China Tibetannet Editor's Note Shiqu is located in the area inhabited by people of the Tibetan ethnic group. It is close to the Gesar Cultural Area in Yushu and Golog of Qinghai, Qamdo of Tibet, Dege of Garze of Sichuan Province. Our visit to that part of the world not long ago shows that Dege is regarded as the hometown of Gesar, and Shiqu is the cradle of Gesar Culture.
At the invitation of Duan Yijun, Party Secretary of Shiqu County, along with four friends I made a trip to the northwestern tip of Sichuan Province. We went there to look for more of the Gesar Culture.

 Stones Carved With Gesar
Stone carving has long been known to the world. The art is well represented in the Barge Mani Wall and Songge Mani Town. The former extends 1.7 km and the latter is known for its altar shape and a history of some 1,000 years.
When we got to the foot of the Endell Red Hill some 90 km from the county seat, Songge Mani Town rose up in front of us. The Buddha shrines around the town were so exciting that I climbed a ladder provided by a county official to examine them more closely. Around the shrine containing Gesar I discovered a score of Ling state generals cut into the rocks, which I then photographed.
"There are not only stone carvings of King Gesar, but also carvings of some 30 of the most famous generals of the Ling state," an old man told me. He added that the carvings had been in existence for hundreds of years. 
 When we returned to our lodgings in Shiqu County in the evening, after having carefully measured the town, we were filled with happiness and questions. Some material I read late that night told me that the son of Gesar's military advisor and others were betrayed by Gesar's uncle named Zaotong and died in the battle between the Hor and Ling states at the Endell Red Hill area. Upon their death, Zaotong repented and built the Mani stone mound and a white dagoba at the foot of the hill to house their spirits. This apparently took place some 1,000 years ago, according to the written material. 

 In the early 16th century, Baima Renqin rebuilt the Mani stone mound, which was added to by the public over the ensuing centuries to become the present town. Local people believe Nganyi Maqen, a holy mountain, is the place where the soul of Gesar resides. In this sense, Songge Mani Town is the home of souls of the king and his generals.
Since stones carved with Gesar had been found in the town, it was logical to assume there would be more in other Mani stone mounds, and this assumption later proved correct.
The next day, when we examined the back of the Barge Mani Wall, I did my best to examine what was in each of the shrines, and again found a Gesar stone carving.

Tubdain Ruba, in charge of the county's tourism business, invited an old lama in charge of the wall to talk to us.
We chatted in a small house where I found a stone statue of King Gesar.
"The wall was built in 1640," the old lama explained.
"When the wall was first built, the rocks were carved with the Six Syllable Prayer and the stone statue of King Gesar. I brought it here for special protection.
"The 1.7-km wall contains a total of five statues of King Gesar."
Under the old lama's guidance, we saw the remaining carvings. The one at the end of the wall was carved not long ago and is the largest of its kind in the wall