Lovers' Cliff

Lovers' Cliff

Legend has it that Lovers' Cliff was once a sacred site where couples pledged their love. Among the rocky cliffs lies a smooth slab resembling a blackboard. After falling in love, couples would carve their names on this stone, symbolizing eternal devotion and growing old together. What was once a mystical and romantic gesture took a tragic turn—over time, the cliff became known for lovers taking their own lives for love. They carved their names or beautiful declarations of love onto the cliff face, believing it would ensure everlasting togetherness. But cruel reality often clashed with their beautiful dreams, and many succumbed to life’s hardships, altering their fates. During the flood seasons of the Shaliu River, many young men and women jumped off the cliff, transforming what was once a picturesque Lovers' Cliff into a heartbreaking site of tragedy. Later, to bring peace to those souls lost for love and prevent such tragedies from recurring, prayer flags were erected and a blessing sculpture (the Buddha's Hand) was built on the cliff. The main feature of the sculpture is a Buddha's hand forming the abhaya mudra, holding a vajra pestle. It stands 17.2 meters tall with a base diameter of 3 meters. The main sculpture itself is 4.5 meters high, and the base adds another 3 meters, making the total height 7.5 meters.

Originally, there were no prayer flags or Buddha's Hand sculptures on Lovers' Cliff. It is said that the location where the flags and sculpture were erected is highly sacred, which is tied to local religious beliefs. Strangely enough, ever since, no similar tragedies have occurred on the cliff. We truly owe gratitude to those who acted with compassion and mercy. Gangcha is a place where multiple ethnic groups live together, mainly including Tibetans, Mongolians, Hui, Tu, Salar, and Han people. Ethnic minorities make up over 70% of the county’s population. On this magical land, people of all ethnicities respect one another, live in unity and friendship, and develop together. The majestic and magnificent nature has shaped the broad-minded, hardworking, and bold character of the people of Gangcha, reflecting distinct traits of plateau dwellers. Each ethnic group has its own religious beliefs; among them, Tibetans, Tu, and Mongolians, along with some Han people, follow Buddhism, while the Hui and Salar people adhere to Islam.