"Ascending to the majestic river, there was a saying that 'Shu Road is difficult, it is difficult to go to the blue sky', which is true, revealing the dangers of going to and from Shu in ancient times. However, today's Zhichuan Road, winding in all directions, the rails are vertical and horizontal, the high-speed rail train shuttles, and the travelers have convenience, and they have long forgotten the hardships and dangers of the Shu Road in the past. With the passage of time, not only did I not feel a trace of the difficulty of Shu Road, but it was an unimpeded journey. "
However, in the southwest region of our country, there is a place that is more precipitous than the ancient Shu Road, which can be called the real "difficult to go to the blue sky". There is a saying in Tibetan areas that describes the road here as a heavenly road, even more difficult than climbing the sky, and this mysterious place is **Motuo.
The mountain peaks here stand above the clouds, and the river flows at your feet. Words echoed in the clouds, and it took days to walk. This ballad, which circulated in **, also truly depicted the traffic situation in Motuo's early years.
Located on the southeastern edge of the Autonomous Region, the Tibetan name of the county means "hidden lotus". In the vast 3The 40,000 square kilometers of land are all steep mountains. Towering mountains and rivers weave through the landscape, where snow-capped mountains and rainforests, canyons and abysses meet. The terrain of the whole county is complex, and the north welcomes the Nanga Bhava Peak, which is as high as 7,756 meters above sea level, proud of the mountains, and covered with snow all year round. Extending southward, the altitude drops dramatically to the southern tip of Baxika, which is only 155 metres above sea level, revealing a stunning view of the rainforest. In this short distance, the difference in altitude is more than 7,000 meters, forming a rare geomorphological wonder in the world.
Located in China, Medog County was the last county seat before the Brahmaputra River entered the Assam Plain in India. This county seat is also one of the most remote places in the southeast. The Brahmaputra River flows rapidly between two mountain peaks, forming the deepest, longest and most precipitous canyon in the world, known as the Brahmaputra Grand Canyon.
Situated at an altitude of only 900 meters, the county seat of Medog stands out from the rest of the world, with an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters. Surrounded on all sides by towering snow-capped mountains, it acts as a huge barrier to the outside world, while to the south it borders the Sino-Indian border. The terrain is complex and secretive, making it an inaccessible place for a long time, known as the "plateau island", which has been hidden behind the snow-capped mountains and isolated from the world.
In the past, there were only two ways to get in and out of Metuo: one was to climb the Daxiongla Snow Mountain, pass through Pai Township and go to Beibang Township and then go northeast into the county seatThe other enters from Bomi and crosses the Garongla Snow Mountain. Both roads are more than 100 kilometres long and can only be walked on, taking months to get faster or slower. Crossing snow-capped mountains and canyons, people had to climb ladders, glide on ropeways, cross single-plank bridges, and carry supplies on their shoulders.
Many people come from afar to get stuck on this dangerous road. Cliff falls, avalanches, landslides, disorientation, and all kinds of dangers are frequent. For half of the year, the mountains are closed by heavy snowfall, and the roads are impassable. In summer, the wild forests are dense, the fog is thick, the climate is changeable, and the dryland ticks are constantly pounced on people.
Between the 60s and the 90s of the 20th century, the state invested a lot of resources in order to open up the road to Metuo, and there were four attempts to build the Medog Highway. This project not only posed a great test of human will, but also required the builders to trek into Medog many times, and experienced the dangers of climbing snow-capped mountains, wading through glaciers, zip-lining, and crossing primeval jungles.
The 117-kilometre journey from Bomi to Medog is a steep descent from the mountains at an altitude of more than 7,000 metres to a trough of 200 metres above sea level, crossing as many as six fault zones. Dozens of perceptible ** occur in this area every year, with ** below level 2 almost every day. The geological environment is very complex and fragile, the climate is changeable, and it is accompanied by many unknown natural disasters. However, due to complex geological and climatic conditions, as well as the limitations of manpower and material resources at that time, the road was never successfully constructed. During these four constructions, more than 200 builders gave their precious lives and are still buried on this land.
The Motuo Highway is the crystallization of the blood, sweat and dreams of countless people. After four years of arduous struggle, on February 1, 1994, 80 kilometers of simple road to the county seat of Metuo were built. However, the day after the road was opened, it was buried by geological disasters such as mudslides and landslides. Today, the road is overgrown with shrubs and weeds, many sections of the roadbed have long since collapsed, and the original bridge is only a rusted steel frame. In 1998, another improvised road was built, but less than a year later, a massive landslide occurred in Zhamlonggou in Bomi County, which blocked the river into a lake, and the road sank underwater.
Years of arduous scientific research and in-depth investigation have allowed the engineering team to go deep into the hinterland of Motuo and finally work out an optimal route. With the rapid improvement of China's infrastructure technology, overcoming construction problems such as avalanches, landslides, and debris flows, the Motuo Highway is once again heading towards this isolated plateau island.
After more than 10 years of construction, on October 31, 2013, the opening ceremony of the Medog Highway was held, ending the history of "the last county in China without roads". Finally, the dream that generations of Motuo people have been looking forward to has been realized. The total length of the highway is 117 kilometers, crossing 6 rivers such as the Bodou Zangbo River, the Jinzhu Zangbo River, and the Ximo River, passing through the Galong Temple, the tunnel crosses the Galongla Snow Mountain, and finally arrives at the Lotus Square in the county seat of Metuo through Miri Village and Madi Village. What used to take months to get from Bomi to Metuo now takes only 3 to 4 hours.
Although there are already roads open to traffic, the roads here are extremely steep, the geological conditions are extremely complex, avalanches, landslides, mudslides often occur, and there are often flying rocks falling, resulting in the road to the county town can not be guaranteed to be smooth throughout the year.
Many sections of the road are built on steep cliffs, with steep cliffs on one side and bottomless canyons on the other, passing through snow-capped mountains, primeval forests, canyons and mountain streams, a short 117-kilometre journey from white snow to wet rainforest, from towering clouds to deep canyons. Always be wary of the local "four fears" during the trip: avalanches, mudslides, wild animals and leeches. It has been said that there is no more dangerous and difficult way in this world than to go to Metuo. Aptly described, "Heaven can be seen in the eyes of hell". Every entry and exit is a stake on life.
It wasn't until early 2018 that the Medog Highway was opened to traffic all year round. At the beginning of May 2020, the Metuo-Nyingchi passenger line was officially opened, ending the long-term lack of long-distance passenger transportation in Medog County. Subsequently, on May 16, 2021, the second traffic artery to Medog County, the Paimo Highway from Pai Town, Milin County, Nyingchi City, to Medog County, was completed in its entirety, providing convenience for entering and exiting Medog County by ring road. However, despite the smooth opening of the road, the railway has not yet been built.
Motuo is very different from other places, most of them are desolate lands with alpine drought and lack of oxygen, but Motuo is the polar opposite. Influenced by the warm and humid air currents of the Indian Ocean, it continues to bring abundant water vapor and warm ocean currents along the Brahmaputra Grand Canyon to the north, making it the northernmost tropical rainforest climate on Earth.
The pristine nature is intact and the terrain is hidden among clouds, snow-capped mountains and dense forests, so it is known as "the last secret place on earth".
In Metuo, you can experience the diverse natural landscapes of the mountains, from the alpine cold to the tropical rainforest, in a matter of hours. Medog County has the most complete mountain vertical climate zone in China, from the top of the mountain to the foot of the mountain, covering a variety of climate types such as alpine cold zone, alpine temperate zone, ** zone, and tropics. The snow-capped mountains are majestic and snow-capped, while tropical jungles grow at the foot of the mountains. In the depths of the cloud-steaming canyon, there are scattered wooden villages, surrounded by lush vegetation, with swaying plantains and bamboo forests, dotted with small farmland.
Medog is known as the "Museum of Plant Nature" because of its complete vertical climate zone. In the dense forest, dozens of rare plants under national key protection are cultivated, such as camphor, ebony, ironwood, yew and alder, which is known as a "natural living fossil". The vegetation here is almost all-encompassing from the alpine cold to the tropics, and some people call it the best little Gangnam, in fact, it is warmer than Gangnam. The local production of Motuo lemon, mango, pomelo, papaya, jackfruit, loquat and other tropical fruits.
Snow-capped mountains and glaciers, tropical forests, mountain lakes, deep valleys and ravines, waterfalls, steaming clouds and mist, all these wonders are gathered on the land of Metuo.
Motuo, one of the most mysterious, the "Lotus Secret Land" of the snowy plateau, attracts people to yearn for exploration with its unique magic and magnificence.