Religion, modernity co-exist in harmony

Located in the Xinzhai Village, the Mani stone mounds are 3,600 m above sea level and were started by a prominent monk of Tibetan Buddhism Jiana in year 1700.

Mani Stone mounds, or holy stone mounds, are made up of holy stones and accumulated by Lamaism believers as a way to show their belief. The stones are carved with the Lamaist six-syllable mantra prayer or other propitious symbols in Sanskrit or Tibetan, showing Tibetan' goodwill and longing for a happy life.

The Jiana Mani Stone Mound is piled by over 2.5 billion Mani stones in more than 300 years and formed a "stone scripture castle" with a length of 283 meters, a width of 74 meters, a height of 2.5 meters, making it the largest Mani mound in the world.

The Mani mound, along the No. 214 State Express Way and on border of Qinghai, Tibet and Sichua, has become a holy religious spot attracting believers and tourists all year round.

Daluo and his companions have been here for seven day and planned to stay longer.

Every morning, after breakfast, he walked around the Mani stone mound with a prayer wheel in hand. Each day, he walked around the mound, 700 meters in girth, for at least 30 circles.

He said the ritual walk did not only purify his mind, but also made him feel less painful about his arthritis and stomached.