

It suddenly occurred to me that many cultural attractions in China have been repaired everywhere, euphemistically called protection. An ancient city wall in the Ming Dynasty was repaired beyond recognition.

In fact, some people love the broken walls. The ruins and love are your broken hearts. Why do you put on colorful clothes to cater to the onlookers who don't care about you? After thousands of years of wind and frost, you can't cover up your proud edge, but it loses to the vanity of human heart. .

After participating in the Tajik Pilik Festival, Lao Zhu set off in a hurry. Lao Zhu’s next stop was Yecheng. From Yecheng to Ali, Tibet, there is no shuttle bus from Yecheng to Ali. I know that it is an arduous journey of more than a thousand kilometers and passing through countless Daban.

I originally wanted to send Lao Zhu away, but looking at Lao Zhu’s resolute back, I knew he didn’t need it.

Xiaoyu also set out. In addition to the goal, there is only a firm heart to achieve the goal. This is the traveler. I wish them a safe journey.

Give them the song Aloha Heja He recommended to me by Brother Mu, come on! come on! come on!

Finally, I am leaving Ta County, and I silently want to recite a poem. Let’s recite Cui Hu’s inscription on Capital City Nanzhuang

Last year on this day, in this gate, the faces of the people and the peach blossoms reflected each other’s red. The human face has gone nowhere, but the peach blossoms still smile in the spring breeze. There are no peach blossoms in Ta County, but there are apricot blossoms. When the apricot blossoms bloom, they will make you mesmerized, poetic and picturesque.

I hope that at this time next year, when the ice and snow melt and the apricot blossoms bloom, I can come again and listen to you talk about your strange life.

Written in Ta County in the early morning of April 21