Mount Kailash Culture

The top of the mountain is 6656 meters above sea level. Mount Kailash is the main peak of the Gangdise Mountains in China and the second peak of the Gangdise Mountains. As one of the famous mountains in China, it is located in the northern part of Burang County, southwest of Tibet Autonomous region. It means “holy mountain” in Tibetan.

Humanity History

Kangrinboqe is recognized as the holy mountain in the world, and it is regarded as the center of the world by Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism, ancient Zhang Zhung Buddha Dharma “Bonismo” and ancient Jainism. Indians call the mountain Mt.Kailash, and consider it the center of the world. Shiva, the most powerful of the three gods of Hinduism, lives here. And the upper reaches of the India’s Indus River and Ganges River originate here, so a large number of Indian pilgrims can be seen at Mount Kailash. For centuries, Mount Kailash has been a sacred place for pilgrims and explorers, but no one has been able to climb the mountain, or it can also be said that no one has dared to offend the center of the world.

Religious Moral

Most religions in the world have a common feature – pilgrimage. Heading for a recognized holy place with a strong and great desire, along a relatively fixed and divine holy road, this is pilgrimage. The pilgrimage has a long history. In Tibet, where the natural environment is in great danger, the pilgrimage especially appears sincere and persistent.

Religions

Mount Kailash is the holy mountain of many religions. Known as Giluosha Mountain(吉罗娑山) in Sanskrit, the northern foot of Mount Kailash is the birthplace of the Shiquan River, the upper reaches of the Indus River. It is said that Bonismo originated from the mountain, which Hinduism regards it as the residence of Shiva, and the center of the world; Jainismregards the mountain as the place where its ancestor enlightened, and Tibetan Buddhism regards it as the residence of Chakrasamvara(胜乐金刚), representing boundless happiness. There is a constant flow of believers from home and abroad doing Mount Kailash Kora all the year round.

Kora

Mountain Kora(转山) is the most common method used by pilgrims from different places. Mount Kailash Kora is divided into two parts: the outer line is large mountain ring route with the core of Mount Kailash, and the inner line is the small mountain ring route with the Yinjietuo Mountain(因揭陀山), southern side of Mount Kailash, as core. The total length of outer line is 52 km, it takes 3 days on foot, long-kowtow of 15-20 days. Pilgrims generally turn 13 circles of outer line before turning inner line. In the year of the Horse in Tibetan Calendar, the pilgrims of doing Kora are most. It is said that Buddha Sakyamuni’s Chinese zodiac is Horse(Tibetan traditional Chinese zodiac outlook is more influenced by the Han nationality’s corresponding viewpoints, and that the specific arrangement of the zodiac signs is the same as that of the Han nationality. The order is: Rat, Cattle, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. The Tibetan calendar combined with the theories of yin and yang and the five elements is different from the Han region in terms of solar terms and other aspects in the specific years, so the zodiac is also slightly different from the Han region). A circle of Mount Kailash Kora in the year of the horse is equivalent to 13 circles in other years, and is the most effective and merit-accumulated.

Legend

It is said that the most famous Buddhist Sumeru Mountain is also referred to Mount Kailash. According to the small Dictionary of Buddhism: Sumeru(须弥), the name of the mountain, is the center of a small world. In the period of ancient Zhang-zhung Bon, the pre-Buddhist era, Mount Kailash was called “Jiuchong (Wan) Zi Mountain(九重(万)字山)”. It is said that 360 spirits of Bonismo lived here. The founder of Bon, Rulaifo bonze, floated down from the sky, the mountain is the place for landing. In the Jainism that rose in the 5-6th century BC, Mount Kailash was called “Achta Pauda(阿什塔婆达)”, meaning the highest mountain, where the founder of Jainism, Rishabanasah(瑞斯哈巴那刹), was liberated.