11.12.19 Dukeson on top of Great Turtle Hill

Ancient Tea Caravan Trail
Dukesong or White Stone Village (just south of Xianggelila)
At the top of Great Turtle Hill in the largest, best preserved of the Chinese Tibetan villages - Dukesong- is Big Buddha Temple (built in 1667). Emma and I climbed up the numerous steps (steps on our health-o-meter are definitely steps on this trip ... lots of up and downhill) to the temple entrance where, in exchange for a small donation a happy monk gave us each three incense sticks, mimed how to light them in front of the indeed very large Buddha and then to circumambulate around the statue. We kept one of Collin’s friends, who went through a tough surgery, in mind and then placed the incense at the front of the temple.
An outer circumambulation took us to the world’s largest prayer wheel (perhaps 30 foot tall). It was still when we reached it. A ring around the bottom held webbing straps, but we couldn’t budge it. A man joined us ... still no movement. More visitors came down the steps and one man called out something like “everybody help!” Slowly, then faster and faster, like a playground merry-go-round, it and we gained speed. Though this was designed for prayer and a woman behind me in traditional clothing did appear to mindful, the overall mood was joyous!