"Turning the Mountain" after the view

Turning the mountain is a solemn and sacred religious activity that prevails in Tibet and other regions, and in many parts of Tibet there is the custom of turning the mountain, walking or even prostrating all the way, surrounding the sacred mountain (that is, Mount Meru), turning in one circle or multiple circles. It is said that pilgrims who turn the mountain once can wash away the sins of a lifetime; turning the mountain ten times can save them from the suffering of hell in five hundred reincarnations; turning a hundred circles can be born into buddha ascension to heaven in this day; and turning the mountain once in the year of the horse born of Shakyamuni can increase the merit of a round twelvefold, equivalent to thirteen circles in the perennial year. For thousands of years, pilgrims have flocked to form an intriguing and emotional eternal flow on the road to the sacred mountain.

Lijiang, a beautiful ancient city. Lhasa, a mysterious holy city. Both places have fatal temptations for me. I have thought about cycling in Lijiang, but I have never thought of cycling from Lijiang to Lhasa, because there are more than 2,000 kilometers between the two, and it is a plateau road with a gap of more than 1,000 meters. Not only do I dare not think so, but even most people dare not think so, knowing that Lhasa is on the roof of the world at an altitude of several thousand meters. People who are not in good health will have altitude sickness everywhere they go. However, there is such a young man who dares to step on this colorful Yunnan-Tibet line, he is the protagonist of the movie "Turning Mountains", a young man from Taiwan, Zhang Shuhao.

In fact, Zhang Shuhao only began this dangerous conquest journey just to fulfill his brother's last wish, and riding a bicycle to Lhasa was his brother's dream. For him without professional training, this is undoubtedly an impossible task, so many friends have advised him not to take risks. In order to fulfill his brother's last wish, he resolutely flew to Lijiang with his brother's travel logbook.

When I first arrived in Lijiang, I was not familiar with life, and as a result, I was cheated by a friend on a forum for a few thousand yuan to make a fake ID card, and finally it did not come in handy. It is really sinister, people's hearts are unpredictable, and they have encountered setbacks just after they are on the road. If it weren't for the fact that he had met a fellow Traveler, Li Xiaochuan from Yunnan, it would have been hard to imagine whether he could have persevered. As Li Xiaochuan, who has entered Tibet three times, is undoubtedly the best guide, but unfortunately, there was an accident halfway through the road and he fell off a cliff. Zhang Shuhao suffered another blow to his heart, and he had to go on his way alone.

The road ahead is long and difficult. Beast threats, altitude sickness, bicycle breakdowns, physical exhaustion, all of these are testing his will and life at all times. Vast snowy area, inaccessible, changeable, one careless, may die here. Fortunately, he got the help of well-meaning Tibetans, the Abba family, who provided him with accommodation and food, and carried him a few kilometers behind his Tibetan uncle and old doctor when he passed out on the ground. They gave him rebirth and strength, but also gave the audience warmth and touch.

The film appears to be a conquest of nature, but in fact it is a self-challenge, in other words, self-actualization. In fact, not everyone has a dream, and not every dream can be realized. Riding to Lhasa, this was once my brother's dream, and now it has become The Dream of Zhang Shuhao. This is not only a physical trial, but also a baptism of the soul. Although the road is full of difficulties and obstacles, there are also picturesque scenery. The dream of the clouds and mist of Meili Snow Mountain, the thrill of the Seventy-two Turns of the Nu River, and the strangeness of the blizzard of Mount Mira are all fascinating. In addition, the simple and humble Tibetan Abba and Aunt, as well as the innocent and enthusiastic Tibetan children, and the pious and kind ascetic girls, are all true portrayals of the crowd in this holy and mysterious land of Tibet. And these add a little warmth to this film full of despair and hardship.

It is gratifying that Li Xiaochuan, who fell off the cliff, was finally saved, although he still had steel nails on his body, but he rode on the road again. This is his dedication to his dreams and the challenge to himself, which is awe-inspiring. Maybe, one day, I will also go to Lhasa, but certainly not by bicycle.

It was a work that took a lot of hard work to complete and won the Best Artistic Contribution Award at the 24th Tokyo International Film Festival. As an inspirational film, this film is definitely worth watching.